For immediate release September 8, 2008

Media contact: Jacquie Lucy 410-869-7168

CCBC and TU initiate an Associate to Master’s in Nursing as
another means of combating the shortage of nurses
Deadline for admission to this program is Oct. 15

Baltimore County, Md. – The Community College of Baltimore County and Towson University are offering an Associate to Master’s (ATM) degree in Nursing program for those with non-Nursing bachelor’s degrees from a regionally accredited institution. The program is designed to fast track college graduates in any discipline except nursing into careers as nurse educators. [Numerous master’s programs for Nursing graduates already exist.]

Funded in part by a Department of Labor grant, the ATM program is a joint effort of CCBC’s School of Health Professions and TU’s Department of Nursing. It is an effort to combat a leading cause cited for the national shortage of nurses – a lack of master’s prepared nurses credentialed to teach.

The ATM program is a full-time, year-round program. Students will complete the associate degree in Nursing at CCBC in 17 months. Students who successfully complete the Associate of Science degree and obtain the RN license will then continue coursework at Towson University to complete a combined BSN and MS in nursing degree with a focus on Nursing Education. The entire program can be completed in fewer than three years.

Pending regulatory approvals, the first class is scheduled to begin February 2009 at CCBC Essex. In addition to the bachelor’s degree, applicants will need to have completed the following prerequisite courses: Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II, General Microbiology, Nutrition, Fundamentals of Chemistry (with lab), Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry (with lab), College Composition I and II, Introduction to Statistical Methods, Introduction to Psychology, Human Growth and Development, Introduction to Sociology, and Fundamentals of Communication. All applicants will be required to take a pre-admission test, the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS®), given at CCBC Essex.

Applications are now being accepted. The deadline for applications to the Office of Selective Admissions at CCBC is Wednesday, Oct. 15.

For additional information, contact the CCBC Essex Nursing Program Case Manager, Ms. Gwen Jones at 410-780-6100 or gjones@ccbcmd.edu or the Office of Selective Admissions at 410-780-6112 or lsimmons@ccbcmd.edu.

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About CCBC
Rooted in the community since 1957, CCBC educates nearly 65,000 students each year, including half of all Baltimore County residents attending college in Maryland as undergraduates. Offering more than 50 associate degree and 100 certificate programs, CCBC is ranked among the best in providing undergraduate education, work force development, technology, health care training and life enrichment options to citizens throughout the Baltimore Metropolitan area. CCBC also provides customized employee development training to more than 100 companies annually.

CCBC. The incredible value of education.