Edison State Community College to offer its first bachelor degree in Fall 2024 semester

Edison State Community College has received approval from the Institutional Actions Council of the Higher Learning Commission to begin offering its first bachelor degree: an RN to BSN program. Current registered nurses can enroll in the program until August 11, and classes will begin with the fall semester.

According to an article on Edison State Community College’s website, Dr. Andy Runyan, who is the Dean of Professional & Technical Programs at Edison State Community College, was quoted explaining how the school got to this point, saying, “Edison State has a long history of graduating registered nurses who continue to serve in our region. When the Ohio Legislature revised rules allowing community colleges to offer the Bachelor of Science in Nursing, we asked our nursing students and alumni if they would be interested in continuing their education through a bachelor’s degree completion program in nursing here at Edison State. Eighty percent of our current students and 90% of the 55 alumni who responded indicated they were likely to enroll in a degree completion program at Edison State. Those results, along with reports from the Ohio Board of Nursing documenting the added value of the BSN in the nursing profession, convinced us that it was time for Edison State to begin the program. We’re excited to be able to offer a very cost-effective program for our local nurses.”

The RN to BSN program is a four-semester online program, though students will likely also have to complete a residency, as well as a practicum in a clinical setting. The program includes a combination of nursing courses, general education courses, and technical courses, and will instruct students on collaboration skills, research, judgment, delegation, best practices, and communication skills as pertains to nursing. The program is also eligible to seek entrance into the candidacy process with the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.

Chris Spradlin, Edison State Community College’s president, said of the new program, “The addition of Edison State’s first bachelor’s degree program is a monumental occasion for the College, and the fact that it’s in nursing is particularly exciting. The community has long recognized Edison State’s associate degree in nursing as producing well-trained, outstanding nurses. Now, the College will have the opportunity to continue that excellence in nursing preparation at the next level of education.”

Spradlin also shared, “We so appreciate the faculty, deans, and senior leaders who worked hard to develop the Bachelor of Science in Nursing and gain approval from the various accrediting bodies. Most of all, we are proud of our nursing students, who will undoubtedly make this new program a center of excellence for Edison State.”

For more information about Edison State Community College, visit the school’s website.