Master of Science in Nursing – Nursing Administration online

Prepare to accelerate your career as an effective nurse leader in a variety of healthcare environments with our online MSN program.

Apply by: 2/28/27
Start class: 3/22/27
Apply Now

Program Overview

What is the online MSN – Nursing Administration at William Paterson?

Develop your in-demand skills in organizational leadership with the WP Master of Science in Nursing – Nursing Administration online program. This unique online MSN enhances interprofessional business knowledge you need as a nursing administrator through the integration of MBA courses from the Cotsakos College of Business.

Designed to be flexible for working RNs, this online master's in nursing administration program features 100 percent online coursework and a rigorous curriculum taught by experienced faculty who are committed to your success. As a student, you will complete the theory and practicum course requirements you need to apply for the Nurse Executive, Advanced Certification Examination offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), or the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) administrator certification exams: Certified Nurse Manager and Leader (CNML) and Executive Nursing Practice (CENP).

Enrollment capacity for this program is limited, and seats often fill quickly. We encourage early application.

What is taught in the online MSN – Nursing Administration at William Paterson?

  • Apply advanced knowledge of nursing theories, related sciences and humanities, and methods of inquiry in the delivery of healthcare services
  • Develop leadership and communicate effectively using the collaborative approach to improve quality care
  • Analyze changes in the healthcare system through the design and implementation of health-related projects that strengthen outcomes in the healthcare delivery system
  • Apply evidence, research, and theory to improve health services
  • Apply current health information and technologies to advance the quality and accessibility of care
  • Advocate for healthcare policies and systems to improve healthcare
  • Analyze systems' responses to health and illness to improve the promotion, restoration, and maintenance of health that reflect respect across diverse cultures
  • Engage in advanced nursing care to individuals, families, communities, and clinical populations
What is taught in the online MSN – Nursing Administration at William Paterson?+
  • Apply advanced knowledge of nursing theories, related sciences and humanities, and methods of inquiry in the delivery of healthcare services
  • Develop leadership and communicate effectively using the collaborative approach to improve quality care
  • Analyze changes in the healthcare system through the design and implementation of health-related projects that strengthen outcomes in the healthcare delivery system
  • Apply evidence, research, and theory to improve health services
  • Apply current health information and technologies to advance the quality and accessibility of care
  • Advocate for healthcare policies and systems to improve healthcare
  • Analyze systems' responses to health and illness to improve the promotion, restoration, and maintenance of health that reflect respect across diverse cultures
  • Engage in advanced nursing care to individuals, families, communities, and clinical populations

What careers can graduates pursue with an MSN in Nursing Administration from William Paterson?

  • Chief Nursing Officer
  • Chief Administration Officer
  • Nurse Manager
  • Charge Nurse
What careers can graduates pursue with an MSN in Nursing Administration from William Paterson?+
  • Chief Nursing Officer
  • Chief Administration Officer
  • Nurse Manager
  • Charge Nurse

Also available:

$19,083.60 Total Tuition
As few as 10 months Program Duration
31 Credit Hours
CCNE accredited logo

The baccalaureate degree in nursing, master's degree in nursing, post-master's degree certification in adult gerontology and family nurse practitioner, and DNP programs at William Paterson University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (ccneaccreditation.org). Expires June 30, 2030.

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Need More Information?

Call 833-960-0139

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Tuition

How much does the online MSN – Nursing Administration cost at William Paterson?

The William Paterson University MSN – Nursing Administration online program offers affordable, pay-by-the-course tuition. Tuition includes a nursing course fee that provides students a range of services and resources that specifically support student learning and success in the online nursing program.

View additional tuition information +

Program Per Credit Hour Per Course Per Program
MSN – Nursing Administration $615.60 $1,846.80 $19,083.60

Tuition breakdown

$615.60 Per Credit Hour
$19,083.60 Total Tuition

Calendar

When does the online MSN – Nursing Administration at William Paterson start?

William Paterson University online MSN programs are delivered in a convenient format ideal for working professionals, featuring accelerated coursework and six start dates each year.

Now enrolling:

2/28/27 Apply Date
3/22/27 Class Starts

View full calendar +

TermStart DateApp DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlineTuition DeadlineClass End DateTerm Length
Spring II3/22/272/28/273/3/273/12/273/17/275/9/277 weeks

Now enrolling:

2/28/27 Apply Date
3/22/27 Class Starts

Have questions or need more information about our online programs?

Ready to take the rewarding path toward earning your degree online?

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Admissions

What are the admission requirements for the online MSN – Nursing Administration at William Paterson?

At WP, we've streamlined the admission process to help you get started right away. Please note all requirements for admission to the master's in nursing administration online program, including required documents and where to send them.

The requirements include:

  • BSN completed entirely at a CCNE-, NLN (CNEA)-, or ACEN-accredited institution with a GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Active, unencumbered RN license in one of the eligible states
  • Current resume
  • Reference Sheet with 2 Reference Names
View all admission requirements +

You must meet the following requirements for admission to the MSN – Nursing Administration online program:

  • Submit online application and $50 application fee
  • Current resume
  • Reference sheet with two reference names (former faculty and current manager/supervisor)
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The entire degree must be completed at an institution accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN-CNEA), or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). Any transfer credits applied toward the degree must also have been earned at a CCNE-, NLN-CNEA-, or ACEN-accredited institution.
  • An active RN license in the state where you practice
  • Currently employed as an RN
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA

Special Note: You must hold an active, unencumbered RN license and currently practice in one of the eligible states to qualify for this program (CT, DC, DE, FL, MA, MD, ME, NJ, NY, PA, RI, TX, VT, VA, WV). Applicants who reside in New York and/or hold a NY nursing license are required to obtain a New Jersey RN license prior to acceptance and must complete all clinical requirements in New Jersey. For your application to be processed, the University must be able to validate your RN license. If your state does not have an online RN license validation process, you must submit a notarized copy of a current RN license valid in the U.S. to Office of Admissions, William Paterson University, 300 Pompton Road, Wayne, NJ 07470.

