Herzing University offers an online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in Nursing Informatics for registered nurses who already hold a BSN. The 36-credit program pairs advanced nursing coursework with four informatics courses on clinical systems, interoperability, data governance, and workflow, and it includes 135 practicum hours.
Quick Facts
| School | Herzing University |
| Location | Milwaukee, Wisconsin (headquarters); program delivered online |
| Degree | Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in Nursing Informatics, BSN to MSN |
| Credits | 36 semester credits, including 135 clinical practicum hours |
| Format | Online (Canvas), with a practicum completed in a healthcare setting |
| Typical Length | 16 months full time (4 semesters) |
| Estimated Tuition | $22,680 tuition ($630 per credit); about $24,900 with published fees |
| Admissions | Active, unrestricted RN license; BSN with a 3.0 GPA |
| Other Informatics Degrees | Accelerated RN to MSN (52 credits); BSN to DNP (62 credits); MSN to DNP (53 credits); post-master’s certificate |
Program Overview
The Herzing University MSN in Nursing Informatics is a graduate nursing degree for licensed RNs with a bachelor’s degree in nursing. It is not an entry-level informatics degree, and applicants without RN licensure are not eligible.
Herzing University is headquartered in downtown Milwaukee, with Wisconsin campuses in Brookfield, Kenosha, and Madison. The informatics MSN is delivered online rather than at those campuses. Herzing states that its online programs are offered through its main campus in Madison.
The informatics specialty is new. Its official course sheet is dated January 2027, and it does not yet appear in the September 2026 graduate catalog. Herzing lists January 11, 2027 as the next class start.
Curriculum and Degree Options
Herzing’s official MSN in Nursing Informatics program outline requires 36 semester credits in three groups. All 12 courses carry 3 credits each.
- Core (15 credits): Health Policy and Management; Knowledge for Nursing Practice; Technology and Nursing Informatics in Advanced Practice; Systems-Based Practice; Scholarship for Nursing Practice.
- Direct care (9 credits): Advanced Health Assessment, Advanced Pathophysiology, and Advanced Pharmacology.
- Informatics specialty (12 credits): Nursing Informatics Principles and Practice; Healthcare Informatics Systems, Interoperability, and Data Governance; Applied Clinical Informatics and Workflow Optimization; Professional Practice in Nursing Informatics.
The 135 practicum hours sit in the last two specialty courses: 45 hours in Applied Clinical Informatics and Workflow Optimization and 90 hours in Professional Practice in Nursing Informatics. Course descriptions mention clinical information systems, AI applications, data governance, and workflow redesign. Herzing says it cannot guarantee that the practicum can be completed at a student’s current workplace.
Accelerated RN to MSN. Nurses with an associate degree or diploma can use the Accelerated RN to MSN in Nursing Informatics. It requires 52 credits: 16 bridge credits (including statistics, community and public health nursing, and leadership), then the same 36-credit MSN sequence. Herzing lists it at 20 months full time with 180 practicum hours.
Doctor of Nursing Practice. The BSN to DNP in Nursing Informatics requires 62 credits over 28 months full time. The MSN to DNP in Nursing Informatics requires 53 credits over 24 months. Both add doctoral courses in improvement science, collaborative practice, leadership, and population health to the informatics sequence. Both also end with a four-course DNP project residency and list 495 combined practicum and project hours.
Herzing’s DNP outlines require 1,000 supervised practice hours after the bachelor’s degree. At least 300 of those hours must be completed at Herzing through the DNP project. Students who bring hours from a previous graduate nursing program must verify them in their first semester. Herzing also offers a 16-credit post-master’s certificate in nursing informatics.
Admissions Requirements
Applicants to the BSN to MSN must meet three requirements:
- A current, active, and unrestricted RN license in their state of residence. A multistate compact license held by a resident of a compact state also meets this requirement.
- A BSN from an accredited college or university, with an overall GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Residence in a state where Herzing is authorized to offer the program. Wisconsin is on the published list of 45 eligible states.
The Accelerated RN to MSN requires an associate degree in nursing or equivalent, an unrestricted RN license, and an admissions interview. The MSN to DNP requires an MSN from a CCNE-, ACEN-, or NLN-accredited program with at least a 3.0 GPA. Herzing lists no application deadlines. Confirm current requirements and state eligibility with Herzing University admissions before applying.
Tuition, Fees, and Funding
Herzing charges $630 per credit for the MSN in Nursing Informatics. It charges the same rate to all students regardless of state. For the BSN to MSN, 36 credits × $630 = $22,680 in tuition. A $555 learner resource fee for each of 4 semesters adds $2,220, for an estimated $24,900. Herzing states that current rates are effective through the Summer 2027 semester.
Herzing’s published rates for the other informatics options:
- Accelerated RN to MSN: 52 credits × $630 = $32,760, plus 5 semesters × $555 = $2,775, for about $35,535.
- BSN to DNP: 62 credits × $770 = $47,740, plus 7 semesters × $1,405 ($850 program fee and $555 learner resource fee) = $9,835, for about $57,575.
- MSN to DNP: 53 credits × $770 = $40,810, plus 6 semesters × $1,405 = $8,430, for about $49,240.
These figures assume full-time study and no transfer credit. Herzing’s tuition estimator allows up to 12 transfer credits, which lowers the tuition total. The totals do not include items such as course materials, background and compliance checks, travel for practicum, or certification exams. Herzing’s Nurses Circle of Achievement scholarship offers up to a 10% tuition reduction. Eligible veterans, service members, and spouses may receive a 10–20% discount. See Herzing’s tuition and cost page for current details.
Online Format and Time to Completion
All lecture courses are delivered online through Canvas. Students do not attend classes at Herzing’s Wisconsin campuses. The practicum courses place students in a healthcare setting for applied informatics work. Herzing notes that informatics practice hours are systems-focused and do not include bedside clinical care.
Herzing runs year-round on 16-week semesters (spring, summer, and fall), and most courses are taught in 8-week sessions. According to the Herzing academic calendar, the spring 2027 semester begins January 11, 2027. Full-time students typically finish the BSN to MSN in 4 semesters, or about 16 months. Part-time study or transfer credit changes that timeline.
Accreditation
Herzing University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. According to Herzing’s accreditation page, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredits the master’s degree program in nursing and the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Herzing University Madison. The informatics specialty launches within those degree programs. Applicants should also check with their state board of nursing, as Herzing recommends.
Career Preparation
The curriculum prepares nurses for roles that connect clinical practice with information systems. These include clinical informatics nurse, EHR optimization and implementation, clinical systems analyst, and informatics leadership. Coursework covers data governance, interoperability, decision-support tools, and the evaluation of AI tools in clinical settings.
Some graduates may pursue the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s informatics nursing certification. That certification has its own experience and practice-hour requirements, set separately from this degree.
Career results depend on a nurse’s prior clinical and technical experience, employer needs, and local job market. The program does not promise a specific job, salary, or credential.
Who Is This Program For?
This program fits working RNs with a BSN who want an online, nursing-based path into informatics, with a fixed per-credit price and several start dates each year. It may also suit Wisconsin nurses who want a regionally based university without attending classes on campus. Nurses considering a doctorate can compare the BSN to DNP option.
Some applicants should compare other programs, including applicants who are not RNs and those who want a non-nursing health informatics or data science degree. Nurses who prefer an established specialty with graduate outcomes should also look elsewhere, since this one begins in January 2027. Applicants who want in-person classes should consider campus-based programs.
Related Health Informatics Programs
- Milwaukee School of Engineering (Nursing Informatics) - Milwaukee
- University of Wisconsin–Madison - Madison
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee - Milwaukee