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School of Nursing Programs Accredited by CCNE

Accreditation reflects quality of BSN degree programs

Posted in: University

Three nursing students working on mannequin in Nursing Lab bed.

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree – which includes the pre-licensure, four-year and the post-licensure Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) programs – at the School of Nursing at Montclair State University has been accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). An autonomous national accrediting agency that is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education, CCNE ensures the quality and integrity of nursing degree programs. Montclair State’s BSN degree is accredited retroactively to January 24, 2018.

“Accreditation is very important. It assures the public that the University and School of Nursing are committed to meeting recognized standards of quality education,” says School of Nursing Dean Janice Smolowitz. “Accreditation is a rigorous self-examination process that includes a site visit by a team of evaluators assigned by CCNE. Faculty, students and University administration participated.”

According to Smolowitz, School of Nursing graduates also benefit from the CCNE accreditation. “They’re qualified to attend other accredited schools where they might pursue graduate degrees in nursing. Some employers prefer to hire them because they know that they earned degrees from schools that adhere to nationally established standards.”

Meeting the Demand for BSN Educated Nurses

Established to meet the growing demand for highly trained nurses, the School of Nursing enrolled its first class of 54 students in its inaugural RN to BSN degree program in 2016. The program is designed specifically for registered nurses who graduated from associate degree and diploma programs who wish to advance their careers by earning their bachelor’s degree in nursing. The program’s first graduates received their degrees in May 2018.

In fall 2017, the first 50 freshmen enrolled in the School’s newly launched comprehensive four-year BSN program. Graduates of the 124-credit program will be eligible for RN licensure.

The School’s BSN students learn in a state-of-the-art facility that features mediated classrooms, computer study areas, a nursing skills laboratory, anatomy laboratory, and high fidelity and home care simulation rooms.

Learn more about the School of Nursing at Montclair State University.