By Jennifer Lollar
The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing has partnered with Bevill State Community College as part of the UAB School of Nursing/Community College Joint Enrollment Pathway to offer Bevill State students a seamless pathway from an associate degree to a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
The UAB School of Nursing/Community College Joint Enrollment Pathway is for students who are interested in earning their BSN while still enrolled in their associate degree program. This allows students to earn both degrees simultaneously and receive two diplomas from both their community college and UAB.
“The Joint Enrollment Pathway was developed to overcome barriers to achieving the BSN degree for ADN-prepared nurses by having students complete all the general education and nursing pre-requisite courses for the BSN degree in their first two years at the community college; then they can apply to the 5-semester Joint Enrollment Pathway where they complete required nursing coursework for both the associate and bachelor’s degrees in nursing,” said Linda Moneyham, PhD, RN, FAAN, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the UAB School of Nursing. “This allows students to remain in their home communities while completing both degrees within 4 years, similar to students enrolled in traditional 4-year BSN programs.”
“Bevill State Community College is always looking for ways to expand pathways for our students to further their academic endeavors. This new partnership with UAB opens up opportunities for students seeking to earn their degrees in the field of nursing,” stated Joel Hagood, Ed.D., President of Bevill State Community College. “Both UAB and Bevill State are dedicated to excellence in their Nursing Departments. This will be beneficial for our students and help to fill the current workforce need for nurses in our service area and beyond.”
Moneyham said traditionally, students must complete an associate degree nursing program and be licensed as a registered nurse prior to enrolling in a BSN program. The Joint Enrollment Pathway eliminates this requirement and helps them stay on path for their career goals, often more quickly, and eliminates the need to travel to UAB for classes. Their UAB School of Nursing coursework is offered in an online format.
“Many qualified students are not admitted to traditional BSN programs across the country each year because of the limited number of seats available,” Moneyham said. “Because students in the UAB School of Nursing/Community College Joint Enrollment Pathway are enrolled in the School's RN to BSN Pathway and not the traditional BSN pathway, the number of seats the School can offer is not limited.”
She added, “Associate degree nursing programs have played and continue to play a critical role in building the nursing workforce, especially as the demand for nurses increases. For many individuals, starting their education in a nursing program at a local community college makes a lot of sense, financially and geographically.”
The pathway also is open to UAB students. UAB students who complete UAB’s core courses and the pre-requisite nursing courses required for the BSN degree can apply for the Joint Enrollment Pathway, allowing them to remain enrolled at and graduate from UAB with a BSN degree.
The Bevill State Pathway will begin with daytime classes in the Spring 2024 semester at the Fayette and Sumiton campuses. Bevill’s applications opened July 1 and will be accepted through September 15.
Bevill State is the third community college to join in this educational partnership. Wallace State and Jefferson State have been partners since 2019.
