Health Professions Undergraduate Programs
Kean University offers an array of professional programs in nursing and health care careers. Students with an interest in any of these programs should consult the appropriate Chair or Coordinator.
Professional Nursing
The Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree is offered to applicants who have completed lower division nursing education and hold a valid license to practice as a registered nurse (RN). The 125 credit, upper division program is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC).
Post Baccalaureate School Nurse Program (Non-Degree)
The Post Baccalaureate School Nurse Program at Kean University is approved by the NJ State Department of Education and prepares students for certification as “School Nurse/Instructional.”
Registered Nurses with a baccalaureate degree in any major and minimum GPA of 2.75 may apply. To apply go to www.kean.edu, please select “Apply online,” then choose the application for “Post Baccalaureate Teacher Certification.” Print a copy of the application, then carefully read and follow the directions for completion and submission.
Preprofessional Medical Programs
Premedical and Predental
Chairperson of PreMed-PreDental Committee: Kerrylynn Konecny, C-137, (908) 737-3741
Although admissions requirements are not uniform among schools of medicine and dentistry, the following two programs include the courses required for entrance by most medical and dental schools: Department of Biological Sciences - B.S. or B.A. in Biology; Department of Chemistry - B.A. in Chemistry (Preprofessional). Other major programs may be selected if electives are chosen to fulfill the requirements of the medical or dental school(s) to which the student plans to apply.
Entering or transfer students interested in medical or dental school should consult a member of the Pre-Medical Advisory Committee for advisement. Names of committee members may be secured from the department offices of either Biological Sciences or Chemistry-Physics, or by viewing the Pre-Health Professions Web Page at http://www.kean.edu/~biology/PREHEALTH.
Other Preprofessional Medical Programs
Students with an interest in veterinary medicine, optometry, pharmacy, or other preprofessional medical programs should consult a member of the Pre-Medical Advisory Committee.
Medical Technology
Baccalaureate programs are offered in medical technology general (with options in cytotechnology and histotechnology).
This program can accommodate entering freshmen and transfer students from two or four-year institutions. The first three (preprofessional) years include general education requirements and basic courses in the sciences, mathematics and social sciences. The final professional year include a sequence of courses and related clinical experiences in the professional area and advanced coursework in supporting disciplines. The curriculum has been designed to enable the graduate to meet the requirements for eligibility for national or state certification.
After completing the preprofessional requirements, students must apply for admission to the professional phase of the program. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.85 is required for application to the professional clinical phase. The number of students admitted to each program is limited by the availability of clinical placements, and the admissions process is selective. Students are advised to plan their coursework during the preprofessional two years in such a way that alternate majors are possible should they choose not to continue or should they not be admitted to the program of their choice.
Joint Programs
Health Information Management
This is a joint degree program with the Rutgers University School of Health Related Professions (formerly UMDNJ Newark) for entering freshmen and transfer students from two or four-year institutions (who require a minimum of 32 credits to be completed at Kean). The first two (preprofessional) years are completed at Kean and include general education requirements and basic courses in the sciences, mathematics and social sciences. The final two (professional) years, completed at Rutgers University (formerly UMDNJ) include a sequence of courses and related clinical experiences in the professional area and advanced coursework in supporting disciplines. The curriculum of the program has been designed to enable the graduate to meet the requirements for eligibility for national certification and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIM). Students who already have a Bachelor’s degree should contact Rutgers University (formerly UMDNJ) directly.
Clinical Laboratory Science
Cytotechnologists and Medical Laboratory Scientists are clinical laboratory professionals and members of the health care team who participates in diagnosis of disease through the use of sophisticated instruments and techniques. Cytotechnologists and Medical Laboratory Scientists are needed to fill positions in hospitals, clinics and research laboratories. Qualified cytotechnologists and medical laboratory scientists play an important role in the region’s workforce. The University recognizes that duplication of certain health education programs is costly and unnecessary. Thus, a joint degree with Rutgers University School of Health Related Professions (formerly University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, UMDNJ), is cost effective for both universities and mutually beneficial to Kean University, its students, and Rutgers.
Dual Degree Program
Physician Assistant
The Dual Degree Program is a collaborative effort between Kean University and Rutgers University (formerly UMDNJ Piscataway). The program combines a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant. The program consists of undergraduate studies at Kean for the BA degree in Biology and graduate studies at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Piscataway leading to a Master’s in Physician Assistant degree. The Dual Degree program is available to students who do not already have a Bachelor’s degree.