New Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) receives Maryland Board of Nursing approval

McDaniel College’s new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) has cleared the latest step in the state’s approval process with initial approval by the Maryland Board of Nursing.

This new undergraduate degree in Nursing has already received approval from the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) and is slated to launch in fall 2024.

The comprehensive program is grounded in the liberal arts, fostering critical thinking and decision-making abilities, while also incorporating the technical knowledge and skills required of nurses who are practicing in diverse healthcare settings.

Multiple admission pathways include direct admission for both incoming first-year and transfer students with current McDaniel students who decide to major in Nursing having an opportunity to join the program in their third year.

Additionally, McDaniel has been awarded a $150,000 grant from the Kahlert Foundation to support development of the program. Carroll Hospital has also been partnering with McDaniel in building the program, which helps to address the nursing shortage in Carroll County and the surrounding region.

Heather A. Gable, a former dean at Centra College in Lynchburg, Virginia, was named the college’s inaugural program director in October and began her role full time at the college in January. Additionally, Jennifer Ort, who has taught at Western Connecticut State University since fall 2012, has been selected as assistant director and faculty member in Nursing. Ort is assisting Gable with implementing the program, including finalizing the curriculum and hiring additional faculty.

McDaniel’s new BSN aligns with the college’s five-year strategic plan, “Reaching New Heights,” and the introduction of new majors, such as Health Sciences in fall 2020, that prepare students for careers in growing fields.