MSN Nurse Educator Online
Contribute to better patient care, outcomes and futures while also increasing your nursing credentials with an ACEN-accredited Master of Science in Nursing – Nurse Educator.
Program Overview
Shape the future of nursing with an online MSN – Nurse Educator degree
Are you ready to have a bigger impact on healthcare? The nursing shortage crisis isn’t due to a lack of qualified candidates; it’s because there aren’t enough credentialed faculty to teach them. Become an MSN – Nurse Educator and step up to a critical leadership role to create the next generation of nurses and to advance the expertise of current nurses. Learn how to teach effectively anywhere, from a traditional classroom to a hospital clinic or even online.
Combining 100% online coursework with interesting clinicals, this ACEN-accredited program is ideal for working nurses who want to teach. Combined with your relevant work experience, it’s the most direct path to becoming a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE®). Using clinical experiences, evidence-based practice and advanced teaching pedagogy, you’ll learn how to incorporate clinical skills, informatics, and evaluation and assessment methods to deliver compelling educational content to diverse learners, such as experienced and novice nurses, patients and families.
An MSN – Nurse Educator benefits from a long rewarding career in hospitals and other healthcare settings. While some transition into an educator role in professional development, orientation or clinical education, others progress to teaching in a university setting. Others appreciate continuing their nursing practice without the time constraints and physical demands of a 12-hour hospital shift.
For state program approvals, please refer to our State Authorization & Licensure Disclosures page.
In this online nurse educator program, you will learn how to:
- Synthesize theories and concepts to guide clinical judgment
- Assist in providing primary care by performing standard procedure skills
- Conduct both physical and differential diagnoses to determine appropriate treatment
- Work with patients and their families to develop plans to maintain/improve health and manage/treat illnesses and chronic conditions
- Develop patient-centered care that respects diversity and unique characteristics of individuals and populations
- Assume leadership and collaborative roles in planning, providing and managing healthcare services
- Work within complex health systems and diverse populations to effect safe, cost-effective quality healthcare
- Apply unique skills, such as radiology interpretation, tele-health practices, and dental health
- Demonstrate professionalism and accountability to ethical and legal standards
- Utilize information systems and technology to evaluate patient care programs, outcomes and systems
- Synthesize theories and concepts to guide clinical judgment
- Assist in providing primary care by performing standard procedure skills
- Conduct both physical and differential diagnoses to determine appropriate treatment
- Work with patients and their families to develop plans to maintain/improve health and manage/treat illnesses and chronic conditions
- Develop patient-centered care that respects diversity and unique characteristics of individuals and populations
- Assume leadership and collaborative roles in planning, providing and managing healthcare services
- Work within complex health systems and diverse populations to effect safe, cost-effective quality healthcare
- Apply unique skills, such as radiology interpretation, tele-health practices, and dental health
- Demonstrate professionalism and accountability to ethical and legal standards
- Utilize information systems and technology to evaluate patient care programs, outcomes and systems
As a graduate of this online nursing program, you will be prepared for leading nurse education roles, including:
- Nursing Faculty in the academic setting
- Patient Educator
- Clinical Educator
- Program Manager
- Military Nursing Educator
- Hospital Educator
- Nursing Faculty in the academic setting
- Patient Educator
- Clinical Educator
- Program Manager
- Military Nursing Educator
- Hospital Educator
Also available:
A-State offers a variety of graduate programs in a convenient online format. Explore our full range of online graduate programs.
Accreditation
The Associate, Baccalaureate, Master's, master’s/post-master's certificate, and clinical doctorate programs at Arkansas State University located in State University, AR and West Memphis, AR are accredited by the: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta, GA 30326 (404) 975-5000.
The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Associate, Baccalaureate, Master's, Master's/post-master's certificate, and clinical doctorate programs is continuing accreditation. View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program on the ACEN website.
Tuition
Affordable tuition makes it easy to advance your professional development
Our MSN – Nurse Educator online program offers the same affordable, pay-by-the-course tuition for all U.S. residents. All fees are included. Tuition may be subject to change on a yearly basis.
Tuition breakdown:
Calendar
Save these dates. Apply today!
