SIUE Online Nurse Educator Graduate Program Ranked Most Affordable in Illinois, #5 in Nation

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill., August 21, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Nursing (SON) is nationally recognized for its competitive, high-quality online nurse educator master's program. The SON's program ranks #1 in Illinois and #5 in the nation for affordability, according to Affordable Schools' list of 25 Best Affordable Master's of Nursing Education Online Degrees 2019.

Affordable Schools' ranking methodology considered average cost of attendance, student-to-faculty ratio, and U.S. News and World Report's college ranking.

"We have worked intensely in the School of Nursing to find the perfect balance for our graduate programs," said Andrew Griffin, PhD, CRNA, APRN, assistant dean for graduate programs in the SIUE SON. "Our focus has been to provide high-quality courses and curricula, while maximizing learner flexibility and affordability. We have seen tremendous growth in our graduate student population. This, plus the acknowledgements received from outside entities, such as U.S. News and World Report and AffordbleSchools.net, prove we are accomplishing our goals."

The SON nurse educator master's program offers students three face-to-face applied learning opportunities working with preceptors in education, university and hospital-based settings at convenient locations that are selected to meet the individual academic needs, interests and professional experience of each student.

As detailed in the Affordable Schools ranking, SIUE SON students pursuing this degree program complete 33 hours of online MSN coursework in areas such as research, health policy, biostatistics and epidemiology, as well as pathophysiology and pharmacology. Additionally, education-focused courses cover topics in instructional design, assessment and evaluation, as well as curriculum theory, design and evaluation.

After finishing the program and gaining two years of teaching experience, graduates are eligible to take the National League for Nursing Certified Nurse Educator exam. The SON's nurse educator post-master's certificate offers coursework that prepares students with theory preparation for the national certification examination.

Career opportunities for nurse educators abound as there is an ever-increasing need for nursing faculty. The average age of experienced faculty is rising and current instructors are reaching retirement age. Baccalaureate-prepared nurses who obtain a nurse educator master's degree are actively sought throughout the St. Louis metropolitan region, as well as nationally.

For more information on SIUE's affordable online nurse educator master's program, visit siue.edu/academics/graduate/degrees-and-programs/nurse-educator.

The SIUE School of Nursing's programs are committed to creating excellence in nursing leadership through innovative teaching, evidence-based practice, quality research, patient advocacy and community service. Enrolling more than 1,700 students in its baccalaureate, master's and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders in pursuit of shaping the nursing profession and impacting the health care environment. SIUE's undergraduate nursing programs on the Edwardsville campus and the regional campus in Carbondale help to solve the region's shortage of baccalaureate-prepared nurses and enhance the quality of nursing practice within all patient service venues. The School's graduate programs prepare nurses for advanced roles in clinical practice, administration and education.

SOURCE Southern Illinois University Edwardsville