Distance-Learning: College of Nursing

The College of Nursing’s new online option for the nurse midwifery specialty increases opportunities for RNs to become midwives. It’s one of a limited number of programs nationwide to offer this option. Students complete their coursework online and required clinical experience in their local communities.

The college also launched an online option for the women’s health nurse practitioner. Lou Ann Emerson, associate dean, says the online programs resulted from student demand and the faculty also won a federal grant to support the online options. Both of the specialties mandate a certain number of clinical hours to achieve certification in the specialty. “The clinical experience is a good chunk of the program – as much as 900-hours,” says Emerson.

Emerson says eight students entered into the distance-learning programs last fall. For winter, that number has more than tripled to 28.