Ideal for working nurses, Arkansas State online programs are delivered in an accelerated format with multiple start dates each year.
| Term | Program Start Date | Application Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Payment Due | Last Class Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 2 | 6/29/26 | 5/25/26 | 5/25/26 | 6/8/26 | 6/26/26 | 8/14/26 |
| Fall 1 | 8/19/26 | 7/15/26 | 7/15/26 | 7/29/26 | 8/14/26 | 10/2/26 |
| Fall 2 | 10/12/26 | 9/7/26 | 9/7/26 | 9/21/26 | 10/9/26 | 12/4/26 |
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Admissions
See the qualifications for our online nurse educator degree
We know you're busy, so we've streamlined the A-State admission process to help you get started quickly and easily. Students who are interested in the MSN – Nurse Educator online program must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution. Review full admission requirements below.
Admission Requirements:
- Online application
- BSN degree
- Current unencumbered RN license
MSN Nurse Educator Admissions Guidelines
- Complete online application and submit application fee (see Application Submission Requirements below)
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an ACEN-, CCNE- or CCNEA-accredited program of nursing from a regionally accredited college or university
- Undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Official transcript(s) submitted by the registrar of any college/university you have attended. Official transcripts are sealed transcripts sent from the granting institution.
- Current unencumbered RN license
- NCLEX-RN exam passing scores must be provided by end of first semester
English Proficiency Requirements
The College of Nursing and Health Professions School of Nursing requires a high level of proficiency in English so that all students will be able to fully meet academic and clinical objectives as well as meet criteria for professional licensure.
Applicants whose primary language is not English or did not attend K-12 in the United States must demonstrate English language proficiency through the following tests:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a score of 4.5 on the preferred internet-based test (iBT), 570 on the paper-based test, or 213 on the computer-based test
- For exams taken before January 21, 2026:
We require a minimum TOEFL iBT score of 86 - For exams taken on or after January 21, 2026:
We require a minimum TOEFL iBT score of 4.5
- For exams taken before January 21, 2026:
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a score of at least 7 and a spoken band score of 7
- Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE) with a score of 63
- Accuplacer Exit ESL with a score of 109
The TOEFL and Exit ESL are available at the Testing Center. When taking the exam off campus, the report code for A-State is 6011. All test scores are valid for two (2) years.
Exemptions may apply: See A-State's international undergraduate and graduate admission pages for more information.
Application Submission Requirements
Submitting your application takes three easy steps: filling out the application, submitting your documents and paying the application fee.
- When completing the online application, select 100% online student and then complete all the steps on the online application.
- Pay $30.00 non-refundable application fee.
- Submit all official college transcripts. Save time by requesting transcripts be sent electronically.
Additionally, if you’ve ever attended a professional program in the past, you may be required to provide a letter of good standing.
While not needed to render an admissions decision, the following will also be needed prior to starting your first course (or the applicable course):
- A criminal background check completed within the last 12 months
If you have any questions along the way, call us at 866-621-8096, and we'll be happy to help answer questions.
Document Submission Address
Submit all documents to:
A-State OnlineP.O. Box 2520
State University, AR 72467
Fax: 870-972-3548
Email: [email protected]
For non-US postal mail overnight delivery only:
A-State Onlinec/o Central Receiving
2713 Pawnee St.
Jonesboro, AR 72401
Additional Information About Transfer Credits
Up to 9 graduate hours from A-State or other higher education institutions may be credited toward a program. No course can be older than six years by graduation time. Transfer credit will be evaluated by the Director of the Program. To request prior credit be evaluated, please complete the Graduate Transfer Credit Evaluation Form.
Transfer work will be entered on the student’s permanent academic record when an official transcript is presented to the University from a regionally accredited institution. Any transfer work received from a non-accredited institution is evaluated and considered on a case by case basis in the Office of the Registrar in conjunction with Academic Affairs and the Office of International Programs (as applicable). Please note that Sophia Learning and Straighterline have previously been reviewed and are NOT accepted as transfer work.
Courses
Explore the courses in your MSN – Nurse Educator program
Students in the MSN – Nurse Educator online program must complete a total of 32 credit hours. Required coursework includes 10 core courses (29 credit hours) and one practicum course (3 credit hours that includes 180 clinical hours). The practicum/clinical hours must also be done in a state in which Arkansas State has State Operating Authority.
You can view your schedule of courses for this degree through the Course Smartsheet:
View the AOS Course Smartsheet
How to Use the Course Smartsheet