Nursing

Overview

The Nursing MSc program offered at San Francisco State University provides excellent nursing education and academic activities emphasizing patient-center care, patient safety, teamwork and collaboration, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, informatics, leadership and lifelong learning for the students as well as faculty and staff.

Emphases/Specialty Areas 

Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)

This emphasis offers students in both the Entry Level MSN and the regular MSN programs the opportunity to take courses for certification by the California State Board of Registered Nursing and/or the American Nurse Credentialing Center. The CNS is an advanced practice nurse holding a master’s degree with an emphasis in a specific area of clinical nursing such as adult, women’s health, psychiatric and pediatrics.  The role of the CNS is defined by the needs of a select client population and clinical expertise of the nurse.

Nursing Administration

This emphasis enables students in both the Entry Level MSN and the regular MSN programs to combine the nursing perspective and principles of business to become effective and successful managers and administrators. Elective courses can be taken through the College of Business with the advice and approval of an academic advisor.

Public/Community Health

Students completing this emphasis are prepared to assume nursing roles in a variety of care settings including public health, home health, and schools. 

Career paths

Master of Science graduates provide leadership and expertise in a variety of settings as expert clinicians, administrators/managers, teachers and researchers assuring health and healthcare for people of all ages. Clinical Nurse Specialists, as expert clinicians, managers, program planners and case managers, serve specific client/patient populations in acute, chronic, inpatient, and outpatient. Graduates of the nursing administration emphasis hold positions in nursing management, administration, and as entrepreneurs across a variety of health care settings. Graduates prepared as family nurse practitioners hold positions in a variety of primary care and hospital settings. Graduates of all emphases are eligible for positions in program planning and evaluation and to serve as clinical faculty for schools of nursing. The master's curriculum also prepares students for entry into nursing education at the doctoral level.