The State Board of Education in September approved the college’s application to offer the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT).The BSN will give licensed registered nurses in Volusia and Flagler counties a new pathway to earn the credential, which is seeing increased demand in the health-care industry. The program will be offered on the college’s Daytona Beach Campus, with clinical components at six area hospitals. Students who opt for the Daytona State program will save over 30 percent on the cost of tuition compared to the most price-competitive area BSN program.
A shortage of nurses, particularly those who hold a BSN credential, has been endemic in the health-care industry nationwide for years, due, in part, to limited nursing school capacity. Dr. Linda Miles, chair of Daytona State’s School of Nursing, noted that more than 50 percent of qualified students in Florida are turned away because of limited BSN program capacity. “By offering a convenient and affordable pathway from the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) to the BSN degree for Volusia and Flagler County students, we are helping to meet a need that has been specifically expressed by the local health-care community.”
Daytona State President Carol W. Eaton lauded the partnerships that supported the college’s new degree offering to help fill the need for BSN-credentialed nurses.
“Addressing critical workforce needs requires critical partnerships,” said Dr. Eaton. “We’re very grateful for the support of our District Board of Trustees, our many community leaders and our partner hospitals and universities. Each of us clearly sees the value in opening new paths for economic growth and community wellbeing. By adding Daytona State as an option for the BSN degree, we’re taking another crucial step against health-care shortages in the region.”
The new Information Technology program will admit graduates and associates degree students for a “2+2 program” of study that will allow them to finish the degree within two years. Graduates of the college’s associate of science degrees in Computer Information Technology, Computer Programming and Analysis (Software Engineering Technology), Internet Services Technology and Network Systems Technology will enjoy a seamless transition into the new baccalaureate program, which will be offered online and at Daytona State’s Advanced Technology College.
“This is a program that prepares our graduates with the know-how to solve real-world IT challenges for business and industry,” Eaton said. “It also supports our goal of having more STEM graduates who can boost the economic competitiveness of our region.”
The new degree includes course work in networking, security and computer systems, as well as IT project management.
Graduates may find employment as computer programmers, computer software engineers, systems analysts, network and computer systems administrators and database administrators, to name a few. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates IT-related job growth to expand by more than 50 percent through 2018, with salaries for baccalaureate degree holders who have experience averaging in the $70,000 range and expected to climb in many areas by as much as 6 percent annually. The department projects there will be 496 openings for BSIT graduates over the next five years in Volusia and Flagler counties.
The BSN and BSIT degrees bring to 11 the number of bachelor’s degrees being offered by Daytona State beginning in January 2014. Daytona State currently offers a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology, Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervision and Management and seven bachelor’s degrees in education.
