If you are looking to get into the nursing field, but are also looking towards earning an advanced degree, an accelerated nursing program may be exactly the kind of program you are looking for. Also, if you are already working as a nurse, but only hold an Associates Degree, there is an option available at Columbia University in New York, which gives you the opportunity to simultaneously earn both a bachelors as well as a masters degree. Their accelerated program is called the BS/MS Entry to Practice (ETP) program and is part of the Columbia University School of Nursing, whose faculty is comprised of internationally renowned teachers, scholars, and researchers. 

Columbia University School of Nursing is part of the Columbia University Medical Center, a name that certainly will lend prestige to your resume. Columbia University School of Nursing is distinguished by the clinical excellence of its programs, and their nursing program is no different.

If you live outside of the U.S., the Columbia School of Nursing is a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center for International Nursing Development, so may be eligible to attend. It has established exchange programs, including the Combined BS/MS accelerated nursing program. As of the writing of this article, the program at Columbia is currently available throughout Central and South America, Africa, Europe, and the Pacific Rim. 

For more information on Columbia’s accelerated nursing program, please contact the Office of Admissions as early as possible. Applicants for the accelerated nursing program may only file their application online for the Combined BS/MS Program (ETP) program. All supporting documents and financial aid applications must be received by November 17 (check website for current year’s deadlines). The program begins in the summer semester – late May/early June.  You may also wish to contact the accelerated nursing program director Karen Desjardins, MS, MPH, DrNP, with questions relating to the Combined Entry to Practice program.