*Prior to acceptance all NYS students will need to provide an active, unencumbered New Jersey RN license, agree to complete their clinical preceptor hours in the State of NJ, and maintain a NJ RN license for the duration of the program, which is the sole responsibility of the student. Failure to maintain a NJ RN license will prevent the student from continuing or completing the Graduate Nursing Program. The student is also required to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) advising they are aware of these requirements prior to acceptance into the Graduate program.

Official transcripts and other documents should be sent from the granting institutions to:

Email address: [email protected]

Mail address:

Office of Graduate Admissions & Enrollment Services
William Paterson University
Morrison Hall 102
300 Pompton Road
Wayne, NJ 07470
*Acceptance into a graduate program is contingent upon your academic record, continued good standing, and demonstrated readiness for graduate-level study.

Courses

What courses are in the online MSN – Nursing Administration program at William Paterson?

In order to earn the MSN – Nursing Administration online, you must complete 31 credit hours and 170 clinical hours.

Expand All
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Focuses on theory development and criteria for evaluating theories. Emphasis is on a variety of interdisciplinary and nursing theories and their application to clinical and community nursing based practice. Includes an exploration of contemporary issues in theory development and the relationship between theory and research in nursing as a practice discipline.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Provides graduate students with the skills for critically evaluating and participating in nursing research, evidence-base clinical practice, quality improvement, & translational research. All phases of the research process for quantitative and qualitative designs are incorporated. Emphasis is placed on the relationship among theory, practice and research. Ethical implications of research are considered. Students address evidence-based practice and are introduced to quality improvement models. Each student develops a thesis pre-proposal with application to their area of clinical interest to be implemented as the masters’ thesis requirement.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Explores the social determinants of health, political process, and development of social policy. Evidence-based populations interventions and outcomes will be examined. Selected legislation that influences healthcare delivery will be analyzed.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Current leadership and management theory and strategy are used to examine issues within a multidisciplinary healthcare environment. Focus is on the critical study of the concept of leadership. Emphasis is placed on the development of leadership in self and others, ethical and legal issues, communication, change strategies, conflict management and team building.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Provides students with beginning expertise in fiscal management so that clinically innovative programs can be proposed and implemented. Content reflects current changes in the healthcare delivery system, including a review of management decisions related to the allocation of financial resources in the not for profit sector as well as a study of cost problems with emphasis on profit planning. Includes computer applications of budgeting using electronic spreadsheets.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Data analytics plays an increasingly greater role in healthcare organizations. The course provides healthcare administrators with foundational knowledge of analytics, covering key components of the data analysis process, including strategies for effectively capturing and communicating information gleaned from data analytics efforts and performance improvement.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1.5
Marketing is viewed as a system designed to create, capture, distribute, and communicate value to consumers and businesses. The course emphasizes the managerial approach to developing marketing strategy through analyses of business conditions, customers, and competitors. Emphasis is given to understanding buyer motivations, behaviors, and contexts as the basis for marketing decisions.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1.5
This course provides students with an introduction to basic accounting fundamentals and skills necessary to analyze financial information of firms from a decision-maker perspective. Financial information is presented in the form of financial statements, principally, the income statement, balance sheet, statement of retained earnings, and cash flow statement. We will discuss how accountants organize the results of business transactions and report them to external users who will then use the reports to make decisions.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1.5
This course will help students to develop a comprehensive analysis of the micro and macroeconomic forces that shape and modify our economy. Supply and Demand, Revenue and Cost, wages, employment, regulations and taxation are discussed as they affect production, consumption, investment, trade, prices, quantities, profits, inequality, and the economy as a whole.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1.5
This course takes a broad-based look at management and organizations in order to provide students with the building blocks needed for more advanced classes in the program. It exposes students to the history of management thought and to some of the most influential organizational theories. It uses insights from multiple disciplines such as economics, sociology, anthropology, psychology, and political economy and offers frameworks for analyzing modern organizations and current managerial practices. The course concludes with a discussion of contemporary issues in management.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1.5
The main objective of this course is to introduce the basic statistical concepts and tools in order to form the foundation through which students can analyze data used for decision-making. The course is application-oriented and focuses on topics that are useful in business and industry such as descriptive statistics, probability, conceptual modeling, and problem formulation and decision analysis. The course prepares students to develop an understanding of how to deal with new trends in the industry such as big data and data mining.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1.5
A study of the basic principles and practices of financial management of private (as opposed to government owned or affiliated) business operations. The principles and models discussed in the course can be equally applied to publicly listed companies as well as privately owned ones. This course includes an operational framework for financial analysis, financial planning including capital budgeting, along with valuation analysis and cost of capital. The basic framework of analysis used is that of risk and return, emphasizing that the objective of the firm is to maximize shareholder return, subject to satisfying societal and other stakeholder concerns.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 4
The roles and competencies of the nurse administrator. The practicum will provide students with experience in their functional role within a variety of health care settings with diverse populations. Clinical practicum requires 170 supervised hours. Seminars, which are two-and-one-half hours every other week, enable students to integrate learning.
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