Newswise — TAMPA, Fla. – The Cardiovascular Sonography Program at Nova Southeastern University’s (NSU) College of Health Care Sciences has received national accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Joint Review Committee on Education in Cardiovascular Technology (JRC-CVT). The new accreditation will be effective March 21, 2014 through March 31, 2019.

“This is a major milestone for our Cardiovascular Sonography Program and demonstrates Nova Southeastern University’s commitment to providing the highest level of health care education to our students,” said Stanley Wilson, P.T., Ed.D., CEAS, dean of NSU’s College of Health Care Sciences.

“This accreditation will be instrumental in recruitment and advancing our efforts on behalf of the students,” added Sam Yoders, M.H.S., R.V.T., director of NSU’s Cardiovascular Sonography Program.

The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) is the largest programmatic accreditor in the health sciences field. In collaboration with its Committees on Accreditation, CAAHEP reviews and accredits more than 2,000 educational programs in 24 health science occupations. The CAAHEP is recognized by the Council for Higher Education (CHEA), and is also a member of the Association for Specialized & Professional Accreditors (ADPA.)

The Bachelor of Science in Cardiovascular Sonography degree program is designed to prepare students for entry-level positions in the field of cardiovascular sonography. Students take a series of online courses at the undergraduate level accompanied by on-campus lectures integrated with ultrasound labs to prepare them for a clinical externship during the second year.

Graduates of the NSU Tampa Cardiovascular Sonography Program are eligible to apply for both the adult echocardiography and the non-invasive vascular technology professional registry exams offered by the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS), and/or the corresponding credentials offered by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI.)

Open house sessions for prospective students for the Cardiovascular Sonography Program will be held on Thursday, April 24 at noon and 6:30 p.m. at the Tampa Campus, located at 3632 Queen Palm Drive in Sabal Park. For more information on the open house contact Kimberly Shaw, (813) 574-5271.

###Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs1361 Park StreetClearwater, Florida 33756(727) 210-2350www.caahep.org

About NSU’s College of Health Care Sciences: NSU’s College of Health Care Sciences strives to provide professionals with the skills necessary for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease and disability in order to assure optimum health conditions in the community and beyond. With an unwavering commitment to ethical practice and in support of NSU’s Core Values, the college endeavors to advance research, scholarship, and the development of leadership skills utilizing traditional educational methods, distance learning, and innovative combinations of both to achieve its educational goals. For more information, please visit http://www.nova.edu/chcs.

About Nova Southeastern University: Situated on 314 beautiful acres in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a dynamic fully accredited research institution dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs at all levels. NSU is a not-for-profit independent institution with 27,000 students. NSU awards associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, doctoral and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields. NSU is classified as a research university with “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and it is one of only 37 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie’s Community Engagement Classification. For more information, please visit www.nova.edu. Celebrating 50 years of academic excellence!