Jacksonville University is expanding its accelerated bachelor’s degree program in nursing with the addition of a new clinical partner: Mayo Clinic.
The accelerated program offers a path to a bachelor’s degree in nursing in one year. JU said the program strives to meet the growing need for nurses in Florida and across the U.S. The expansion will double the number of students in the program at JU’s Arlington campus.
JU launched the accelerated bachelor’s degree program in 2021 in partnership with Baptist Health, followed by expansion in 2022 with Flagler Hospital.
With the addition of Mayo Clinic, students will have three pathways into the program with three start times — fall, spring and summer — providing flexibility for people seeking a career change, JU said. JU president Tim Cost, in a news release, called Mayo “the most esteemed hospital in the state of Florida. We look forward to continuing to invest in our partnership with one of the most trusted names in health care.”
Students will earn clinical hours at the Mayo campus in Jacksonville, one of three sites in the U.S. “Nurses are the heartbeat of Mayo Clinic and a critical part of the quality care that we provide to our patients,” Dr. Kent Thielen, CEO of Mayo Clinic in Florida, said in the news release. “Educating and training the nurses of tomorrow is a top priority across all of health care, and we look forward to partnering with JU on this accelerated nursing program.”
Nearly one in four students at JU majors in nursing, making it one of the university’s most sought programs, JU said. Individuals with a bachelor’s degree in any field are eligible for the accelerated degree program, with the completion of several prerequisite courses for those coming from outside health care backgrounds.