Academic Excellence

School of Nursing

Distinctive Graduate Programs

The Center for Teaching Excellence and Success in College

Summer Bridge

---

School of Nursing

Aspiration & Impact

Building on a long-standing and highly respected history of preparing exceptional nurses, the College will elevate the nursing department to the Cedar Crest College School of Nursing. Education from the baccalaureate level through the terminal degree provides many opportunities for nurses to become influential leaders and helps meet an increasing employment need for qualified nurses at all levels of the profession.

The approval of expanded offerings including the Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP), and new programs in nursing practice and nurse anesthesia (the first of its kind in the Lehigh Valley!) create a full service unit educating nurses for local, national, and international positions of leadership within nursing. The School of Nursing will enhance the reputation and visibility of the College and attract top-tier nursing faculty.

Key Components

• The School will contain the RN-to-BSN program, the School Nurse Certificate, the Bachelor of Science degree for both traditional students and SAGE undergraduate students, the Master of Science in Nursing degrees, four post-masters certificates, the nurse practitioner programs in adult-gerontology acute care and family/individual across the lifespan, the nurse anesthesia program and the Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees.
• The new administrative structure will be comprised of a Dean of the School of Nursing, a Director of the Undergraduate Program, Director of the Nurse Administrator and Nurse Educator Programs, Director of the Nurse Practitioner Programs, and Director of the Nurse Anesthesia Program.

Progress

Implementation Launched:

Press Release: Cedar Crest College Announces New School of Nursing

Distinctive Graduate Programs

Aspiration & Impact

By capitalizing on its existing strengths, Cedar Crest seeks to enhance its reputation for academic excellence at the graduate level by growing enrollment in current programs and increasing the number of degrees offered. Adding graduate programs will strengthen undergraduate programs, as well as assist the College in attracting high quality faculty and students to both undergraduate and graduate programs.

Key Components

This strategic plan will include proposals for the addition of programs that will begin in the next 1-2 years, outline a recommended slate of programs/program areas for the next 3-5 years, and provide a framework for introducing program ideas not otherwise covered. Highlights include:

Five-year combined bachelor’s/master’s degrees

• MBA, in combination with undergraduate degrees in Business, Psychology, Chemistry, Communication, Theatre and Dance
• M.Ed. in combination with undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education

Additional MBA concentrations

• The first doctoral level program: the Doctor of Nursing Practice, with two tracks in Nursing Practice and one in Nurse Anesthesia
• Plans for a second doctoral level program in Occupational Therapy
• MS in Clinical Exercise Physiology
• MS in Public Health
• Other graduate programs in the health sciences will also be explored

Progress

Implementation Launched:

• 5-Year (4+1) Graduate Program Extensions
• DNP (three programs)
• Nurse Anesthesia Family
• Nurse Practitioner
• Adult Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
• MSN (2 new programs)
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Adult Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

Implementation Pending:

• Master’s in Public Health
• Master’s in Integrative Exercise Science
• Modular Master’s Degree

The Center for Teaching Excellence and Success in College

Aspiration & Impact

For college-bound students, the higher education journey should be transformational in the most positive way. Bringing together Cedar Crest and other college faculty with academic advisors, high school teachers, workplace supervisors, and community college instructors, The Center for Teaching Excellence and Success in College will promote effective teaching for students in the transition to college and study factors that create success for a college-going culture among high school students and working adults seeking to enter higher education. The Center will advance Cedar Crest as a recognized leader in learning science and the design of an education that enables student success in college.

Key Components

• Workshops for college faculty
• Outreach to traditional enrollment feeder high schools for teacher development
• Promotion of Cedar Crest College’s education programs as a professional development institution for area school districts
• Annual (or biannual) conference offering Act 48 credit workshops

Progress

Implementation Pending

Summer Bridge

Aspiration & Impact

Not every student starts the college journey with the same economic status or preparation, particularly in math and study skills, but Cedar Crest believes this should not limit their ability to succeed and graduate on-time. The Summer Bridge initiative is designed to promote student success, improve retention, and provide early academic and social support to students admitted to Cedar Crest College. Academic Services and the faculty will collaborate to develop a program that focuses on skill building and preparation for the academic rigors of a four-year program. Additionally, the 3-week program will provide housing, a meal-plan, and place each student in a paid on-campus job to ensure that students have their books at the start of the semester.
The first phase of the program will focus on students with an interest in the STEM fields or nursing. In the second phase, the program will be open to students of all majors.

Key Components

• Housing, a meal plan, and a campus job for their three weeks on campus prior to the start of the semester 
• A 3-credit math class and a 1-credit study skills class, to prepare students for the academic rigor of first semester science and math classes
• An academic coach, access to tutoring, and other academic support
• Programming for evenings and weekends to encourage them to form a close connection with each other and with the College

Progress

Implementation Pending