School of Nursing • Columbus, GA • Online • $407/Credit
Columbus State University offers 2 Nursing Informatics programs:
- MSN
- Graduate Certificate
Program Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN, Nurse Informaticist concentration | $14.7K | About 2 years full-time | 36 |
| Health Care Informatics Graduate Certificate | $4.8K–$6.1K | 2 to 3 semesters | 15 |
Columbus State’s MSN is 100% online and asynchronous with no campus visits, and its informatics block is technical: applied statistics and data mining, health information exchange standards, and clinical decision support. The 15-credit certificate is the same five courses and is open to non-nurses.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MSN; graduate certificate |
| Format | 100% online, asynchronous, no campus visits |
| Practicum Hours | 3-credit practicum; clock hours not stated |
| Practicum Placement | With an informatics professional, often through the student’s employer |
| RN License Required | MSN yes; certificate no |
| Who It’s For | Working nurses wanting a technical, fully asynchronous MSN |
| Distinctive Coursework | Applied statistics and data mining, HIE standards and models, clinical decision support |
| Certification Pathway | ANCC graduate pathway depends on practicum hours, unstated |
| Tuition | $407 per credit, graduate nursing eTuition, all residencies (2026-27) |
| Accreditation | CCNE; SACSCOC institutional |
MSN, Nurse Informaticist Concentration
The estimated tuition for the MSN with a Nurse Informaticist concentration at Columbus State University is approximately $14,652 (36 credits at $407/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about two years full-time.
MSN Curriculum
A 15-credit MSN core is followed by 18 informatics credits and a 3-credit focused project.
- NURS 6720 Applied Statistics and Data Mining (3)
- NURS 6730 Process Improvement (3)
- NURS 6740 Health Information Exchange Standards and Models (3)
- NURS 6750 Health Systems Project Management (3)
- NURS 6760 Clinical Decision Support Systems (3)
- NURS 6407 Practicum (3)
- NURS 6999 Focused Project (3)
- NURS 6104 to 6108 MSN core (15)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The catalog does not state a delivery mode; the program sheet describes it as 100% online and asynchronous.
MSN Practicum and Capstone
- NURS 6407 Practicum (3 credits), in the final year, with a professional working in informatics.
- Often arranged through the student’s employer. Clock hours are Not clearly stated.
- NURS 6999 Focused Project (3 credits).
With only one 3-credit practicum, the hours may not reach ANCC’s 200-hour graduate pathway, so most graduates should plan to qualify through practice hours.
MSN Admissions
- BSN from an accredited nursing program; 3.0 GPA (2.75 provisional).
- Unencumbered RN license in the state where clinicals take place; three references.
- Deadlines are Not clearly stated.
Health Care Informatics Graduate Certificate
The estimated tuition for the Health Care Informatics Graduate Certificate at Columbus State University is approximately $4,770 to $6,105 (15 credits at $318 or $407/credit; Columbus State does not say which rate applies).
The program can generally be completed in two to three semesters.
Certificate Curriculum
- NURS 6720, 6730, 6740, 6750, and 6760 (3 credits each), the MSN’s informatics courses without the practicum.
Certificate Admissions
- Bachelor’s degree with a 3.0 GPA (2.75 provisional) and three professional references.
- No RN license required.
Tuition
The University System of Georgia’s 2026-27 eTuition rate for Columbus State’s MSN is $407 per credit, with no residency difference.
| Program | Credits | Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| MSN | 36 | $14,652 |
| Certificate at MSN rate | 15 | $6,105 |
| Certificate at graduate eTuition rate | 15 | $4,770 |
- Rates come from the University System of Georgia’s FY2027 eTuition table.
Be aware that:
- Columbus State’s semester fees are Not clearly stated here and are extra.
At about $14,700 in tuition, the MSN is an inexpensive route to a CCNE-accredited informatics degree for nurses anywhere.
Why Choose This Nursing Informatics Program?
Best for working nurses who want technical informatics coursework with no fixed meeting times.
Workload feasibility. Fully asynchronous courses and an employer-based practicum let nurses keep full-time jobs.
The trade-offs. One 3-credit practicum gives less supervised time than programs with two, and clock hours are unpublished.
Accreditation
Columbus State’s MSN is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and the informatics concentration sits within it. The certificate is outside CCNE’s scope.
Columbus State University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
The ANCC Informatics Nursing Certification requires an RN license, a nursing bachelor’s, two years of RN practice, and 30 hours of informatics continuing education. One practice-hour option is a graduate informatics nursing program with at least 200 hours of faculty-supervised practicum; Columbus State does not state its total.
Other Nursing Informatics Schools
See all Georgia informatics programs, browse the nursing informatics school directory, or read the nursing informatics degree guide.