From a department, UNE launches a nursing school

Courtesy / University of New England The University of New England, whose Biddeford campus is shown here, will expand its 50-year-old nursing department into a school offering a doctoral degree.

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By Staff

In response to a statewide shortage of nurses, the University of New England is expanding its nursing program into a school.

The UNE Department of Nursing, which currently offers a bachelor of science degree at its Biddeford and Portland campuses, will become the School of Nursing and Population Health, according to a news release Monday.

The school will house the existing undergraduate nursing programs — a traditional four-year program and a 16-month accelerated program for students who already have bachelor’s degrees in other areas.

The school will also include UNE’s undergraduate program in public health, and plans to soon introduce programs in public health nursing and nursing education.

UNE said in the release that the school will also offer an advanced curriculum leading to a doctoral degree in nursing practice.

“This is a critical time for nursing education in Maine,” said the school’s director, Jen Morton. “The state faces a serious shortage of nurses, and UNE is committed to not only increasing the nursing workforce but also providing needed education and training for practicing nurses so that they can be prepared to treat Maine’s most vulnerable people.”

UNE has graduated 2,200 students from its nursing program since it was founded 50 years ago. The private university, with a total enrollment of over 12,000, also operates a medical college and a dental school. In addition to its two Maine locations, UNE has a campus in Tangier, Morocco.