March 29, 2024

What Are The Healthcare Management Master’s Degree Options for those with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing?

There are many master’s degree programs available for nurses pursuing advancement in their careers – some of which include:

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

For bachelor’s level nurses wanting to take their career to the next level, a Master of Science in Nursing will offer them higher pay and greater levels of responsibility. Completing an MSN degree will provide the opportunity for specialization in a specific area of nursing. Generally, registered nurses do a little bit of everything and provide general care. A MSN will allow specialization in a specific area of nursing. Some general MSN courses might be:

  • Health care policy
  • Theory and practice in your specialty
  • Health care ethics
  • Management and advanced practice nursing
  • Advanced biochemistry
  • Advanced pharmacology

An MSN often leads to significantly higher salaries and promotions, as well as positions of leadership within their current workplace. Additionally an MSN can position graduates to enter careers in an educator role within a nursing school program or a clinical training program.

Master of Science in Community Health Services (MS)

A Master of Science in Community Health provides nurses with the skills and knowledge required for careers caring for vulnerable populations and communities. Coursework for the program includes foundation of nursing theory, research methods, health promotion and disease prevention. Graduates of the MS in Community Health Services are qualified to take the national exam for advanced practice nurses in community health nursing. Generally the following courses are included: Principles of Epidemiology, Health promotion, Health assessment, Policy and professional issues, Management principles and practice. Most programs are 35 to 48 credits and are often available in a part time format for flexibility.

Master of Health Administration

A Master of Health Administration program allows nurses to gain the skills required to pursue careers as hospital administrators, department managers, and executives within healthcare organizations. Pursuing an MHA provides a broader study of administration and is a more business focused and less clinically focused degree.

Master of Public Health (MPH)

For those nurse who want to pursue nursing careers in public health, a Master of Public Health is an excellent pathway. Public health nurses are those professionals who are responsible for educating the community on health and wellness with careers beyond providing patient care within a health care setting. These nurses work for government agencies, non-profit organizations, community health centers and other areas of public health that strive to improves their community’s health. They work alone or on teams – often supervising other healthcare personnel, and with communities to plan activities, manage budgets and evaluating effectiveness of their public health programs.

Master or Business Administration

Nurses pursing an Master of Business Administration degree (MBA) gain the administrative skills necessary to supervise finances, accounting, marketing, and general management of an organization. There are a variety of available concentrations including Healthcare Management. An MBA provides the skills nurses will need to manage the business of a health care organization.

Master of Public Administration

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree provides a curriculum of study in current policy and practice in careers as administrators in Public Services including ethics, communication skills and soling public policy issues. For nurses who want to enter careers of leadership addressing policy problems in Healthcare organizations.

Master of Science in Nursing and Master of Health Administration

The Master of Science in Nursing/Master of Health Administration dual degree is designed for BSN’s wanting take on a greater roles in delivery and management of healthcare. MSN/MHA programs provide advanced nursing curriculum with the business skills to become effective as healthcare administrators.

Master of Science in Nursing and Master of Public Health Degree

For those nurses who want to purse careers with a greater responsibility for the delivery and management of health care, the Master of Science in Nursing(MSN) /Master of Health Administration (MHA) dual degree program is to combine advanced nursing curriculum with business skills required in making critical decisions within healthcare organizations.