Urbana University to offer online Masters nursing program


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The Springfield News-Sun will continue to provide unmatched coverage of higher education in Clark and Champaign counties, including Urbana University. The paper has provided in-depth coverage of Franklin University’s acquisition of Urbana U. since it was announced earlier this year.

Urbana University will offer its Master of Science in Nursing program online this fall, providing students more flexibility as they try to advance their careers.

The program is designed for working nurses who are considering moving into administration or want to become educators in the field. It includes a total of 42 credit hours and will offer students more options to complete the courses that fit better with their schedules, said David Ormsbee, vice president for enrollment management at Urbana University.

The program has been successful in the past, he said.

“We’ve had the MSN for a number of years and have served a lot of nurses in the Miami Valley region, particularly in the Dayton market,” Ormsbee said.

The program will include a core curriculum of 26 credit hours and an additional 16 credit hours in concentrations including Nursing Administration or Nursing Education.

Urbana U. started offering the program in 2009, said Nancy Sweeney, dean of the College of Nursing and Allied Health. In the past, students took classes in person at Springfield Regional Medical Center, Miami Valley Hospital or Good Samaritan Hospital in Dayton. The program will still be offered at those locations for students who want to attend classes in person.

The online program will start this month, and the goal is to enroll about 15 to 20 students initially, Sweeney said. It will cover topics such as policy, decision-making, strategic planning and human resources.

Franklin University, based in Columbus, acquired Urbana University earlier this year after Urbana experienced financial troubles. Urbana U.staff were planning to offer the online program before the acquisition, Sweeney said, but the learning management system available through Franklin helped speed the process.

“I think that has facilitated the ability of Urbana to move forward with this online option much quicker than we would have otherwise,” she said.

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