
Online Master's Degree in Nursing
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Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Overview
Come back and move your career forward with a flexible online MSN built for working nurses.
- Earn a respected degree accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
- Build on your nursing education and practical experience and prepare to move into leadership and independent practice opportunities.
- Develop expertise in organizational theory, health care finance, health policy, human resources, information technology, health care systems, and more.
- Prepare to sit for industry certification exams.
- Pursue one of six specialty tracks:
- Adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner
- Adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner
- Executive leader
- Family nurse practitioner primary care
- Nurse educator
- Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner
Review College Scorecard data for this program.

CCNE Accredited
The master's degree in nursing program at Purdue Global is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (www.CCNEAccreditation.org).
Purdue Global Is Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
The HLC (HLCommission.org) is an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Expert Faculty
Learn from practicing professionals who have advanced degrees in nursing and bring you the latest information and techniques.
Note: Residents of TN may not enroll in this program. Residents of the following states and territories may not enroll in the nurse practitioner population focus areas: HI, LA, NY, OR, UT, and Guam. In addition, residents of DC or WA may not enroll in the adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner population focus area or psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner focus area.
Some pathways are not available to international students. See Notes and Conditions below for important information.
Calculate Your Time and Cost
Estimate how much your prior learning credits can reduce your tuition and time to graduation.
What Courses Will I Take?
The Master of Science in Nursing curriculum prepares you to fill advanced practice and nursing leadership roles. Courses are reviewed and revised by industry experts to ensure they reflect the most recent developments in health care.
Specialty Tracks
Choose a concentration or population focus area designed to provide further knowledge in your chosen specialty and your specific advanced role:
- Adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner
- Adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner
- Executive leader
- Family nurse practitioner, primary care
- Nurse educator
- Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner
Sample Courses
- Advanced Nursing Roles
- Scientific and Analytic Approaches to Advanced Evidence-Based Practice
- Epidemiology and Health Promotion
- Health Policy, Ethical, and Legal Perspectives of the Health Care System
- Promoting Optimal Models and Systems for Health Care Delivery
Core Curriculum or Concentration
NP Population Areas
1 semester credit hour = 1.5 quarter credit hours
Admissions Requirements
A bachelor's degree with a major in nursing and an approved criminal background check is required. You will need to provide an official transcript that shows completion of your bachelor's degree from an accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher, though an unofficial copy may be provided during the application process. Additional requirements apply. Refer to the program-specific policy page in the University Catalog or speak to an Advisor to learn more.
Specialty Tracks
Choose a concentration or population focus area designed to provide further knowledge in your chosen specialty and your specific advanced role. Each option includes a guided clinical experience.
Population Focus Areas
Adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner population focus area
The adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner population focus area is designed to prepare registered nurses as practitioners for professional practice in the medical, surgical, and critical care management of acutely ill adult patient populations. Graduates may expect to practice in acute and complex care settings in roles such as a hospitalist in a medical-surgical unit or an intensivist in a general or specialty critical care unit.
Adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioners function within the interprofessional acute care team providing direct care management including diagnosis and treatment planning. This population focus area also includes an online skills lab that incorporates a virtual reality (VR) headset for a virtual lab experience, allowing you to work remotely with faculty and staff.
Adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner population focus area
The adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner population focus area is designed to educate you on the topics of how to best provide primary care as a member of an interprofessional team and improve the availability of evidence-based, culturally relevant health care in diverse communities. The curriculum helps you develop the skills to evaluate the health and wellness of individuals, families, and their communities.
The nurse practitioner is expected to possess skills in diagnosing, treating, and managing acute and chronic health conditions, delivering primary and preventive care, and participating in the development of appropriate policy and evidence-based practice.
Family nurse practitioner primary care population focus area
The family nurse practitioner population focus area is designed to educate you on the topics of how to best provide primary care as a member of an interprofessional team and improve the availability of evidence-based, culturally relevant health care in diverse communities. The curriculum helps you develop the skills to evaluate the health and wellness of individuals, families, and their communities.
The nurse practitioner is expected to possess skills in diagnosing, treating, and managing acute and chronic health conditions, delivering primary and preventive care, and participating in the development of appropriate policy and evidence-based practice.
Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner population focus area
The psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner population focus area is designed for master’s prepared nurses who want to obtain further knowledge to provide comprehensive psychiatric mental health care through the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and management of psychiatric mental health disorders, medical organic brain disorders, substance abuse problems, and complex co-occurring disease processes and disorders across the lifespan.
Graduates may expect to practice in acute care and primary care settings in hospitals, community mental health centers, home health care, partial hospital care, residential settings, prisons, or private practices as well as in collaborative practices with other specialties.
Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners function within the interprofessional acute care or primary care team providing direct care management including diagnosis, treatment planning, conducting therapy, prescribing psychotropic medications, and providing emergency psychiatric services. This population focus area also incorporates a virtual reality (VR) headset for a virtual lab experience to augment and enhance concepts presented in the program.
Concentrations
Executive Leader Concentration
The executive leader concentration is designed to prepare you to pursue managerial positions and leadership roles in hospitals, community health, long-term care facilities, and other health care systems. The program focuses on the principles of personnel management, policy development and implementation, budgeting, and the use of information technology.
Nurse Educator
The nurse educator concentration prepares nurses to effectively teach patients and their families, create staff development, and evaluate educational programs.
Note: Residents of the following states and territories may not enroll in the nurse practitioner population focus areas: HI, LA, NJ, NY, ND, OR, TN, UT, Guam, Puerto Rico. In addition, residents of DC or WA may not enroll in the acute care adult-gerontology nurse practitioner population focus area. Some pathways are not available to international students.
Upcoming Start Dates
We offer multiple start dates to give you flexibility in your education, life, and work schedules.
Prepare for Industry Certifications
Nursing credentials demonstrate your adherence to a higher standard and may be a condition for employment in nursing. As of July 2025, 93.7% is the average pass rate for nurse practitioner students who graduated in 2024 and are known to have attempted a certification exam through the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), or American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN).
Upon completion of the master’s degree in nursing program, you may be eligible to pursue industry-recognized certifications in your selected specialty area.
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC): Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN): Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC): Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP): Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
Family Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care
- American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC): Family Nurse Practitioner
- American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP): Family Nurse Practitioner
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC): Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification
- American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP): Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification
See Notes and Conditions below for important information.
Gain Real World Experience
Faculty- and preceptor-supported clinical practice experiences in your community provide knowledge and mentoring specific to your area of interest.
Contact an Admissions Advisor for information on the number of clinical hours required in your specialty area.
Accelerate Your Master’s Degree With ExcelTrack®
Forget what you know about earning a degree. ExcelTrack® is personalized learning that gives you more control over your education, getting you to the same degree faster, for less money.
Ways to Save on Time and Tuition
Purdue Global works with students to find ways to reduce costs and make education more accessible. Contact us to learn about opportunities to save on your educational costs.
Transfer Credits
Earn credit for prior coursework completed at eligible institutions.
Financial Aid
Learn about federal financial aid programs available for many of our degree programs.
Grants and Loans
Learn about federal and state grants and loan programs that may be available.
Corporate Partner Benefits
Employees of Purdue Global partner organizations may be eligible for special tuition reductions.
Military Tuition Reduction
Graduate tuition savings for military include a 17–30% reduction per credit for current servicemembers and 14% per credit for veterans for graduate programs.
Prior Military Experience
Earn credit for your military training. We offer credit for ACE-evaluated training and CLEP and DANTES examinations.
View the total cost of attendance for your program.
Possible Behavioral Interview Questions for This Field of Study
- Share an experience where you mentored or supported a colleague, peer, or nursing student. How did you approach it, and what impact did it have?
- Tell me about a time during your MSN program when you identified an opportunity to improve a process or patient outcome. What actions did you take, and what was the result?
- Tell me about a situation where you had to manage competing priorities during your MSN program such as clinicals, coursework, and personal responsibilities. How did you stay organized and meet your goals?
- Can you share an example of a time when you educated a patient who was resistant to following your medical advice? What strategies did you use?
Sample Skills Developed and Used in This Field
- Ethical Standards and Conduct
- Management
- Communication
- Primary Care
- Compassion
- Patient Education
- Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
- Treatment Planning
- Electronic Medical Record Management
- Leadership
- Care Coordination
- Teamwork
- Critical Thinking
- Digital Literacy
- Professionalism
Choosing a Master’s Degree in Nursing
Accelerate your nursing career and position yourself for more advanced roles. Discover the value of pursuing a master’s degree in nursing.
Download the Program Brochure
Download our brochure to learn more about the online Master of Nursing and the benefits of earning your degree at Purdue Global.
Prepare yourself for success with a master’s degree in nursing.
MSN Dual Degree Options
Our MSN offers dual degree programs that let you combine your master’s in nursing with a Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Public Health (MPH), or Master of Health Care Administration (MHCA). Gain a competitive edge in your career by building on your nursing experience with a specialization in these in-demand areas of focus.
Get to Know Our Faculty
Purdue Global faculty members are real-world practitioners who bring knowledge gained through the powerful combination of higher learning and industry experience.
Faculty members who have advanced degrees
Faculty members who have terminal degrees
Faculty publications in 2024–2025
Professional development hours logged by faculty in 2024–2025
Statistics include all Purdue Global faculty members and are not school- or program-specific calculations. Source: Purdue Global Office of Reporting and Analysis, August 2025. 2024–2025 academic year.
