News Brief - 11/29/07
Western Governors University Introduces New Online Bachelor's in Nursing Degree
for Working Nurses
Competency-based Program Offers Flexibility Nurses Need in a Degree
Completion Program
SALT LAKE CITY -- Western Governors University (www.wgu.edu)
has created a new bachelor's degree program designed to help working nurses make
career progress in the most accessible and cost-effective way—online, through
WGU's competency-based model. The new
online nursing degree, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, comes at a time when
the nation's nursing shortage is dire and the need is high for existing nurses to
acquire more academic credentials and further competence in their chosen field.
The
Bachelor of Science in Nursing curriculum incorporates the Essentials of Baccalaureate
Education for Professional Nursing Practice established by the American Association
of Colleges of Nursing. The degree program, in WGU's College of Health Professions,
will help expand nurses' knowledge beyond the clinical aspects of nursing, with
study in patient education, health promotion, technology integration, and healthcare
systems and policies.
This
nursing degree program is designed for nurses who have an associate's degree
or diploma in nursing and hold a current unencumbered registered nurse license (no
suspensions, revocations, or investigations). Students must be actively working
in the profession.
WGU's unique online competency-based model provides flexibility and convenience for
working nurses who need to obtain a bachelor's degree while continuing to work and
meet family commitments without travelling to a traditional campus. Most students
will be able to complete the program in 12 to 18 months, although completion time
is determined by the student's pace and can certainly be accelerated.
Tuition for the degree is $2,790 per term or $ 5,580 per year, which is less than
half of what many other reputable online universities and traditional universities
charge for a similar online nursing program.
For more information about B.S. Nursing program eligibility requirements and application,
go to: www.wgu.edu/nursingbachelors
or call toll-free 1-866-225-5948.
