WGU online programs

Nursing Students Western Governors

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Is anyone familiar with online MSN programs? Seems a little too good to be true at $3250 per 6 month term.

http://www.wgu.edu/online_health_professions_degrees/online_healthcare_degree.asp

Thanks,

Dave

Hi Laurie

As a matter a fact yes several MSN students have completed the WGU program and graduated this past July. I am currently finishing up my final paper and will be finished by Decemeber.

Meg

Hi Meg

Are there practicum hours for the program?

What is required for the final project (such as facility agreement, preceptor, and mentor approval)?

Hi Laurie

The practum is 40 hours with a preceptor. I asked the CNO of my institution to precept me and she agreed. The final project includes a research study on a topic you choose and approved by your mentor. You write up a proposal for the project, conduct the project and have an oral defense about the project at the very end. Hope this helps. Am willing to answer any other questions that you might have.

Meg

Hi Meg

Thanks so much for your response! Communicating with a graduate student does help in deciding whether to continue graduate education and which school to choose.

What caught your attention about ?

Hi Laurie

I like the fact the program is based on competency program. Applying knowledge that I already have and to be able to advance courses at my speed. The tuition was a plus as well as it is much more reasonable than some other universities price wise. The nursing department has been very helpful as well.

Meg

WGU does not offer Clinical Nurse Specialist Degrees so you don't have clinical and/or preceptorships. You have a Capstone Project (thesis, scholarly project, etc...) that you have to complete which is the same requirement for any MSN in Leadership, Administration or Education. Trust me, I spent a whole year researching nursing programs in order to further my degree. I chose for it's accreditation which NC schools didn't even have and they have 20 more credits that they require for me to graduate! (it's all about the money........) The tuition WGU charges is "per semester" regardless of how many classes you take.

I love WGU, I get out of it what I put into it. The girls that I work with are all going back to school and want that "Duke, UNC NCS" degree on their resume'. They work 12 hour nights and go to class for 3 hours a day.........I need more sleep than that. AND, when I graduate, they'll STILL be trying to pass the 2 language requirements for NC schools.

I can't say enough about WGU :nurse:

Kimberlee713,

Do you know if students can complete 2 tracks for their MSN (both the Education and Leadership & Management tracks)?

Hi chris2732,

I'm not sure about dual enrollment, the way they structure their didactic, I don't see why they wouldn't allow you to take both tracks but what I'm finding in graduate school is that they limit you for a reason: it's hard! I switched over to the Loyola program only because I didn't want to write a thesis (I'm tired!) and it was the easy way out. Loyola not only doesn't allow dual enrollment, they also don't allow you to double up on classes until your third semester.

The best thing to do is find out if pre-licensure nursing schools will take your MSN in administration as an educator. If you can teach with that, then you don't need the added cost of an additional degree.

Good luck in anything that you choose to do! :yeah:

Hi Kimberlee713,

I noticed that both MSN tracks (Education and Leadership & Management) have exactly the same units (when comparing the below web sites side-by-side):

http://www.wgu.edu/wgu/credit/program367

http://www.wgu.edu/wgu/credit/program366

As you can see, both MSN tracks differ by 3 courses (Specialist course, Written Project, Oral Defense).

When students graduate with their MSN - Education track from , can they enroll in the MSN Leadership & Management track to finish up the 3 Leadership & Management units and earn their MSN in Leadership & Management?

Specializes in Med-Surg.

Bumping this up.

Specializes in icu, cvicu, case management.

Im glad you like the progarm , I am seriouly considering. I am just not sure if the degree is good enough to teach at the nursing schools..do you think they recognize the degree? its non traditional, and some of the schools dont think out of the box..the tuition is great though, and i like how they charge one cost for the term..

It's an accredited program, why would there be any problem having it recognized? Non-traditional? Why, because it's online? Duke University, UIC (Chicago) Loyola, etc.....some of the greatest schools in the country have online programs, how is this "non-traditional"?

I'm currently attending graduate school at Loyola after graduating from ......and thank God I went to WGU, I'm a 4.0 where everyone else is struggling with 3.0. Piece of cake after the didactic and preparation from WGU.

Specializes in icu, cvicu, case management.

Kimberly

I didn't intent to insult the program. It looks like a great program. I just graduated from Univ, St Francis BSN, but it is the only school that is competency based and not college credit, so I am unsure...I am not sure my hospital will consider it a qualified school either because of the untraditional model.. I am very self directed and can do a program like this probably with little difficultly so I am glad you responded. Can you tell me a little more about it. Actually today the Dean of students emailed me, and I was surprised..

Joanie:nurse:

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