Decker College adds academic programs to fall 2021 offerings

From registered nurses looking to get a bachelor’s degree in nursing without ever stepping foot on campus to undergraduate students from across Binghamton University who are interested in speech language pathology or public health, Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences has programs to suit an even wider range of students than ever before with the addition two new degree options and a minor.

The following new offerings became available for the fall 2021 semester:

• a 100% online RN to BS program that enables registered nurses to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing on their own schedule,
• a BA-MPH 4+1 program that allows students in Harpur College of Arts and Sciences to earn a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in five years, and
• a minor in speech and hearing science open to students across the University.

The programs build on Decker College’s existing strengths, while providing greater opportunities for students who are interested in a variety of healthcare careers.

“As we have seen with the COVID-19 pandemic, there is significant demand for nurses, public health professionals, rehabilitation specialists and other allied health professions,” said Mario Ortiz, dean, Decker College. “To address these critical local, regional, national and international needs, we must continue developing relevant academic programs in disciplines where students have expressed interest.”

Details about each new program follow.

Online RN-BS in Nursing

The first professional school created at Binghamton University is also home to its first exclusively online program: The online RN-BS program enables registered nurses with an associate degree in nursing or a nursing diploma to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing, which is often required by their employers.

Decker’s Division of Nursing previously offered an in-person RN-BS program, but discontinued it in 2018 based on student preference for a more flexible option.

“A few years ago, interest in our campus-based program began to decline and prospects started asking about an online program option,” said Sara Wozniak, senior assistant dean, Division of Advising and Academic Excellence, Decker College. “We wanted to offer a more flexible option for registered nurses who are working and balancing other responsibilities.”

To accommodate students regardless of their shift, coursework for the RN-BS program is available 24/7 and there are no mandatory login times. There are also options to study full or part time. The program is structured into six 7-week sessions; students can take a session off if they need to.

There are 16 students in the first cohort, which began Aug. 30.

According to Wozniak, most of these students transferred 55–60 credits and selected the full-time study option. She added that while working and studying full time is a challenge itself, the continuing pandemic is making things even harder.

“With the infection rates from COVID-19 increasing in many areas, this is an especially difficult time for our RN-BS students,” Wozniak said. “Many of them said their jobs have become even more demanding since beginning the program with the recent COVID-19 vaccination requirements and increase in infections.”

Cody Shapley is an RN-BS student. He holds an associate degree in nursing and works as a registered nurse at UHS Wilson Medical Center in Johnson City, N.Y., in an outpatient ambulatory surgery unit.

“I decided to pursue my BSN to further my education, sharpen my knowledge of nursing and open more opportunities in my career,” he said, adding that his employer requires him to get a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

The flexibility to study anytime is one of the main reasons Shapley chose Decker’s program. It fits into his hectic schedule, which includes working four days a week and taking care of his child.

“My three-year-old daughter is always my number one priority, so when I’m not at work or studying, I’m devoting all of my time to her,” he said. “The program allows me to decide when I study, and allows me to get my schoolwork done at any hour of the day, which is fantastic.”

Shapley said he is enjoying the ability to complete his coursework around his family and work schedules, but he has had some difficulty adjusting to online learning.

“Traditional RN programs are in person, with an emphasis on lecture and sim labs, but online classes are much different, as they’re more focused on reading and discussing,” he said.

To help students navigate online learning, the Division of Advising and Academic Excellence provides advising and other virtual support services.

Decker College intends to develop additional online program offerings in the future.

Harpur BA-Master of Public Health 4+1

One student. Five years. Two degrees.

Known as a 4+1 program, this has been a recipe for success at the University for several years, but the Harpur BA-MPH 4+1 marks the first time an accelerated program of this kind has been offered at Decker College.

Developed by Decker’s Division of Public Health in collaboration with Harpur College and the College of Community and Public Affairs, the program enables undergraduate students in any major at Harpur that leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree (excluding fine arts majors) to get their BA and a MPH degree in five years.

Graduates with an MPH degree have a variety of career options that enable them to contribute to society in numerous ways, with careers in healthcare, industry, community health, research and nonprofit organizations.

“An MPH is a professional degree that acts like a skeleton key to open a lot of different doors,” said Jodi Dowthwaite, research assistant professor, Division of Public Health. “It can give students a wide variety of relevant career and research pathways to explore during the required coursework, particularly as the second year includes internships.”

The program includes courses in social and behavioral sciences, biostatistics, environmental health, epidemiology and health policy.

“We believe our generalist MPH program provides students with a far more concrete feel for the varied and exciting career paths available in public health or related fields,” Dowthwaite said.

