Briar Cliff University and Dordt College sign nursing articulation agreement

Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa, and Dordt College, in Sioux Center, Iowa, announced a joint agreement to increase access to baccalaureate nursing education in Sioux County. Under the terms of the agreement, students who receive a bachelor of arts in health science from Dordt College, hold an associate’s degree in nursing, and have an active RN license, can complete their BSN at Briar Cliff by completing only the upper division RN-BSN course sequence in Briar Cliff’s NLNAC (National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission) accredited BSN curriculum. The nursing course sequence includes theoretical, clinical, and research courses in nursing. Dordt health science majors who take advantage of this program should be able to complete this additional course work in at most one year.

Dr. Ruth Dankanich Daumer, the chairperson for Briar Cliff’s department of nursing, is enthused by the possibilities that this agreement provides. “We are excited to be able to offer high-quality baccalaureate nursing education to the excellent students at Dordt College,” said Dr. Daumer. “This partnership provides health science students seamless access to the BSN. It also provides an opportunity for Dordt College and BCU to collaborate on an academic program that is highly consistent with their missions while responding to the nursing shortage in our region.”

Pamela L. Hulstein, director of health sciences at Dordt College, agrees. “The BSN cooperative agreement with Briar Cliff University provides another opportunity for Dordt College students to receive a high quality faith-based professional degree in the health science field. We are excited about our newest academic partnership with a sister institution in the Siouxland area.”

An articulation agreement has been drawn up to formalize the relationship between the two schools. A joint signing of the agreement was held on October 22 and the agreement went into effect on November 1.

Briar Cliff University is a Catholic institution with an enrollment of approximately 1000 students from twenty-seven states. Students are educated in the Franciscan tradition of excellence in the liberal arts and preparation for professional success in an environment of care and compassion for the community.