Accredited BSN to MSN Programs in Mississippi
Whether you want to complete an MSN program to improve your clinical skills, to learn new skills, or get a promotion in your current place of work, there are many options available in the state of Mississippi.
In fact, you choose among many different high-quality MSN programs ranging from on-campus learning at some of the state’s largest schools to online programs offered by small, private colleges.
Regardless of the program you choose, your MSN program will guide and direct your development as a nurse. The time you spend in an MSN will provide you with an expanded skill set that allows you to perform your job at an even higher level.
Often, the most difficult part of choosing a BSN to MSN program is deciding where you want to go to school. We have narrowed that down to the great state of Mississippi. Now it’s time to take a look at some of the best nursing programs the state has to offer!
The University of Mississippi Medical Center
School Information
The University of Mississippi, or Ole Miss as it’s more commonly called, is a flagship research institution that was founded in 1848. The school has around 16,000 students who attend classes on a large campus that spans nearly 4,000 acres. Ole Miss is in Oxford, a small town in rural Mississippi. As such, the university’s campus has a small-town feel despite being a large school.
The University of Mississippi Medical Center is the only health sciences center in the state. The Medical Center has partnerships with multiple hospitals that allow health sciences students to work with real patients. These partnerships include:
- Children’s of Mississippi
- University Hospital
- Wallace Conerly Critical Care Hospital
- Wiser Hospital for Women and Infants
MSN Program Information
If you currently have a BSN or are an associate-level RN, the MSN program from the University of Mississippi Medical Center has the program for you. This flexible program allows you to study mostly online and gives you the flexibility you need to continue working in your current position as you get your MSN.
You can choose from six different options:
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Educator
- Nursing and Healthcare Administrator
As you can see from the list above, there are four practitioner options and two options in the administrative and educational realms. This enables you to tailor your studies to your job goals more specifically.
This program requires the completion of 53-66 credits, depending on the specialty you pursue. If you attend school full-time, you can complete the program in about two years.
Mississippi College
School Information
Mississippi College has the distinction of being the oldest higher learning institution in the state. It was founded in 1826 as Hampstead Academy, with the first students attending classes in January 1827. The school conferred the first college degree to a woman in 1831 – the first school to do so in the United States.
Today, Mississippi College is still a small school – there are just over 2,500 students – but the number and types of degree programs have greatly increased from the old days. There are more than 80 undergraduate degrees, 50 graduate degrees, and several doctoral programs from which to choose.
Regardless of what program you select, you’ll learn in an environment that leans on the teachings of the Baptist Church. In fact, Mississippi College is one of the oldest Baptist-affiliated schools in the country.
MSN Program Information
This online MSN program from Mississippi College focuses on a clinical nurse leader (CNL) track. As a graduate of this program, you will have the skills needed to practice in many healthcare situations. Likewise, you will learn skills that improve patient outcomes and equip you to make critical decisions to address changing patient conditions.
This program includes traditional graduate-level nursing coursework in addition to supervised experience in a healthcare setting (totaling 400 hours). There’s also a 40-hour immersive clinical component that prepares you for advanced practice as a nurse.
To graduate, you must complete at least 36 credits of core coursework and specialized classes. You must also pass an exit examination. Once you do that, you then take the CNC Clinical Nurse Leader Certification Examination, which is also required to graduate.
The Mississippi University for Women
School Information
The Mississippi University for Women has the distinction of being the first public university established for women. The school was founded in Columbus, Mississippi in 1884 and was solely for women until men were admitted in 1982.
This is a very small school with an enrollment of around 2,700 students, most of which are from Mississippi. As a student at this college, you’ll take courses in the following schools:
- College of Arts and Sciences
- College of Business and Professional Studies
- College of Nursing and Health Sciences
- School of Education
Despite its small size, the Mississippi University for Women has many accolades to its name. For example, US News and World Report ranks the school among the top 20 public-regional universities in the south and fourth in value among the best public schools in the south region.
MSN Program Information
If you want to earn your MSN quickly, the BSN to MSN program at the Mississippi University for Women is a prime choice. This program is 39 credits, which takes around one year to complete.
To apply, you must already have a BSN in addition to two years of work as a registered nurse. If you don’t meet these qualifications, you will need to do so before applying to this program. Once admitted, you’ll take courses like:
- Advanced Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice Strategies
- Primary Care Management
- Advanced Practice Role Development
- Advanced Health Assessment
Furthermore, you must undertake a clinical research project. Along with evidence-based practice, this research project helps you expand on what you learn in your classes and gain valuable, practical skills for your career.
Alcorn State University
School Information
Not only is Alcorn State University one of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), but it’s also the oldest public land-grant HBCU in the country. The school was established in 1871 as a place for descendants of slaves to get a higher education.
Today, Alcorn State has more than 3,000 students from around the nation and the world. As a student at Alcorn State, you can select from undergraduate degree programs, graduate or doctoral programs, and specialist programs as well. If you attend school on campus, you can join one of more than 85 student organizations that range from club sports to religious groups to student council.
With a student-to-faculty ratio of 16:1, you can learn in a small-class environment with plenty of one-on-one learning time with your professors. Small classes are certainly a bonus if you need direction and guidance to succeed in your studies.
MSN Program Information
Alcorn State University’s Master of Science program in Nursing gives you two different options for your studies. You can pursue the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) track, which prepares you to provide health care to people of many different ages. Alternatively, you can pursue the Nurse Educator (NE) track if you want to move away from clinical work and into academia.
The FNP track is a 44-credit program that takes about five semesters to complete. The NE track is much shorter, requiring just 35 credits and four semesters to complete. In both cases, completing these tracks prepares you to sit for the relevant certification exam for your chosen specialization.
Once admitted to this program, you will explore topics like:
- Advanced Pathophysiology
- Introduction to Human Genetics
- Advanced Pharmacology
- Health Policy
Additionally, you will participate in a practicum experience to gain real-world experience with actual patients. This program also requires that you complete a thesis.
Work Opportunities for MSN in Mississippi
While Mississippi isn’t a very populous state, it does have a great need for qualified nurses. This is true in the state’s rural and urban regions.
For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that the Northeast Mississippi non-metropolitan area ranks second in the nation for the highest employment of registered nurses. Furthermore, the southeast portion of the state ranks fifth in the nation for the highest concentration of nursing jobs, with nearly 27 nursing jobs per 1,000 people.
Mississippi doesn’t just have a lot of nursing jobs – they’re good-paying jobs, too. As an example, nurse practitioners in Hattiesburg earn well over $100,000 per year. The same is true in Jackson, where nurse practitioners make around $113,000 per year and nurse anesthetists make over $154,000 per year, on average.
Nurses in rural areas of the state don’t earn as much money as those in urban areas. However, money is only part of the equation. With an MSN degree, you will be equipped to make a positive difference in the lives of your patients no matter how much money you earn each year.
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