MSN - Nursing Education

Master of Science in Nursing — Nursing Education

Educate the Next Generation of Nurses in East Texas and Beyond

Build on your professional expertise and learn the most effective teaching and evaluation methods to become an exceptional nurse educator. The University of Texas at Tyler’s Master of Science in Nursing Education gives you the tools to develop comprehensive curricula, implement innovative classroom approaches and apply rigorous experiential lesson plans.

Prepare the next generation of nursing professionals, stay up-to-date with the latest academic research and become a confident and trustworthy mentor to those just beginning their professional journeys. Gain the classroom and practical experience to qualify for the Certification for Nurse Educators exam to advance your career and lay a foundation for future doctoral studies.

Why Earn an MSN-Nursing Education Degree From UT Tyler?

Nurses serve a critical role in the country’s complex and challenging healthcare system — and the demand for compassionate, capable and diligent healthcare professionals only continues to grow.

Nurse educators impact the kind of care patients receive by bringing their real-world experience into the classroom. Mid-career professionals often switch to this path to inspire future nurses, push them to excel and help them maximize their talents.

Understand why U.S. News & World Report lists UT Tyler’s online MSN program as one of the best in the nation:

  • Flexible Online Format: Earn your degree from any location on your own schedule. Attend 100% online classes full or part time.  
  • Outstanding Faculty: Our professors actively engage in research and bring their real-world experience into the classroom while striving for teaching excellence. Receive personalized attention with small class sizes and one-on-one meetings.
  • Hands-on Learning: Prepare to teach nursing courses independently and in teams through experiential exercises. Developing curricula, guiding critical thinking and applying evaluation methods are just a few of the competencies you will develop. Complete the required practicum hours to gain valuable experience in an academic or clinical setting.
  • Highly Effective: Prepare for the National League for Nursing’s CNE exam through the program’s rigorous coursework.
  • Affordable: Our tuition costs a fraction of other comparable programs while yielding a high return on investment.

Curriculum

The MSN-Nursing Education degree consists of 36 credit hours: 18 dedicated to general core courses, six to electives and the remaining 12 to specialization requirements. The core combines integrated practice with theoretical nursing education and practicum experience.

Our thoughtfully designed curriculum will prepare you to:

  • Share your knowledge in the classroom and clinical setting.
  • Design appropriate and rigorous nursing curricula, syllabi, lesson plans and exams.
  • Evaluate learning outcomes and offer constructive assessments centered on a student’s unique capabilities.
  • Integrate education theories with current practices.
  • Conduct course, clinical and program evaluations based on national standards.
  • Collaborate effectively with students, faculty, practicing nurses and other healthcare professionals in the classroom and clinical environment.
  • Apply teaching, service and scholarship to this advanced practice role.

Review All MSN-Nursing Education Courses and Requirements

Careers in Nursing Education

A shortage of nurses persists in U.S. hospitals and other clinical settings, extending to both practitioners and educators. These factors converge to limit space at nursing schools: according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, both undergraduate and graduate nursing programs rejected over 90,000 qualified students in 2021 alone due, in part, to the faculty shortage. As recently as 2022, nursing schools experienced a total of 2,166 full-time faculty vacancies. Sought out by employers, nurse educators help close this loop and sustain the rapid growth of the healthcare industry.

Equipped to meet the demand, our graduates work in universities, community colleges, government agencies and clinical facilities as educators, researchers, or in other leadership roles.

How to Apply

To apply, you must meet the following requirements:

  • Hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from a nationally accredited nursing program.
  • Have a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 for the last 60 semester credit hours of undergraduate work.
  • Complete an undergraduate statistics course with a grade of "C" or better.
  • Have a current unencumbered license to practice professional nursing in the state(s) where you plan to complete your clinical practicum assignment.

International Students

Applicants from countries other than the United States must also meet the admission requirements for international students seeking a graduate degree. Review all admission requirements for international students.

Applicants must submit evidence of English proficiency before UT Tyler grants admission. Applicants whose primary language is not English (their undergraduate degree is from a foreign institution) must submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language, the Pearson Test of English or the International English Language Testing System. The minimum score requirements are as follows:

  • 79 TOEFL iBT (internet-based test)
  • 550 TOEFL PBT (paper-based test)
  • 53 PTE
  • 6.5 overall band score and 6.0 in each subsection IELTS

Admission Consideration

UT Tyler also gives consideration for admission to one or more of the following:

  • The applicant's demonstrated commitment to their chosen field of study.
  • Socioeconomic background.
  • The involvement and level of responsibility in other matters, including extracurricular activities, employment and community service.
  • First generation of family to graduate from an undergraduate program.
  • Family responsibility or raising children.
  • Multilingual proficiency.
  • Geographic region of residence.

