Support NMU
Senate Appropriations Subcommittee
Northern Michigan University Senate Handouts
Dr. Les Wong, President
Feb. 25, 2008
Northern Michigan University graduates work in the health care fields throughout the State of Michigan. NMU’s health-related degree programs are of special significance to the Upper Peninsula, as Northern provides the training for the majority of U.P. nurses and laboratory clinicians. NMU also offers programs in pre-medicine, pre-physician assistant, pre-pharmacy, pre-optometry, pre-dental, pre-chiropractic, clinical laboratory sciences and surgical technology. We also have cooperative programs in EMT training, radiology and respiratory therapy with Marquette General Health System, NMU’s next-door neighbor.
5 things to know about NMU’s health care degrees
Opportunities from nursing certificate to master’s degree
Northern Michigan University’s School of Nursing offers degrees from a licensed practical nurse certificate (LPN) all the way through to the master’s degree (MSN), including an online Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a program not available at all universities. NMU’s nursing degree programs include:
- Licensed Practical Nurse Certificate (LPN)
- Licensed Practical Nurse to Bachelor' of Science in Nursing
- Registered Nurse to Bachelor' of Science in Nursing
- Fast-track Bachelor' of Science in Nursing
- Traditional Bachelor' of Science in Nursing
- Master' of Science in Nursing (Family Nurse Practitioner – FNP)
Additionally, a cooperative agreement with Oakland University enables interested NMU students to complete their Doctor of Nursing Practice degree (DNP) with courses completed both in the U.P. and downstate.
Working nurses schooled online
Northern’s master’s-level nursing degree can be taken almost completely online for nurses already working in the field. The program allows for the clinical portion of the program to be completed at their place of work or in their communities with a perceptor. On-campus courses are scheduled for one day per week.
Biomedical research
NMU undergraduate students are doing cancer marker research in collaboration with researchers at Duke University and the National Institute of Health. Additionally, NMU’s Biology Department and Marquette General Health System created and co-operate the Upper Michigan Brain Tumor Center, which researches the genetics of primary brain tumors with the goal of discovering pathways that will ultimately lead to new treatment approaches and more effective care for patients. The partnership and its work have been recognized nationally and received the 2007 Brain Lab Community Neurosurgery Research Award.
Training lab clinicians for the U.P.
Northern provides laboratory clinicians to nearly 100% of Upper Peninsula hospitals and medical centers and often make up the majority of an organizations staff. As part of the bachelor’s degree requirement, clinical laboratory science majors are required to do internships in both a small-scale laboratory (usually done at a U.P. facility) and a large lab, which can include placement at the renowned Mayo Clinic. Prior to these internships, students can get hands-on learning experience in the new cytogenetics and molecular pathology laboratory shared by Northern and Marquette General Hospital, which is located on the NMU campus.
Pre-medical, pre-physician assistant students sought out
Citing the quality of preparedness NMU graduates, Wayne State University’s Medical School initiated a cooperative agreement in 2004 that guarantees two spots in each year’s new medical school class to Northern pre-med majors. The Northern pre-med and pre-dental programs provide preceptorship experiences and both have a very high pass rate for students taking the entrance examinations for medical and dental school. Likewise, Central Michigan University’s nationally selective physician assistant program entered into a cooperative in fall 2007 that guarantees four interviews of its 40 to qualified NMU graduates.
Academic Technology at NMU
At Northern Michigan University, we consider all of our degrees to be “technology” degrees as technology is woven into every program and the very culture of the campus. We’re one of the world’s largest notebook computer universities, as all undergraduate and graduate students receive a computer as part of tutition and fees (and we’re still second most affordable among the Michigan 15). The students, as well as the faculty and staff, turn in their computers every two years so they are regularly learning “new” technology. But technology goes far beyond mastering a notebook computer at NMU.
Consider these “technology” degrees:
Teaching
Who will teach the STEM subjects to the next generation? One of the reasons NMU education majors are sought after is because of their technology know-how, which teaching the STEM subjects today requires. NMU’s education degrees have a required technology component that enhances the students’ everyday use of technology. For instance, this fall’s ED 101: The American School course published a wikibook (http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/The_American_School). The instructor and students used this innovative method to engage non-educators in authentic discussions about American schooling and the core responsibilities of schools.
