Clark State Community College and The Ohio State University (OSU) officially launched a partnership between their nursing education programs to assist students in earning a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN). The signed articulation agreement is effective this fall.
Articulation agreements are designed to build strong partnerships between a community college like Clark State and four-year institutions of higher learning like OSU. This will guarantee a simplified transfer process for students that are interested in the program as it outlines all the specific courses they must take to receive their bachelor's.
“The RN to BSN option provides the academic foundation for graduates to keep pace with change, as well as to set the pace for the profession,” said Cindy Anderson, associate dean for academic affairs and educational innovation at the OSU College of Nursing. “This program has been designed to provide students with educational access through online learning in their local communities and opportunities to study with respected faculty who can provide unique learning experiences.”
With the partnership, students can earn a BSN through a combination of courses offered at Clark State and OSU utilizing a 3+1 system (three years at Clark State and a final year at Ohio State). A minimum of 30 semester hours must be taken at Ohio State.
Since the Ohio Action Coalition and Institute of Medicine (IOM) plans to increase the number of baccalaureate degrees to 80 percent by 2020, Clark State’s nursing faculty and staff are encouraging all students to go beyond an associate’s degree.
“At Clark State, we go the extra mile to advise and direct our students to provide them with opportunities where they can continue to advance, but we also make it convenient. With this partnership they can still take advantage of the great local clinical sites we are affiliated with along with all the benefits of attending Clark State – accessibility, affordability, smaller classes – while finishing out their last year through OSU,” said Dala DeWitt, MS, RN, Clark State Community College – Springfield Regional School of Nursing program director.
Students who have completed the registered nursing program and are already working as an RN can return and take online courses for an additional year to participate.
The College’s clinical sites include Grandview Medical Center, Greene Memorial Hospital, Miami Valley Hospital, Good Samaritan, Springfield Regional Medical Center, Mercy Memorial Hospital and several local agencies specializing in pediatrics and psychology.
Learn more about the RN to BSN program with OSU online or contact Dala DeWitt at 937.328.6455.