McKendree University

McKendree University appears in our ranking of the 20 Most Affordable Private Colleges for Master's in Nursing Administration Online Degree Programs 2017.

McKendree University, known as McK to its students, is a private liberal arts university. Located in Lebanon, Illinois, this university currently has an endowment of $35.9 million and a student body of 2,937. It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and is part of the Greater St. Louis Metro-East region. It consists of a College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, School of Education, and a School of Health Professionals. It confers 54 different undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate degrees in areas such as education, business administration, criminal justice, and nursing.

Established in 1828 by Methodists who settled the area, McKendree is known as the oldest institute of higher education in the state of Illinois. It was first known as Lebanon Seminary and was named after the town in which it was founded. Under the supervision of Edward Raymond Ames, an American Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the school consisted of two rented sheds and enrolled 72 students for its first academic year.

In 1830, the school changed its name to McKendree College, named after Bishop William McKendree, who donated 480 acres of land in nearby Shiloh to the school. He was succeeded by Reverend Peter Akers, who earned the school's first degree, a Doctorate of Divinity. The school operates under a liberal charter that was obtained by the Illinois legislature in 1839.

McKendree University Accreditation Details

McKendree University has been accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools since 1915; it is also accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Continual reaccreditation takes place every ten years and McKendree University is looking forward to renewing their accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission in the 2018-2019 academic year.

It also has accreditation from the following organizations:

• Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) (Probationary)
• Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• International Accreditation for Business Education

McKendree University Application Requirements

McKendree University believes in requiring the same application process for both online and traditional students. It is important to note that McKendree does not offer application requirements online; to find out more, students must check with the graduate admissions office to find out what they need to submit in order to be considered for their chosen program. The following is the requirements for entering into any graduate program, regardless of the field of study:

• College transcripts from a regionally accredited university or college
• A bachelor's degree
• Two professional letters of recommendation
• An application fee
• Personal essay
• Resume
• Evidence of a license or credential that is in good standing, should the program require it
• Work experience in their field
• GRE or MAT scores

The online programs tend to be professional in nature, so students should expect to provide evidence of having completed the necessary work to become licensed or credentialed in their particular field; work experience will also be considered, provided that students can demonstrate that experience took place in their specialty.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Students who earn a degree are offered in-state tuition rates. For most graduate programs, especially those that are housed within the College of Health Professionals, that rate is $455 per credit hours. This does not include fees, textbooks, room and board, lab fees, a $100 graduation fee, and more. Health professional graduates will also incur a $79 Certified Criminal Background and Immunization Verification fee.

All online students will be charged $525 per credit hour, regardless of their residency status. This is the traditional tuition rate with a $70 online course fee. They will, however, not incur fees for traditional campus programs, which are added in later and show up itemized in the final tuition bill.

There are a variety of financial aid options available at the school. One of the most popular, especially for professional programs, is the Employer Reimbursement program. This is a program that enables employers to a portion of the student's tuition. All that is required is a check from the employer that is made out to McKendree University and a letter from the employer stating that the student is eligible for reimbursement as well as the tuition reimbursement requirements.

Other financial aid options include:

• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA)
• Federal Pell Grant
• Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
• Monetary Award Program
• McKendree Grant – available to full-time students, regardless of format
• TEACH Grant
• Federal Work Study
• Federal Perkins Loan
• Federal Direct Student Loan
• Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan
• Alternative Loans
• Scholarships

Online Master of Science in Nursing Administration

The online Master of Science in Nursing Administration that is available from McKendree University was built for working nurses who need a flexible graduate degree that can help them move on to advanced licensure. This degree comes with three concentrations: nursing education, nursing management and administration, and palliative care. It is also possible to earn a dual MSN and MBA online from this university.

Students will find that the degree is conferred entirely online; courses are delivered asynchronously and, in the event of a seminar, synchronously. The program is available in both the part-time and full-time formats and courses are offered on the traditional 16-week term schedule. Nurses who study full-time can complete the necessary requirements in just over two years; part-time students will have five years from the beginning of their program of study to graduate.

This degree requires a minimum of 42 credit hours, a practicum, a scholarly project or thesis, and a comprehensive written and oral exam. Practicums and the defense of a thesis are not done online; experiences are completed in a student's area of residency and the thesis defense must be done at the school campus. Sample courses include Theories and Principles of Nursing Management, Nursing Informatics, and Quality and Performance in Organizations.

This program is fully accredited by the CCNE, making it a great choice for working professionals. Once completed, this degree will enable students to move into nursing administration at the highest levels in the healthcare industry. McKendree University offers a quality program for all students, but online students may find that the school is uniquely suited to their needs.