MOHAVE COUNTY – Mohave College has received accreditation approval from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) to offer a new Bachelor of Science in Nursing, RN-BSN, giving registered nurses an affordable, flexible pathway to complete a bachelor’s degree through the College.
The HLC’s Institutional Actions Council approved the College request during its June 22 meeting. The College received formal notification of the approval in a June 26 letter from HLC President Barbara Gellman-Danley.
The approval marks another major step in the College’s expansion of bachelor’s degree pathways designed to meet regional workforce needs and help students continue their education close to home.
“This is an important advancement for students, working nurses, health care employers and the communities the College serves,” said Dr. Tim Culver, Mohave College interim president. “The College has a long history of preparing nurses for the region, and this approval allows the College to provide the next step for registered nurses who want or need a bachelor’s degree to advance professionally.”
The RN-to-BSN is designed for individuals who already hold an associate degree in nursing, have passed the national licensing exam and are working as registered nurses. The program builds on the foundation of associate degree nursing education and provides advanced coursework in areas such as leadership, evidence-based practice, community health, health care systems and professional nursing practice.
The Mohave College Board approved the RN-to-BSN program during its Feb. 20 meeting. During that meeting, Dr. June Weiss, dean of Health Professions, explained that the program is intended to support working registered nurses and can typically be completed in about 18 months, with some highly motivated students potentially finishing in less time depending on course load, transfer credits and concurrent enrollment options.
The degree will be delivered in a distance education format, with on-campus support available for tutoring, writing services, student advising and in-person meetings with instructors.
The program is also open to registered nurses from any accredited associate degree or diploma nursing program, including nurses who completed their initial education at other institutions or in other states.
“Many nurses in rural communities face real barriers when trying to continue their education,” Dr. Weiss said. “This program is designed to remove some of those barriers by giving working nurses access to a high-quality, affordable BSN pathway that allows them to keep serving their patients and communities while continuing their education.”
The approval follows Mohave’s broader move into bachelor’s degree education. The College previously received HLC approval to offer bachelor’s degrees in biology, elementary education and human services, with enrollment opening for those programs in spring 2026.
The RN-to-BSN adds another bachelor’s degree option connected directly to regional workforce needs. Local health care employers continue to seek highly trained nurses, and many hospitals and health care systems encourage or require registered nurses to complete a bachelor’s degree within several years of employment.
Anyone interested in enrolling in the RN-to-BSN program should contact an enrollment Pathway Advisor for more information at Mohave.edu/Admission.