Not only does a 4+1 program shave an entire year off the time it typically takes to earn a master’s degree, it also saves students a year of tuition dollars. And, students pay undergraduate tuition rates for graduate classes during their fourth year. It can also serve as a buffer for some students.

“Many students are considering medical school or research degrees, but would like a bridge between undergraduate work and that next intense commitment,” Dowthwaite said.

She added that students who enroll in the BA-MPH 4+1 will have an advantage over other students if they choose to apply to a second post-graduate degree program.

There are three students in the first 4+1 cohort, but interest has been high.

Open only to students in a Harpur BA major, excluding fine arts, Dowthwaite said interested Harpur BS students may consider switching to a BA program, adding a second BA major or simply applying to the traditional two-year MPH program after they complete their bachelor’s degree.

These workarounds may become unnecessary, however, since the Division of Public Health is awaiting approval of an application to expand eligibility to Harpur BS students through a Harpur BS-MPH 4+1 program. Also in the works is a Human Development BS-MPH 4+1 program.

Finally, while she wouldn’t divulge any details, Dowthwaite said students interested in global public health should keep their ears open for some developments in that area as well.

Speech and Hearing Science minor

For a University without an undergraduate or graduate speech-language degree program, the significant number of students who want to become speech-language pathologists (SLPs) surprised Rodney Gabel when he joined Decker College in July 2020 as founding director of the Division of Speech and Language Pathology.

The students, unable to take the required undergraduate coursework at Binghamton, take related classes across a variety of majors throughout the University. They also take courses from other universities during the summer or during a gap year.

In addition to the graduate-level program in SLP he was already developing, Gabel began working on a minor. By February, he had University approval (no other approval is needed for a minor).

The minor in speech and hearing science, which began in the fall 2021 semester, is open to students in any undergraduate major throughout the University; students may also complete the coursework without enrolling in the minor.

“The initiation of an undergraduate minor program seemed to be a great way to serve this current group of students, while also promoting speech and language pathology as an issue for society,” Gabel said. “Choosing a minor over a major also allows students the flexibility of exploring other topics and degrees, while preparing for a career in speech and language pathology.”

The minor won’t allow students to practice as SLPs, but provides them with the foundational coursework needed for successful admission into a graduate program. The courses apply to a student’s ultimate credentialing as a speech and language pathologist.

More than 60 students are now enrolled in the minor, including Chloe Levine, who is majoring in linguistics and taking a second minor in immigration studies.

Levine has known since high school that she wants to become a SLP. That’s when her grandfather was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and worked with an SLP. Now a senior, Levine came to the University three years ago with full knowledge there was no SLP program. While she has been happy with her choice, it has been difficult.

“What I didn’t realize was that not only was there a lack of resources for this profession on campus, but there was little to no guidance from any office in the University able to assist me,” she said. “I realized that if I wanted to pursue this, I would have to do the research, take the extra prerequisite classes and navigate the complex world of getting into speech-pathology graduate school on my own.”

Levine decided to change that. She connected with another student who was also interested in SLP and the two created the Binghamton Speech-Language Association (SLA) and have been running the student group for the past three years.

Last year, things changed when Douglas Glick, associate professor of linguistics, told Levine and her co-founder that Binghamton was developing a graduate program in SLP. He also connected the students with Gabel.

“Before [Gabel] came to Binghamton, there were little to no resources or professors on campus who were knowledgeable about becoming an SLP or the path that you must take to get there,” Levine said. “After our first meeting on Zoom, I was relieved that not only was he willing to share his knowledge on speech pathology with students, but he was also so passionate about bringing this program to Binghamton and reaching out to as many prospective students as possible.”

She was one of the first students to apply for the minor.

“It has been very fulfilling to see the minor finally come to fruition and gain so much traction among students,” she said. “I have loved meeting all of the new faculty members and professors, as well as learning about all of the research they have conducted. I think my favorite part of the program has been connecting with the other students who are enrolled, as well as being able to intertwine the minor with the Speech-Language Association as our student group.”

Binghamton University has submitted an application for a master’s degree in speech and language pathology to the State University New York (SUNY). In addition, the application is being reviewed by the American Speech, Language and Hearing Association’s Council of Academic Affairs. According to Gabel, if no issues are identified and the program receives SUNY and NYSED approval, a first graduate cohort could begin in fall 2024. In preparation, five clinical faculty members have joined the division, including a clinical coordinator.

In addition, division staff have developed contracts for the new faculty to provide speech and language therapy in school districts and nonprofit organizations in the community. Eventually, Gabel said faculty will supervise students in service learning and clinical internships at these facilities, as well as in an on-campus SLP clinic that is in the works.