MSN: Clinical Nurse Leader Concentration
Major: Nursing: Clinical Nurse Leader Concentration
Degree Awarded: Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 45.0; 400 practicum hours
Co-op Option: None
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 51.3801
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 29-1141
NOTE: No applications will be accepted for the 2025-2026 academic year. Please check back in summer 2026 for an update.
About the Program
The MSN Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) track is designed to prepare nurses for an evolving advanced generalist role that incorporates advanced knowledge, skill and clinical expertise in an evidence- and quality-driven context. The CNL oversees care coordination of a distinct group of patients, is a resource for clinical decision-making and serves as a lateral integrator of care. This clinical leader puts evidence-based practice into action to ensure that patients benefit from the latest innovations in care delivery. The CNL collects and evaluates patient outcomes, assesses cohort risk and has the decision-making authority to change care plans when necessary. This clinician functions as part of an interdisciplinary team by communicating, planning and implementing care directly with other health care professionals, including physicians, pharmacists, social workers, therapists, clinical nurse specialists and nurse practitioners. The CNL is a leader in the health care delivery system across all settings in which health care is delivered. The program emphasizes the development of competencies related to the use of technology, evidence-based practice, customization of care, health team and interdisciplinary leadership and outcome and risk assessment.
This online master's program prepares nurses to function effectively in a quickly changing, increasingly complex clinical care environment. Students have the opportunity to develop advanced competencies and depth of knowledge as clinical nurse leaders. The program emphasizes evidence-based approaches to solve clinical problems, assessment and evaluation of nursing and healthcare outcomes, clinical decision-making, lateral care integration, clinically based leadership and the design of nursing care for clinical populations at the clinical unit or similar small system level.
Clinical practicum experiences include the development and management of a data-driven project that provides opportunities for students to deepen evidence-based practice competencies in the management of clients’ health care needs at the point of care. Precepted clinical experiences will include activities such as modeling of care, assessment and evaluation of aggregate patient outcomes, case management and service integration, and unit and interdisciplinary team leadership, as well as teaching and mentoring of staff.
The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Additional Information
For more information about this program, contact:
Graduate Nursing Division
CNHPGraduateDivision@drexel.edu
Additional information is available on Drexel's College of Nursing and Health Professions MSN in Clinical Nurse Leader webpage and on the Drexel University Online MSN Clinical Nurse Leader webpage.
Admission Requirements
- A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from an institution accredited by CCNE (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education), ACEN (Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing), or NLN CNEA (NLN Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation).
- RNs with a BS in a field other than nursing may wish to pursue the RN-MSN "bridge" program or the Dual RN-BSN-MSN Pathway.
- 3.0 or above on all previous coursework or the last 60.0 credits completed. Applications from RNs with a GPA less than 3.0 may be considered on an individual basis.
- Official transcripts from all previous educational institutions are required.
- Two professional references are required from colleagues or supervisors who can attest to the applicant’s knowledge, skill and potential aptitude for graduate study.
- Letters of recommendation are waived for students with a 3.0 GPA or higher.
- Personal statement (no more than two pages and no less than one page, double-spaced) that will give the admissions committee a better understanding of the following:
- Why you are choosing this particular program of study.
- Your plans upon completion of the certificate.
- How your current work experience will enhance your experience in this program.
- Curriculum vitae or resume.
- Copy of current U.S. RN license required.
- Copies of any advanced practice nursing licensure and certification documents.
- While specific experience is not required for applicants to the track, previous related work experience may make an applicant more competitive.
International applicants must possess a BSN (or its equivalent) and a current U.S. RN license.
TOEFL Requirement
International applicants, as well as immigrants to the United States and United States permanent residents whose native language is not English and who have not received a bachelor’s degree or higher in the United States, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand or the United Kingdom, must show proficiency in English speaking as well as listening, writing, and reading. U.S. citizens born on U.S. military bases abroad may be waived from the TOEFL requirement after providing documentation of this status; otherwise, applicants must meet one of the following requirements:
If you take the TOEFLiBT exam, you are required to have a minimum combined score for the listening, writing and reading sections of 79 plus a speaking section score of 26 or higher.
If you take the TOEFL, you are required to have a minimum score of 550 or higher and a Test of Spoken English score (TSE) of 55 or higher.
Degree Requirements
| MSN Core Courses | ||
| NURS 500 [WI] | Confronting Issues in Contemporary Health Care Environments | 3.0 |
| NURS 502 | Advanced Ethical Decision Making in Health Care | 3.0 |
| NURS 544 | Quality and Safety in Healthcare | 3.0 |
| RSCH 503 | Research Methods and Biostatistics | 3.0 |
| RSCH 504 | Evaluation and Translation of Health Research | 3.0 |
| Support Courses | ||
| NURS 574 | Advanced Integrative Clinical Concepts | 4.5 |
| NUPR 664 | The Economics and Business of Healthcare | 4.5 |
| Track Courses | ||
| NURS 531 | Epidemiology in Action: Tracking Health & Disease | 3.0 |
| NURS 532 | Evaluation of Health Outcomes | 3.0 |
| NUPR 602 | Foundations for Clinical Nurse Leader | 5.0 |
| NURS 603 | Clinical Nurse Leader Capstone Immersion I | 5.0 |
| NURS 604 | Clinical Nurse Leader Capstone Immersion II | 5.0 |
| Total Credits | 45.0 | |
Writing-Intensive Course Requirement
A [WI], Writing Intensive, next to a graduate course in this catalog indicates that the graduate course is a writing intensive course. The graduate course is a required course in your curriculum.
Sample Plan of Study
| First Year | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| NURS 500 | 3.0 | NURS 532 | 3.0 | NUPR 664 | 4.5 | NURS 544 | 3.0 |
| NURS 502 | 3.0 | RSCH 503 | 3.0 | NURS 531 | 3.0 | RSCH 504 | 3.0 |
| 6 | 6 | 7.5 | 6 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| NUPR 602 | 5.0 | NURS 603 | 5.0 | NURS 604 | 5.0 | NURS 574 | 4.5 |
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 4.5 | ||||
| Total Credits 45 | |||||||
Program Level Outcomes
- Practices within a legal and ethical framework of health care delivery.
- Advances the role of advanced nursing practice in the health care system through scholarship, clinical experience and political involvement.
- Demonstrates critical thinking and diagnostic reasoning skills in clinical decision-making.
- Integrates multiple technologies and relevant theories into the organization and synthesis of health data required to develop plans of care for patients, families and communities.
- Integrates culturally sensitive health promotion activities that contribute to the health and wellness of the community into clinical practice.
- Demonstrates leadership in nursing and health care through involvement in the development of outcome-based standards of care and practice-based health policy issues.
- Evaluates and modifies the quality and effectiveness of clinical practice based on current research findings, standards of care and patient outcomes.
- Contributes to the advancement of nursing, health care and humanity through communication, collaboration and education.