MSC Southeast building a new Associate of Science in Nursing program -- from the ground up
Phase 1 of new Associate of Science in Nursing program proposal has been approved by the Minnesota State Board of Nursing
(Winona, MN) December 16, 2019 -- Minnesota State College Southeast is proud to announce that the Minnesota Board of Nursing has approved Phase I of the college's process to develop a new program designed to prepare graduates to earn an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) degree, take the NCLEX-RN(R) exam, and become registered nurses.
The college is now in Phase II of this process, which involves creating brand new curriculum, partnering with community agencies to provide clinical learning experiences, and developing program admission and graduation standards.
"We are building this program from the ground up to meet the educational needs of tomorrow's nurses and employers," said Jennifer Eccles, MSC Southeast Dean of Health Sciences. "The proposed program will be submitted for candidacy for national accreditation, with a vision to complete full national accreditation prior to graduation of the first cohort of students."
In the proposed program plan, students will take at least two semesters of college-level general education courses prior to beginning nursing courses. They would start with biology, chemistry, psychology, English, and communications in their first semester. Then they would apply for entry to the ASN program.
In the second semester, students would continue with anatomy/physiology, chemistry, lifespan psychology, and biology while their applications are under review by the Department of Nursing. Once admitted, they would take three additional semesters of nursing coursework at MSC Southeast.
"We are already working with a nationally renowned provider of nursing curriculum resources to design a modern learning experience, complete with high fidelity virtual skills labs and simulations, online student learning materials, faculty support, and national benchmarking of student progress," said Dean Eccles.
Students can begin at MSC Southeast as early as January 2020 on the general education requirements, which are similar to other Associate of Science in Nursing programs in Minnesota colleges. "We recommend that students speak with an MSC Southeast Admissions Representative for detailed information on how to prepare for this proposed program launch," Jennifer Eccles suggested.
More information about MSC Southeast's proposed Associate of Science in Nursing program, including campus start dates and application requirements, will be available at a later date. Please watch www.southeastmn.one/ASN for ongoing updates.
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About Minnesota State College Southeast
Minnesota State College Southeast is a two-year technical and community college that prepares students for a lifetime of learning by providing education for employment, skill enhancement, retraining, and transfer, to meet the needs of students and the community. The Winona campus opened in 1949, merging with the Red Wing campus in 1992 and updating its name to Minnesota State College Southeast in 2016 with the change of mission to offer both technical training and the associate of arts degree. Minnesota State College Southeast is a member of Minnesota State. For more information, visit www.southeastmn.one.