SUNY Canton Partners with Upstate Medical University to Offer Nursing Doctorate

North Country nurses now have a new path to earn their advanced degrees through a partnership between SUNY Canton and SUNY Upstate Medical University.

Representatives from both colleges recently signed a memorandum of understanding allowing Upstate Medical to offer their Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree remotely through SUNY Canton's Margaret D. Sovie School of Nursing.

SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran said the new arrangement will present more opportunities for area nurses to advance their careers.

"We created this partnership to help address the critical shortage of highly trained and expert nurses in our immediate area," Szafran said. "As an added benefit, it elevates the prestige of our nursing program and will offer more advanced degree options for our graduates."

Upstate Medical's DNP degree is for nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and others who play a pivotal role in the future of health care. It prepares for future leadership, health policy and advocacy roles, emphasizing interprofessional practice and information technology.

"We're pleased to partner with our SUNY Canton colleagues to offer this important degree program to area nurses," said Tammy Austin-Ketch, Ph.D., dean of the College of Nursing at Upstate Medical University. "The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program provides nurses with opportunities to enhance their knowledge and skills in preparation for leadership positions in a rapidly changing health care field."

SUNY Canton will offer learning and teaching space for students in Upstate Medical's DNP program locally. Previously, students would have to travel or commute to Syracuse to participate in the program.

Upstate Medical will rely on SUNY Canton's distance and online learning strengths to provide valuable classes. The college has offered remote synchronous and asynchronous learning for nearly three decades. Students enrolled in the program will have access to SUNY Canton's wireless internet, classroom, library, and lab resources.

School of Science Health and Criminal Justice Dean Michele A. Snyder said the collaboration allows both institutions to help broaden access to higher education options.

"This extends Canton's partnership with Upstate to offer stronger opportunities locally and regionally for students interested in pursuing advanced credentialing in the nursing field," Snyder said. "It creates more access opportunities for those in the nursing discipline and bolsters the health care education pipeline."

SUNY Canton has a one-year certificate program to train Licensed Practical Nurses, a two-year Registered Nursing program, and a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Most students enroll in the four-year program online while working as professional nurses to help advance their careers. The college offers a Nursing dual degree program as another way to earn a four-year degree.

Upstate Medical's classes at Canton will be offered on an as-needed basis to DNP students from the North Country area. To apply to the program or to view its requirements, please visit Upstate Medical's College of Nursing website.