Online Master of Science in Nursing Leadership
Lead the Future of Nursing and Healthcare.
Your Journey Starts Now
Guidance Every Step of the Way
Transform Patient Care Through Nursing Leadership
Fairfield University’s online Master of Science in Nursing Leadership prepares registered nurses to lead change, strengthen healthcare delivery, and improve outcomes for patients and communities.
Designed as an advanced education nurse generalist degree, the program develops the leadership, communication, quality improvement, and care coordination skills needed to succeed in today’s complex healthcare environments. You’ll learn to address emerging challenges—including chronic illness management, population aging, disease prevention, and the growing need for integrated healthcare leadership.
With asynchronous online coursework and full-time or part-time enrollment options, you can continue working while earning your degree on a schedule that fits your professional and personal commitments. You can also customize portions of the curriculum to reflect your interests and long-term career goals.
Why Choose an Online MSN in Nursing Leadership From Fairfield?
Flexible for Working Nurses
Complete your coursework online through a flexible, asynchronous format designed to help you balance graduate education with clinical practice, work, and personal responsibilities. Full-time and part-time pathways allow you to progress through the program at a pace that works for you.
Leadership Skills for a Changing Industry
Build the advanced skills needed to coordinate care, lead healthcare teams, support organizational improvement, and respond to the evolving needs of patients and healthcare systems.
Nationally Accredited Excellence
The Egan School is accredited by The National League for Nursing. Fairfield’s commitment to quality ensures your credentials are recognized, respected, and aligned with nursing standards.
Diverse Career Opportunities
Prepare for leadership roles in clinical practice, education, care coordination, quality improvement, risk management, administration, and other emerging areas of healthcare.
Program Specifics
Fairfield’s online MSN in Nursing Leadership is designed to provide the flexibility nurses need to advance their education without stepping away from their careers. Students may enroll full-time or part-time and complete the degree in as few as 12 months or take up to three years, depending on their course load.
- Program starts: Fall, spring, and summer
- Format: Online
- Credits: 38
- Completion: 12–36 months
- Schedule: Full-time or part-time
- Admission: Rolling
- GRE: Not required
The MSN in Nursing Leadership prepares nurses to improve the quality, coordination, and delivery of healthcare services. Through the program, students develop the knowledge and skills to:
- Lead and collaborate within interdisciplinary healthcare teams.
- Improve patient outcomes and the coordination of care.
- Apply evidence-based practices to healthcare challenges.
- Support quality improvement and organizational change.
- Address the needs of aging populations and patients with chronic illnesses.
- Advance health promotion and disease prevention initiatives.
- Serve as ethical, effective leaders across clinical, educational, and administrative settings.
Cost per Credit: $1,065
Estimated Tuition: $40,470
Estimated tuition does not include fees or annual cost-per-credit increases. Figures are based on the 2026-27 rate.
Admission decisions are based on a comprehensive review of each applicant’s academic and professional qualifications. Applicants should be prepared to submit materials such as:
- A completed graduate application
- Official academic transcripts
- A professional résumé or CV
- A personal statement or essay
- Professional or academic references
- Any additional materials requested by the University
The GRE is not required. Applicants may also be invited to participate in an interview as part of the admission process.
Prospective students should consult Fairfield University’s official graduate admission requirements for the most current eligibility criteria and application instructions.
Take the next step toward becoming a nursing leader.
Fairfield University offers rolling admission for the MSN in Nursing Leadership, with opportunities to begin the program in the fall, spring, or summer.
Curriculum Highlights
The MSN Nursing Leadership curriculum builds a strong foundation in integrated healthcare leadership while developing the clinical coordination, quality improvement, and risk management skills today’s dynamic healthcare environments demand. Some of our key courses include:
Leadership and Interprofessional Collaboration
Leadership and Interprofessional Collaboration focuses on developing integrated healthcare leadership skills to meet the “urgent call” for better patient outcomes through improved coordination in healthcare delivery. Students learn to foster interprofessional collaboration to lead diverse teams effectively across complex environments. By mastering advanced leadership strategies, graduates are prepared to address critical industry challenges, including chronic illness management and the needs of an aging population.
Learn From Experienced Nursing Leaders
At Fairfield University’s Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies, you’ll learn from experienced faculty members who are actively engaged in healthcare practice, policy, scholarship, and service.
Faculty members provide personalized guidance and help students connect classroom learning with the challenges facing today’s healthcare organizations. Through close collaboration and mentorship, you’ll develop the confidence and expertise to lead across clinical and professional environments.
Dr. Sally Gerard, Professor and Program Director for The Nurse Leadership and MSN/MBA programs at Fairfield University, boasts a 25-year nursing career with a focus on critical care and hospital education. A Certified Diabetes Educator, Dr. Gerard is renowned for her expertise in diabetes. Her dedicated publications and research aim to deepen our understanding of diabetes and improve patient outcomes. Driven by a profound passion for nursing, she actively advocates for health and quality care, contributing significantly to the healthcare landscape.
Dorothy Vittner, with a 30-year background in Neonatal/Perinatal nursing and over two decades of research, focuses on high-risk infant care, emphasizing infant brain development and neurobehavioral functioning. As a Senior NIDCAP Trainer and Vice-President of the NIDCAP Federation International (NFI), she leads in the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP). Dorothy consults globally, evaluating hospital systems and training health professionals on infant behavior to improve outcomes. An esteemed international expert, she lectures worldwide on infant neurodevelopment, translating theory into practice. Dorothy integrates reflective strategies into academic and clinical settings and is driven by her passion for enhancing relationships at all levels.
Dr. Alicea-Planas has worked as a community health nurse in low-resourced areas for over 25 years. Her primary area of interest encompasses chronic disease management, health education and the care of vulnerable populations. In years past she has been part of faculty-led community-engaged trips for public health nursing in Nicaragua and has worked on various community-based research in both urban Managua and rural coffee farm regions in Jinotega. She is also actively engaged in various diversity initiatives both on and off campus.
Career Outcomes
Graduates of the MSN in Nursing Leadership are equipped to take on a variety of roles across clinical, educational, quality improvement, and administrative sectors. They can pursue established career paths such as serving as a clinical nurse leader, nurse manager, charge nurse, or hospital administrator. For those interested in education, options include becoming a clinical educator, hospital educator, or nursing faculty member. Additionally, the degree prepares professionals for specialized roles like care coordinator, quality improvement professional, and risk management officer. Beyond these specific titles, the program readies graduates for emerging leadership opportunities as healthcare organizations innovate their approaches to patient care, care coordination, and organizational improvement.
Fairfield Mission
Visionary by nature. Jesuit through mission. Transformative by design. Our mission inspires us to impact the world. It prompts us to ask important questions, to embrace our social responsibilities, and to lead by example. It’s what has made us a premier institution in the Northeast. Let the mission be part of your journey.
