DSU and UMary Team Up for Students - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

DSU and UMary Team Up for Students

The Blue Hawks and the Marauders are teaming up to recruit more students.

The University of Mary and Dickinson State University are collaborating to offer joint degree programs, including Masters degrees in nursing, education, counseling and business, attainable in just five years.

The western region is rapidly changing, and educational leaders say so are the needs for higher learning.

"Because of the engagement Dickinson State has with the citizens of this region, they continually talk with us about what they see as evolving needs, many of which are directly related to expanded and additional educational opportunities." says DSU president D.C. Coston.

"We have a wonderful opportunity, in a way of which is very nearly unprecedented, in a public/private partnership, to be able to bring the best of what both of our institutions know about and can do to serve students in a whole new way." says Father James Shea/UMary President.

The North Dakota University System Chancellor says this might be the first time a public and private institution have come together to serve students in this manner, in the state.

"It actually puts the students first, it's not about bureaucracy, it's not about the structure, it's not about ego, it's not about making money, it's about how to serve the region's students." says Dr. H.A. Shirvani/NDUS Chancellor.

Although the universities need to work out the details, they could launch the joint master's program as early as March.