Northwest Nazarene University

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

Northwest Nazarene University, which is known as NNU to its students and faculty, is a private liberal arts university that is located in Nampa, Idaho. It is known as the first accredited college that was affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene. Consisting of two colleges, the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Adult and Graduate Studies, the university confers a total of 80 undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate degrees. It reports having a traditional campus of 2,000 students and a 6,000-strong online student body. It is has enjoyed consistent rankings by U.S. News and World Report as one of the best graduate universities in the Western United States; it also holds distinction by the Princeton Review.

Northwest Nazarene University was founded in 1913 as a grade and Bible School; it was known as Idaho Holiness School. In 1917, the school, under the name Northwest Nazarene College, became a liberal arts institution that was approved by the Idaho State Board of Education. It first received regional educational accreditation in 1937, marking it as the first Nazarene-affiliated school in the country to achieve this distinction. In the 1960s, graduate programs were added and in 1999, the school changed its name one last name to Northwest Nazarene University.

Northwest Nazarene University Accreditation Details

This university has been continuously accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. In 2017, the school's accreditation was reaffirmed; its next evaluation date is in 2024. The university took great steps to ensure that it adhered to the educational quality standards put forth by the accrediting body and has consistently upgraded its programs and offerings to reflect its commitment to academic excellence.

Along with regional accreditation, NNU enjoys several accreditations for its programs. These include:

• Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
• Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
• National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
• Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• Association of Theological Schools (ATS)
• International Course of Study Advisory Committee (ICOSAC)
• Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)

Northwest Nazarene University Application Requirements

Graduate programs at NNU have similar requirements, but many students may find that specific professional programs may require more information. However, here is a list of common application requirements for all graduate students:

• An official transcript demonstrating the successful completion of a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university
• An overall GPA of 3.0
• Personal Goal Statement
• Three professional or academic recommendations
• Agreement to a pre-admission interview, which is conducted online
• A $50 nonrefundable application fee
• Curriculum vita or resume

Online students in professional programs will have additional requirements, which may include some or all of the following:

• Evidence of earning an undergraduate degree in the field of study for which they are applying for
• A professional license or credential that is in good standing
• A GPA of 3.0 in all undergraduate courses within their field of study
• Completion of prerequisite statistic course with a grade no lower than "C"
• Professional work experience of at least one year

Tuition and Financial Aid

Northwest Nazarene University offers a flat tuition rate of $560 per credit hour for most degrees; this is the tuition that is delivered to every student, regardless of their program format or residency status. The actual tuition rate for most degrees, however, differs from program to program. Health sciences degrees, such as an MSN, cost more, at $615 per credit hour, while liberal arts degrees can be as low as $470 an hour.

There are also a variety of fees that come with each degree, and NNU has taken the incredible step to make sure that all fees are available on each program's website. Samples of fees includes the traditional student fee, clinical or practicum placements, insurance fees, books, lab fees, exam prep courses, background checks, and more. There is also a graduation fee cost of $100 for every degree.

It is currently estimated that one academic year at NNU of full-time study on campus can cost $37,050; the cost is nearly half of that for online students, and even less if they attend school part-time. The school understands that many students don't have the money to personally pay for their education right out of pocket, which is why the school offers a variety of financial aid options. These include:

• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA)
• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal Work Study
• Federal Perkins Loan
• Federal Direct Student Loan
• Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan
• Alternative Loans
• Federal and State Scholarships

Online Master of Science in Nursing Administration

The Master of Science in Nursing Administration that is delivered by Northwest Nazarene University is offered as an entirely online cohort program. It also comes with a concentration in Leadership and Education, which is important for nursing professionals who wish to move into administrative roles. It focuses on research and evidence-based practice, ensuring that students understand how the theories taught in the classroom translate into the real world.

The MSN in Nursing Administration was built to be completed by working adults. Associate degree holders can reasonably expect to complete their degree in three years while those who hold a BSN can finish in as little as two years. Students take six to nine credit hours every term, focusing on one course at a time in an accelerated format. This degree requires 36 credit hours of coursework, an internship, and a comprehensive written and oral exam for completion. Sample courses include Advanced Pharmacology, Research for Graduate Nursing, and Advanced Health Assessment.

This is a great choice for working nurses. With five-week courses and asynchronous courses available whenever a professional has time to study, this program was built to prepare nurses to become leaders. And with the support from the Northwest Nazarene staff, all students will be able to complete the goal of earning a graduate degree and move into a career that fulfills all of their dreams.