Malone University launches accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program

Malone University has announced the launch of its new accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. The program is well suited for transfer students, students who already have a bachelor degree, or anyone using College Credit Plus credits, as the new program track will allow students to complete their course requirements within five semesters.

According to an article on Malone University’s website, Carrie Stroup, DNP, the dean of the division of natural and health sciences, explained how the accelerated track works and how taking this program at Malone University may be a different experience from what another institution’s accelerated nursing program offers. Stroup is quoted as saying, “The curriculum for our accelerated track is the same as our traditional track, so a student can speed up or slow down their progress as suits their season of life or their career goals. Other institutions have an entirely different curriculum for their accelerated track, so if students change their pace of study, it can quickly derail their progress. Our program doesn’t have the cohort model, so students can shift from one track to another seamlessly. It’s critical to us that students on the accelerated track receive the same quality education that our traditional nursing students receive. Since our BSN offers direct entry, early access to clinical experiences, and faith integration throughout the curriculum – all hallmarks of Malone’s nursing degree – it is our intention that accelerated students can benefit in the same ways.”

Summer nursing courses will be available via the accelerated program. The traditional nursing program does not offer summer courses, which is what makes the same curriculum take less time to complete in the accelerated track. Students can complete their Bachelor of Science in Nursing in five semesters.

Jessica Swartz, who is an assistant professor of nursing at Malone University, has the unique position of having attended another university’s accelerated nursing program herself. Speaking of the experience, and how that has affected how she teaches Malone students now, she said, “After I completed my Master of Arts degree in history, I decided to stay home full time with my young sons. When I was ready to return to the workforce, I decided to change career paths and go into nursing. The accelerated program at a regional state university gave me the opportunity to finish a BSN degree at an accelerated pace so that I could enter the nursing profession sooner than the traditional route. My previous degrees laid the foundation for my nursing degree so I was able to solely focus on the nursing courses I needed to take. What I especially value about our program is the size. When compared to bigger universities, our smaller student-to-instructor ratio organically provides more support for student success and growth. I did not experience that at the state university, so it frames how I interact with the students in my classes here at Malone.”

For more information about Malone University, visit the school’s website.