LSU Shreveport and LSU Health Shreveport Partner to Launch “2+2” Degree Pathway in High-Demand Health Professions
Shreveport, La. – Louisiana students now have a faster, more affordable way to launch a healthcare career thanks to a new partnership between LSU Shreveport (LSUS) and LSU Health Shreveport (LSUHS). This new academic pathway creates a 2+2 program that allows students to complete their first two years at LSUS before transferring seamlessly to LSUHS to graduate with a degree in one of these programs:
- Bachelor of Science in Cardiovascular Technology
- Bachelor of Science in Cardiopulmonary Science
- Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science
The pathway will be officially launched, Friday July 25th during a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony at the LSUHS School of Health Professions and Sciences campus. These degrees lead to high-demand, high-impact careers such as a respiratory therapist, cardiovascular technologist or a medical laboratory scientist. These are roles that are vital to modern medicine and urgently needed across the state of Louisiana.
Dr. Sharon Dunn, Dean of the School of Health Professions and Sciences at LSUHS, calls the partnership “an exciting step forward” for students and families in the region.
“This new agreement is exciting because it facilitates a fast-track, seamless route to three hot health professions. Students will begin their bachelor’s degree at LSUS to complete the general education and prerequisite requirements for these professional programs, then finish with us at LSUHS-SHPS with a mechanism for guaranteed acceptance into these programs. We believe this will be an attractive option for students looking to reduce overall education costs and get into the workforce quickly in careers that are making a real difference.”
LSUS Provost Dr. Helen Taylor emphasized the student-centered mission behind the effort:
“We want to make a seamless pathway from the first two years of general education at LSU Shreveport to the health professions programs at LSUHS without students even noticing they’ve been at two different institutions. It’s a natural partnership with a focus on helping students get the credentials they need.”