Contact: Katryn Conlin, Communications Director
651-385-6364 phone / 1-877-853-8324, ext. 6364
[email protected]
For Immediate Release
Southeast Technical offers credit for prior learning to help LPNs make the transition to RN status
Red Wing, MN (October 8, 2015) - Beginning in January 2016, Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical is piloting a new option on the Red Wing campus to make it possible for licensed practical nurses to receive credit for the first semester of classes when they return to college to earn a 2-year Associate of Science degree in Nursing.
Practical nurses who are currently licensed and have worked at least 1000 hours in the past two years may apply to enter college for Spring semester, which begins on January 11, 2016. The deadline to apply for this option is November 1, 2015.
Students must apply to the college and complete the Associate Degree Nursing Application Packet by the deadline for consideration. The option is available on the college's Red Wing campus only; it is not offered on the Winona campus at this time.
"The benefit to students is wonderful, both in cost and time savings," says Dr. Rita Berthelsen, Southeast Technical Interim Dean of Nursing and Allied Health. "By receiving credit for prior learning for one semester of the associate degree, students will not only save money -- approximately $3500 in tuition -- they may also be able to complete the program in only 3 semesters, allowing them more time in the workforce. "
With a 2-year nursing degree, graduates are eligible to sit for the registered nursing (RN) exam. An RN can expect a more challenging career and higher salary than an LPN. 2012 Bureau of Labor Statistic figures indicate that registered nurses typically earned $65,470 while LPNs earned $41,540.
For more information about the Associate Degree Nursing program at Southeast Technical, call 800-657-4849 (651-385-6300) or go to southeastmn.one.
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About Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical
With a clear mission of "Education for Employment," Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical is a two-year institution that provides its students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they will need for a lifetime of learning. With more than 30 programs of study and 90 degree, diploma, and certificate options, many students are prepared to launch a career in a technical or trade field as soon as they graduate. Others begin the pathway to a four-year bachelor's degree at Southeast Technical by earning transferable college credits in liberal arts and sciences. The Winona campus opened in 1949, merging with the Red Wing campus in 1992 and becoming Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical in 1999. For more information, visit www.southeastmn.one.