Nursing Healthcare Organizational Leadership (MS)
Why Study Nursing Healthcare Organizational Leadership?
The Master of Science degree in Nursing Healthcare Organizational Leadership from Iona University equips nurses with the in-demand expertise and clinical experience needed to pursue advanced leadership roles within the healthcare system.
The rapidly growing healthcare industry needs qualified leaders now more than ever. Through our nursing leadership program, students build upon their previous work experience to further their commitment to patient care and enhance their skills to qualify for executive-level leadership nursing positions.
Why Iona’s MS in Nursing Healthcare Organizational Leadership Degree
Diversify Your Skills Through an Experiential Curriculum
Our curriculum, built upon advanced nursing concepts and leadership-focused theories, principles and strategies, gives students a strong theoretical foundation to support their career growth. The program integrates advanced nursing role concepts and executive leadership theories into core and program-specific courses. Students also receive comprehensive training in organizational theories, financial management, human resource management and innovative design thinking, supporting their development as well-rounded leaders.
Balance Career and Education With our Executive Hybrid Format
Since most of our students are working nurses, we designed our nursing leadership program with their schedules in mind. By offering the program in an executive hybrid format that utilizes in-person instruction and asynchronous coursework, graduate students have the flexibility to advance their education without disrupting their careers. Students have in-person class up to five times per semester in the core courses and up to three times per semester for the specialty courses. Additionally, students can opt for part- or full-time enrollment, which allows them to complete their graduate degree in two to three years.
Collaborate With Nursing Leadership Experts
As a part of their studies and professional development, students have three leadership-focused practicum experiences, which allow them to precept alongside experts in management and executive leadership settings. Students complete 510 clinical practice hours under the mentorship of leading healthcare experts, selecting their final practicum focus while working on their comprehensive capstone project.
Create an Evidence-Based Practice Change Project
The program culminates with a three-part project that includes a practice change project, along with a supporting paper and poster presentation. These assignments require students to apply knowledge from previous coursework and literature to create a comprehensive and evidence-based project. Students choose the topic of their change project while completing their final practicum of 60 hours under a nurse leader in a healthcare agency.
Learn, Study and Practice in State-of-the-Art Facilities
At the newly opened Kelly Center for Health Sciences, graduate students have access to a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary learning environment. The Kelly Center focuses on holistic wellness and interdisciplinary learning and spans nearly 32,000 square feet, giving students plenty of room to study, connect with peers and faculty and put their knowledge to work.
Contact Admissions
Daniel Gallagher
Director of Graduate Admissions for the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences
Email: dgallagher@iona.edu
Phone: (914) 637-7770
Quick Facts
Tuition & Financial Aid
- $1,150 per credit (38 credits)
- $285 program fee for Fall and Spring semesters (4 semesters)
- $100 program fee for Summer intersession (1 intersession)
- Estimated Cost: $44,940
- Senator Patricia K. McGee Nursing Faculty Scholarship Program
- Applying for Aid
- Graduate Tuition
What to Expect
- Hybrid learning model
- Finish in 2 years
- Study at the state-of-the-art Kelly Center for Health Sciences
- Earn 510 hours of observation and practice
- Opportunity for International Experiences
Degree Outcomes
Titles held by Iona graduates include:
- Nurse Manager
- Nurse Executive
- Magnet Coordinator
- Interprofessional Team Leader
Careers and Outcomes For Nurse Leaders
As the healthcare industry continues to expand and evolve, the demand for competent leaders also grows. Through the MS in Nursing Leadership program, graduate students gain versatile knowledge, skills and professional competencies, making them competitive candidates for these critical roles.
Equipped with an MS in Nursing degree, nurses have the education and experience employers look for when hiring clinical nursing leadership positions. While these positions come with a greater responsibility, they also increase nurses’ earning potential. The median annual salary for a registered nurse is $81,220. However, PayScale reports that nursing leadership positions like Chief Nursing Officer, Nursing Director and Nursing Manager, earn $140,160, $111,992 and $101,565, respectively.
Through advanced training and education, nurses can continue to expand their career options, acquire new skills, and increase their earning potential.
Job Titles Include:
- Nurse Manager
- Nurse Executive
- Nurse Leader in Quality & Safety
- Magnet Coordinator
- Interprofessional Team Leader
A Program Grounded in AACN Essentials and Hands-On Learning
Iona’s Nursing Healthcare Organizational Leadership (MS) program allows current nurses to get on the pathway to becoming nurse leaders. Learn more about this how this program is grounded in the new AACN essentials and how students gain hands-on experience inside and outside of the classroom.
