Quick Highlights
If you already hold an MSN or are currently enrolled in an MSN program, A-State’s 12-credit online graduate certificate in nurse education adds teaching-specific coursework in as few as 6 months without a second master’s degree. If you hold a BSN and have not yet earned an MSN, the 32-credit online MSN – Nurse Educator is the program for you, since the certificate requires an MSN already earned or in progress.
Maybe you’ve been precepting for years on top of a general Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and want to move into teaching without going back for a second master’s degree. Or maybe you’re starting from a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and wondering if the shorter route is even open to you yet.
Whichever describes you, precepting on top of an MSN or still working from a BSN, you’d be entering a field with more open teaching positions than qualified applicants. Nursing schools nationwide are short 1,588 budgeted full-time faculty positions, a 7.2% vacancy rate the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) attributes to several factors, including a coming wave of faculty retirements and too few PhD nursing graduates entering teaching.
The online Graduate Certificate – Nurse Educator program and online MSN – Nurse Educator program at Arkansas State University (A-State) both exist to help working nurses move into those open roles. Which one applies to you depends on your current credential. The four scenarios below match each background to its program.
Which Applicant Are You?
- BSN only, no MSN yet: The MSN – Nurse Educator is your path. The nurse educator graduate certificate is not available to you yet, since it requires an MSN already earned or in progress.
- Currently enrolled in an MSN program (any specialty): The Graduate Certificate – Nurse Educator is available to you now, in parallel with or after your MSN, adding the teaching-specific coursework your specialty track does not cover.
- Already hold an MSN in a clinical specialty (including an NP credential): The nurse educator graduate certificate is the faster route to teaching-ready coursework, without repeating core MSN classes you have already completed.
Already hold a nurse educator MSN: Neither credential applies; consider the DNP – Education track instead if a terminal degree is the next step.
Whichever situation matches you, the certificate and MSN differ mainly in scope, not intent, since both prepare you to teach. If you haven’t decided whether to pursue teaching, read A-State’s overview of nurse educator career paths before you commit to either path. The table below lines up credit hours, program length and eligibility side by side; A-State’s guide to what drives success in nursing education covers the classroom skills both paths develop.
Certificate vs. MSN, Side by Side
The two programs share a purpose but differ in scope: the certificate builds narrowly on an MSN you already hold or are completing, while the MSN establishes that foundation starting from a BSN. The table below compares prerequisites, credit hours, program length and CNE eligibility for both.
| Factor | Graduate Certificate – Nurse Educator | MSN – Nurse Educator |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite | BSN from an ACEN-, CCNE- or CNEA-accredited program, plus an MSN earned or in progress from an ACEN- or CCNE-accredited program | BSN from an ACEN-, CCNE- or CNEA-accredited program |
| Credential awarded | Graduate certificate | Master of Science in Nursing |
| Credit hours | 12 | 32 |
| Program length | As few as 6 months | As few as 12 months |
| Admission GPA | 3.0 on a 4.0 scale | 3.0 on a 4.0 scale |
| Other requirements | Current unencumbered RN license, background check | Current unencumbered RN license, background check, NCLEX-RN passing scores by end of first semester |
| CNE eligibility | Yes, when paired with an MSN (satisfies the National League for Nursing (NLN) pathway for a master’s degree plus a post-master’s certificate in education) | Yes, as an education-focused master’s degree |
Every row in this comparison depends on the credential you already hold, which is why the scenarios above determine your track before any of these details come into play. From here, the remaining questions are less about credit hours and more about how employer expectations and long-term degree plans should impact your choice.
Does an Employer Prefer the Full MSN Over the Certificate?
This depends on the specific posting, not on a universal rule. Some employers evaluate the credential as a whole, treating an MSN-plus-certificate combination as equivalent to a nurse educator MSN for hiring purposes, since both satisfy the same NLN pathway to CNE eligibility. Other postings, particularly for full-time academic faculty lines, may specifically list “MSN in nursing education” rather than accepting a general MSN plus certificate, so reading the actual posting language matters more than assuming either credential is universally preferred.
Important Note
Confirm the current tuition and credit-hour figures directly before budgeting. Figures, such as per-credit rate and total program cost, can change between terms.
What If I’m Not Sure Which Degree I’ll Need Later?
The deciding factor is whether a terminal degree (DNP) is likely in your future, not which program feels more complete right now. If a DNP is likely, the certificate route still works: DNP admission requires an MSN, not specifically a nurse educator MSN, so completing the certificate now does not rule out that doctorate later.
If you are unsure and want to keep options open without eventually stacking two separate programs, the online MSN – Nurse Educator program gives you that single, broader credential from the start. Either path keeps the ladder intact: the certificate, MSN and DNP programs all run fully online at A-State, with no campus visits required at any step. That flexibility means the choice between the certificate and the full MSN is about timing, not about ruling out doctorate later.
Not sure which option fits your background? Explore A-State’s online Graduate Certificate – Nurse Educator program and online MSN – Nurse Educator program and confirm your starting point against each program’s admission requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pursue the certificate without an MSN?
No. A-State’s graduate certificate in nurse education requires an MSN already earned or currently in progress. A BSN-only applicant should pursue the MSN – Nurse Educator instead.
Can I pursue the certificate while still enrolled in my MSN program?
Yes, based on the certificate’s admission language, which accepts applicants with an MSN “in progress” alongside those who already hold one.
Does a hospital prefer a degree or a certificate for hospital-based educator roles?
Neither is universally preferred; hospital-based educator postings vary by employer.
Does the certificate qualify me for CNE certification the same way the MSN does?
Yes, when paired with an MSN. The certificate plus an existing master’s satisfies the NLN’s eligibility pathway for nurses with a non-education master’s degree and a post-master’s certificate in nursing education.
When should I pursue a DNP instead of either of these?
When your target roles specify a terminal degree, or when you want program-leadership positions some institutions reserve for doctorally prepared faculty.