THIBODAUX La. – Nicholls State University is one step closer to offering a master’s degree program for nurses.
The University of Louisiana system gave the school permission to join the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and McNeese and Southeastern Universities in the Intercollegiate Masters of Science and Nursing, a consortium of schools that collaborate to provide nurses with specialized advanced degrees.
“This is just one step in a very lengthy and complicated process,” Nursing School Dean Sue Westbrook said. “But right now we don’t foresee any problems, and we’re really excited about getting started.”
Nurses who pursue a master’s through the program take a series of online courses while taking practical tests in real life. Students pick home schools through which most of their work is administered, but the schools collaborate so that students can take advantage of professors and resources on another campus.
“Different schools have faculty who are more specialized in different things, and this lets students take advantage of that expertise in training,” says a description of the program on the ULL website.
Students can choose to specialize as family nurse practitioners, psychiatric mental health practitioners or nurse executives.
A fourth option, nurse educator, is in development.
