ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The University at Albany (UAlbany) School of Public Health has launched two new degree programs for nursing. The programs include a bachelor of science in nursing completion program and a master of science in population health nursing.

The Master of Science in Population Health Nursing program will look to prepare students for careers in community and public health nursing. This area focuses on the effects of health disparities on disadvantaged communities and the social determinants of health that influence outcomes for patients, according to UAlbany.

The programs are being implemented to meet the “significant” demand for qualified health care providers across the state. According to a spokesperson for UAlbany, nearly 30,000 registered nurse (RN) positions that required a bachelor’s degree were posted in New York in the 12 months leading up to October 2022.

The courses will start in the fall of 2023. The program comes in time to meet the needs of RNs throughout the state who are soon to be impacted by the “BSN in 10” law. Passed in 2017, the law requires all nurses practicing in New York to obtain a baccalaureate degree in nursing within 10 years of obtaining their initial licensure.

“As we approach 2027, marking a decade since ‘BSN in 10’ was passed, we can expect a surge in demand for degree-completion options for the first cohort of registered nurses to be affected by the law,” said Mary Gallant, interim dean of the School of Public Health. “UAlbany’s new Bachelor of Science in Nursing completion program — the only program of its kind in the Capital Region that incorporates important public health coursework essential for the nursing workforce of the future — provides a critical pipeline for registered nurses to obtain the degree required to maintain licensure in New York State.”