Simmons College Launches New Online Graduate Nursing Program

BOSTON, May 7, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Responding to the national shortage of nurses and nurse practitioners, today the Simmons College School of Nursing and Health Sciences (SNHS) announced the creation of a new online master's degree program for aspiring Family Nurse Practitioners called Nursing@Simmons. 

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130507/DC08511LOGO) 

The online Master of Science in Nursing program will match the rigor of the on-campus learning experience through a combination of live face-to-face instruction, self-paced media-rich course work, small classes, and a top-notch clinical field program that provides working health care professionals with a carefully selected clinical placement in or near their own communities.

"Nursing@Simmons will focus on preparing nursing professionals to meet the growing needs of the national health care system by expanding students' knowledge base, comprehension, and clinical expertise," said SNHS Dean Judy A. Beal, D.N.Sc., R.N., F.N.A.P., F.A.A.N. "Our graduates will be well-positioned to advance their careers in a field that is currently facing a nursing shortage and that will continue to need qualified Family Nurse Practitioners as baby boomers age and an anticipated 32 million more Americans gain access to health insurance over the next decade under the Affordable Care Act."

Nursing@Simmons builds upon the Simmons tradition of innovative health care education with a nationally recognized faculty who are clinical experts and leaders in their fields. Simmons nursing faculty regularly partner with health care and research professionals at nationally renowned medical facilities located near the Simmons campus, including the Harvard School of Public Health, to conduct research and serve as consultants in a range of national and international health care settings. Students benefit from direct interaction with faculty members who bring their expertise, commitment, and passion for teaching to Nursing@Simmons. 

Applicants to Nursing@Simmons will be required to meet the same rigorous admissions and academic standards as the school's on-campus program. Graduates of the online program will receive a Simmons College Master of Science in Nursing degree. The program begins in fall 2013. Click here to view a video on the program.

Nursing@Simmons is delivered to students through a customized web technology platform. This dynamic program helps create an interactive online campus featuring:

• Lectures instructed by SNHS faculty in a live face-to-face online classroom that allows students to engage and collaborate in real time with nursing faculty and their fellow students.
• Clinical experiences that provide students with hands-on learning opportunities near their own communities and practical skills that can be immediately applied to their existing roles.
• Intimate classes with 12 to 15 students.
• Highly interactive, self-paced coursework that is accessible 24/7 from anywhere the student has an Internet connection.
• Personalized student services that include technology assistance, library resources, and student support.
• Comprehensive academic and career advising services, which provide resources and support for both students and graduates. 
• A lifelong relationship with Simmons College's distinguished alumni network.

To learn more about the Nursing@Simmons program for Family Nurse Practitioners, call an admissions counselor at 855-461-SIMM (855-461-7466) or visit onlinenursing.simmons.edu. Follow Nursing@Simmons on Twitter @SimmonsNursing or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SimmonsNursingOnline

Simmons SNHS is partnering with the premier education technology company 2U, Inc. to produce Nursing@Simmons, which is the latest initiative of the college's five-year strategic plan.  Nursing@Simmons will allow Simmons College to increase opportunities for online graduate education and enhance its national reach and visibility.

"We look forward to supporting Simmons College School of Nursing and Health Sciences as it extends the reach of its Family Nurse Practitioner degree program to the online platform," said Chip Paucek, co-founder and CEO of 2U, Inc.

About Simmons College

Simmons College is a nationally recognized private university located in the heart of Boston with a history of visionary thinking and a focus on leadership and social responsibility. Simmons is the only undergraduate women's college in Boston and offers the nation's first MBA program designed specifically for women, as well as coeducational graduate programs in nursing and health sciences, liberal arts, library and information science, and social work. Graduates of the Simmons Master of Science in Nursing program consistently achieve a 100 percent pass rate on the Family Nurse Practitioner certification exam. (The national average is 88 percent, according to the American Nurses Credentialing Center.) Follow Simmons on Twitter at @SimmonsCollege and @SimmonsNews. 

About 2U, Inc.

2U, Inc., partners with top-tier universities to deliver rigorous, selective graduate degree and undergraduate for-credit programs online. Founded in 2008 by John Katzman and a team of education veterans, the company provides universities with the technologies, infrastructural support, and capital they need to transform their on-campus programs into high-quality, web-based programs. 2U is one of the highest-funded education technology start-ups in the United States.

SOURCE Simmons College

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