Nursing Administration and Leadership

Nursing Administration and Leadership Post-Master's Certificate

About the Online Certificate in Nursing Administration and Leadership

Strengthen your leadership skills in nursing administration.

Add a specialization in nursing administration and leadership to your MSN degree with this post-master's certificate from PennWest California.

The 21-credit online certificate program prepares you to take on a leadership role in your healthcare organization or move up to nursing administration.

With PennWest California's 100% online nursing certificate program, you can complete your certificate while working full time. Courses are offered during the fall and spring semesters; time to completion depends on your preferences and applicable transfer credits.

Gain career-focused experience as a leader in nursing.

Courses in the online certificate program focus specifically on the healthcare environment. Topics include:

  • Organization and leadership theory.
  • The role of nursing administrators.
  • Healthcare infomatics.
  • Financial management in nonprofit organizations.
  • Legal aspects of the nurse leader's role.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS: Nursing Administration and Leadership Certificate

Accredited Program: This post-graduate certificate is derived from PennWest California's Master of Science in Nursing program, which is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.  CCNE accreditation is your assurance of a high-quality program that meets professional nursing standards.

Go Further: Complete a 150-hour preceptor-led practicum as part of the online certificate program, then apply the hours toward the requirements for attaining a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, which can advance your career as a clinician.

Learn more about applying

 

$94,000 
Median pay for nurse administrators across the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
18%
Projected increase in demand for medical and health services managers 2018-2028
icon undergrad for degree

Program Benefits

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing reports that education has a significant impact on the knowledge and competencies of nurses. PennWest California's certificate program also offers:

  • The convenience of online learning, ideal for busy working professionals.
  • Instruction from expert faculty who hold RN, MSN and doctorate degrees.
  • The assurance of quality that comes with a CCNE-accredited program.
icon undergrad for degree

Graduate Outcomes

The online certificate in nursing administration and leadership provides academic development for nurses in the public and private sectors. Graduates are prepared to seek positions as:

  • Senior nurse clinicians.
  • Nurse managers or administrators.
  • Directors of nursing.

The certificate also can lead to executive roles in a variety of healthcare organizations, consultancy work or top positions in healthcare-related settings. 

Nursing Administration and Leadership Courses

The online Post-Master's Certificate in Nursing Administration and Leadership adds a specialized credential to complement your MSN degree.

Curriculum

 

Course Credits
NUR 603  Information Systems for Nurses in Health Care Organizations 3
NUR 711  Nursing Organization and Leadership Theory 3
NUR 712  Nursing Administration and Leadership Role 3
NUR 714  Legal Aspects of Health Care Administration 3
NUR 715  Financial Management in Non-profit Health Care Organizations 3
NUR 813  Nursing Administration Role Practicum 6
Total 21
Admission Requirements

 


Regular Admission Requirements


MSN Administration and Leadership

  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN) with a GPA of 3.00 or higher in the undergraduate nursing degree or in the last 60 credits completed (Students with a GPA below 3.00 may apply for conditional admission)
  • Official transcripts from an accredited BSN program
  • Unencumbered RN licensure in the state in which the applicant is employed in nursing
  • Current Resume indicating at least one year of experience working in nursing, preferably, nursing management
  • An essay to include career goals and objectives as well as a description of how the student plans to use the MSN degree
    • Scholastic record must be comparable to that reflected by a 3.00 GPA verified with official transcripts and applicant needs to be licensed in their country of residence
    • Applicants must submit a credential evaluation from the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) for nursing course work and World Education Services (WES) for non-nursing course work

Conditional Admission Requirements

  • Conditional Admission may be granted with the following modifications of the Regular Admissions Requirements:  
    • Bachelor's degree with a GPA under 3.00 will be reviewed for a decision


Provisional Admission
:
Applicants who have provided unofficial documentation of test scores, prerequisite courses, transcripts or lack of letter(s) of recommendation may be admitted provisionally.

This policy also applies to undergraduate students who apply for graduate admission pending bachelor degree completion. Upon receipt of all official documents, a student will be changed from Provisional Admission to either Regular Admission or Conditional Admission. Provisional Admission students may take classes for one term but will not be eligible for Federal Financial Aid.

Nursing Administration and Leadership Post Master's Certificate

  • Master of Science in Nursing degree (MSN) with a GPA of 3.00 or higher (Students with a GPA below 3.00 may apply for conditional admission)
  • Official transcripts from an accredited MSN program
  • Unencumbered RN licensure in the state in which the applicant is employed in nursing
  • Current Resume indicating at least one year of experience working in nursing, preferably, nursing management.
    • Scholastic record must be comparable to that reflected by a 3.00 GPA verified with official transcripts and applicant needs to be licensed in their country of residence
    • Applicants must submit a credential evaluation from the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) for nursing course work and World Education Services (WES) for non-nursing course work


Conditional Admission Requirements

  • Conditional Admission may be granted with the following modifications of the Regular Admissions Requirements:  
    • Master's degree with a GPA under 3.00 will be reviewed for a decision
    • Deficiencies in Pre/Co-requisite Courses (up to two maximum semesters to satisfy the deficiencies) 


Provisional Admission
:
Applicants who have provided unofficial documentation of test scores, prerequisite courses, transcripts or lack of letter(s) of recommendation may be admitted provisionally.

This policy also applies to undergraduate students who apply for graduate admission pending bachelor degree completion. Upon receipt of all official documents, a student will be changed from Provisional Admission to either Regular Admission or Conditional Admission. Provisional Admission students may take classes for one term but will not be eligible for Federal Financial Aid.

Pre/Co-Requisite Courses

  • Applicants may remove deficiencies in the following pre/co-requisite courses at PennWest California or another accredited institution prior to regular admission or after conditional admission
    • 3 credits undergraduate or graduate level Statistics

How to Apply:

School of Graduate Studies and Research
PennWest California
Box 91
250 University Ave. 
California, PA 15419

For additional information:
Email: msnonline@pennwest.edu
Phone: 1.866.595.6348

 

A PennWest California graduate during Commencement

Applied, Active Learning

PennWest California's certificate program in nursing administration and leadership includes a 150-hour practicum led by a preceptor at your healthcare organization, you'll develop and work on a quality improvement project. With faculty guidance, you'll meet professional goals while learning from an expert in the field.

PennWest California campus.

Additional Credentials

Nurse leaders who complete the online certificate program also can seek credentials from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE). 

A nurse working in a hospital.

Finish Fast

Students who have a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree complete just 21 credits to earn the certificate. PennWest California reviews any transfer credits and accepts those applicable to the program. Most students earn the certificate in four semesters.


CCN Logo

 

PennWest University, including Clarion, California, and Edinboro campuses, will submit a self-study and host a site visit for our accrediting body, CCNE. The site visit will be on March 29-31, 2023.  This serves as formal notification of the upcoming visit and provides an opportunity for third-party comments concerning the program’s qualifications for accreditation.  

CCNE must receive written third-party comments regarding programs by no later than 21 days prior (March 1, 2023) to the first day of the scheduled on-site evaluation. CCNE accepts only signed comments. CCNE shares third-party comments with members of the evaluation team before the visit, but these comments are not shared with the program at any time during the review process. During its program review, the evaluation team considers third-party comments related to the accreditation standards. All third-party comments submitted to CCNE must be written in English, consistent with CCNE's policy on the Conduct of Business.

If you would like to submit a third-party comment for a program under review, please submit to thirdpartycomments@ccneaccreditation.org.

Or, if you prefer, mail comments to:

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

ATTN: Third-Party Comments

655 K Street, NW, Suite 750

Washington, DC 20001