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You're looking to advance your nursing career and improve health outcomes for patients. Maybe you want to move into a leadership position among the nursing staff in your health system. Maybe you want to work towards an advanced RN certification, working with a certain population. An online Master of Science in Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist (PCNS) from Mizzou will help you achieve your career goals. Designed for working nurses, you'll gain the knowledge and skills you need to provide advanced care for children and improve health outcomes for your pediatric patients. You'll learn from the same award-winning faculty that handles all of Mizzou's nursing programs, whether online or on campus.
Students who pursue the online PCNS will:
- Fill a critical, high-demand role in health care.
- Learn to provide direct patient care from wellness through acute care with a focus on complex and vulnerable pediatric populations.
- Gain skills in educating providers and physicians.
- Be eligible for advanced practice nurse certification as a Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (PPCNP) by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
About the Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist program
This online program was designed by the renowned Sinclair School of Nursing at Mizzou. This 47-credit-hour program is fully online, with the exception of a campus visit required once a year.
Over the course of the online pediatric CNS program, you'll build on your nursing skills to provide advanced nursing care through research-based approaches. You will also complete 660 or more clinical hours.
Quick facts
Official name
Master of Science in Nursing with an emphasis in Pediatric Clinical Nurse SpecialistCampus
Program type
Master's degreeAcademic home
Sinclair School of NursingDelivery mode
Blended, some campus visits requiredAccreditation
Higher Learning Commission, Commission on Collegiate Nursing EducationCredit hours
51.5Estimated cost
$34,067.25*This cost is for illustrative purposes only. Your hours and costs will differ, depending on your transfer hours, your course choices and your academic progress. See more about tuition and financial aid.
Career prospects
Seamless BSN-to-DNP with an MS(N) option
This MS(N) program makes it easy for you to continue your education and earn your DNP if you choose. With this program, you have the opportunity to sit for your APRN certification and start earning more while you’re starting your DNP course work. Courses have a focus on supporting you as you transition to practicing as an APRN.
Program structure
This program is blended: You may complete all course work online but an on-campus visit is required once per year.
Courses are semester-based. How long it takes to complete the program depends on your academic progress so far. If you want to study part time, the program will most likely take you three years to complete.
Delivery
Blended, some campus visits requiredCalendar system
Semester-basedTypical program length
3-3.5 yearsTypical course load
Part timeAccreditation
The University of Missouri is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. The MS at the Sinclair School of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Faculty spotlight
Tammy Rood is a pediatric nurse practitioner and certified asthma educator in the Pediatric Pulmonary & Allergy Division for MU Health Care and the PNP area coordinator. She specializes in treating pediatric asthma. Tammy is Associate Director of Asthma Ready® Communities (ARC) and contractor for the Missouri Asthma Prevention and Control Program, working statewide with clinics, schools and communities to improve asthma care. She is a faculty member on Asthma ECHOs through Show-Me ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes). Show-Me ECHO uses videoconferencing technology to connect a team of interdisciplinary experts with primary care providers. A case-based learning environment is used to assist ECHO participants to develop advanced clinical skills and best practices – extending specialty care into primary care.