About - MSN and Graduate Certificates

Be part of our community of online learners! Recent graduates praise the values-based program that provided a supportive network for their professional exploration and development.

What is unique about EMU’s Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program?

• Students develop leadership skills while being mindful of what is just, culturally competent, respectful and sacred.

• Course assignments are structured for direct application in the student's professional work setting.

• An inter-professional focus means you’ll study business, education, conflict transformation, and nursing.

• Our sacred covenant framework of nursing is based on faith and values, high professional standards, and bringing people to wholeness and healing. 

• Small class sizes enhance community-building.

• Our program is primarily asynchronous online distance learning with some synchronous online class sessions.

• Many of EMU’s expert nursing faculty have extensive cross-cultural experience.

• Earn up to 400 faculty-supervised practicum hours that can be applied towards a future DNP degree.

MSN with Leadership and Management Concentration

Nursing is rapidly evolving as a profession along with health care in general. Graduates of a master of science in nursing leadership and management program can often find jobs in the following areas: 

• Unit managers and directors in hospitals

• Supervisors or directors in public health, long-term care, or other agencies

• Specific roles in institutions, such as safety, infection control, case management, or patient education

• College-level teaching in nursing at an associate or baccalaureate level. If at the baccalaureate level, you will need to consider a PhD or DNP in the future.

MSN with Leadership in Trauma Awareness and Resilience Concentration

This program allows students to explore their leadership skills recognizing the potential trauma that clients and staff have experienced. Having such an awareness, the nurse leader creates healthy work and care environments that advocates for patient and staff to enhance their resilience. These skills are applicable for the nurse leader in a broad array of nursing roles within the diverse health care environment.

Course work throughout the program involves direct application to their current work setting. Further, students in their final semester implement a quality improvement initiative  to improve this setting. Such assignments provide for understanding their health care context with broader and deeper views, while also transforming the health care environment.

The first four courses in this concentration are taken through the Trauma and Resilience in Healthcare Settings graduate certificate program. 

MSN with Leadership and School Nurse Concentration

The program is consistent with current Pennsylvania state and national school nurse standards and guidelines. It focuses on health care management for school-aged children and is designed to prepare registered nurses to meet the health needs of children of all ages in diverse school settings. Graduates of this program meet the requirements for a Pennsylvania certificate as a Level I Educational Specialist-School Nurse and also can submit their post-CSN course credits towards the PDE Level II certificate. However, school nurses from states other than Pennsylvania will find the program beneficial as well. Graduates of other Pennsylvania Department of Education approved school nurse certification programs can also transfer their credits into the MSN as well.

Graduates of a master of science in leadership and school nurse concentration can find jobs in the following areas:

• School and camp settings

• Supervisors or directors in public health, or other agencies

• College level teaching in nursing at an associate or baccalaureate level. If at the baccalaureate level, you will need to consider a PhD or DNP in the future.

Graduate Certificate in School Nursing

EMU Nursing offers a Graduate Certificate in School Nursing (CSN) approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The purpose of the Graduate Certificate in School Nursing is to prepare registered nurses to meet the health needs of children of all ages in diverse school settings. This post baccalaureate program consists of 12 credits of coursework, including a practicum, leading to a certificate as a Level I Educational Specialist-School Nurse in Pennsylvania.

Courses are offered online. This certification program can be taken as part of the MSN with Leadership and School Nurse concentration or independent of the MSN. For students wishing to pursue an MSN, the certification program provides an easy transition into the MSN with Leadership and School Nurse concentration. Since courses are offered in an online format, this program can be accessible to all nurses from any state. 

Upon completion of the Graduate Certificate in School Nursing curriculum, students who are RNs in Pennsylvania are eligible to apply for the School Nurse Certificate (Education Specialist I) issued by the Pennsylvania (PA) Department of Education. The PA DOE requires conversion to an Education Specialist Level II certificate within six service years as a Certified School Nurse.