While many nursing jobs used to require only an associate's degree or hospital diploma for qualification, nursing employers are increasingly looking for graduates of accredited four-year colleges and universities. These schools offer four-year programs in many fields including nursing, typically culminating in the conferral of a bachelor's degree. A four-year program can provide well-rounded education in the nursing and healthcare field, including specialized information on personal care, midwifery, and other medical fields. A bachelor's degree also lays the groundwork for more advanced nursing positions, such as advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) or a supervisory nursing role, which require a master's degree.
The state of Connecticut has 13 four-year colleges and universities with accredited nursing programs. Several of the state's most well-established nursing schools are Yale University in New Haven, University of Connecticut in Storrs, and Fairfield University. These universities offer a range of specialized nursing programs depending upon your chosen career path; UConn alone has five distinct graduate certificate programs including mental health nursing and maternal health. Major Connecticut employers like Genesis Healthcare, Yale New Haven Hospital, and Aetna will look favorably upon the advanced degrees conferred by these institutions.