In the nursing field, there are many advantages to earning a Master’s in Nursing (MSN) degree. Graduates who earn their MSN degree qualify for more managerial positions, higher earning potential, and increased flexibility and autonomy within their positions.
But what are the reasons to choose an online MSN program over on-campus coursework? Will students still receive a quality MSN education if they do it online? The answer is – Yes! Online degree programs continue to rise across the U.S. and experts predict that there will be continued overall enrollment growth with online programs.
Here are several reasons why one should pursue (and be confident in pursuing) their Master’s in Nursing online.
- Manage your time on your schedule.
Master’s in Nursing online classes can be taken at your own pace, in the comfort of your own home. Many who are pursuing an MSN are also working while pursuing their degree, so an online MSN program allows them to do coursework when their schedule allows it. This means you can still juggle all of life’s competing priorities while going back to school. This flexibility is something that traditional MSN models don’t have, which makes it an ideal choice for a student who plans to work while earning their degree.
- You only need a computer to ‘make’ it to class.
One of the many conveniences of online courses is that you will never be ‘late’ to class, no matter where you are located. Many online Master’s in Nursing programs do not require you to live or even work in the state in which the college of the online program is located. In fact, Goodwin College’s Master’s in Nursing online program extends their MSN classes to those beyond Connecticut. Some of these locations include New York, Texas and other SARA states.
SARA, also known as The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement, establishes comparable national standards for interstate offerings of postsecondary distance education programs, meaning institutions within a SARA state like Connecticut can open up their nursing programs to any other SARA state members.
- The teaching staff and classmates are accessible.
A common misconception about online programs is that there is limited human interaction, and that your professors will not be accessible. While you are not necessarily sitting in a classroom full of people, a Master’s in Nursing online program does still offer you avenues to connect with your classmates and professors through email and an online learning community and environment, such as Blackboard Learn. The truth is, professors that teach MSN courses online are just as real and just as accessible as those in the classroom; You can reach them long after your class ends.
- Online MSN programs offer a quality education.
The graduate nursing curriculum offered with an online MSN is comparable to an in-person, on-campus MSN curriculum. An online MSN curriculum is focused on teaching leadership skills and advancing clinical and theoretical knowledge, similar to an on-campus degree program. Goodwin’s Master’s in Nursing online offers a variety of courses from “Theoretical Basis for Advanced Nursing Practice and Leadership” to “Pharmacology for Advanced Nursing Practice,” both of which could be offered through a traditional program.
- Flexible Tuition Offerings
As mentioned above, the flexibility of an online Master’s in Nursing program allows for you to do your coursework on your own time while still working. Having that flexibility to work either full-time or part-time while earning your degree makes the investment in higher education more manageable. Furthermore, at Goodwin College, we have a team of Financial Aid Advisors who will work with you to identify financial aid opportunities based on your personal financial situation.
Earning a Master’s in Nursing online has its many benefits, making it a viable option for somebody looking to further their career in the nursing field by earning an advanced degree.
To learn more about Goodwin’s MSN program – offered fully online – please call 800-889-3282 or click here for more information about the program.
Goodwin University is a nonprofit institution of higher education and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), formerly known as the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Goodwin University was founded in 1999, with the goal of serving a diverse student population with career-focused degree programs that lead to strong employment outcomes.