USI to offer new minor, refresh program options across University

Three program updates, impacting prospective and current students, have been made at the University of Southern Indiana, effective this Fall. The College of Liberal Arts English Department is offering a new undergraduate minor: literary editing and publishing; the College of Liberal Arts Communication and Media Department is offering two Joint Undergraduate Masters Paths (JUMP) for students pursuing degrees in communication studies and journalism; and the College of Nursing and Health Professions Graduate Nursing Department has revised two new specialties within its Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Program. 

Two new certificates—the Indiana College Core Certificate and the Social Services Designee Certificate—are also being offered this Fall, approved at the May 5, 2023, USI Board of Trustees meeting. 

Literary Editing and Publishing Minor 

The 18-credit hour Literary Editing and Publishing minor introduces students to the history, methods and practical skills required by the publishing field. It fosters attention to the needs of an audience or client and develops problem-solving and critical thinking skills through the experiential learning via participation in the production of Southern Indiana Review, Southern Indiana Review Press, Southern Indiana Reading Series, Fishhook and associated promotional materials. 

Literary editing and publishing minors will demonstrate basic competence in technology associated with product design and production, engage in a supervised editing process that ensures regular accurate editing, such as multiple pass editing and style sheet generation, and more. 

The minor will prepare students with a marketable foundation of skills for positions in fields such as advertising, media, social media, grant writing, marketing and more.  

For more information, visit the literary editing and publishing minor webpage. 

JUMP Options 

The Communication and Media Department has introduced JUMP for students pursuing degrees in communication studies and journalism within the College of Liberal Arts. JUMP enables undergraduate students to fast-track their graduate career in communication while completing their undergraduate coursework. 

JUMP offers the unique opportunity to attain two degrees in just five years—an undergraduate degree in communication studies or journalism and a Master of Arts in Communication. During their undergraduate studies, students can complete up to 12 credit hours of graduate coursework. 

To apply, visit USI.edu/JUMP. For questions, email Dr. Erin Dennis, Director of the Master of Arts in Communication Program, at eegilles@usi.edu. 

Revised Specialties 

USI Nursing has introduced two new 36-credit-hour specialties as part of its MSN program: Healthcare Systems Leadership and Nursing Education Leadership. MSN graduates are equipped with essential skills such as critical thinking, evidence-based practice appraisal and utilization, leadership acumen, healthcare policy and a strong sense of advocacy, enabling them to excel both professionally and personally. The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. 

The Healthcare Systems Leadership specialty is designed to prepare nurses for leadership roles within diverse healthcare settings. It emphasizes the integration of finance, business management, information management, healthcare policy and marketing resources evaluation into nursing management and leadership responsibilities. 

The Nursing Education Leadership specialty aims to equip nurses with the necessary knowledge and skills to become educators in nursing schools or healthcare organizations. It focuses on curriculum development and implementation, budget management, leadership skills, teaching strategies for both classroom and clinical settings, as well as evaluating student and program outcomes. 

To apply, visit USI.edu/online-learning. For questions, email Dr. Mikel Hand, Professor of Nursing, at mwhand@usi.edu.