The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities has approved Northwest Christian University’s new online Master of Science in Nursing. NCU is recruiting students to enroll in the new program when classes begin in January 2018.
“NCU’s Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Nurse Leadership in Health Systems is a workforce development response to the educational and healthcare needs of our culturally diverse communities,” said Joseph D. Womack, Ed.D., President of Northwest Christian University. “We are pleased to provide this opportunity to integrate faith and learning in our new MSN.”
NCU’s online MSN is a 31 credit program strategically designed to meet rigorous standards that can be completed in 18-months. Students can be admitted with a bachelor’s degree earned from an accredited four-year college or university, a minimum 3.0 grade point average, and an unencumbered Registered Nurse license. Online classes begin every eight weeks.
Linda Veltri, Nursing Program Director
“NCU has had strong interest in an MSN from recent graduates of its RN to BSN program as well as from nurses throughout the region,” said Linda Veltri, Ph.D., R.N., Associate Professor and RN to BSN Nursing Program Director. “NCU prepares ethical nurse leaders to lead the way toward continuous improvement in evidence-based healthcare within their complex workplace as well as local and global communities.”
NCU joins Oregon Health Sciences University and University of Portland as the only academic institutions in the state to offer an MSN degree. NCU’s program is the only program offered exclusively online.
With the announcement of the MSN, NCU’s nursing program has built momentum and recognition throughout the state and nationally.
The RN to BSN Program has recently been accredited by the prestigious Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), an autonomous accrediting agency contributing to the improvement of the public’s health by ensuring the quality and integrity of baccalaureate, graduate, and residency programs in nursing.
According to its web site, the Commission serves the public interest by assessing and identifying programs that engage in effective educational practices. As a voluntary, self-regulatory process, CCNE accreditation supports and encourages continuing self-assessment by nursing programs and supports continuing growth and improvement of collegiate professional education and entry-to-practice nurse residency programs.
In addition, NCU has also recently signed an articulation agreement with Sumner College-Portland that creates an opportunity for graduates of the college’s Associate Degree Nursing program to enroll in NCU’s Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science of Nursing program ready to take classes in the major.
NCU’s RN to BSN program was founded in partnership withpath in fall 2015 to offer a regionally accredited program designed for recent graduates of registered nursing programs, and more experienced registered nurses, who want to earn a bachelor of nursing degree. In addition to PeaceHealth, NCU has similar articulation agreements with Lane Community College, Linn-Benton Community College, Samaritan Health Services, and Sumner College-Portland.