Berry College Receives Georgia Board of Nursing Approval to Plan Program

Media release: Berry College has received approval from the Georgia Board of Nursing to proceed with planning for a  four-year program that will lead to a bachelor-level degree in nursing (BSN). The program is anticipated to be available at Berry in 2014.

 

The decision was announced during the May 17 meeting of the eight-member state board in Macon, Ga.

 

"We are very pleased to receive approval for the program, and we are grateful for the support we have received from area health care providers," said Katherine Whatley, provost.  "The addition of an on-campus program for nursing will give our students the opportunity to remain at Berry for their entire undergraduate experience and will help meet demand for nursing professionals."

 

Berry currently offers a dual-degree program with Emory University in which students spend three years at Berry and then transfer to Emory to complete their nursing education. The program has experienced significant growth during the past few years as nurses have assumed larger roles in managing patient care in an increasingly complex health care system.

 

Dr. Whatley said that Dr. Vanice Roberts, who has been serving as a consultant, has been named dean of the program and will begin working in that capacity on July 1.

 

"Dr. Roberts will be responsible for developing the curriculum for the program, for hiring faculty and for overseeing the development of classroom space," Dr. Whatley said.

 

"Students will be able to enter Berry and enroll in the foundation classes taken by all freshmen and sophomores. By the time they are upper level students, nursing courses will be available and students can be admitted into the BSN program."