A direct-admission Nursing degree program and three new majors are the latest additions to Butler University’s robust health-related offerings, an area that has experienced tremendous growth in the last decade.
Nursing
New Nursing degree gets students to bedsides in first year
In May 2024, the Indiana State Board of Nursing accredited a brand-new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree at Butler University.
“It’s a rare opportunity to build a Nursing program at a time when the healthcare field—and patients’ needs—are so dynamic,” says Dr. Seth Carey, the program’s Founding Director. “Butler is well-positioned to be on the cutting edge of healthcare training so our graduates can be ready for the future.”
Two significant features of Butler’s Nursing program are:
- Direct admission—Unlike many other Nursing programs, Butler’s admitted students are automatically enrolled in the Nursing program starting their first year, with no need for additional applications.
- Clinical practice in the first year—Students will be in clinical settings by the second semester, allowing them early access to internships and job opportunities.
“Our program arose from working groups with healthcare institutions in the city. One of our goals was to get students to the bedside sooner,” says Dr. Jennifer Snyder ’97, Associate Dean, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (COPHS). “The more time a student gets to spend with patients, the better professionals they will be.”
The need for nurses is enormous and still growing. Indiana is projected to need an additional 5,000 nurses by 2031, mirroring a national demand driven by a systemic nursing shortage.
“Butler is responding to a clear need for highly trained nursing talent in our state,” says Dr. Robert Soltis ’87, COPHS Dean. “This degree is a natural extension of Butler’s other top programs in health sciences, including our nationally renowned Pharmacy and PA (Physician Assistant) programs.”
Applications will be accepted beginning August 1 for a fall 2025 launch. More information can be found online at butler.edu/nursing.
Kinesiology
New Kinesiology Major Reflects ‘Flexible’ Curriculum
No one is more excited about the new Kinesiology major than Program Director Dr. Tom Parry, who cites the program’s relationship with Butler Athletics as one of its biggest advantages.
“Other universities are geared toward research, but being Butler, we are centered on student experience. “The Athletics department is really on board and sees value in Kinesiology,” he says.
Students will get hands-on experience with equipment they may see on the job as well as practical visits and internships with community partners like Ascension St. Vincent and Forte Sports Medicine.
“These are premium internship sites, and they’re very open to having our students shadow practitioners,” says Parry. “There are so many opportunities in the Indianapolis area for internships. We’re connecting with professional sports teams to see how we can help.”
The flexible curriculum with two concentrations is based on human movement and its relationship to biomechanics, exercise physiology, and sport and exercise psychology.
“Whatever related area a student wants to go into, they can learn concepts and theories in Kinesiology they can readily apply in real-world careers,” says Parry.
Learn more about the Kinesiology program at butler.edu/kinesiology.
Neuroscience
New Neuroscience major suits Butler’s many disciplines
Butler will welcome its first class of Neuroscience majors this fall, and Program Director Dr. Tara Lineweaver ’91 believes it perfectly fits the University’s approach to teaching.
“Neuroscience is interdisciplinary. It’s about understanding the brain from many perspectives, which means we interact with a lot of different fields in many different ways,” she says. “Butler aims to help students recognize that there are numerous approaches to understanding what’s happening in society and the world. We have the advantage of a large faculty who have such diverse interests.”
Neuroscience majors often transfer from other majors or pursue combinations of majors, many who wish to take advantage of Neuroscience’s research opportunities. She cites existing relationships with several Indiana University labs, along with community internships with psychology offices and mental health organizations.
“Some of our graduates will seek professional degrees in medicine or law, some will pursue graduate school in fields such as psychology, biology, or computer science, and many will eventually become physicians, PAs, neurobiologists, or clinical neuropsychologists,” says Lineweaver. “This degree opens doors and makes our students well-rounded people.”
Learn more about the program at butler.edu/neuroscience.
Public Health
New Public Health major is ‘redefining a college education’
The pandemic kick-started a long-simmering interest in developing a Public Health degree at Butler, says Christopher Stobart, Program Director.
“All parts of public health were challenged. Jobs were created overnight that no one had thought about, and we were seeing students leave Butler with valuable traditional degrees but not necessarily ready for the changed workplace,” Stobart says.
As soon as conversations for a Public Health major began in 2021, the response from Butler faculty was immediate.
“There was a callout across campus: ‘If you’re interested in helping develop a Public Health program, let’s meet.’ Every single college showed up. With the pandemic, everybody could see natural connections to public health that were essential to their areas of expertise and wanted to be involved,” says Stobart.
The major gives students the ability to consider the many variables that impact health. How one looks at those factors reflects their public health focus, he says. Faculty wanted a highly customizable major to allow students to find their niche under the Public Health umbrella. After a common core set of classes, the biggest part of the major comprises electives so each student can create an education that aligns with their career pursuits.
“This major is a reflection of where future academia is going. We are redefining a college education. I promise every student will be captivated by something they learn.”
More about the Public Health major can be found at butler.edu/public-health.