JSCC and APSU Nursing Programs Partner in Dual-Degree Option

Sep 17th, 2015

Representatives from Jackson State Community College and Austin Peay State University met this afternoon to sign a new articulation agreement between their nursing programs. This agreement will allow for a seamless transition between the nursing programs at the two colleges and put students on a much quicker path to earning a BSN.

This dual degree option offers students a new curriculum model that streamlines the process for achieving both the associate and baccalaureate degrees in nursing. By layering the curricula of the two institutions in a complimentary fashion, students can attain both degrees in a more timely and cost efficient manner. Unlike a traditional baccalaureate program that requires four years of full-time study to seek licensure as RN, the dual-degree option is designed to enable students to seek this licensure a full year earlier.

As an added bonus, the first three years of coursework is available from JSCC, where tuition is less than that found in a traditional baccalaureate program. The dual-degree model represents a seamless transfer between the two institutions with no lost academic credits and students will not have to travel to complete their final year of baccalaureate study.

After completing their third year of enrollment, students will graduate with an associate degree in nursing and become licensed as a RN. At this point, students can begin working in the field during their fourth, and final, year of study. This final year is designed to be part-time enrollment and delivered online to accommodate the varied schedules and needs of working RNs.

"This model provides the most time and cost efficient method for obtaining a BSN," says Dr. Leslie West Sands, JSCC Dean of Nursing. "Students now have the opportunity to earn a salary and gain valuable work experience while completing their final year of study."

Both the Jackson State and Austin Peay nursing programs have a history of achieving quality outcomes. They are both renowned for their graduates' success on the RN licensure exam, which consistently exceeds the national average.

For information about the dual-degree option, contact the JSCC Division of Nursing at 731-425-2622 or visit www.jscc.edu/nursing.



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