Siena Heights University announced in May 2019 it will offer an online Master of Science in Nursing Degree beginning in January 2020. The MSN degree will have a Health Systems Leadership focus.

“There was a lot of thought that was put into the curriculum design and also what program would meet the needs of our community,” said SHU Nursing Director Dr. Stacey Meyers. “The Siena Heights MSN degree will transform leadership skills through the development of expertise in strategic planning and health care operations giving nurses the tools to become an effective change agent, improve quality of care and advance their nursing careers.”

“The addition of a MSN degree focused on Health Systems Leadership only strengthens the communities we serve,” said SHU Dean for Graduate and Professional Programs Dr. Cheri Betz. “Since the inception of the Graduate College, Siena has been committed to making the world a better place through quality higher education with a focus on service to others.”

Dr. Meyers said the program’s broad leadership emphasis will make SHU’s MSN degree unique.

“We wanted to provide an MSN program that focused on the development of the nurse leader from a holistic perspective,” Campus Newsshe said. “Our program is designed to advance nurses careers as leaders among the nursing profession, whether they are in the community setting or a traditional hospital organization.”

MSN classes are sequenced so that students will take one course online every eight weeks and two courses throughout the semester. Students take only one course at a time, with the 12-course program designed to be completed within two years.

“Our classes are designed to meet the needs of a student who is working as a nurse, but also wants to advance their career and education,” Dr. Meyers said.

Siena Heights’ nursing program is accredited by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing-Commission on Collegiate Nursing Excellence (AACN-CCNE) for both its pre-license and RN to BSN programs for a 10-year term, which is the maximum a program can receive. Within one year of the admission of its first cohort, SHU will seek accreditation with CCNE, which is the standard of practice. Siena Heights’ nursing program also has a decade-long history of quality. The program has been recognized for its excellence by the CCNE.

“Siena Heights nursing programs exceed expectations and benchmarks for graduation, retention and attrition rates,”

Dr. Meyers said. “That means Siena Heights is as invested in you as you are invested in us.”

“Students will benefit from Siena’s nationally recognized online instruction and high levels of faculty engagement,” Dr. Betz said.

The primary prerequisite for the program is a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from a CCNE- or NLN-accredited organization.

“We expect the first class to fill quickly, so we would invite those interested in the program to inquire immediately,” Dr. Meyers said.

For more information about the MSN Health Systems Leadership degree, visit start.sienaheights.edu/msn.