(SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Sept. 4, 2013) SUNY Empire State College’s School of Nursing  has announced a new online Master of Science in Nursing Education, with the first cohort of students expected to start in January 2014.

Research has demonstrated the positive correlation among higher levels of education obtained by nurses and improved outcomes for patients.

“Better-educated nurses have everything to do with healthier people,” said Bridget Nettleton, dean of the college’s School of Nursing.

The online M.S. in nursing education was developed for nurse educators, whether they are faculty at colleges and universities, or nurse educators working in hospitals or other health care centers.

“This program will give working nurses the opportunity to pursue a graduate degree in a flexible, online format that will allow them to maintain their careers and other life commitments at the same time. Further, Empire State College’s online master’s nursing program will increase capacity for nursing education, something that is urgently needed,” said Nettleton.

According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, nursing schools turned away more than 75,000 qualified applicants from bachelor’s and graduate nursing programs in 2011 alone, due to insufficient faculty, clinical sites, classroom space, clinical preceptors and budget constraints. A shortage of nurse faculty is cited as an especially pressing need by nursing schools reporting to the AACN.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo recently announced that the college received grant funding of $276,000 to support the master’s in nursing education as part of a $12 million statewide SUNY effort to train students in high-need career fields. Distributed for the next three years, the college’s funds will be used to accelerate online course development for the master’s program.

The Empire State College School of Nursing, which enrolled its first class of students in the fall of 2008, was established to address the shortage of baccalaureate-prepared nurses and nurse educators in the state. Designed for early to mid-career nurses who want to advance their education and careers as leaders in health care organizations and community health settings, the undergraduate program today enrolls more than 1,000 students.

About SUNY Empire State College

SUNY Empire State College was established in 1971 to offer adult learners the opportunity to earn associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the State University of New York.

In addition to awarding credit for prior college-level learning, the college pairs each student with a faculty mentor who supports that student throughout his or her college career. Students engage in guided independent study and course work onsite, online or a combination of both, which provides the flexibility for students to learn at the time, place and pace they choose.

The college serves more than 20,000 students worldwide at more than 35 locations in New York state and online. Its 70,000 alumni are active in their communities as entrepreneurs, politicians, business professionals, artists, nonprofit agency employees, teachers, veterans and active military, union members and more.

More information about the college is available here.

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Media contact: David Henahan, director of communications

518-587-2100, ext. 2918

David.Henahan@esc.edu

518-321-7038 (after hours and on weekends)