Go from BSN to MSN degree with Herzing University
| Accreditation | CCNE accredited,1 Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission |
|---|---|
| Program length | 16-24 months, depending on specialty |
| Specialties | Choose between 9 different specialties in advanced nursing practice, including 6 types of nurse practitioner specialties |
| Requirements | A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and a current, active and unrestricted RN license |
| Format | Online didactic classes, and on-site clinicals |
| Clinicals | We pledge your clinical placement |
| Dual Credit | Earn dual credit towards a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) |
Advance your nursing education to the master’s level
Earning a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) can open many doors to unique career opportunities, whether it’s expanding your role in clinical care as a nurse practitioner, developing your teaching skills to become a nurse educator, or climbing the ladder to executive-level roles in nursing leadership and administration.
Take the BSN to MSN pathway and transition your career from bachelor’s-prepared Registered Nurse (RN) to the advanced practice specialty of your choosing.
- Learn online in Herzing’s Everywhere Classroom: on your schedule, at your pace
- Transfer credit from prior college classes to minimize your cost and time to complete
- Start fast: we offer 6 start dates throughout the year to ensure you can get started soon
- Future degree pathways: continue your graduate study in a post master’s certificate program or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program
We exist to help you earn the degree you need to excel in your career and climb higher and higher in the nursing field. You are possible with Herzing University.
Classes Start January 6th
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Choose your path from BSN to MSN
You may choose from several MSN specialties to take the next step up to new heights in your nursing career.
Specialize in the delivery of acute and chronic care as an AGACNP.
Focus your study in the adult population and become an AGPCNP.
Specialize in family practice and become a nurse practitioner.
Instruct the nurses of tomorrow as a nurse educator.
Make your mark in nursing as a leader or administrator.
Specialize in the pediatric population as a nurse practitioner.
Join a true profession of the heart as a PMHNP.
Become a population health advocate and decision-maker.
Focus your practice in women's health as an NP.
Ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best online graduate nursing programs in 2024
Your clinical placement is our pledge.
We understand securing clinical placement as part of an MSN degree program is one of the biggest concerns students face. At Herzing, we offer guidance and support through our step-by-step Clinical Guidance Process to ensure you can get the clinical practice experiences you need.
As a Herzing student, we’ll encourage you to find your own preceptor and clinical sites as there are many benefits to doing so. However, we provide extensive support should you find difficulty along the way. With Herzing, you are never on your own.
Because of our strong relationships with healthcare providers across the U.S. and our comprehensive Clinical Guidance Process, we are confident in our ability to help you find clinical placement. So much so that if you are unable to find a clinical site on your own, we pledge to step in and help you secure clinical placement.*
* Subject to terms and conditions outlined in the enrollment documents.
Scholarship Opportunity
You may be eligible for the Herzing University Nurses Circle of Achievement Scholarship.
Eligibility requirements include a minimum GPA earned in your undergraduate nursing program, and maintaining a minimum GPA throughout the MSN program.
You can potentially earn 10% tuition reduction!
Tuition & Cost
Our goal is your career advancement. That’s why we are always working to improve our curriculums and processes to make our MSN program as affordable as possible while preparing you best for success in your work.
The cost of tuition for the MSN program depends on the specialty you choose. Overall cost can be reduced through transfer credit from prior college coursework, scholarships and grants, loans, VA and military benefits, and several additional options for financial aid.
With Herzing University, you are never alone, and we offer many options to help you invest in yourself, earn your master’s degree in nursing and go from BSN to MSN.
Is a doctorate degree in your future?
After earning a master’s degree, you can potentially apply for our Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program to earn the terminal degree in nursing and reach for the top of the nursing field.
You can also choose to begin working towards a DNP right away in one of our BSN to DNP specializations.
A DNP curriculum is designed to develop practice-focused skills applicable across advanced practice specialties, with courses covering improvement science, informatics, systems-based practice, population health, and much more.
