Texas is in the midst of a population boom and needs more healthcare providers to keep up with the demand for services. Demand for primary healthcare professionals who provide geriatric and mental health services, such as adult gerontological nurse practitioners and psychiatric mental health clinical nurse specialists, is especially acute. According to a report by the University of Texas at Austin, close to 70 percent of Texas counties are considered mental health professional shortage areas. The Center for Health Statistics predicts that residents over age 65 will soon make up 16 percent of Texas' population.
Texas also needs more nurse educators. According to the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies, Texas schools of nursing had a faculty vacancy rate of almost six percent in 2008. That rate will likely increase, as 64 percent of current nursing faculty members will become eligible for retirement within the next 12 years. A MSN degree with a focus on nurse education is typically the entry-level degree for a nurse educator, and qualifies its holder to teach LPN and ADN students. MSN-prepared nurses may also lead clinical sessions for BSN students.
Professional organizations for MSN-prepared nurses in Texas include Texas Nurse Practitioners, Texas Nurses Association and Texas Organization of Nurse Executives.
MSN programs for Texas nurses include:
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Texas Tech offers online MSN programs in nurse administration and nurse education; the nurse practitioner program is partially online. Texas Tech also offers an interesting option for ADN-prepared nurses who would like to become nurse educators: an RN-to MSN program with a focus on educational leadership.
- University of Texas at Austin. The University of Texas at Austin offers a full complement of MSN programs, with multiple opportunities for sub-specialization. A nurse may choose to focus on maternity nursing; within maternity nursing, she can select to focus on administration, public health nursing or teaching. Additional coursework in gerontology is available to all MSN students who would like to develop expertise in the care of the aging.
Listed below are all of the nationally accredited MSN programs with campus locations in Texas.
 Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
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 The University of Texas at Arlington
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Abilene Christian University (Abilene, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Administration Track, Education Track, Family Nurse Practitioner Track
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Angelo State University (San Angelo, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Clinical Nurse Specialist in Adult Nursing (online), Nurse Educator Track (online), Nurse Practitioner (online), RN-MSN Clinical Nurse Specialist in Adult Nursing (online), RN-MSN Nurse Educator (online)
Accreditation: NLNAC accredited
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Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia
Accreditation: AANA/CANAEP accredited
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Baylor University (Dallas, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Advanced Neonatal Nursing (NNP), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Nurse Midwifery (CNM)
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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Hardin-Simmons University (Abilene, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Administration, Education, Family Nurse Practitioner
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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Lamar University (Beaumont, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: MSN/MBA, Nurse Administrator, Nurse Educator
Accreditation: NLNAC accredited
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McMurry University (Abilene, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner, Nursing Administration, Nursing Education
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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Midwestern State University (Wichita Falls, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: BSN-MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner, Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (online), Nurse Educator (online), RN-MSN
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing (Abilene, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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Prairie View A&M University (Houston, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner, Nursing Administration, Nursing Education
Accreditation: CCNE accredited, NLNAC accredited
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Stephen F. Austin State University (Nacogdoches, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: MSN-FNP
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Texas A & M International University (Laredo, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner
Accreditation: NLNAC accredited
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Texas Christian University (Fort Worth, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Clinical Nurse Leader, Clinical Nurse Specialist - Adult Health (Medical-Surgical), Nurse Anesthesia, Nursing Education - Adult Health/Gerontology, Nursing Education - Parent-Child Nursing
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (Lubbock, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Administration, Education (online), Family Nurse Practitioner, Geriatric Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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Texas Wesleyan University (Fort Worth, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia
Accreditation: AANA/CANAEP accredited
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Texas Woman's University (Dallas, TX / Denton, TX / Houston, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Practitioner, Nursing Education, Nursing Systems Management
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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The University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Adult Health (Administration Track), Adult Health (Teaching Track), Child Health, Family Nurse Practitioner, Family Psych/Mental Health NP, Holistic Adult Health (Clinical Nurse Specialist), Master of Science in Nursing - Holistic Adult Health CNS, Maternity, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Nursing Administration and Heathcare Systems Management, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Public Health Nursing
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College (Brownsville, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Nursing Administration, Nursing Education, Public Health Nursing
Accreditation: NLNAC accredited
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The University of Texas at El Paso (El Paso, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Clinician Educator (online), Nursing Systems Management, Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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The University of Texas at Tyler (Tyler, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Acute Care NP, Administration, Education, Family NP, Geriatric NP, MSN/MBA, Pediatric NP, Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (Houston, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Acute Care Nursing (CNS or NP), Adult Health (CNS NP or Education), Family Nurse Practitioner, Gerontological Nursing (CNS NP or Education), Nurse Anesthesia, Nursing Leadership and Administration in Health Systems, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing NP, Women’s Health
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (San Antonio, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Administration in Community & Health Care Systems in Nursing, Critical Care Nursing (Clinical Nurse Specialist), Family Nurse Practitioner, Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Gerontological Nurse Practitioner, Medical-Surgical Nursing (Clinical Nurse Specialist), Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (Galveston, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, MSN - Clinical Nurse Leader, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (online), Nursing Educator (online), Nursing Leadership (online), Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Program - Family, Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Program - Gerontological (online), Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Program - Pediatric (online)
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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The University of Texas-Pan American (Edinburg, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Adult Health Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner, Master of Science in Nursing - Adult Health CNS, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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University of Houston-Victoria (Victoria, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Nurse Administrator, Nurse Educator
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Belton, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Master of Science in Nursing
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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University of the Incarnate Word (San Antonio, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Clinical Nurse Leader, Clinical Nurse Specialist, MSN/MBA
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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US Army (Fort Sam Houston, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: MS in Nursing Anesthesia
Accreditation: AANA/CANAEP accredited
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Wayland Baptist University (Plainview, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Master of Science in Nursing (online)
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West Texas A & M University (Canyon, TX)
Matching Program Tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner, Nursing Administration, Nursing Education
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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