The Indiana University East School of Nursing welcomed its first cohort for the Master of Science in Nursing program this spring semester. The School announced that nine nursing graduate students received $1,000 scholarships to advance their education. The scholarships may be used for tuition, textbooks, or fees.

“The School of Nursing is excited to welcome our first class of M.S.N. students. These students are beginning a journey which is taken by a few and we are glad they have chosen IU East to prepare them for the next level of their careers,” said Dean Karen Clark. “Ultimately, those completing a M.S.N. program in our community will impact the quality of health care and nursing education in our region. We look forward to assisting many more students to fulfill their potential as M.S.N. prepared nurses.”

The Master of Science in Nursing is a six-semester program designed for nurses seeking a graduate-level nursing degree. The program provides two different tracks to choose from: nursing administration or nursing education.

IU East graduate programs include the Master of Science in Education, the Master of Social Work, and the Master of Science in Management, which also welcomed its first cohort at the start of the spring semester.

Associate Dean for Nursing Graduate programs Tonya Breymier said the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a special report in 2010 regarding the future of nursing. Several recommendations were made, among those was the recommendation to increase the number of registered nurses engaging in lifelong learning and advancing their education, she added.

“This includes preparing and enabling nurses to initiate and lead effective change in today’s healthcare arena to advance health. The IU East master’s in nursing education or nursing administration tracks will do just that. We are excited to be able to offer our service area advanced education opportunities, close to home,” Breymier said.

The School of Nursing is currently accepting applications for its next cohort that will begin summer of 2012.

For more information on the Master of Science in Nursing, visit iue.edu/nursing/msn or contact Tonya Breymier, associate dean for Nursing Graduate Programs, at (765)973-8520 or email tbreymie@iue.edu.