Master of Science in Nursing Leadership and Innovation (MSN)

To be considered for admission to the MSN in Leadership and Innovation Program the following must be required:

• Current Registered Nurse license (any US state)
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, or bachelor’s degree in a related field, or Master’s entry nursing program (MEPN) degree
• Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Demonstration of meeting AACN Essentials Level 1 Competencies

The program must be completed within a maximum of six years from when the first course is completed. Students must achieve the following requirements to progress in the program:

• Maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 to remain in the program, and
• Earn a “B-” or above in each course.

MSN graduates will be prepared to assume various leadership roles across diverse settings. The program also provides graduates with a total of 300 of the required 1000 clinical hours needed to complete a doctorate of nursing practice (DNP) program in an AACN-accredited school.

Upon program completion the Saint Anselm MSN graduate in Leadership and Innovation will be able to:

1. Apply foundational concepts of contemporary leadership to address complex challenges in the healthcare industry.
2. Design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based person-centered systems of care delivery for healthcare consumers and for optimization of the workforce.
3. Establish and optimize relationships with interprofessional teams to achieve common goals and quality outcomes.
4. Be an effective voice for professional nursing practice in organizational, economic, regulatory and policy discussions.
5. Value the rich history of nursing and health care while partnering to address and improve the present challenges and advance the healthcare delivery system for the future.
6. Prioritize care provider and population well-being and health amid the increasingly dynamic and complex healthcare system.
7. Fulfill the leadership goals, performance and strategic metrics for personal and organizational success.
8. Embrace and leverage innovation to gain efficiencies in the workplace, improve services, and transform care delivery systems.
9. Utilize data, informatics and technology to advance the knowledge of the discipline, facilitate data-driven decisions, and improve safety, outcomes and experiences.

Each of these program learning outcomes are mapped to the AACN Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education Essentials 10 domains. 

Our MSN program provides 300 practice hours and the certificate program 200 clinical practice hours. These may be used toward the completion of a doctorate of nursing practice (DNP) program accredited by the CCNE.

The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) defines clinical practice experiences as planned learning activities that allow students to understand, perform, and refine professional complete the appropriate program level. 

These hours will be accrued through assignments as learning activities that allow for experiential learning. Experiences are not limited to clinical patient care settings. No preceptor is needed. 

We offer a non-matriculated option for individuals to take graduate level nursing courses without matriculating into the MSN Program. This option may appeal to registered nurses who want to pursue their education but who may not be ready to commit to a degree program, and current Saint Anselm undergraduate nursing students who are interested in taking graduate level nursing courses towards a future degree. 

The non-matriculated option is available to:

1. Currently enrolled undergraduate nursing students
2. Registered Nurses

Completed courses will apply towards the MSN in Leadership and Innovation Program if students meet the requirements to matriculate into the program within seven years of successfully completing the course(s).

The courses available to non-matriculated students include:

1. Nursology and Knowledge of Discipline (3 credits)
2. The Healthcare Industry and 5 P’s: Providers, Populations Served, Places of Delivery, Policy and Payment Mechanisms (3 credits)
3. Evidence Based Practice for the Scholarship of the Nursing Discipline (3 credits)

In order to take graduate level nursing courses through the Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences students the following must be required:

Currently enrolled in Saint Anselm College’s undergraduate nursing program and in good academic standing (for Jean School nursing students)

• Successful completion of required nursing classes through the sophomore year (course and exam average of 70% or higher)
• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Student is on schedule to complete all core requirements as outlined in the standard course sequence for nursing students graduating in the designated academic year
• Approval by director of undergraduate nursing if taking more than 18 credits/semester.

OR

Licensed RNs holding Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees, or equivalent.

Additionally:

• Demonstration that licensed RNs have met the AACN Essentials Level 1 Competences.
• Space must be available in the course.
• If taking a second or third course, students must have achieved a “C” or better in the prior graduate nursing course(s).

The following are required for admission to the post-master’s certificate program:

• Current Registered Nurse license (any US state)
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, or bachelor’s degree in a related field
• Master of Science in Nursing degree
• Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher (exceptions may be made to this requirement at the discretion of the MSN Admission Committee
• Demonstration of meeting AACN Essentials Level 1 and Level 2 competencies

Courses in the post-master’s certificate program are also part of the MSN Program and are designed based on the current guidelines for advanced-level nursing education: The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education (AACN, 2021), and the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) Nurse Leader Core Competencies (AONL, 2022). All course learning objectives have been mapped to the Essentials domains for nursing that include both leadership and innovation.

To ensure flexibility, courses may be taken in any order depending upon when courses are offered. However, we recommend that the courses Effective Leadership for Contemporary Nursing and Innovation: A 21st Century Skill are completed first. Up to two comparable courses may be transferred from a CCNE accredited school of nursing.

1. Effective Leadership for Contemporary Nursing (3 credits)
2. Innovation: A 21st Century Skill (3 credits)
3. Quality Improvement Models and Processes (3 credits)
4. Informatics and Technology  (3 credits)
5. Financial Management for Nurse Leaders (3 credits)

Upon completing the Post-master’s Certificate in Nursing Leadership and Innovation, graduates will be prepared to assume various leadership roles across diverse settings. 

The program also provides graduates with a total of 200 of the required 1000 clinical hours needed to complete a DNP Program in an AACN-accredited school. Graduates may also choose to seek to become an AONL Certified Nurse Manager and Leader® (CNML).

Upon completing the certificate program, graduates will be able to:

1. Apply an understanding of evidence-based leadership and innovation theories andprinciples to lead and evaluate change initiatives in a variety of complex healthcare environments.
2. Lead interprofessional teams in a variety of settings to develop and implement solutions to address complex healthcare system problems, and improve quality outcomes.
3. Utilize data, informatics and technology to advance the knowledge of the discipline,facilitate data driven decisions and improve safety, outcomes and experiences.
4. Fulfill leadership goals, performance and strategic metrics for personal andorganizational success.
5. Enter a leadership position with confidence and self-assurance.

Each of these academic certificate learning outcomes are mapped to the AACN Core

Competencies for Professional Nursing Education Essentials 10 domains.

To be considered for the master’s program, you must be a licensed registered nurse holding Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, or equivalent.

The master’s program can be completed part-time in as little as 5 semesters (20 months). A student may customize their progression through the certificate by taking either one or two classes each semester

The post-master’s certificate program can also be completed in up to five semesters. It requires completion of five – 3-credit courses.

Courses are online, asynchronous. There is a two-day on-campus intensive at the culmination of the program during the final, capstone course.

Enrolled students may request transfer of up to six graduate credits or two comparable courses. Courses will be considered for transfer if the student has received a grade of B or better, and if the course has not been applied to a prior degree.

For the post-master’s certificate, up to six graduate credits or two comparable courses may be transferred from a CCNE accredited school of nursing.

Yes, non-matriculated students have the option of taking one to three of the MSN program’s core courses (max of 9 credits). 

Yes, you need to matriculate into the program to complete the post-master’s certificate. Applicants must be a current registered nurse, hold a BSN or an MSN, have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher (exceptions may be made to this requirement at the discretion of the MSN Admission Committee), and demonstrate that they meet AACN Essentials Level 1 and Level 2 competencies.

You can find additional requirements for admission on the Graduate Admission page

Graduate financial aid is predominantly in the form of loan-based aid for those who qualify. For those looking for financial aid, you are strongly encouraged to complete the FAFSA. In order to complete the FAFSA you will only need your financial information for the 2023 academic year. As a graduate student your parent’s information is no longer needed. For more information please visit the FAFSA website.