Indiana University Kokomo recently announced that it has received approval from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education to begin offering a masters degree in nursing, Inside Indiana Business reports.
Officials told the news provider that the program is set to begin in the spring 2012 semester. The school will partner with Indiana University East to offer students the two-track master’s program, which will involve both classroom and online learning.
The two-track program will provide training in nursing education and administration. Officials noted that the management part of the program will prepare graduates for advanced-level positions at hospitals, surgery clinics, extended care facilities and nurse managed health centers.
“We are fulfilling our responsibilities to our alumni and to the region,” Linda Wallace, dean of the School of Nursing, told the news source. “We have been asked for years to provide this degree, and now we can deliver a quality masters program to all nurses in our region.”
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for medical and health services managers – which require a masters degree in nursing administration – are expected to increase by 16 percent over the next seven years.
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Officials from Warren County Community College, which is located in New Jersey, recently announced the launch of an online nursing program, The Star-Ledger reports.
The school partnered with the company ed2go to offer a new certificate in integrative health. Officials told the news source that continuing nursing students who choose to complete this track will participate in courses that integrate holistic stress management, health and the human spirit, energy healing, elements of meditation, healing environments, music therapy as well as nutrition into their previous healthcare education.
Officials added that the 67-contact hour program will incorporate 12 lessons, and is designed for healthcare professionals and consumers. New sessions of each course start each month, the first of which begins January 19.
The online courses incorporate comprehensive lessons, quizzes and assignments with an instructor who is on hand to answer questions, give feedback, pace the class and start discussions.
According to the 2010 Sloan Survey of Online Learning, nearly 30 percent of all college and university students across the U.S. participate in at least one web-based course.
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Officials from Anna Maria College, located in Massachusetts, have recently announced the launch of its new online bachelor’s of nursing (BSN) degree program.
The web-based registered nurse-to-bachelor’s-of-science-in-nursing (RN-BSN) degree program is geared toward holistic care with an emphasis on patient health concerning mind, body and spirit. Furthermore, officials said that the online curriculum will focus on transcultural and multicultural ideals for community-based care.
The school will allow students to gain credit toward their BSN degree from previous nursing coursework, their national certification status and, in some cases, their previous work experience in the field.
“This is not just a service to our students, it helps fill a critical role for the entire American healthcare system, as demand for qualified, college-educated nurses is expected to outpace supply for the foreseeable future.” says Anne Marie Catalano, director of the school’s nursing program.
Reuters found that approximately one in four U.S. students are currently enrolled in at least some web-based college courses, which represents an increase from one in 10 in 2002.
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