Indiana Wesleyan University and Wheaton College have formed a partnership resulting in the creation of a distinctive nursing track for students who are interested in pursuing a three-year pre-nursing program at Wheaton, followed by a 14-month concentrated nursing education program in IWU’s School of Nursing.

The 3+1 Program presents students with the opportunity to earn two bachelor degrees in four years. At Wheaton, students will complete general education requirements in addition to foundational science classes. During their time at IWU, students will delve into nursing-specific classes and practice their skills in state-of-the-art facilities, including IWU’s 12,000 square-foot, 34-bed simulation lab. The accelerated program requires 63 credit hours of nursing coursework and leads to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

“This partnership with Wheaton demonstrates collaboration with CCCU (Council for Christian Colleges & Universities) schools, and we believe it is a program that will greatly benefit students from across the nation and potentially students from across the world,” said Dr. Barbara A. Ihrke, vice president for academic affairs in the School of Nursing at IWU. “We look forward to helping students fulfill their academic and career goals.”

The 14-month program at IWU starts in either January or June. Applications are now being accepted for students beginning classes in 2018.

“IWU Nursing is pleased to collaborate with Wheaton College as we continue to address the nursing shortage by preparing high-quality nursing leaders educated from a Christian perspective,” said Rob Dawson, associate dean, Pre-licensure Division in the IWU School of Nursing.

“This collaboration with Wheaton provides an additional pathway for both universities to assist students in their academic pursuits,” said Veronica Peters, division chair of the IWU Transition to Nursing Program. “It truly is a win-win for students as they will benefit from receiving solid training from two reputable institutions.”

IWU recently announced a similar partnership with Taylor University, a Christian liberal arts college located in Upland, Indiana.