Nursing
Like education, nursing is a field that requires technological know-how for success. NMU’s School of Nursing has a required technology component for its degrees. An example of students exploring technology that they can be used in the field are those who produce live interactive television discussions about majoring in nursing for high school career courses throughout the state. Interactive television is becoming widely used in the medical field to assist people living in rural areas.
Broadcasting
NMU’s broadcasting programs have developed into one of the university’s most recognized areas with yearly Michigan Association of Broadcasters awards, work with ESPN and statewide-aired documentaries. Northern’s public radio and television stations, WNMU-FM and WNMU-TV work with more than 40 students each year. These students are producing daily news broadcasts, special documentaries and sports events, using the state-of-the-art equipment they will use when they enter the broadcasting, Homeland Security or other electronic communication fields.
Art and Design
Today’s art and design jobs are technical. NMU’s electronic imaging and graphic design graduates are graduating with jobs in hand because being able to communicate graphically is a critical component for the 21st century businesses and organizations. NMU’s human-centered design program uses a unique blend of craft, technology and entrepreneurship to produce design with function. Students in this major use technology on a daily basis to produce prototypes of furniture and equipment parts in their campus studio.
Business
Business as a technology degree? Can you imagine being able to find success in today’s worldwide market without technology skills? Employers recognize NMU business majors as having a full complement of technical skills needed to enter the field. In addition to their everyday use of technology and required training in SAP software programs, NMU business students can now get hands-on training in the College of Business’ financial trading laboratory, which authentic stock market technology and equipment.
Exercise Science, Athletic Training and Outdoor Recreation
As the nation’s population ages, there is a critical need for professionals who can help keep people healthy and active. NMU’s programs in exercise science (master’s level) and athletic training and outdoor recreation (bachelor’s level) are among the university’s most technologically savvy degrees. These graduates find work in companies developing fitness programs to keep health care costs down, with senior centers working to keep aging adults active and youth programs teaching a healthier living style.
Given a chance to succeed at NMU
Northern Michigan University is Michigan’s only master’s level, comprehensive, rural university. As such, our student body has some unique characteristics that differ from those of many of the urban institutions.
5 things to consider about rural, low-income college students
Being poor doesn’t mean you’re less intelligent
Many rural college students come from low-income families. That doesn’t mean they are less capable of success at college. What being financially at-risk does mean for college students is that they might become academically at-risk because of the number of hours they work outside of attending college, thus taking away homework time, the opportunity to meet with study groups and other outside-the-classroom learning options.
A longer journey, but the same destination
While NMU has many high-achieving students who choose Northern over all other options, about 16% of the baccalaureate student population enters NMU academically at-risk under the school’s “opportunity to succeed” philosophy. These students must take reduced course loads in order to succeed academically, at least at the start of their college experience. Plus, many are also Pell recipients who work a considerable number of hours, further reducing their course loads. Consider that the fall 1998 new freshman cohort of 1,001 students had 468 receive a baccalaureate degree in six years or less. But another 56 received degrees after that time and are not counted in NMU’s graduation rate because they didn’t achieve the degree by the artificial six-year ceiling. Should the timeline be indefinite? No. Should it be extended? Maybe. The goal, after all, is the degree.
Native American population
Among Michigan’s public universities, NMU enrolls the second-largest percentage of Native American students. National research suggests that a 10-year graduation horizon is appropriate for Native American students. NMU’s 1998 Native American graduation rate approaches Northern’s general student population rate of 42% when the timeline is extended to eight years.
Family dynamics play a role
At NMU, we have successful programs in place to work with students of all levels of academic preparation and we understand the obstacles that face rural students and their families. About 33% of NMU’s annual population consists of first-generation students – the sons and daughters of miners, loggers and other typical rural area jobs that did not require their parents to have a college degree. NMU prides itself on working with families regarding such matters as how to understand financial aid, apply for scholarships and comprehend how the university operates – all new experiences for first-generation students and their families.
Rural means rural
A major difference between an urban low-income student and a rural low-income student is a matter of geography. An urban student, even one with limited funds, has educational choices within the distance of a bus ride. A rural student, even one who is academically high-achieving, may not. Thus, NMU serves a critical role for those place-bound U.P. rural students who desire the opportunity to obtain a college degree.