Master of Science in Nursing
A Master of Science in Nursing is an advanced-level postgraduate degree for registered nurses and is considered an entry-level degree for nurse educators and managers. The degree also may prepare a nurse to seek a career as a nurse administrator, health policy expert, or clinical nurse leader. The MSN may be used as a prerequisite for doctorate-level nursing education, and used to be required to become an advanced practice registered nurse such as a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, or nurse midwife.
This graduate-level degree may focus on one or more of many different advanced :Category:Nursing specialties|nursing specialties such as acute care, adult, family, gerontology, neonatology, palliative care, pediatric, psychiatric, or obstetrics and gynecological nursing.
More recently, universities have begun to offer Master of Science pre-registration nursing courses, which cover the registration process and nurse training of the undergraduate course, but with Masters-level academic components. This course was initially started in the University of the West of Scotland in the UK, and has since been included in other universities.
