School of Nursing • Nashville, TN • Online with Campus Blocks • $2,119/Credit (2026-27)
Vanderbilt University offers 2 Nursing Informatics programs:
- MSN, Nursing Informatics
- Post-Master’s Certificate, Nursing Informatics
Program Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN, Nursing Informatics | $76.3K | 24 months part time | 36 |
| Post-Master’s Certificate | $38.1K | Not clearly stated | 18 |
Vanderbilt’s part-time informatics MSN carries 560 clinical hours, nearly three times the ANCC’s 200-hour minimum, spread across quality improvement, design, project, and data courses plus two practicums. Students keep working and come to campus for short blocks several times a year.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MSN; post-master’s certificate |
| Format | Online with 3- to 5-day campus blocks several times a year; part time only |
| Practicum Hours | 560 clinical clock hours, including two 140-hour practicums |
| RN License Required | Yes for BSN entry; non-nursing bachelor’s holders enter through a full-time PreSpecialty year |
| Who It’s For | Working nurses who want an informatics MSN with heavy applied hours |
| Distinctive Coursework | Design thinking, data and database skills, scalable project management, information system lifecycle |
| Certification Pathway | Prepares graduates for the ANCC Informatics Nursing certification |
| Tuition | $2,119 per credit (2026-27) |
| Accreditation | Not stated on the specialty pages reviewed; SACSCOC institutional |
MSN, Nursing Informatics
The estimated tuition for the MSN in Nursing Informatics at Vanderbilt University is approximately $76,284 (36 credits at $2,119/credit).
The program takes six semesters (24 months) part time.
MSN Curriculum
Two three-credit courses each semester for six semesters.
- NURS 6411 Foundations of Leadership (3)
- NURS 6710 Fundamentals of Nursing Informatics (3)
- NURS 6025 Applied Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (3, 70 clinical hours)
- NURS 6410 Design Thinking and Innovation in Health (3, 70 hours)
- NURS 6723 Nursing Informatics and the Information System Lifecycle (3)
- NURS 6727 Data and Database Skills in Nursing (3)
- NURS 6732 Designing, Planning and Managing Scalable Projects (3, 70 hours)
- NURS 6728 Transforming Care with Data (3, 70 hours)
- NURS 6715 and 6795 Nursing Informatics Practicum I and II (3 each, 140 hours each)
More curriculum details are available in Vanderbilt’s curriculum plan.
You Should Know
- The course plan reviewed is for 2024-25; Vanderbilt’s site refers to a 2025-26 plan that could not be read.
- Clinical placements can often be arranged near the student’s home.
MSN Practicum and Capstone
- 560 clinical hours, arranged among the student, a clinical agency, and Vanderbilt faculty.
MSN Admissions
- BSN direct entry, or a non-nursing bachelor’s through the full-time PreSpecialty year.
- Other requirements are Not clearly stated on the pages reviewed.
Post-Master’s Certificate, Nursing Informatics
The estimated tuition for the Post-Master’s Certificate in Nursing Informatics at Vanderbilt University is approximately $38,142 (18 credits at $2,119/credit).
Certificate Curriculum
- 18 credits, sequenced by fall or spring admission, for nurses who already hold an MSN or DNP.
Tuition
Vanderbilt’s 2026-27 MSN tuition is $2,119 per credit hour.
| Program (2026-27) | Credits | Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| MSN, Nursing Informatics | 36 | $76,284 |
| Post-Master’s Certificate | 18 | $38,142 |
- Rates come from Vanderbilt’s 2026-27 tuition and fees page.
Be aware that:
- ⚠️ PreSpecialty entry for non-nurses adds a full-time year of coursework, and its cost is not included above.
- Student services and health fees run about $200 per semester; insurance is separate.
Travel for several campus blocks a year adds to the cost for students outside Nashville.
Why Choose This Nursing Informatics Program?
A workload check for working nurses weighing Vanderbilt’s 560 clinical hours.
Workload feasibility. Clinical hours climb from none in the first semester to 210 in the fifth, about 13 hours a week on top of two courses during that term.
The trade-offs. Tuition is high, campus blocks require travel, and the program is part time only.
Accreditation
The nursing informatics specialty pages reviewed do not state Vanderbilt School of Nursing’s programmatic accreditation.
Vanderbilt University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
The 560 clinical hours exceed the 200-hour minimum for the ANCC Informatics Nursing certification (NI-BC) graduate-program pathway; check ANCC eligibility for current rules.
Compare More Nursing Informatics Programs
See Vanderbilt’s separate applied clinical informatics MS, all Tennessee informatics programs, or the nursing informatics school directory.