SON and Marygrove College partner for accelerated nursing program

By Katie Land, news editor

As part of an ongoing process to expand its quality programs, Oakland University has formed a partnership with Marygrove College to enroll students in an accelerated second-degree nursing program beginning in fall 2009.

The partnership will help combat the looming national nursing shortage and provide an opportunity for students to earn two bachelor’s degrees and quickly become registered nurses.

“The agreement with Marygrove will establish an undergraduate curriculum at Marygrove College to prepare future nursing students and to shorten the usual length of time from first degree graduation and the start of an accelerated second degree nursing program,” said Barbara Penprase, an associate professor and director of the accelerated second degree nursing program.

After earning a four-year degree in health science, a program containing the many of the necessary prerequisites for Oakland’s nursing program, up to 10 Marygrove students will have a reserved placement each semester in an accelerated, one-year program to earn their bachelor of science in nursing degree from OU.

Marygrove students must still meet all of SON’s criteria and be accepted at Oakland University in order to take advantage of the partnership. The placements at Oakland will be filled as students reach the required level of study.

“Courses at Marygrove are being developed and revised to assist students to be prepared and accepted earlier into the Oakland University accelerated second degree nursing program by making sure that they meet our requirements before completing their first undergraduate degree,” Penprase said.

“This partnership will be a success once Marygrove students begin getting into the program, doing well at Oakland, graduating and working in the community as nurses,” she continued.

A similar program is being developed with Albion College, according to Penprase. Oakland always is looking at collaborative relationships to enhance community relationships, she said. “This will simply help students to complete their prerequisites to our accelerated nursing program while getting their degree.”

“With the extensive waiting lists to get into nursing programs, this will help some individuals to be directly admitted for their fifth year,” said Amy Johnson, administrative project coordinator for SON.

For more information about Oakland’s nursing program, visit the SON Web site at www.oakland.edu/nursing.