MSN-MBA Dual Degree: Nursing Leadership in Healthcare Systems

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Overview

Explore the Business Side of Healthcare as a Dual MSN-MBA Student

The Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Nursing: Nursing Leadership in Health Care Systems is designed for experienced nurses who have previously earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and are looking to potentially move their career in a new direction. This degree offers you the opportunity to build cross-functional business management skills and leadership competencies within the field.

The MSN-MBA dual degree guides you through development of advanced management skills for the healthcare field. The coursework reinforces the respect of human dignity and allows you to work toward advancing the common good through healthcare. Previous skills in nursing are combined with opportunities to acquire new skills in business and management to provide you with the foundation for a potential career in leadership or entrepreneurship. 

Nurse talking to doctor with tablet
Why GCU

Benefits of GCU’s MSN-MBA Dual Degree Program

GCU offers you industry-aligned, graduate-level nursing leadership education. This dual MSN-MBA degree is designed to provide working nurses with a foundation that can enable them to prioritize patient outcomes and health and safety while simultaneously being mindful of the business side of healthcare and how best to implement forward-looking business solutions. 

Together with the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions, the Colangelo College of Business believes in these three aspects of how business affects the greater good: 

  • Business as a force for good
    Conscious capitalism affects humanity all around your community and the world.
  • Free markets and purpose for prosperity
    Your stakeholders are key for your business’ success. Keep them at the forefront of your business strategies.
  • Business as ministry
    Having a Christian perspective means caring for your team with love and support.

Earn Your MSN-MBA Dual Degree Online1

Working nurses are typically busy individuals who must juggle a full work schedule. GCU strives to make higher education as accessible as possible. You can earn your MSN-MBA online,1 fitting online learning and coursework around your schedule. The online leadership in healthcare courses provide the same quality of instruction and interactive engagement opportunities as our on-campus classes. 

Coursework

Examine Nursing Leadership in Healthcare Course Topics

The dual MSN-MBA degree addresses course topics such as leadership and management, accounting, economics, operations management, ethics in healthcare and leadership and management theories. 

This program provides the opportunity to:

  • Examine healthcare policy while incorporating the perspective of skilled nurses with business theory
  • Focus on the relevant ethical, legal and political factors of healthcare policy
  • Perform relevant, industry-specific research
  • Determine advocacy strategies for improving the access to and quality of healthcare for diverse populations
  • Complete evidence-based practice projects in which you will address a problem in your area of professional practice, propose a solution and design an evaluation

Gain Practical Experience at a Local Healthcare Site

This MSN-MBA program includes a practicum course, which offers you the opportunity to apply what you have been taught to a contemporary, nursing leadership-related direct practicum placement at a local healthcare site. This practicum experience encourages the application of deep nursing knowledge, along with advanced critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Leadership projects range from quality/performance improvement to mentorship/coaching to interdisciplinary relationships or staff development.

Coursework in the MSN-MBA dual degree emphasizes the importance of leadership and motivation within both the business and healthcare worlds. You will be expected to model professional leadership behaviors that motivate and inspire employees to work toward healthcare excellence and better patient outcomes.

Group of nurses posing in hallway
Careers

Career Paths With a Dual MSN-MBA Degree

This MSN-MBA program can help you prepare yourself to pursue possible executive positions in healthcare that rely upon advanced business strategies and healthcare management best practices. The business and healthcare competencies taught in this MSN-MBA program may empower professionals to work toward making healthcare more accessible and to improve patient safety and outcomes. You have the potential to become an advocate who strives to improve the quality of healthcare for varied populations.

There are many potential career paths for those interested in leadership in healthcare, including:

Clinical administrator

Nursing supervisor

Chief nursing officer (CNO)

Head of patient services

Chief executive officer of healthcare-related organizations 

Positions integrating health policies into the design of healthcare

Working for or starting a healthcare company

28%

Estimated job growth for medical and health services managers from 2022 to 20322 

$104,830

Estimated median annual wage for medical and health services managers as of May 20223 

Accreditation

Graduate With a Dual Degree From an Institutionally Accredited University 

GCU is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, emphasizing the quality of our instruction and in-depth, comprehensive nature of our curriculum. As a Lope, you can enjoy the confidence that comes from knowing you’re receiving an education at a school that has been institutionally accredited since 1968.

Select states may have additional requirements to meet their standards; reference the enrollment agreement or contact GCU for more information. For more information on the accreditation of nursing programs and other university approvals, please visit our University Accreditation and Regulations page. 

FAQ

MSN-MBA Dual Degree FAQs

Before making an enrollment decision that may affect your future career, you may wish to learn more about leadership in healthcare and earning an MSN-MBA online.Use the following FAQs and answers as a starting point for your research.

Two nursing leaders standing in front of nurses station

Work Toward Becoming a Leader Today

Pursue your purpose in healthcare leadership and enhance your career qualifications. Fill out the form on this page to learn more about earning your MSN-MBA dual degree online at GCU.1 

Apply Now
  1. Clinical, practicum and immersion hours completed locally.

  2. COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 to 2022 may be atypical compared to prior years. Accordingly, data shown is effective 2022, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Medical and Health Services Managers, retrieved Oct. 19, 2023
  3. The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”), Medical and Health Services Managers as of May 2022, retrieved on Oct. 19, 2023. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020-2022 may be atypical compared to prior years. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers nationwide with varying levels of education and experience. It does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as medical and health services managers, nor does it reflect earnings of workers in one city or region of the country, or a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries. Your employability will be determined by numerous factors over which GCU has no control, such as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, the graduate’s experience level, individual characteristics, skills, etc. against a pool of candidates.
  4. American Nurses Credentialing Center. (n.d.). Nurse Executive Certification (NE-BC®). Retrieved Oct. 19, 2023. 

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