Nursing Programs at Simmons

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Your Journey Starts Here

Advance Your Nursing Career with Simmons

As one of the nation’s first university-based nursing programs, Simmons is recognized for its clinical excellence and for preparing compassionate, evidence-based leaders in healthcare. With world-class faculty, hands-on learning in Boston’s top hospitals, and a supportive, close-knit community, you’ll gain the skills and confidence to lead, advocate, and make a lasting impact. Our innovative Direct Entry programs help non-nurses launch their careers, while our MSN programs empower RNs to advance into leadership and specialized practice. Share your goals with us, and we’ll help you find the program that brings them to life.

Program Options

Master of Science in Nursing – MSN

16-Month Direct Entry Master of Nursing - Registered Nurse
Designed for those without a nursing degree, this program replaces our accelerated BSN. You can earn an MSN in just 16 months, prepare for the NCLEX, and begin your career as a registered nurse.

Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing
Family Nurse Practitioner or Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
A three-year program for non-nurses to become a Family Nurse Practitioner or Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Start with RN licensure (NCLEX) preparation and earn your MSN, and then advance to the post-licensure phase and finish with your post-graduate certificate in the practice area of your choice.

Master of Science in Nursing (BSN to MSN degree)
This two-year program is designed for RNs who are looking to expand the scope of their practice and have already earned their BSN. While our alumni go on to work in a variety of healthcare settings, you’ll graduate ready to pursue your FNP or PMHNP licensure.

Doctor of Nursing Practice – DNP

DNP Family Nurse Practitioner
Family Nurse Practitioner or Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
This program is designed for individuals with a non-nursing bachelor's degree who wish to earn an MSN and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. You'll earn your MSN in 1.5 years and then take the NCLEX to become an RN. After earning your DNP degree, you can take the boards to become a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) or a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP).

Simmons at a Glance

850+

Clinical Training Sites

Boston-based students have access to more than 850 clinical training sites, including world-class hospitals like Massachusetts General, Brigham and Women’s, Boston Children’s, VA Boston Healthcare System, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

95%

AANP FNP Certification Exam Score

Simmons Direct Entry MSN graduates scored an impressive 95% on the AANP Family Nurse Practitioner Certification exam — 12 points above the 83% national average in 2024.

$145,140

Average Wage for Nurse Practitioners in Massachusetts

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual mean wage for nurse practitioners in Massachusetts in May 2024 was $145,140.

Nursing Simulation Center

Simmons’ new 11,000-square-foot Nursing Simulation Center gives you real-world experience in a controlled clinical setting, with a total of 30 sim spaces: 16 lab beds, eight health assessment beds, and five high-fidelity suites, as well as a loft apartment for Home Health, Hospice & Palliative Care, and Telemedicine.

Simmons nursing students working in the pediatric section of the simulation lab

High Fidelity Rooms

• OB/GYN Suite

• Emergency Room

• Intensive Critical Care Unit

• Med/Surg suites

• Home Health Suite

• Pediatric Room

HoloAnatomy Augmented Reality & HoloNeuroAnatomy

Simmons Nursing programs are pioneering the integration of augmented and virtual reality in nursing education. Simmons is one of only two Nursing programs in the United States to actively integrate anatomy and Physiology augmented reality software (HoloAnatomy) into its curriculum. We've also incorporated virtual reality nursing simulation (UbiSim) into the clinical curriculum, in addition to high-fidelity simulation.

Two nursing students perform an exam on a nursing mannequin

Dotson Bridge and Mentoring Program

The Dotson Bridge and Mentoring Program serves students from diverse backgrounds in the nursing programs at Simmons University. Through mentorship, tutoring, leadership training, volunteerism, and career counseling, the program has empowered nursing students for over a decade, investing in their success as learners, healthcare professionals, and leaders.