Decker College’s new degree programs focus on flexibility

Mario Ortiz is a man with a plan.

Since joining Binghamton University in 2016 as dean of the Decker School of Nursing, Ortiz’s plan has transformed the school into a college that includes the nursing school, the School of Applied Health Sciences and the School of Rehabilitation Sciences.

Phase 1

The expansion into a college with six academic divisions (three new: occupational therapy/OT, physical therapy/PT, and speech and language pathology/SLP; and three existing: nursing, public health, and health and wellness studies/HWS) and the hiring of directors for the new programs constituted Phase 1 of this initiative, which also included most of Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences relocating to the University’s Health Sciences Building in Johnson City, N.Y.

Phase 2

Phase 2 saw the development of new degree programs in the rehab sciences: a Doctor of Physical Therapy, a Master of Science in Speech and Language Pathology, and two Doctor of Occupational Therapy programs — an online post-professional program for practicing OTs and an on-campus entry-level program for those entering the field. This phase also included hiring faculty for the new academic divisions and increasing staff to support the additional students.

Phase 3

“I am so proud of our new programs in the rehabilitation sciences, but I’ve moved on to Phase 3,” jokes Ortiz.

Like its predecessor, Phase 3 will be marked by new academic programs ranging from minors to degrees, an expansion of the college’s online degree offerings and an increase in faculty, staff and student-support initiatives.

There’s just a tiny problem: The Health Sciences Building is full.

We have students interested in coming here, and we have no trouble attracting new faculty. It’s space that is our biggest challenge to expanding our programming,” Ortiz says.

To address this, the University acquired a historic three-story building at 18 Park St. in Johnson City. Situated at the east end of the Health Sciences Building parking lot, this former manufacturing facility will be renovated to serve as the future home for labs, clinics, classrooms and offices for Decker’s PT and SLP programs. Plans are for these divisions to occupy the first two floors of the Binghamton University Clinical Center at Park, with room for expansion on the third floor. Cleaning and repairs are already underway; construction began this fall and will continue until late 2026, with a move-in anticipated for spring 2027.

New programs

A minor in arts in healthcare and a minor in public health are now available to students in any major at Binghamton. Ortiz hopes these minors will provide undergraduate students with insights into potential healthcare careers.

“Students majoring in music may take the arts in healthcare minor if they’re considering a music therapy program, and the minor in public health will give students a good understanding of basic public health principles and concepts,” he says. “The minors get students into our courses, and they’ll see if that is how they want to spend their time in graduate school or in their career.”

In development

Proposals for bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs in health sciences will go before Binghamton’s Faculty Senate for approval this fall. If accepted, the in-person programs will go to SUNY and the New York State Education Department (NYSED) for approval, potentially beginning in fall 2027. Associated minors in nutritional sciences and exercise science are also going before the Faculty Senate this fall (minors require only University approval).

Lisa Hrehor, director of Health and Wellness Studies, says: “These minors will allow students to explore health-related professions and complete a minor in something they’re interested in.”

Decker College is adding online versions of some graduate nursing programs, providing the flexibility to meet student needs and allowing the college to adjust its offerings based on enrollment. The BS-DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice) and Advanced Standing DNP, both in the family nurse practitioner clinical specialization, as well as the Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing, are fully approved and will begin online in fall 2026. An advanced graduate certificate in forensic health will begin online in spring 2026.

BS-DNP and Advanced Standing DNP programs in the family psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, adult-gerontological primary care nurse practitioner and community nurse practitioner (family with a community health focus) clinical specializations will go before Faculty Senate this fall and, if approved, to SUNY and NYSED, along with a master’s degree program in advanced professional nursing with tracks in nursing education and nursing administration. The goal is to have these online programs available for students by fall 2027.

“There has been a lot of interest from nurse practitioners who want to get a DNP in a different clinical specialization than the one they already have, and we’re happy to offer that,” says Nicole Rouhana, director of graduate nursing programs.

Decker is nearing completion of proposals and academic business plans for three new nursing programs: certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), certified nurse-midwife (CNM) and adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner. The first two programs would be delivered on campus, while the third would be offered in online and in-person formats. Ortiz expects these to go before the Faculty Senate before the end of this year, with potential start dates in 2027 or 2028.

“The adult-gerontology acute care NP program would prepare our students to care for acute and chronically ill adults in hospitals or clinics,” Rouhana explains. “There’s a very real need for this as people are living longer with multiple chronic conditions.”

Under review

Several minors are being considered as part of the BS in health sciences proposal but are not yet ready for University approval. These include strength and conditioning, health promotion, health education, paramedic/EMT training and recreation therapy.

Decker College’s PT division is investigating the feasibility of offering a master’s program in athletic training. Founding Director Michael Buck notes there are several challenges, but it could be a good option for the University, Binghamton students and the community.

“Local organizations want to hire athletic trainers to provide services in clinics and in high schools, so there is a real need,” he says. “And, there could be possibilities for students to become certified athletic trainers and certified strength and conditioning specialists, which are highly employable positions.”