Oakland Community College introduces weekend and evening nursing program track
The new program track will only have weekend and evening course options, designed to help working adults fit nursing education into their schedules.
Oakland Community College has become the first community college in Southeast Michigan to offer a nursing program track with courses and clinical experiences that meet only on the weekends and in the evenings during the week. The new program track has been designed to give working adults the opportunity to pursue nursing education without disrupting their work schedules.
According to an article on Oakland Community College’s website, Dr. Tanya McFadden, who serves as the college’s Executive Director of Health Professions and the Dean of Nursing, was quoted as saying of the new course options, “It can be hard for someone to leave a job to attend school full-time and take classes on a traditional day-time schedule. That’s why we expanded our program to offer evening classes and weekend clinicals, allowing students to balance work, family and earning a degree.”
The college’s associate degree nursing program, including the program with evening and weekend courses, is held at the college’s Highland Lakes (Waterford) and Southfield campuses until 2027. Once construction is completed on the Health Sciences building on the Orchard Ridge (Farmington Hills) campus, the nursing program, as well as the college’s other health sciences programs, will move there.
The college’s other health sciences programs include Dental Hygiene, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Healthcare Administration, Medical Assistant, Radiologic Technology, Respiratory Therapy, and Surgical Technology.
Speaking of the new nursing program path, Zenet L. Patten, who serves as the Associate Dean of Nursing and Health Professions, said, “We had great interest in this first evening and weekend program, with more than 20 students currently in the Fall 2025 cohort. Another cohort will begin in August 2026 and we expect it will fill to capacity.”
The Fall 2025 cohort of the program currently meets for classes on Mondays from 6 to 8 p.m. and students attend clinicals at McClaren-Oakland Hospital on Saturdays and Sundays.
For more information about Oakland Community College, visit the school’s website.