MSN in Nursing Research

• Three research practicums embedded with active Pitt Nursing investigators — you’re not observing research, you’re doing it
• Grant writing training co-offered with the nationally recognized Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI)
• Applied statistics sequence covering parametric, non-parametric, and regression methods grounded in health sciences data
• Health informatics curriculum that prepares you to work with the data systems driving modern clinical research
• Direct PhD pathway— if you want to go further, this program positions you to compete for doctoral admission with research experience, faculty relationships, and a credential that signals readiness.
• Flexible scheduling—built for working nurses, with a full-time option for those ready to acceleratelinical placements coordinated near your home community

Graduates leave this program ready to contribute—immediately and meaningfully—to the nursing science enterprise:

1. Design and execute quantitative research studies addressing real clinical and health systems challenges
2. Lead or contribute to funded nursing and health sciences research projects
3. Write competitive grant proposals for federal and institutional funding mechanisms
4. Navigate health informatics tools and data systems with confidence
5. Pursue doctoral education at Pitt or peer research-intensive institutions—with a foundation that sets you apart
   
6. Step into research coordinator, nurse scientist, or faculty roles in academic medical centers and health systems
   

The MSN in Nursing Research positions you at the intersection of clinical expertise and scientific rigor—a combination that’s in high demand across healthcare and academia:

• Research Coordinator or Clinical Research Associate at academic medical centers and health systems—leading studies from protocol to publication
• Nurse Scientist embedded within hospital-based research departments, shaping evidence-based practice from the inside
• PhD candidate at Pitt Nursing or a peer research-intensive institution, with the preparation to compete for the most rigorous doctoral programs
• Nursing faculty at undergraduate programs, bringing research depth into the classroom
• Health policy and research roles in federal agencies, foundations, and health-focused nonprofits driving system-level change

The practicum is where this program becomes something you can’t get anywhere else. Over three sequential Research Practicum/Apprenticeship courses, you’ll be placed directly inside an active Pitt Nursing research lab—working alongside faculty investigators on studies that are actually running, collecting real data, and working toward real publication.

This isn’t observation. You’ll contribute, you’ll learn by doing, and you’ll leave with a research portfolio and professional relationships that open doors at the doctoral level and beyond. Placements are matched to your interests and sequenced to build depth across multiple research contexts.