Program Coordinator/Contact
Accelerated Option, Sioux Falls
Camilla Veire, Advisor
College of Nursing, SDSU
2300 N. Career Avenue
Sioux Falls, SD 57107
605-367-8400
Email: SDSU.SiouxFallsNursing@sdstate.edu
Accelerated Option, Aberdeen
Sara Olson, Advisor
Northern State University, SDSU
1200 S. Jay Street
Aberdeen, SD 57401
605-626-2427
E-mail: SDSU.AberdeenNursing@sdstate.edu
Program Information
The bachelors of science in nursing program prepares graduates to practice in both hospital and non-hospital settings and have the foundation for advanced study in nursing. The curriculum includes university core requirements, major support courses in communication and the social, physical, and biological sciences, and nursing major courses. This education provides the foundation for the development of professional knowledge, critical thinking, ethical decision-making, leadership skills and pursuit of high standards in health care to influence quality health outcomes.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Integrate theories and concepts from liberal education into nursing practice.
- Integrate effective leadership skills to improve the quality of health care.
- Incorporate evidence-based practice.
- Demonstrate proficiency in patient care technologies and informatics.
- Evaluate the implications of health policy and health care delivery systems on the professional nursing practice environment.
- Integrate effective interprofessional communication and collaboration into professional nursing practice.
- Improve population health through health promotion and disease prevention.
- Integrate behaviors that reflect nursing values and professional standards into practice.
- Provide patient-centered, quality care.
Program Delivery Options
The Accelerated Option is for students who have completed a Bachelor’s degree in any field and wish to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. The program takes 12 months to complete and starts once a year at University Center in Sioux Falls (August) and at the SDSU Aberdeen campus located on Northern State University (January). Students take coursework and participate in lecture, on-campus labs, and clinical rotations in Sioux Falls or Aberdeen respectively and surrounding communities.
Program Admission
Admission Application Deadline Dates
- Sioux Falls Accelerated Option, January 25.
- Aberdeen Accelerated Option, June 1.
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission to the Accelerated Option, students must have:
- a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or higher,
- a pre-nursing GPA of 3.0 or higher,
- a grade of “C” or higher in all completed nursing major support courses and courses meeting general education and institutional requirements.
- Students may apply when they have completed at least six of the pre-nursing courses AND have at least two of the remaining four pre-nursing courses in progress.
Any student eligible for regular admission to SDSU who plans to enroll in the College of Nursing and Department of Undergraduate Nursing is accepted into pre-nursing and has an academic advisor from the College of Nursing. During the semester in which students complete their final pre-nursing required courses, they apply for admission to the nursing major. Applicants with courses in progress at the time of application will be required to provide written documentation of their registration in those courses with the application form. Students should refer to the NursingCAS website (http://www.nursingcas.org/) for application directions to complete the application.
Fulfillment of course and application requirements does not ensure admission. The number of students accepted to enroll in the nursing major may vary depending upon available clinical facilities, qualified faculty and funds. The admission process includes an interview with the Undergraduate Admission and Scholastic Standards Committee and/or additional undergraduate faculty. Students who want to enter the nursing major are required to submit an application for admission to the major. Prior to applying to any option, all students must apply for admission to SDSU.
Additional Coursework Policies
Students who have failed (earned a “D” or “F”) in two or more of the pre-nursing science courses (CHEM 106-106L or CHEM 112-112L, or CHEM 108-108L or CHEM 114-114L; MICR 231-231L; BIOL 221-221L, BIOL 325-325L), will not be admitted to the Nursing Major. Students who have failed one pre-nursing course (CHEM 106/106L or CHEM 112-112L, CHEM 108-108L or CHEM 114-114L; MICR 231-231L; BIOL 221-221L, BIOL 325-325L; PSYC 101; one of the following: SOC 100, SOC 150, or SOC 240; NUTR 315; HDFS 210), repeated and failed the same course a second time will not be admitted to the Nursing Major. If the failure is over five years old, it does not count as a failure. Students who have taken Anatomy or Physiology more than seven years prior to their admission date will be required to update these courses.
Nursing Regulations
Students in the College of Nursing are governed by the regulations and policies that apply to all students at SDSU but are also governed by requirements of the College of Nursing, professional standards and those of the clinical agencies in which they have clinical. These requirements are presented in detail on the College of Nursing Compliance webpage and in the College of Nursing Undergraduate Handbook. This include but are not limited to health requirements, immunizations, background checks, and drug screens.
Transfer Students
Transfer students who have begun but not completed a bachelor’s in nursing program at another college or university must submit a letter to the College of Nursing indicating their reason for transfer. They must also apply for admission to SDSU, as well as to the College of Nursing. Three letters of recommendation must also be submitted to the College of Nursing: one from the dean/director of their former program and two from faculty members stating they left in good standing.
Language Proficiency
As the nurse is a professional who deals with human lives, it is mandatory that a higher level of English fluency be met in order to ensure the safety of clients and students. The English as a Second Language requirement for the College of Nursing is the same as that required by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. The College of Nursing requires all students who meet the definition of student with English as a Second Language to complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or an accepted substitute. English as a Second Language is defined as a student who was instructed and spoke primarily in a language other than English in the K-12 grades or primary and secondary schooling. The minimum TOEFL score required for admission to the nursing major is 84 (iBT), with a minimum speaking score of 26. The required IELTS band score for admission to the nursing major is 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each module. The TOEFL or IELTS is required for all students for whom English is a second language, regardless of residency status. These scores are required before the student will be accepted into the major. The student is responsible for all testing fees.
Academic Requirements
A GPA of 2.5 or higher is required for continuation in the nursing major. A grade of “C” or higher is required in all nursing courses. Students may repeat one failed nursing course with permission. Upon failing a second nursing course, the student is dismissed from the program. A student who needs to retake a failed course is re-enrolled in the course on a space available basis. A student who fails a course due to unsafe practice in a clinical experience will not be eligible for readmission to the nursing major, unless evidence is submitted that the unsafe behaviors have been corrected.
All undergraduate and graduate nursing students are expected to adhere to the principles of the Code of Ethics for Nurses (American Nurses Association, 2015). The Code of Ethics for Nurses communicates a standard of professional behavior expected throughout the total program and in each individual nursing course. Therefore, in addition to dismissal for academic failure, the faculty and administration of the Departments of Undergraduate Nursing and Graduate Nursing reserve the right to dismiss any student enrolled in either the undergraduate or graduate program for unethical, dishonest, illegal, or other conduct that is inconsistent with the Code of Ethics for Nurses.
Accreditation, Certification, and Licensure
Accreditation
The baccalaureate degree in nursing, master’s degree in nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs at South Dakota State University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (www.aacn.nche.edu/ccne-accreditation).
Approval
The College of Nursing programs are approved by the South Dakota Board of Nursing.
Licensure
Candidates for graduation in the standard and accelerated curriculum meet the educational requirements to take the National Council Licensure Examination-RN (NCLEX-RN) for licensure as registered nurses. Licensure as a registered nurse (RN) is required by law in every state in order to practice professional nursing.
Course Delivery Format
The Nursing program promotes a combination of lecture and hands-on experiences that teach students to practice nursing with expertise, professionalism, and a passion for helping others. The faculty engage students in classroom, online, simulation laboratory, and field based learning experiences in health care facilities and in community settings.
