Dallas College is set to launch a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. This marks the second time in three years that Dallas College is providing students with the opportunity to pursue bachelor's degrees.
The program, which will be available online, is slated to begin with 20 students. The inaugural cohort is scheduled to commence this summer, featuring a single eight-week session. Subsequent Fall and Spring courses will be structured over two eight-week sessions each semester.
In response to the ongoing need for nurses, Dallas College received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) last year. Dr. Tetsuya Umebayashi, Vice Provost for the School of Health Sciences at Dallas College, emphasized that the grant provides a significant opportunity and support for both current and aspiring nurses.
The new program aims to address the shortage of nurses holding bachelor's degrees, as only 65.2% of registered nurses are prepared at the baccalaureate or graduate degree level, according to the latest workforce survey by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.
Dallas College's RN-B.S.N. program offers a cost-effective pathway, maintaining the same tuition as its associate degree programs. The total tuition with fees for the Dallas College RN-B.S.N. program is $2,800, significantly lower than the typical range of $8,000 to $16,000 for similar programs at four-year universities.
Students enrolled in the program will receive virtual instruction from the dedicated Nursing faculty, with three courses requiring clinical training completed both virtually and in the community, according to Umebayashi.
The program also provides a seamless academic pathway, allowing students to complete their entire coursework at one institution, thus reducing barriers and addressing common articulation issues between two-year and four-year colleges.
Dallas College Chancellor Justin Lonon expressed that the new Bachelor of Science in Nursing program aligns with the institution's mission to train and educate nurses to meet the expanding workforce needs. Lonon emphasized the program's broader impact, ensuring a stronger and more qualified healthcare workforce not only within Dallas County but beyond.
Dallas College had previously launched its first bachelor's degree program, a Bachelor of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education and Teaching, in 2020, with the first cohort of over 100 students graduating last Spring.
For more information about the RN-B.S.N. program, please visit: Dallas College RN-B.S.N.
