ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (June 20, 2008) St. Petersburg College today added another partner institution to the 16 colleges and universities from around the country that offer degrees in Pinellas County through SPC’s University Partnership Center (UPC).
National University of Health Sciences in Lombard, Ill., hopes to begin offering classes in Pinellas by fall 2009. Like other institutions affiliated with the UPC, National will partner with St. Petersburg College for classroom space and support services so that students can study at National without leaving Pinellas County.
In addition, St. Petersburg College is looking at whether it should develop programs of study in complementary and integrative health fields and, if so, what those should be.
Mainstream complementary and integrative health fields, which augment traditional medicine, are booming. They can include such areas as acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy, exercise and nutrition and naturopathy.
Each of the nation’s top medical schools, including Harvard, Stanford, Duke, Johns Hopkins and the University of Pennsylvania, now offers training in complementary and integrative medical techniques, either as part of the core curriculum or as continuing education.
Most professional sports teams and many universities now include a chiropractor or other integrative health professional on its medical roster.
National offers advanced degrees in chiropractic medicine, naturopathic medicine, oriental medicine and acupuncture. It also offers bachelor’s degrees and certificate programs in areas such as massage therapy, biomedical science and chiropractic assistant.
It is the only school in the country that requires a bachelor’s degree for those entering the chiropractic medical program and is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.
“We are pleased to have an institution like National among our education partners,” SPC President Carl M. Kuttler Jr. said. “We see this as an exciting addition to our University Partnership Center, especially as we are looking at whether St. Petersburg College should expand our offerings to include complementary and integrative health services to new students and to practicing professionals.”
St. Petersburg College offers bachelor’s degrees in nursing, orthotics and prosthetics, health services administration and dental hygiene along with associate degrees and certifications in a range of health-related areas.
Through its University Partnership Center, students also can earn a bachelor’s in health services from Florida Gulf Coast University; a doctorate in nursing practice from Case Western Reserve University; a doctorate in pharmacy from the University of Florida; a master’s in clinical medical science physician’s assistant from Barry University; a master’s in exercise science from Barry; a master’s in sports management from Barry; a master’s in public health from Barry; a master’s in nursing education from the University of South Florida; and a master’s in nursing forensics from Cleveland State University.
The University of Florida also has a dental residency program at St.
Petersburg College.
St. Petersburg College was founded in 1927 as a two-year institution of higher learning. Known then as St. Petersburg Junior College, it provided high-quality, fully-accredited programs with credits that were fully transferable to four-year institutions. In 2001, the Florida Legislature passed legislation allowing the college to offer four-year degrees. In response, the college dropped the word “junior” from its name and became St.
Petersburg College. Today, St. Petersburg College offers programs at learning sites in St. Petersburg, Seminole, Clearwater, Tarpon Springs and elsewhere. It also offers courses and degree programs online.