Distance Learning: Technologies for Nursing Case Management in the 21st Century

Nursing Case Management is a dynamic and systematic collaborative approach to providing and coordinating health care services. A participative process is used to identify and facilitate options and services for meeting individuals' health needs, decreasing fragmentation and duplication of care, and enhancing quality, cost-effective outcomes. Nursing case management includes five components: assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation, and interaction (ANA, 1996). Content areas include rural nursing, management, leadership, ethics, advanced health assessment, disease processes, informatics, finance, quality, and managed care/case management strategies.

The curriculum is 35 semester hours or three semester hours of full-time study (see Curriculum plan for sequencing). Part time study is also available. Thesis on non-thesis options are available. Upon completion of the program, the graduate will be


Admission Requirements
Applicants are expected to meet the Graduate School admission requirements.

Minimum admission requirements include:

  • For regular admission, a grade point average of at least 3.0 overall
    based on a 4.0 system) or 3.0 for the last 60 semester hours or
    undergraduate work.
  • For conditional admission, a grade point average of at least 2.5 overall (based on a 4.0 system) for undergraduate work, and a score of at least 1500 on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or at least 50 on the on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT).
  • ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF ALL APPLICANTS:
    • baccalaureate degree in nursing from an accredited school
    • three letters of recommendation
    • verification of the successful completion of an undergraduate course(s) or equivalent in statistics and research
    • evidence of basic computer literacy
    • current RN licensure in the United States and eligibility for Alabama license
    • two years experience in nursing practice prior to beginning the program

Programs of Study -You can click on the links below to view the programs of study.

Cooperative Program
This is a cooperative program with The University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Students will have the option of taking selected courses offered by these Schools of Nursing via IITS, the Internet, or on site.



Important admissions information and frequently asked questions.


Distance Learning allows nurses in locales distant from the University to obtain an MSN degree without attending class on the UA campus. The program will be delivered via the state's intercampus interactive telecommunication system (IITS), QUEST (taped sessions of on site classes) and the Internet. Selected IITS sites in Alabama will receive the program. Students may also choose to take classes on the UA campus.

Course Availability:
Courses will be available via four major modalities:

  1. Onsite: Traditional classroom face-to-face lecture at scheduled times
  2. QUEST: (Quality University Extended Site Telecourses) videotape of the actual class sent to student to view at their convenience.
  3. IITS (Intercampus Interactive Telecommunication System). This is video teleconferencing students at a distance view class real time.
  4. Web-based: (Goals Program Courses available via the net.) This is offered for selected courses. Students can access materials via e-mail. Contact with advisors and instructor are primarily through e-mail or chat rooms.

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