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About This Program
Prepare to be an agent of change in today’s dynamic healthcare industry through the online Master of Science in Nursing at American Public University (APU).
APU’s CCNE-accredited master’s degree in nursing is for registered nurses who have earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing and have a current, active, and unencumbered license. Our nursing master’s program helps you cultivate and lead collaborative healthcare teams through coursework on population-based healthcare, research and evidence-based practice, health policy, and grant writing. You will choose from two concentrations: Nurse Educator or Nurse Leader.
The mission of the program is to provide quality, affordable, and accessible higher education to professional registered nurses by fostering lifelong learning through a spirit of inquiry in order to prepare students for service and leadership roles in a diverse and global society.
Your program concludes with a 16-week practicum in your community focusing on your professional interest area.
This master's degree program at American Public University System is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
NOTE: This program has specific admission requirements.
What You Will Do
- Apply ethical principles to advanced professional nursing practice
- Demonstrate leadership skills that support safe nursing practices and patient-centered care
- Advocate for healthcare policy improvement
- Apply your knowledge and evidence-based practice to deliver high-quality, safe care to diverse populations in a variety of settings
- Apply data management principles to provide cost-effective care and improve health outcomes
Degree at a Glance

Program Requirements Printable Catalog Version
Students must choose a concentration for this degree program:
The community/public health nursing concentration prepares nurses to serve, protect, and promote the health of communities locally and globally through the application of three core functions of public health: assessment, policy development, and assurance. Students are prepared to serve as change agents practicing with a justice approach that is collaborative, promotes health and equity, and engages community gatekeepers and stakeholders. Graduates are equipped to analyze determinants of health using epidemiological data and other evidence. They are also prepared to apply social and behavioral science theories, models, and principles to develop or improve programs to address public health issues and to promote public health policies, programs, and resources that improve health outcomes.
Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:
- Analyze social determinants of health that affect the health of a community.
- Evaluate prevention strategies of communities to identify opportunities for improvement in health and disease prevention of vulnerable populations.
- Enhance the health of a vulnerable population through interprofessional coordination, planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of a public health nursing intervention for a selected community.
Must take all courses for this section.
Course ID: 5349
Course ID: 4507
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
12/28/21 - 06/03/22 | 06/06/22 - 07/31/22 | Spring 2022 Session D | 8 Week session |
01/25/22 - 07/01/22 | 07/04/22 - 08/28/22 | Summer 2022 Session B | 8 Week session |
02/22/22 - 07/29/22 | 08/01/22 - 09/25/22 | Summer 2022 Session I | 8 Week session |
03/29/22 - 09/02/22 | 09/05/22 - 10/30/22 | Summer 2022 Session D | 8 Week session |
04/26/22 - 09/30/22 | 10/03/22 - 11/27/22 | Fall 2022 Session B | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 3884
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
12/28/21 - 06/03/22 | 06/06/22 - 07/31/22 | Spring 2022 Session D | 8 Week session |
01/25/22 - 07/01/22 | 07/04/22 - 08/28/22 | Summer 2022 Session B | 8 Week session |
03/29/22 - 09/02/22 | 09/05/22 - 10/30/22 | Summer 2022 Session D | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 3628
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
12/28/21 - 06/03/22 | 06/06/22 - 07/31/22 | Spring 2022 Session D | 8 Week session |
01/25/22 - 07/01/22 | 07/04/22 - 08/28/22 | Summer 2022 Session B | 8 Week session |
02/22/22 - 07/29/22 | 08/01/22 - 09/25/22 | Summer 2022 Session I | 8 Week session |
03/29/22 - 09/02/22 | 09/05/22 - 10/30/22 | Summer 2022 Session D | 8 Week session |
04/26/22 - 09/30/22 | 10/03/22 - 11/27/22 | Fall 2022 Session B | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 2831
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
12/28/21 - 06/03/22 | 06/06/22 - 07/31/22 | Spring 2022 Session D | 8 Week session |
01/25/22 - 07/01/22 | 07/04/22 - 08/28/22 | Summer 2022 Session B | 8 Week session |
02/22/22 - 07/29/22 | 08/01/22 - 09/25/22 | Summer 2022 Session I | 8 Week session |
