Practical Nursing Hybrid E-Degree

E-Degree part-time applications are accepted from April 1, 2024 until October 1, 2024 for the spring 2025 program.

E-Degree full-time applications are accepted from September 1, 2023 – February 1, 2024 for the fall 2024 program.

Few career fields are as rewarding—or as challenging. Nurses must be able to utilize the latest medical technology at the direct and critical level of patient care. In addition to knowledge, the best nurses are also responsible, compassionate, and ultimately motivated by a sincere desire to help people.

Lake Area Tech’s high standard of nursing education will prepare you to give excellent care to obstetrical, pediatric, medical, psychiatric, surgical and geriatric patients. After completing the hybrid Practical Nursing program, you may choose to test for your LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) license and enter the workforce, or test and apply for a second year to become a Registered Nurse through Lake Area Tech’s Registered Nursing program. This will allow you to prepare for your RN exam without ever leaving the Lake Area Tech campus. 

What is a Nursing E-Degree?

In addition to our on-campus nursing options, Lake Area Tech offers a hybrid e-degree curriculum that includes both on-campus and online training. The theory portion of the coursework will be completed online while clinical hours and simulation labs will be completed on-campus.

How do I prepare for a Practical Nursing E-Degree?

Because Practical Nursing is demanding, it is recommended that students complete a portion of the following corequisite courses prior to starting the program. Completion of some or majority of these courses constitutes a more competitive application to the nursing program. See Application Process.

BIOL – Human Anatomy			4
ENGL 101 Composition			3
MATH 103 Mathematical Reasoning	or	MATH 114 College Algebra	3
MA 115 Medical Terminology			3
PSYCH 101 General Psychology			3

How does the Practical Nursing E-Degree work?

The hybrid e-degree is a blend of on-campus and online learning. You will complete the theory portion of all nursing courses online. You will also visit the Lake Area Tech campus for required clinical experiences, which will be organized into a short, intense time frame to reduce your travel.

Why E-Degree?

Lake Area Tech E-Degrees are “hybrid” education – an innovative blend of distance and on-campus learning. With hybrid education, you get maximum time/location flexibility and crucial clinical experience.

How long will this E-Degree take?

11 months (full-time) or 18 months (part-time).

Application Process

Detailed steps to complete the application process can be found on the Application Process page. Applicants who do not meet the criteria for Automatic Acceptance (see below) should follow the regular application process that includes:

• Submitting the online application and fee using the Online Application.
• Completing the ATI-TEAS entrance exam. 
• Submitting official high school and college transcripts.
• Verifying completed application with the Admission Assistant at 1-800-657-4344 Ext. 290.

Applicants will be notified of acceptance or denial by letter.

Automatic Acceptance Criteria

Automatic early acceptance into the Practical Nursing program is based on the following criteria:

• ACT score of 24 or better/Accuplacer score of 263 or better/TEAS composite 75% or better (only need one of these)
• Most recent GPA of 3.5 or better/GED test score of 600
• At least 6 credits of completed LPN general education courses
  Applicants MUST meet all three criteria to reach automatic acceptance. The applicant does not have to take the TEAS exam if they meet the ACT or Accuplacer testing scores and he or she does not have to wait until the February 1 deadline to know their status.

Accreditation

The Practical Nursing Program at Lake Area Technical College located in Watertown, South Dakota is accredited by the:

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 975-5000

The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Practical Nursing Program is Continuing Accreditation.

View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program

South Dakota Board of Nursing
4305 S. Louise Ave. Suite 201
Sioux Falls, SD 57106-3115 Phone: (605) 362-2760 state.sd.us/doh/nursing

Professional Licensure

Lake Area Technical College’s curriculum for Practical Nursing meets the educational requirements for professional licensure in South Dakota and other states. Professional licensure and certification requirements often vary from state to state. Prospective or current students considering an academic program that leads to a professional license or certification are strongly encouraged to seek guidance from the appropriate licensing agency in the state you plan to work before beginning an affiliated academic program. Read more here and/or view the states in which Lake Area Tech meets professional licensure requirements: Professional Licensure Disclosures.

Will you be a successful online student?

Do you have what it takes to be a successful hybrid/online learner? Find out by taking this brief survey covering topics related to online learning such as study habits, learning preferences, self-directedness, technology skills, and computer equipment capabilities. Upon completion of the survey, you’ll be given feedback regarding how successful you’d be an as online student based on the answers you provided. The survey is strictly a tool for you to use when weighing the pros and cons of online learning. The results are not used in determining your admission into the program, should you choose to apply. Take this short Online Survey!

Earning an online degree in Practical Nursing is possible! Give us a call today or contact us online with any questions you might have.