I’m a nurse with a BSN. Which master’s degree is right for me?

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Choosing the next step for your nursing career is a personal decision. You’ll most likely want to focus on an area related to experiences you’ve had within your current role.

If you have a BSN, there are several master’s degree options to pursue new opportunities. Consider the programs described below to find a match with your interests.

1. Master of Science in Nursing – MSN

As a logical next step after a BSN, you may consider what a master’s degree in nursing could offer. The Capella Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) teaches students to combine the latest in nursing theory, research and evidence-based practice to help improve patient care. “A master’s degree in nursing can help create opportunities to pursue diverse career paths,” says Nicole Aclin, academic program director of the MSN program at Capella University. “Each specialization is unique, so nurses should choose based on their interests, skills and long-term goals.”

• MSN in Nursing Informatics: Those in nursing informatics bridge the gap between healthcare and technology to help improve patient outcomes, streamline processes and enhance communication.
• MSN in Care Coordination: Those in care coordination support seamless transitions between healthcare settings to optimize care delivery and improve patient and population outcomes.
• MSN in Nursing Leadership and Administration: Nurse leaders help shape healthcare delivery by leading change, managing teams and influencing policy.
• MSN in Nursing Education: Nurse educators expand their expertise in curriculum development, instructional methods and clinical education.
• MSN in Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner: Nursing practitioner professionals who specialize in adult-gerontology primary care develop skills to deliver person-centered care for individuals aged 13 and above.
• MSN in Family Nurse Practitioner: Those who specialize as a family nurse practitioner develop skills to care for individuals of all ages.

Right for you? An MSN equips nurses with advanced skills to enhance patient outcomes and help improve healthcare systems. This degree could be right for you if you are interested in strengthening your leadership and management skills or expanding into specialized roles such as education or healthcare technology.

2. Master of Public Health – MPH

Public health focuses on empowering communities to improve the health of their community members. This program teaches collaborative leadership across disciplines to develop solutions to public health issues, create healthy communities and environments, and establish strategies, prevention and healthcare access for diverse populations.

Right for you? If you’re interested in helping educate communities on health and wellness, an MPH can help you develop skills to work with people of different backgrounds and cultures, build awareness to help optimize health outcomes, and learn strategies for emergency preparedness.

3. MS in Human Services

Learn to manage the coordination of departments and individuals in public safety, healthcare and administration to positively address challenges such as job stability, housing and health benefits for clients.

Right for you? This could be a good direction if you’re interested in helping solve societal issues such as hunger and poverty. The MS in Human Services can help you develop skills to manage resources, identify trends and deliver services that have social, economic and cultural impacts.

4. Master of Health Administration – MHA

Students learn to be leaders within a healthcare organization by developing skills to assist them in managing clinical and nonclinical staff, system redesign (in response to the changing healthcare environment) and focused efforts around delivering high-quality, cost-effective care for consumers and within their communities.

Right for you? An MHA can help you develop organizational awareness to help optimize effectiveness of healthcare organizations.

5. Master of Business Administration – MBA

The multidisciplinary MBA gives students an opportunity to learn administrative skills to oversee finances, accounting, marketing and the general management of an organization. There are many specializations available, including an MBA in Health Care Management, which can offer coursework geared toward those who have already chosen an industry.

Right for you? An MBA can help cultivate skills in leadership, operations, marketing, finance, data analytics and strategy that are used in healthcare organizations.

6. MS in Information Assurance and Cybersecurity, Health Care Security

The health care security specialization within the MS in Information Assurance and Cybersecurity program helps students develop skills to protect healthcare organizations from data breaches and attacks. Students will learn about federal and state security requirements and how to apply compliance and enforcement processes.  

Right for you? If you’re interested in the ethical, legal and regulatory issues related to healthcare security, this degree can help you develop the skills to protect patients’ privacy.

7. MS in Human Resource Management, Health Care

The MS in Human Resource Management – Health Care specialization helps students learn how to navigate human resources responsibilities in healthcare settings. Students will explore how to influence organizational outcomes and employee effectiveness in a healthcare setting.

Right for you? If you’re interested in the human resources side of healthcare, this degree can help you develop skills that contribute to positive healthcare employee outcomes for an organization.

Explore online master’s programs from Capella to pursue your next degree.

Some positions may prefer or even require previous experience, licensure, certifications, and/or other designations along with a degree. Because many factors determine what position an individual may attain, Capella cannot guarantee that a graduate will secure any specific job title, a promotion, salary increase, or other career outcome. We encourage you to research requirements for your job target and career goals.