Huntington Beach, Calif. — Golden West College’s School of Nursing received full approval from the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) on Feb. 15 to increase its enrollment from 120 to 200 students annually and participate in the Concurrent Enrollment Pathway (CEP) with the California State University system. This is an historic moment for the program as the last approval for any type of enrollment increase was in 2006.
The BRN approval allows for increased enrollment for GWC’s School of Nursing, which benefits the community by preparing more graduates to address a nationwide nursing workforce shortage. The approval also opens the door for the College’s Registered Nursing program to partner with California State University, San Bernardino on a concurrent enrollment program, which would provide students with an accelerated educational pathway to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at an affordable cost.
“The CEP program would be beneficial to GWC Registered Nursing graduates because Bachelor of Nursing degrees are highly desirable to employers,” explains School of Nursing Director and Associate Dean Alice Martanegara. “Graduates of a GWC-CSUSB concurrent enrollment program would be equipped with a higher knowledge and skill set, which is a win-win for graduates and employers in the nursing field. Graduates will not only be hired shortly after graduation, they also will earn a competitive income and experience more advancement opportunities in their career.”
The School of Nursing is one of Golden West College’s most in-demand programs and enrolls approximately 120 students per year, many of whom are given priority based on factors such as low income and other barriers to higher education. Partnerships such as CEP are crucial to the region’s healthcare stakeholders because they promote accessibility and affordability for applicants who traditionally may not earn admission into a nursing program due to the competitive nature of impacted programs.
Golden West College’s nursing application cycle opens in March 2023, and more information can be found on the School of Nursing website.
Located in the coastal community of Huntington Beach, also known as “Surf City,” Golden West College is highly regarded for academic quality, comprehensive student support and innovation. Founded in 1965 as part of the multi-college Coast Community College District, GWC provides enriching, innovative and inclusive programming that helps students transfer to four-year institutions, earn associate degrees, complete certificates in career and technical education, and advance their careers.
