Clark State, OSU partnering on four-year nursing degree

Clark State Community College signed an agreement last week with the Ohio State University that will allow students to complete an associate’s degree in nursing and transfer to OSU to complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.

The agreement will allow students to attend Clark State for approximately three years, then complete their final year at Ohio State.

The nursing faculty at Clark State is encouraging students who complete their associate’s degree to further their education through the BSN program at OSU.

Kathy Wilcox, Dean of Health, Human and Public Services at Clark State, reviewed the curriculum plan to assure that the general education courses at Clark State would meet the requirements for students transferring to Ohio State.

“The benefit of starting at a community college is that you can get your nursing classes, get your licensure, and start working after that two year period,” Wilcox said.

After receiving the licensure after their associates degree, students are not required to receive their licensure again after completing the program at OSU.

The partnership benefits students, Clark State, and OSU financially, Wilcox said

“Students would take more courses with us because they could take their additional general education courses here,” Wilcox said. “That benefits us. It benefits the student because they’re at a lower cost.”

Because state funding is based on completion for courses and programs, Wilcox said it benefits Clark State financially when students take more courses on general education. Clark State also attracts commuter students who are seeking a nursing program that provides evening and weekend classes.

“We have quite a few students that come to us from the Columbus area and the Dayton area, so this agreement with Ohio State especially gives those students a good option for getting their bachelor’s degree.” Wilcox said. “We are very pleased to have an affiliation agreement with Ohio State.”

The agreement will benefit students who are in completing their bachelor’s degree, said Jill Jess Phythyon, senior director of marketing and strategic communications at OSU.

“We hope that this will allow more students to be prepared at the BSN level in order to contribute to the nursing workforce,” Jess Phythyon said.

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