Beginning in fall 2008, the University of Southern Indiana will begin teaching students in its new Doctor of Nursing Practice program. The blended program will combine online learning with on-campus coursework. A Courier Press article describes the doctorate:

"The College of Nursing and Health Professions proposed the nursing degree as the first doctoral program to be offered at USI. The program would serve Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) graduates who are currently practicing as nurse educators, Nurse practitioners, or nurse administrators. The DNP is an alternative to research-focused doctorates in nursing and is comparable to practice doctorates in pharmacy and physical therapy."

Medical degrees (particularly at the doctorate level) are practically impossible to do effectively via online learning alone. Blended programs such as this provide students with the best of both worlds (real-life practice and flexible independent study).