Levels of admissions:

  • Full Acceptance Status: Applicants who have met all admission requirements.
  • Conditional Acceptance Status: UT Tyler may accept MSN applicants who have met some but not all of the requirements listed above into the graduate program on a conditional basis following review by the Graduate Studies Committee. The university grants full acceptance after the successful completion of designated coursework from the student's degree plan.
  • Provisional Acceptance Status: Students may be admitted provisionally to the MSN-Nursing Education program. Refer to the Provisional Admission section for more information: Graduate School FAQs.

STEP 1: Apply to the University

All applicants must apply to the university prior to applying to the nursing program. Go to The Graduate School to complete the application.

Current or previous UT Tyler students must complete a new application if applying for a higher level of degree (i.e., BSN to MSN, MSN to PhD, MSN to DNP, MSN to post-master’s certificate).

If you are an online out-of-state applicant, please be aware of reciprocity agreements that may impact clinical hours: State Authorization.

How Much Does It Cost to Apply?

The application cost is $50 for domestic students; $75 for international students. The fee is nonrefundable and required before your application is processed. Make credit card payments at the time of application by Visa or MasterCard only.

The university waives fees for all UT Tyler alumni. Please select the “Pay by Check” option. UT Tyler waives the fees once your application is processed. Please do NOT send a check, as there are no refunds.

STEP 2: Submit Official Transcripts

MSN Domestic Applicants: UT Tyler requires an official transcript showing a baccalaureate degree in nursing from an accredited institution. Previous institutions should send official copies to the university. UT Tyler transcripts are available from the Registrar's Office; applicants need not forward them.

If your BSN transcript does not contain at least 60 credit hours of coursework, you must submit community or junior college transcripts directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Your previous institution can send official electronic copies directly to ogs@uttyler.edu from your previous institution.

MSN International Applicants: Please send an official transcript showing a four-year baccalaureate degree in nursing or its U.S. equivalent from an accredited institution of higher learning and official transcripts from ALL post-secondary institutions, TOEFL scores, entrance exams scores (GRE or GMAT for MBA) and evidence of financial support (Affidavit of Support) to:

Office of Graduate Admissions STE 345
The University of Texas at Tyler
3900 University Blvd.
Tyler TX 75799

For details and a list of forms, visit the International Students page.

Transfer Students: You must submit an official letter from your previous institution’s nursing department or program stating you are in good standing and eligible to return to their program. To review individual transfer course eligibility, you must also submit course syllabi from the time of enrollment. The maximum allowed transfer credit hours is nine, subject to review for equivalency. Submit both the letter of eligibility and any syllabi to nursing-graduate@uttyler.edu with the subject line “Transfer Student Application Documents.”

STEP 3: Submit Nursing Documents

  • Submitted via the Nursing Document link.
  • Submit a personal statement via the above link. View prompts by selecting the program of choice on the nursing application page.
  • Submit a résumé/CV including your academic history, work history (with particular attention to nursing experience), certifications and any other service or activities you wish to include.
  • Show proof of current unencumbered licensure as a Registered Nurse in the state(s) where the clinical practicum will occur.
  • Complete an undergraduate statistics course with a grade of “C" or better.
  • Submit three professional and/or academic references: Provide your references with the Reference Form. You will receive a confirmation email once your reference submits their form.
  • Submit transcripts verifying a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 for the last 60 semester credit hours of undergraduate work. The university may grant Conditional admission to students who do not meet the GPA requirement for full admission based on satisfactory scores on the verbal/quantitative portions of the GRE in combination with GPA for the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate work.

Applicants from countries other than the United States must also meet the admission requirements for international students seeking a graduate degree. Review international admission requirements.

  • June 15 (Fall)
  • Nov. 1 (Spring)

Admission decisions for the MSN-Nursing Education are made on a rolling basis. Applications received after these dates are processed as time permits but may not be processed in time for the listed term.

Applicants offered acceptance into a graduate nursing program may be assessed a nonrefundable seat deposit of $200 by the date indicated in the acceptance letter. Failure to pay the deposit will result in forfeiture of the acceptance. The university applies the $200 toward the first semester’s tuition. Applicants who accept an offer of admission but later decide not to attend forfeit the seat deposit.

Spotlight

Mary Leler
“I decided on the program because of my previous experience with UT Tyler as an undergrad. I would like to someday be a professor at a nursing school, maybe even at UT Tyler. I trust this program and its teachers. I enjoy the smaller school size and feel that it is a better environment for learning.”

Mary Leler RN, BSN, 2014

Next Steps

Chart the next phase of your career. Discover how an MSN-Nursing Education degree from UT Tyler can open the doors to your future.