Southwestern’s practical nursing program and associate degree nursing program are both approved by the Iowa Board of Nursing, River Point Business Park, 400 S.W. 8th St., Suite B, Des Moines, IA  50309-4685.  In addition to state accreditation, Southwestern is also investigating national accreditation.  Graduates of SWCC's PN and ADN (RN) programs are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX) exam at the end of the one-year (PN) or two-year (RN) programs.  Our pass rates on the licensure exams during the past four years have averaged 93 percent for LPN and 90 percent for RNs.  Further information on the pass rates on the national licensure exams (NCLEX-PN and NCLEX-RN) are available on the Iowa Board of Nursing website. 

The curriculum offers students learning experiences in courses emphasizing concepts of the nursing process, the health-illness continuum, critical thinking, ethics, communications, the sciences, and the professional nursing practice role. Students spend time in the classroom and two days per week at a health care facility.  A variety of clinical sites provide excellent experiences with direct supervision by skilled clinical faculty.

SWCC’s nursing program has participated in the Iowa Articulation Plan and therefore graduates of SWCC’s associate degree nursing program have been able to articulate easily into four-year colleges' Bachelor of Science degree in nursing (BSN) programs in Iowa.  So, if your plan is to stay in Iowa and obtain your BSN from an Iowa school, SWCC is the place for you.  

1. Describe our business system, economic system, our legal aspects and the social responsibility of business.

2. Identify the characteristics of the sole proprietorship, the partnership, the corporation, and the cooperative forms of business ownership and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each form.

3. Participate in class activities that will develop oral and written communication skills, group work skills, and problem solving skills.

4. Understand the use of accepted accounting procedures for all levels of business activity and in all sizes of businesses from the small sole proprietorship to the large highly organized corporations.

5. Discuss how businesses account for their finances and report financial information to the public.

6. Explain the key aspects of managing a business, including information, supervisory, and inventory management along with the use of computer.

Criminal justice is an exciting and rewarding career choice for those who desire to find employment in a field which offers variety and new challenges on a daily basis. Individuals involved in criminal justice have opportunities to make contributions to their communities as well as society as a whole.  Southwestern's criminal justice program is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary for entry-level employment in the areas of law enforcement, courts, and/or corrections.  The program provides an interdisciplinary sequence of study merging the liberal arts and technical studies into a well-balanced curriculum.  This program does not replace the training requirements of the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA), however completion of the program can make students eligible for the eight-week ILEA.