What You’ll Learn
The MS degree in Nursing in Healthcare Organizational Leadership expands nurses’ managerial knowledge by offering specialized training in financial management, human resources, organizational leadership theory and more. With this comprehensive education and advanced clinical practicums, students graduate ready to serve as nurse managers or nurse executives.
The nursing leadership program is grounded in the competencies of various national organizations, including the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL), formed for nurse managers, nurse executives and advanced nursing roles.
The program’s curriculum is 38 credits, and we designed it to be highly integrative, offering both theory-based courses and leadership-focused clinical practicums. The program prepares you to:
- Lead within complex healthcare systems to design and implement equitable healthcare access and solutions.
- Create collaborative relationships and trusting work environments.
- Act as a change agent through innovation, critical thinking and problem-solving.
- Apply knowledge of human resources and fiscal management for healthcare.
- Lead collaboratively within the interprofessional team.
- Acquire professional leadership behaviors that reflect moral courage, ethical principles, human dignity and social justice and uphold accountability to the individual, society and the profession.
MS in Nursing Healthcare Organizational Leadership Program Highlights
Promote Ethical Decision Making and DEIB
Our nursing leadership courses foster ethical decision-making and direct focus on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Students learn how to apply these principles in their current work and future practice as nurse leaders to best serve patients, colleagues and their communities.
Strengthen Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
The nursing leadership curriculum promotes an integrative approach, providing students the opportunity to channel their creativity and critical thinking into finding new and innovative solutions. In the Design Thinking for Institutional Change course, students partner with the Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Iona’s interdisciplinary hub, to bring an entrepreneurial mindset to the healthcare industry.
Gain Practice Hours with Expert Guidance
The three practicum experiences offer students the opportunity to precept alongside experts in management and executive leadership settings, completing 510 hours of clinical practice. Students rotate through various clinical settings to ensure they have a well-rounded experience and the opportunity to learn from a variety of nursing leaders.
Additionally, our clinical and practicum requirements align with the new nursing standards, which guarantee our students receive the highest quality and most up-to-date nursing education.
Senator Patricia K. McGee Nursing Faculty Scholarship Program
The Senator Patricia K. McGee Nursing Faculty Scholarship Program is open to applicants who are registered professional nurses enrolling in graduate programs that will qualify them as nursing faculty or adjunct clinical faculty.
Global Nursing Leadership Experience
Iona’s nursing students have an opportunity to participate in global practicum immersions that expand their worldview and life experience. Through this program, students learn about global health issues, diversity, social justice and healthcare and nursing professions in the US and abroad. Students may also complete educational practicum hours precepted by Iona nursing faculty and international nurses in either Ghana or Ireland. With this once-in-a-lifetime experience, students dive into the rich local culture of our host country while practicing healthcare, growing their skills and engaging in service-learning.
MS in Nursing Leadership Admission Requirements
Prospective students interested in the nursing leadership program must meet Iona’s general admissions requirements, as well as the following program-specific requirements, for consideration:
- Earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from an accredited program with a minimum GPA of 3.0 or a Master of Science in Nursing with a non-nursing baccalaureate degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
- Hold an unencumbered RN New York State License or be eligible to obtain licensure by the beginning of the program.
- Complete a graduate-level statistics course or equivalency and earn a grade of B or better by the completion of the first semester.
If applicants have questions about the admissions process or prerequisites, they should contact our graduate admissions counselors. Our admissions team is ready to offer their insight and set students up for success in Iona’s nursing leadership program.
Application Materials
To apply to Iona’s master’s degree in nursing leadership, applicants must submit:
- Iona’s online graduate application.
- Transcripts from all previously attended colleges and universities.
- Personal statement.
- Résumé or curriculum vitae.
- Two letters of recommendation.
Mission Statement
To provide high quality, accessible educational experiences that challenge and empower students to become nurse leaders working at the forefront of health care. We are committed to preparing students who are liberally educated, clinically competent, and will be compassionate, empathetic and ethical professionals. Iona’s nursing program, consistent with Iona University’s mission, will provide an educational environment that embraces intellectual inquiry, commitment to excellence, service to others, and an appreciation for inclusion and diversity.
Advance Your Career with the MS in Nursing Healthcare Organizational Leadership
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