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May 20, 2026
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2026-2027 Graduate Catalog
Nursing (MSN)
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 Return to: Academic Programs
Program Director: Christa Steffens EdD, RN, CNE, CHSE
Email: Christa.Steffens@VermontState.edu
Program Description
The MSN nursing program allows the qualified licensed registered professional nurse a flexible adult learning experience to complete master’s degree requirements with online coursework and in-person practical experience.
Students in the MSN program are admitted directly into the major.
All courses required for completion of the MSN program are offered online, with indirect and direct “hands-on” practicum hours within the student’s local community. Practicum hours occur under the guidance of qualified and approved mentors with faculty and agency guidance and support.
Program Goals
The graduate nursing curriculum is created to prepare graduates for advanced nursing practice as educators in professional and academic settings. Specifically, the program seeks to produce graduates who:
- Build upon a baccalaureate education in nursing and prepare registered nurses for roles in nursing education.
- Utilize evidence-based research to resolve problems, serve as a change agent, disseminate results and influence quality patient outcomes.
- Meet the health needs of diverse populations in a variety of settings throughout the planning and delivery of care.
- Demonstrate clinical reasoning to promote the delivery of safe, high quality, cost effective, and patient centered care within complex systems.
- Utilize leadership and effective management strategies of advanced nursing practice, through proficient use of information technology resources in the support of nursing practice.
- Act ethically and responsibly as a member of society and the nursing profession to transform health promotion and disease prevention across the continuum of the population.
- Communicate effectively and engage in collaborative intra and interprofessional relationships to advocate for, develop and implement policies to improve health care delivery and outcomes.
Program Outcomes
Upon graduation of VTSU’s MSN program, graduates will:
- Integrate reflective nursing practice and evidence-based reasoning to design, implement, and evaluate innovative strategies that advance nursing practice across systems in diverse settings.
- Translate and apply knowledge, theory, and evidence from nursing and other disciplines to enhance educational practices, improve outcomes, and contribute to the body of nursing scholarship.
- Foster inclusive, collaborative communication that promotes professional relationships, effective teaching, and shared decision-making within interprofessional and multicultural teams.
- Model professional nursing practice according to legal, ethical, and practice standards.
- Cultivate a professional nursing identity grounded in leadership, advocacy, self-reflection, and commitment to lifelong learning and mentorship.
- Engage in systems-based thinking and quality improvement initiatives to increase access to safe and equitable healthcare. (PG 3,4,5; NLN 5,6)
- Employ reflective practice and evidence-based pedagogies to design, deliver, and evaluate meaningful learning experiences across academic and clinical settings.
- Develop an individualized plan for personal and professional growth that supports flexibility and professional maturity.
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Program Core (30 credits)
Credits required for the program: 34
Approval & Accreditation Bodies
Approval
The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) at Vermont State University is approved by the Vermont Board of Nursing (BON).
Office of Professional Regulation, 89 Main Street, 3rd Floor Montpelier, VT 05620-3402; Phone: 802.828.2396; Email: SOS.OPRLicensing1@Vermont.gov Accreditation The Vermont State University Master’s Degree in Nursing Program (system) holds preaccreditation status from the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation, located at 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 20037. 202-909-2487. Holding pre-accreditation status does not guarantee that initial accreditation by NLN CNEA will be received. |
Return to: Academic Programs
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