Online Master's Degree in Nursing (MSN)

Caregiving is holistic.

So is nursing leadership.

Maryville University proudly offers online MSN programs designed for experienced nurses who want to transform the healthcare system — starting with their role in it. Develop a whole new leadership perspective that approaches nursing from an angle of compassion, preventive care, and evidence-based decision-making. This is what it means to become an advanced nurse practitioner. This is what it means to graduate from Maryville.

100% online with no campus visits required

No GMAT, GRE, or Statistics required for admission

Choose from 5 concentrations

Complete clinicals locally in your preferred setting

No waiting list once you’re accepted

Why choose the online MSN program at Maryville?

Take charge of your career. Start with your choice of five nurse practitioner programs.

Defining the focus of your master’s degree is the first step to shaping the type of role you will play as a nurse practitioner. When you choose Maryville for your Master of Science in Nursing online, you have the option of selecting one of five advanced nurse practitioner concentrations accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Graduating from Maryville can take your career to a place it’s never been.

When you earn your MSN, you open the door to becoming a mentor, educator, researcher, and administrator. Learn everything you need to move forward, from right where you are.

Five ways to specialize your online MSN degree:

As the healthcare system continues to evolve, new opportunities in holistic nursing leadership will steadily emerge. Take this opportunity to build on yesterday’s success and prepare for tomorrow’s as a certified nurse practitioner.

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP)

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP)

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP)

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)

Why choose Maryville for your MSN?

We’re a private, four-year institution ranked as one of America’s Best Colleges by both U.S. News & World Report and Forbes. When you choose us for your online MSN, you receive a highly flexible and highly regarded education with the added convenience of being delivered 100% online. Here are a few more reasons why we offer you the best path:

Graduate from a program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Enjoy a flexible and convenient 24/7 online learning model.
Earn advanced credentials and become a “physician extender” in hospitals, clinics, and private practices.
Become a more effective practitioner, caregiver, and nursing leader by gaining the confidence and skills to work autonomously in managing patient needs.
Gain immediately actionable knowledge in online classrooms and clinicals.
Receive the student-centered support to become a successful nurse practitioner.
Study with a university that embodies the values of caring, collaboration, and excellence.
Learn from faculty with hands-on clinical expertise who teach nursing from experience.
Benefit from a convenient online curriculum that can be completed in approximately two years.

Why are MSN nurse practitioners essential to the future?

There are a number of noteworthy trends driving the demand for nurse practitioners. Here are a few.

The changing workforce

As an experienced RN, you may know the future of the workforce is changing — and not just because of the looming nursing/physician shortage. By 2025, millennials are predicted to make up the majority of the workforce, attempting to fill the void left by the retiring baby boomers. With the influx of novice talent on the horizon, nurse practitioners with the knowledge and skill to function autonomously are needed now more than ever. Become part of the new generation of leaders.

The rewards of the profession

Research indicates that job satisfaction for nurse practitioners is high based on factors like environment, work-life balance, and most important, workload. To keep that benchmark in place — and further improve workplace satisfaction — hiring organizations will need to attract a greater number of qualified, well-educated NPs to meet growing demand.

The new model of healthcare

As the healthcare system moves closer to operating like a business, hospitals seek to discharge patients as soon as possible. The result is an increased need for outpatient facility staffing. More and more people are receiving care in outpatient settings to keep healthcare and insurance costs down. Nurse practitioners play a pivotal role in this new model by providing services and wellness education in various primary care settings and community clinics.

The preferred caregiver

Americans make more than 916 million visits to nurse practitioners — every year. Nurse practitioners take a whole-person approach to patient care, encouraging appropriate medical choices and healthy lifestyle habits. Thus, it’s no surprise that individuals who opt for the high-quality and patient-centered care of an NP tend to have lower costs, fewer emergency room visits, and shorter hospital stays.

Career Opportunities for MSN Graduates

Now is the time to invest in your future. It won’t take long to see that going back to school for your Master of Science in Nursing was well worth it. Thanks to ongoing legislative reform, an aging population, the proliferation of unhealthy lifestyle habits, and rise of chronic illnesses, the demand for well-educated nurse practitioners shows no signs of slowing down. We’ll help you prepare for your career.

According to Salary.com, RNs who pursue their Master of Science in Nursing to qualify for a nurse practitioner role could see a $25,000 salary increase. Upon graduating and receiving a salary increase, your education may have practically paid for itself in less than two years.
Job openings for nurse practitioners are expected to increase by 31% from 2014 to 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The average salary for nurse practitioners is $94,460, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Adult-gerontology and pediatric practitioners are ranked in the “Top 10 Highest-Paying Nursing Specialties” according to Scrubs Magazine. Salaries range from $75,000 and up.
According to the American Nurses Association, the need for adult-gerontology nurse practitioners is expected to increase into the middle of the 21st century as baby boomers age.
The need for family nurse practitioners (FNP) is expected to steadily increase, considering that by 2025, the nation is expected to be short at least 100,000 family medicine doctors.

Founded in 1872 — Top Ranked for Today

Proud to be recognized as one of America’s Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report and Forbes.

Maryville University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission — HLC

Ranked among “America’s Top Colleges” — Forbes, 2017

Ranked among the best values in private colleges
— Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, 2018

Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education — CCNE

Online Master of Science in Nursing Curriculum

At Maryville University, we encourage bravery and innovation. So we developed our online Master of Science in Nursing program curriculum to cater to experienced nurses — brave nurses like you who are ready to enhance their roles and become leaders in the field.

Our online MSN curriculum features a core of master’s-level coursework relevant to nurses of all types, such as Theoretical Foundations of Nursing Practice, Health Promotion/Disease Prevention, and Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing. It also features advanced coursework in pathophysiology, health assessment, and pharmacotherapeutics, and courses designed to prepare you for leadership. You can see a full course list at our curriculum page.

Not only that, but you’ll have the opportunity to specialize your online MSN degree further with one of five nurse practitioner concentrations.

Family Nurse Practitioner

This 18-credit track features advanced courses in gerontology, pediatrics, and family health that can help you develop the skills necessary to become a family nurse practitioner and treat patients of all ages.

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP

If you want to be a primary care NP who focuses on patients 13 and older, this 12-credit concentration can help you build the skills necessary to provide the best care possible.

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP

Study advanced concepts related to acute care diagnosis and management and learn the skills to become an AGACNP in this 18-credit concentration.

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

If you want to devote your practice as a nurse to working with children, you can earn your online BSN to DNP with a PNP concentration. This 15-credit track features advanced courses in health promotion, assessment, and diagnosis of children.

Psychiatric Mental Health NP

Want to use your nursing degree to help diagnose, treat, and improve mental health? This concentration features 21 credit hours of courses in mental health assessment, diagnosis, and management.

Master of Science in Nursing Online