Baptist Health Schools Little Rock on Wednesday officially became Baptist Health College Little Rock.
The moved completes the school’s transition from a diploma-granting institute to a degree-conferring college.
Initially, degrees will be offered in the school of nursing to about 600 students. Those graduating will now receive an associate degree instead of a diploma.
“Our associate degree graduate should exit as prepared for the profession as the diploma graduate but now much further along in his or her pursuit of a bachelor’s degree,” Judy Pile, the college’s chancellor and assistant vice president of education, said in a news release.
Many nursing students continue to earn a bachelor of science degree in nursing. The national trend for nursing schools is to move away from diploma credentialing to awarding associate and/or bachelor’s degrees.
“Compared to 20 or 30 years ago, more nursing jobs are requiring bachelor’s degrees and more nursing leadership positions are requiring master’s degrees, so advanced education is important to the program and the students,” Pile said.
More than 800 students are now enrolled at Baptist Health College.
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