03/29/22 - 09/02/22 | 09/05/22 - 10/30/22 | Summer 2022 Session D | 8 Week session |
04/26/22 - 09/30/22 | 10/03/22 - 11/27/22 | Fall 2022 Session B | 8 Week session |
Advanced degree nurses must integrate evidence-based principles into their daily practice, and promote research-based decision-making in themselves and others. This course focuses on the critical analysis of research and its application to current nursing practice. Ethical issues in the design and conduct of research are addressed. (Prerequisite: NURS502)
Course ID: 4788
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
01/25/22 - 07/01/22 | 07/04/22 - 08/28/22 | Summer 2022 Session B | 8 Week session |
03/29/22 - 09/02/22 | 09/05/22 - 10/30/22 | Summer 2022 Session D | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 4789
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
01/25/22 - 07/01/22 | 07/04/22 - 08/28/22 | Summer 2022 Session B | 8 Week session |
03/29/22 - 09/02/22 | 09/05/22 - 10/30/22 | Summer 2022 Session D | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 4791
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
01/25/22 - 07/01/22 | 07/04/22 - 08/28/22 | Summer 2022 Session B | 8 Week session |
03/29/22 - 09/02/22 | 09/05/22 - 10/30/22 | Summer 2022 Session D | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 4792
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
01/25/22 - 07/01/22 | 07/04/22 - 08/28/22 | Summer 2022 Session B | 8 Week session |
03/29/22 - 09/02/22 | 09/05/22 - 10/30/22 | Summer 2022 Session D | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 5052
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
01/25/22 - 07/01/22 | 07/04/22 - 08/28/22 | Summer 2022 Session B | 8 Week session |
03/29/22 - 09/02/22 | 09/05/22 - 10/30/22 | Summer 2022 Session D | 8 Week session |
This practicum provides community and public health nursing students the opportunity to implement population health programs. The emphasis is on working in the community setting to improve the health of communities and populations. The final 120 hours of clinical practice are required for completion of this practicum. The students will also focus on examining the implications of implementing population health programs. Students will evaluate personal leadership skills utilized to improve patient outcomes through evidence-based practices, quality improvement methods, outcomes measurement, and systems knowledge. All core and specialty courses must be completed before taking this course. (Prerequisites: PBHE520, PBHE527, PBHE550, and PBHE607)
Course ID: 5350
Admission Requirements
This program is currently not open for admission to residents of Washington or Tennessee.
To apply to this program, you must hold the following:
- Associate degree or diploma from an accredited or board approved institution in nursing
- Current, active, unencumbered registered nursing (RN) license
- Minimum GPA of 3.0
- Signed statement of understanding
- Current resume/CV
- 500-600 word statement of purpose and goals for this master’s program
Please read all graduate admission requirements before applying to this program and be prepared to submit the required documentation including a legible copy of your valid government-issued photo ID (civilian students) or government-issued JST or CCAF transcript (military students).
A university admissions representative will contact you via email or phone to assist you with the enrollment process, review your nursing license and documentation, and notify you when you have been admitted into the program and may register for courses.
Note: You must complete this program within 7 years of starting your first nursing (NURS) course.
IMPORTANT NOTE
The baccalaureate and master’s degree programs in nursing at American Public University System are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (www.ccneaccreditation.org).
Need Help?
Selecting the right program to meet your educational goals is a key step in ensuring a successful outcome. If you are unsure of which program to choose, or need more information, please contact an APU admissions representative at 877-755-2787 or info@apus.edu.
Consumer Information
Department of Education and State Disclosures
For information on costs, median debt, state licensure requirements and more, view the gainful employment disclosures and the program disclosures for Maryland residents.
*Cost Per Credit Hour
To minimize out-of-pocket costs, U.S. active-duty servicemembers, their spouse/dependents, National Guard members, and Reservists receive a tuition grant that caps undergraduate, master's degree, and graduate certificate tuition at $250/credit hour. In addition, a university book grant provides no-cost textbooks and ebooks for all undergraduates and military-tuition-grant-eligible master’s-level students.
See all military student benefits.