We are your lifelong partner in learning on your career path in nursing—from BSN to MSN, or potentially from BSN to DNP.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, we offer pathways for both non-nurses and current RNs who hold an associate degree.
I am not a nurse and have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree. You may be eligible to enroll in our online Direct Entry MSN program, which you can potentially complete in as few as 20 months.
I am an RN with an ADN/ASN. We offer a “bridge” style RN to MSN program for current ADN nurses with an RN license looking for a direct path to earning an MSN.
You may choose an accelerated RN to MSN degree pathway or earn your BSN on the way (RN to BSN to MSN).
Earning potential can vary widely depending on your career path. Pay will depend on your depth of experience, degree level earned, your state of employment and the specific roles and responsibilities in the position.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)*:
- Nurse practitioners earn an average salary of $128,490 per year (BLS)
- Nursing instructors earn an average salary of $86,530 per year (BLS)
- Medical and health service managers (including “nurse administrators”) earn an average salary of $134,440 per year (BLS)
There are several potential advantages to earning a master’s degree:
- Your role in patient care. Earning an MSN can help you specialize in the type of patient care you are most passionate about – or transition away from primarily patient care as an RN into roles in leadership, administration or education.
- Earning potential. Moving up the career ladder beyond registered nurse can open up opportunities to specialize your expertise, get better at what you do and increase your pay.
- Qualifications for more jobs. You never know when that dream job opens up and starts taking applicants. With an MSN, you’ll have an even stronger resume to bring to the table for your next big job interview.
- Open doors to further advanced education. By earning your MSN you may potentially consider a Doctorate in Nursing (DNP) or post-master’s certificate programs in other concentrations to continue expanding your education and nursing credentials.
Both MSN and Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs are viable pathways for nurses looking to reach the next level in their career. Depending on your desired career path, you may prefer to earn one or the other (or both!).
Registered nurses who want to continue to deliver directing patient care or move into a leadership role directing patient care may prefer to first choose an MSN program. Herzing offers nurses with an RN license direct pathways to earn their MSN in the RN to MSN program.
Nurses more interested in the business side of healthcare management (and perhaps transition away from direct patient care) may prefer to pursue an MBA.
Learn more about why an MBA may be right for nurses looking to evolve into a role focused more on the business of nursing and/or healthcare in general.
After earning a master’s degree you may pursue further nursing credentials in a post-master’s certificate in nursing program. Herzing offers multiple certificate options with specializations in:
- Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP)
- Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGNP/AGPCNP)
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
- Nursing Education (Nurse Educator - NE)
- Nursing Leadership & Administration (NLA)
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP)
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
- Public Health (PH)
- Women's Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP)
After earning master's-level preparation in the specialty of your choosing, you can then advance to the doctorate level by enrolling in our online Post Master's DNP program.
Earning an MSN or DNP represents a huge step forward in your education, but there is always more to learn. We are your lifelong partner in learning, dedicated to helping you earn the education needed to reach your highest career goals.
Earning an MSN can open several doors to take your nursing career to the next level.
You might choose to become a nurse practitioner. There are many types of nurse practitioners with unique specialties you can consider pursuing. Herzing University offers multiple concentrations for current RNs seeking the next step up to nurse practitioner. View all of our online nurse practitioner programs.
Career opportunities in nursing also exist in nursing leadership, administration and education. By earning an MSN in Nursing Education you may qualify to teach nursing in clinical and/or academic settings. An MSN in Nursing Leadership and Administration helps you develop the skills and knowledge needed to become a decision maker, potentially qualifying for roles as a manager, director or executive.
There are many paths to reaching upper-level roles in nursing, and we exist to help you become qualified for them.
Accreditation & Disclosures
1. The master's degree program in nursing at Herzing University-Madison is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org). Herzing University is approved to offer programs in an online learning modality through association with the main campus in Madison, Wisconsin.
Herzing University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
* Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics 2023 / Occupational Outlook Handbook 2022. BLS estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geography market in which you want to work and degree field, will affect career outcomes and earnings. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the average salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, salary increase or other career growth.
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