Mississippi State University and Mississippi University for Women have teamed up to allow students to earn both an MUW nursing degree and an MSU bachelor’s degree.
MSU interim Provost Glenn Steele said the program will be beneficial for MSU students hoping to pursue a nursing degree from MUW.
“We currently have a pre-nursing program here at MSU and it has about 200 students that spend about three years working on the introductory courses to get into nursing school at another institution,” he said. “This agreement will allow our students who are accepted to the MUW nursing program to obtain both a nursing degree from MSU and a bachelor’s of science in interdisciplinary studies.”
Steele said students will still have to be accepted into the MUW nursing program after they complete their pre-nursing program at MSU.
“Right now, most of our students that go on to the nursing program only receive one degree from MUW, so now they will have a stronger package being able to earn both degrees,” he said.
In an e-mail to The Reflector, MSU President Mark Keenum said he thinks the joined program will be beneficial to the students and both universities.
“This is a natural blending of two very strong programs that will be jointly administered by representatives of both universities,” Keenum said. “We are delighted with the reciprocal arrangement that will benefit students at both of our institutions, make effective use of shared expertise and resources, and provide expanded career options.”
Claudia Limbert, MUW president, said she is in favor of the program.
“I think it is an excellent program because our students will be leaving the program with two excellent degrees that will make them very employable,” she said.
Limbert said MSU and MUW have also created a joined program in culinology, which is a program that will combine food sciences with culinary arts. She said the program has been in the works for well over a year.
“We are always looking for opportunities to work with MSU,” Limbert said. “We just want to make sure the programs will be a good thing for our students.”