The University of Iowa, pegged as one of the top nursing schools in the country by U.S. News & World Report, will cut 75 spots from its undergraduate program to put more energy into advanced degrees. The hope is to address the shortage of nurse faculty and nurse leaders in the state and across the country.

The school will add a doctor of nursing practice degree and improve its “second-degree” nursing program, which will allow those with bachelor’s degrees in another field to pursue a nursing career without repeating coursework.

Though the BSN program will be cut in half, the college claims that new avenues and opportunities will be open to more nurses.

Sources: DesMoinesRegister.com and University of Iowa press release