A statue of a moose, the school mascot, at the University of Maine at Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal, file

The University of Maine at Machias will offer a bachelor’s degree in nursing starting next year through a partnership with the University of Maine at Augusta, university administrators announced Sunday.

In a new program called the Downeast Nursing Track, students living on the Machias campus or in the region can complete the coursework for the UMA degree on the Machias campus or online. Students will be jointly enrolled in both schools and simultaneously earn a bachelor of nursing degree from UMA and a bachelor of college studies degree from UMaine Machias.

Students in the program will learn from UMA nursing faculty online, as well as UMaine Machias faculty, who will teach introductory and general education courses.

They will also have access to UMA’s nursing simulation lab and can conduct their clinical work at Down East Community Hospital, Calais Community Hospital or other local health care institutions.

“The initiative addresses student interest as well as the high demand for skilled healthcare providers, particularly in Washington County,” Joan Ferrini-Mundy, president of UMaine and UMaine Machias, said in a statement. “The agreement takes advantage of the University of Maine System’s unified accreditation and commitment to opportunity and collaboration among its institutions and faculty.”

The new nursing track comes as higher education institutions adapt to meet a shortage of nurses and other health care workers.

The number of registered nurses in Maine increased slightly from 14,490 in 2019 to 14,610 in 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, there are areas of acute shortages, including direct care nurses and some hospital departments, leaving many hospitals reliant on traveling nurses.

Maine’s population also continues to grow and age, while the overall health care practitioner workforce has shrunk in recent years.

The UMaine system previously launched Machias Nursing Pathways in 2022, which allows students to complete the first two semesters of their nursing education at UMaine Machias but requires them to finish the degree at UMaine’s flagship school in Orono.