Msu-meridian proposal for accelerated master’s degree nursing program gains IHL approval

Mississippi State University gained initial approval for starting its proposed Master of Science in Nursing degree program, the first graduate entrylevel licensure program in the state, during Thursday's [Feb. 16] meeting of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning.

Board members approved the university's Phase I proposal to plan the professional Accelerated Master's Graduate Entry Nursing Program at Msu-meridian's Riley Campus. The 12-month, fast-track pathway will be unlike other nursing programs across the state as it prepares college graduates holding non-nursing degrees for initial registered nurse licensure and offers a quality, direct entry route into a new career of nursing practice in hospitals and community settings. A distinct advantage is that this option allows individuals who seek a career change or chose this track later in their educational career to enter a nursing program with federal funding for graduate education.

The state currently faces an intensifying shortage of nurses, which also reflects national trends, and Mississippi State leaders have strongly committed to the implementation of a health science campus to help meet a variety of healthcare professional needs. University leaders praised The Riley Foundation, which is contributing over $6 million to the nursing program and has demonstrated “tremendous commitment” in addressing educational and healthcare needs in the region. This philanthropic support, along with support from major hospitals and health systems in Meridian and surrounding communities, cemented the feasibility of MSU'S proposed accelerated program.

“This program is a gamechanging opportunity for our university and the people and communities we serve. MSU is committed to fulfilling unmet needs and helping medically underserved citizens throughout our state,” said MSU President Mark E. Keenum. “This master's level nursing program is expanding access and options for those interested in pursuing this noble profession, and it is addressing a dire shortage in our state and region. MSU is taking care of what matters by creating a program that will help generations of future nursing students fulfill their calling to care for others and ultimately improve quality of life in communities across Mississippi.”

While having an overall positive impact in addressing the state's nursing shortage, the program is expected to espe

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