The Northwest Missouri State University online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program has been granted pre-accreditation status by the National League for Nursing’s Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA). 

Dr. Brooke McAtee, the director of the nursing program at Northwest, said the designation is another important step in the program’s continued development and success.

“This recognizes Northwest’s continued commitment to provide a superb education for practicing nurses,” McAtee said. “The MSN program affords leaders in the nursing profession the opportunity to continue their educational pursuits in an online learning environment, providing the flexibility required by working nurses.”

Northwest began taking steps in 2017 to help registered nurses further their education by relaunching its RN-to-BSN program online to support the demand and outlook for future jobs in the field at the state and national levels. Northwest began offering RN-to-BSN courses in August 2018, and EduMed.org ranked the program at No. 20 on its list of 50 RN to BSN programs earlier this year.

This fall, Northwest began offering MSN coursework as part of a 30-hour graduate program for registered nurses who have obtained a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The program offers 15 hours of core classes with the remaining 15 hours completed in one of two tracks – nurse executive and administration, or nurse educator.

The National League for Nursing is dedicated to excellence in nursing and is regarded as the premier organization for faculty and leaders in nursing education. It offers faculty development, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants and public policy initiatives to its more than 40,000 individual and more than 1,200 institutional members, comprising nursing education programs across the spectrum of higher education and health care organizations. Furthermore, CNEA accreditation helps programs focus on continuous improvement and ensures they are addressing the needs of employers.

For more information about Northwest's online BSN to MSN program, visit https://online.nwmissouri.edu/programs/nursing-programs.aspx.

The Northwest Missouri State University Master of Science in Nursing (delivered through distance education) holds pre-accreditation status from the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation, located at 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 20037, 202-909-2526. Holding pre-accreditation status does not guarantee that initial accreditation by NLN CNEA will be received.