The Master of Science in Nursing program at USC is housed in the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work’s Department of Nursing. Designed for registered nurses who hold a bachelor’s degree and have at least one year of clinical experience, the program prepares family nurse practitioners to treat physical and behavioral health, address social and environmental factors, and lead positive social change.
The MSN-FNP program is delivered online, with live classes hosted in a virtual classroom. All courses are taught by USC faculty who are experienced, respected practitioners in the field. As a student in the program, you will complete foundational coursework, attend on-campus intensives and complete clinical placements in or near your own community. The curriculum is grounded in evidence-based practice with a focus on how social determinants — the conditions in which people live, learn, work and play — affect health and well-being.
About the Department of Nursing
The USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work’s Department of Nursing was founded in 2016 to promote the science of nursing, advance clinical scholarship and educate nurses for clinical leadership roles with a focus on improving the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities, and creating a socially just world.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has generated a resurgence of interest in social determinants as the basis for health care decisions in nursing education, research and health policy. We are now challenged to integrate this knowledge into practice and education. We believe our pairing of nursing and social work will prepare a new kind of nurse nimble enough to address a multitude of health needs and who is poised to act as a catalyst for an improved, equitable health care system for all.
Mission & Vision
The specific goals of the Department of Nursing are to prepare graduates for advanced nursing practice, leadership in scholarship and research, and leaders in education. The Department aims to work collaboratively with our Social Work colleagues and others, to improve patient care by preparing outstanding advanced practice nurses who provide evidence-based practice, and transform the healthcare system by preparing leaders in healthcare policy and research. The Nursing Department focuses on social, contextual, ecological issues, and social determinants of health.
The philosophical beliefs of the Nursing Department support the basis for quality education, research, continued career mobility, and lifelong learning, concomitant with society’s advancing technological changes and evolving healthcare needs. The philosophy is based on that affirmed by the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and is predicated on our beliefs regarding individuals, society and the environment, health and healthcare delivery, nursing, advanced practice nursing, scholarship, and competency.
Accreditation
Our master’s degree program in nursing is accredited by both the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN).
The MSN-FNP program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
The MSN-FNP program is also accredited by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN)
Average ANCC Board Pass Rate of 92% in 2023
Average AANP Board Pass Rate of 88% in 2023