The BSN Accelerated: UNA College of Nursing Gets Students Into the Workplace Faster

Nov. 16, 2009

FLORENCE, Ala. – Nursing is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 most secure jobs in the country. Students at the University of North Alabama will soon be able to enter that career field even faster, completing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in only 15 months.

The first class of the new accelerated BSN program will begin in May 2010.

The program is open to anyone who already holds a bachelor’s degree in any academic field.

“This program gives students a chance to complete a bachelor’s in only 15 months,” said Dr. Marilyn B. Lee, interim chair of the traditional nursing department.

The application process will be the same as the traditional nursing program. Prospective students will be reviewed on their overall GPA, prerequisites GPA and the nursing pre-entry exam.

“We’ve already had a lot of interest [in the program] expressed,” Lee said.

The program will accept eight students for the first class.

Accelerated nursing programs are common across the country.

“There are more than 200 of these programs at various colleges around the country,” Lee said. “We’re keeping up with the trends in the field.”

Nursing has remained a stable profession and even grown despite the economic downturn. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that jobs for registered nurses are expected to grow 23 percent from 2006 to 2016.

The salaries are also competitive. According to the BLS, the median 50 percent of registered nurses will earn between $47,710 and $69,850 a year.

For more information on the new accelerated BSN program at UNA, contact Lee at 256-765-4229 or mblee1@una.edu.