Northwestern Recognized as a Top School in Healthcare Education
October 22, 2021
Northwestern Oklahoma State University has been named one of 2021’s best schools for partially online programs and courses in healthcare education by EduMed.org.
EduMed.org created a Most Affordable Online DNP Programs list from its evaluations of programs either partially or fully online. Northwestern’s program is a hybrid program, meaning it is a blend of online classes, on-campus learning and clinical practicums.
Northwestern is No. 4 on this list and is the top-ranked Oklahoma school in this listing. To view this ranking visit www.edumed.org/online-schools/nurse-practitioner-programs/doctorate-dnp/most-affordable
“We are very proud of our program,” Dr. Bo Hannaford, executive vice president, said. “What makes it so good is our faculty and their attention to our students. It is a rigorous process with high standards, but our students are ready and prepared when they finish.”
Northwestern’s recognition comes at a time when students across the country are taking more of their courses either fully or partially online. According to data from the Education Department’s National Center for Education Statistics, enrollment in online courses increased by 93 percent between Fall 2019 and Fall 2020. Nearly two-thirds of college students took at least one online course in 2020.
“Northwestern’s graduate nursing faculty strives to provide students with accessible, high quality didactic and clinical learning experiences,” Dr. Shelly Wells, chair of the Charles Morton Share Trust Division of Nursing, said. “Students recognize that the rigor is necessary to be successful as an advanced practice nursing leader in today’s health care arena.”
EduMed.org researched and analyzed more than 7,700 accredited schools using data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and the schools themselves. The website’s data science team then applied a proprietary algorithm to rank all qualifying schools for each healthcare discipline. Primary data points include:
- Number of online programs in subject area
- Online program tuition and fees
- Access to academic counseling
- Access to career placement services
- Number of online students
- Percentage of students with institutional aid
To be eligible, a school must hold active regional accreditation and have at least one partially online program in the ranking subject. Just 8 percent of U.S. postsecondary institutions earned a ranking position.
“We set out to find schools that are making online education a priority,” said Wes Ricketts, founder of EduMed.org. “Each school in our rankings has a winning combination of flexibility, affordability, academic rigor and student support. This is a tall task in a field that leans on face-to-face interaction and hands-on training.”
For more information on Northwestern’s nursing degree programs visit www.nwosu.edu/school-of-professional-studies/nursing or contact Wells at (580) 327-8489 or scwells@nwosu.edu.
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CONTACT FOR RELEASE
Erin Davis, University Relations Specialist
eedavis@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480