Programs NAB-Accredited for Another Five Years!

We are pleased to announce that the National Association of Boards of Examiners of Long-Term Care Administrators (NAB) has approved our request for re-accreditation at its 2012 Mid-Year meeting in San Diego, CA on November 9, 2012.

It is re-accreditation of the Bachelor of Science, Long-Term Care Administration Major (BS/LTCA), which was originally accredited in 1997 and re-accredited in 2002. This was the first time re-accreditation for the Master of Health Administration (MHA) program. Both have been accredited. Saint Joseph’s College is only the second college or university to have a graduate program accredited by NAB and the only one to have both undergraduate and graduate programs accredited by them. The accreditation is for another five years.

Ours is also the only completely online program accredited by NAB.

This accreditation recognizes the quality of the programs and their graduates. It gives us a marketing edge as the primary reason students enroll in our long-term care programs is to achieve licensure as nursing home administrators. Many state licensing boards will automatically accept NAB-accredited programs as meeting their licensure requirements. Others look upon it favorably.

This is a significant achievement for us, keeping us in the forefront of long-term care education.

L-R, Randy Snyder, chairman of the board for NAB, Phil DuBois, Jennifer Johs-Artisensi, Chair of the Education Committee for NAB.

Benefit of an MHA Degree

For work, Sara Sherwood helps people. As a graduate of the University of Maine’s nutrition program who’s currently pursuing a master of health administration at Saint Joseph’s College Online, she’s well qualified for the job. 

Sara, who graduated from UMaine in 2008, works as a Nursing Home Administrator at Collier’s Rehab and Nursing Center in Ellsworth, Maine. Planning to complete her MHA by December of this year, she credits both UMaine and Saint Joseph’s for her professional success.

“They each gave me a fundamental knowledge base that I’ve been able to apply to my work,” said Sara. “UMaine gave me the background in nutrition, and Saint Joseph’s has given me a broader education in health care. They complement each other really well.”

In fact, Saint Joseph’s online MHA is specifically designed to complement programs like UMaine’s nutrition program. The broad focus of the MHA, paired with an undergraduate degree in a more specialized field, prepares students for endless career opportunities. In addition, the MHA’s convenient online delivery allows students to work and study simultaneously.

Even more important than the job opportunities, according to Sara, is the ability to help people.

“I’m a caregiver at heart; I’ve always known I was meant to help,” said Sara. “Deciding to pursue my master degree has helped me do just that!”

With a nutrition degree from UMaine and an MHA from Saint Joseph’s, students can pursue lucrative careers in many areas, just to name a few¬

•           Health facility management

•           Nutrition

•           Wellness programming

•           Insurance

•           Pharmaceuticals

•           Education

If you are interested in learning more about online degree programs at Saint Joseph’s College, please call 1-800-752-4723 or visit online.sjcme.edu.