School of Nursing’s Undergraduate Courses Transition to an 8-Week Format

NEW PROGRAM FORMAT BETTER ALIGNS WITH THE BUSY LIVES AND LEARNING NEEDS OF ADULT LEARNERS

The W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing and Health Professions at Thomas Edison State University transitioned its undergraduate nursing degree programs from the former 12-week structure to a new 8-week format.

“The 8-week course structure is becoming increasingly popular and broadly adopted by fellow institutions for being more conducive to student success and degree attainment,” said Dr. Filomela “Phyllis” Marshall, dean of the School. “The courses offered during the 8-week terms have the same comprehensiveness and rigor our students have come to expect from our curriculum.”

The modification is expected to assist students in completing their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree requirements more efficiently and in less time – a crucial advantage in the field.

“Our research supports that students concentrating on one course during a shorter duration have a much more immersive, indelible and rewarding learning experience,” said Marshall, whose School also underwent a recent name change. The ‘Health Professions’ addition to its name reflects the School’s increasing expansion into other healthcare disciplines.

For students in the School’s online RN-BSN program, consisting largely of working nurses, the new format is expected to be a better fit with their careers, personal lives and learning styles. The transition to the new course structure began in the July 2021 term. Students in the School’s master’s- and doctoral-level degrees will continue in their customary 12-week programs.