Southeastern earns top honors for online programs in advanced practice nursing
Thursday, December 2, 2021 1:36:25 PM CST
by: Tonya Lowentritt
HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University has been recognized nationally for
online learning in advanced practice nursing by EduMed.org, an organization that produces
free resource material and expert-driven guidebooks to help students find scholarships,
financial aid, and top degree programs in nursing, healthcare administration, public
health, and dozens of other key medical and health disciplines.
Southeastern was named one of 2021’s best schools for online programs and courses
in advance practice nursing. Only eight percent of colleges and universities across
the country earned a position in one of EduMed.org’s higher education rankings.
Southeastern was ranked for online program excellence in psychiatric mental health,
doctor of nurse practitioner, and most affordable psychiatric nurse practitioner.
“We set out to find the advanced practice nursing programs that are making online
education a priority,” said founder of EduMed.org Wes Ricketts. “Each program in our
rankings has a winning combination of flexibility, affordability, academic rigor and
student support.”
Southeastern’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.
“COVID-19 forced many schools to rapidly expand their online programs to meet
increased student demand,” said Ricketts. “The advanced practice nursing programs
that offer the best and most convenient online learning options stand to benefit the
most from the mass transition to higher education online.”
EduMed.org researched and analyzed more than 7,700 accredited schools using data
from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Systems (IPEDS) and from the schools
themselves. The website’s data science team then applied a proprietary algorithm to
rank all qualifying advanced practice nursing programs.
Primary data points included the following: number of online programs in advanced
practice nursing; online program tuition and fees; access to academic counseling;
access to career placement services; number of online students; and percentage of
students with institutional aid.
To be eligible, a school must hold active regional accreditation and have at
least one partially or fully online program in the ranking subject.
The report can be found online at https://www.edumed.org/online-schools/nurse-practitioner-programs/psychiatric-mental-health/.
Southeastern, the third largest public university in the state with more than
14,000 students, offers 44 undergraduate degree and 23 graduate degree programs, including
two doctoral programs. The university offers over 150 programs of study.
