Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work: Nursing@USC

This program is designed for advanced practice nurses who hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree and licensed as a Registered Nurses with at least one year of clinical experience.

The program incorporates evidence-based nursing aimed at helping nurse practitioner students develop comprehensive skills in advanced nursing practice to deliver effective treatment and preventive care to patients and communities. Students will also learn aspects of research and policy. By integrating concepts from social work, students will get a strong foundation in social factors related to health.

The first MSN specialization to be offered is a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program. The program is taught by nationally renowned nurse practitioners and designed for registered nurses who work directly with patients in primary care settings.

Program Overview

The 49-unit Family Nurse Practitioner program is offered on a full-time or part-time schedule and delivered online through Nursing@USC.

The FNP program features live, face-to-face classes via videoconferencing; issue-based online communities; small class sizes; and a rigorous curriculum that explores the biomedical, psychological, social, cultural, environmental, and economic influences on health care with evidence-based practice and clinical research.

The program's course work exposes students to:

• Pathophysiology
• Pharmacology
• Quantitative and Qualitative Data Analysis & Research Methods
• Community-based Research
• Health Care Technology & Innovation
• Health Care Policy
• Health Care Management

Students gain real-world insight into the broad aspects of patient care and advocacy with hands-on clinical placements in their local communities and on-campus intensives.

Students are required to attend two on-campus intensives where they will participate in skill assessments with faculty. All students attend their first on-campus intensive at the end of their first term. Full-time students, in the 5-term track, attend their second on-campus intensive at the end of their third term. Part-time students, participating in the 8-term track, attend their second on-campus intensive at the end of their fourth term.

Students are also required to complete clinical placements in or near their communities in four diverse settings working with:

• Adult Patients
• Child-Bearing and Pediatric Patients
• Adults with Complex Conditions
• An Integrated Family Practice

USC's clinical placement team helps students secure their placement sites. Each clinical placement rotation is 14 weeks long and requires 14 hours per week to complete in at least two, seven-hour stretches. Students must complete 784 clinical hours.

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