SUNY Delhi Dual Degree an Alternative for Nursing Majors

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SUNY Delhi nursing students can pursue an associate's degree with an online BSN .

DELHI, NY (04/05/2013)(readMedia)-- SUNY Delhi will launch a full-time, dual degree program this fall that will allow qualified students the opportunity to earn two nursing degrees in four years. It is the first dual degree in New York State that combines the delivery of an associate's degree nursing program on campus with an online BSN curriculum.

According to Dr. Mary Pat Lewis, associate dean and professor of SUNY Delhi's School of Nursing, the curriculum will cover the requirements for both Delhi's associate degree in nursing and upper-division BSN degree without compromising the integrity of either program. "Delhi's dual degree will be a alternative path for nursing students looking to pursue their BSN," she said. "We are also addressing a need to increase the pool of baccalaureate-prepared nurses in New York State."

Foundation liberal arts and sciences courses are completed in Year 1. Students take courses in Years 2 and 3 primarily at the associate's degree level combined with additional BSN courses. Year 4 is comprised entirely of online BSN-level courses. Transfer students may obtain an advanced standing, potentially positioning them to begin Year 2 of the program.

SUNY Delhi's innovative dual degree offers a solution to The Institute of Medicine's report that recommends nursing education programs increase the number of RNs with bachelor-level degrees in the United States from 50 percent to 80 percent by 2020. Delhi's dual degree allows a seamless and efficient educational pathway for nurses and addresses the need to keep up with the demand for a more educated nursing workforce.

For 70 years, SUNY Delhi's nursing program has been recognized as a leader in high-quality, innovative nursing education. Delhi's nursing program is growing at an unprecedented pace, thanks to the launch of an online RN to BSN degree in 2008. The first degree of its kind, it is offered totally online in New York State. The online program has grown to almost 600 today, and is affiliated with nearly 150 clinical sites and about 400 preceptors.

Delhi's online RN to BSN degree has earned state and national recognition. The online program was selected by the Continuing Education Association of New York State (CEANY) as the 2010 winner of the James C. Hall, Jr., Exemplary Program Award and was featured by InsideHigherEd. The program was also instrumental in SUNY Delhi being ranked among the Top 50 colleges in the nation for online baccalaureate degree education by U.S. News and World Report. Delhi's ADN and RN to BSN programs are accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC).

For more information about SUNY Delhi's nursing programs, contact Misty Fields in Enrollment Services at 607-746-4546.