Cox College establishes master's program for nursing

Cox College is launching a Master of Science in nursing degree program to address a growing shortage of nursing educators.

The degree program starts in August and will have two tracks: nurse educator and clinical nurse leader, according to a news release from the college. The nurse educator track is available to nurses with baccalaureate degrees who want to become health care educators, while the clinical nurse leader track prepares nurses with baccalaureate degrees to seek advancement in clinical leadership roles.

Upon degree completion, a graduate will be eligible to take the national certification exam as a nurse educator or clinical nurse leader.

Cox College's MSN program is designed for working nurses and can be completed in one year of full-time study, according to the release. The program's 36 credit hours of coursework can be done primarily online or through a blend of classroom and online work.

The new program is in response to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's assessment that nursing faculty shortages are limiting student capacity at a time when the need for nurses is growing. In 2008, nearly 50,000 qualified nursing school applicants were turned away from entry-level programs because of a shortage of nursing faculty and clinical sites, according to the college.