C946 (common course number NURS 6201) is the field experience course in Western Governors University's Master of Science, Nursing - Education programs.
WGU's program guide describes it as an opportunity for the academic nurse educator student to work collaboratively with academic mentors and interprofessional stakeholders to analyze the need-gap for a curriculum change, innovation or improvement.
Based on that need-gap, students design and develop a course that reflects evidence-based instructional design and assessment principles, preparing for the role of Academic Nurse Educator as an agent of change and quality improvement.
It leads directly into C947, the Nursing Education Capstone. Students find it demanding because it combines real-world collaboration, a defensible needs analysis and a coherent course design, and every part has to be documented against a fixed rubric.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | Western Governors University (WGU) |
| Course code | C946 (NURS 6201) |
| Level | Graduate, MSN Nursing Education |
| Format | Competency-based, assessed by performance assessment against a rubric |
| Next course | C947 Nursing Education Capstone |
Field Experience Requirements and Deliverables
| Element | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Mentor and stakeholder collaboration | Working with an academic mentor and others affected by the curriculum |
| Need-gap analysis | Comparing the current curriculum or outcomes with the desired state, using evidence |
| Course design | Outcomes, content, learning activities and assessments aligned to the need-gap |
| Evidence-based instructional design | Justifying choices with education literature and standards |
| Change agent role | Showing how the course improves nursing education quality |
Always use your current WGU task instructions for the exact deliverables and documentation; they change between program versions.
Key Concepts Explained
A Defensible Need-Gap
Example: Current state: graduates' exit exam results show weaker performance in pharmacology than in other areas, and clinical faculty report safety concerns in medication administration. Desired state: graduates meet program benchmarks in pharmacology. Gap: a curriculum that teaches pharmacology content but provides limited applied practice. Evidence: program data, stakeholder input and literature on active learning.
Constructive Alignment
Course outcomes, learning activities and assessments should match. If an outcome says students will "apply" knowledge in clinical decisions, a multiple-choice recall quiz alone does not assess it; a case-based simulation or care-planning task does.
Writing Measurable Outcomes
Use observable verbs at the right level of Bloom's revised taxonomy ("analyze", "prioritize", "demonstrate"), not "understand". A good outcome names who will do what, under what condition and to what standard.
Weak: Students will understand medication safety.
Stronger: Given a simulated patient scenario, the student will prioritize medication administration for three patients and justify each decision using safety principles.
Working with Stakeholders
The course description stresses collaboration with academic mentors and interprofessional stakeholders. Stakeholders might include faculty who teach related courses, clinical partners who see graduates in practice, program leaders and, where appropriate, students. Their input strengthens the need-gap and makes the proposed course realistic.
In your write-up, summarize who you consulted, what each contributed and how it shaped your design, without inventing quotations or details you did not gather.
Assessment Design
Your course needs both formative assessment (low-stakes checks that guide learning, such as quizzes, case discussions or simulation debriefs) and summative assessment (graded evidence that outcomes were met). Evaluators look for a clear reason behind each assessment choice and a link back to the outcome it measures.
Mention how you would evaluate the course itself after it runs, for example through outcome data, student feedback and faculty review, because that shows the quality improvement mindset WGU's description emphasizes.
The Performance Assessment and How to Approach It
| Section | What evaluators look for | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Need-gap analysis | Evidence, stakeholder input, clear gap statement | Cite data sources and summarize what stakeholders said |
| Course design | Alignment of outcomes, content and assessment | Present an alignment table |
| Evidence base | Current, scholarly support for design choices | Pair each major decision with literature |
| Reflection | Growth in the nurse educator role | Use specific experiences, not generalities |
Where Students Get Stuck
- Vague gaps. "Students need more critical thinking" is not measurable; tie it to data or a specific outcome.
- Design not linked to the gap. Each course element should address part of the identified need.
- Missing headings. WGU evaluators check rubric aspects; label each one clearly.
- Self-pacing drift. Book mentor meetings early so the field work does not stall.
Study Tips for C946
- Agree the scope of the curriculum change with your mentor before writing.
- Keep dated notes of each meeting and stakeholder contribution.
- Draft your alignment table first, then write the narrative around it.
- Remember C947 builds on this work, so keep your files organized.
- Ask your mentor what evidence the program already collects (exam results, course evaluations, clinical partner feedback) before gathering anything new; existing data usually makes the need-gap stronger and faster to document.
- Read two or three recent articles on the teaching strategy you plan to use, such as simulation or flipped classrooms, so your design choices are grounded in evidence from the start.
How We Help with C946
Send the task instructions, rubric, your notes on the need-gap and any evaluator feedback. A writer with nursing education experience can explain instructional design principles, help you structure the analysis, review your outcomes and alignment table, or edit your draft.
We never invent field experiences, mentor conversations or data: those must come from your own work. GradeEssays is independent and not affiliated with WGU, and we cannot promise a "competent" result.
Plan Your C946 Course Design with Confidence
Share the task, rubric and the need-gap you identified. A nurse educator writer gives model structure and detailed feedback.
Start My C946 HelpFree revisions · Full refund if late · Written from scratch for your order
Frequently Asked Questions
WGU lists C946 as NURS 6201.
A need-gap analysis developed with academic mentors and stakeholders and an evidence-based course design that addresses it. Check your current task for exact requirements.
C947, the Nursing Education Capstone, follows C946 and builds on the field experience.
No. Field experiences must be your own. We can help you organize and present what you documented.
A measurable, observable verb, a clear condition and a link to the need-gap you identified.
Yes. We give feedback on each rubric aspect and suggest revisions.