Program Coordinator/Contact
Standard Option, Brookings
Laura Jacobs, Nursing Student Services
SDSU Wagner Hall 335E
Brookings, SD 57007
605-688-4106 or 1-888-216-9806 ext. 2
Standard Option, Rapid City
Gale Folsland, Advisor
BHSU - Rapid City, Room 114H
4300 Cheyenne Blvd
Box Elder, SD 57719
605-718-4369 or 605-394-2880 (Messages)
Standard Option, Sioux Falls
Ali Christopherson, Academic Advisor/Coordinator
College of Nursing, SDSU
2300 N. Career Avenue
Sioux Falls, SD 57107
605-367-5636
Program Information
The Bachelor 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 professional program 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.
- Integrate behaviors that reflect nursing values and professional standards into practice.
- Provide patient-centered, quality care.
- Improve population health through health promotion and disease prevention.
Delivery Options
Three types of undergraduate curricula lead to the Bachelor of Science with a major in nursing: one for standard students, one for RNs who are academically prepared at the associate degree and now seek a bachelor’s degree, and the accelerated option for students with non-nursing baccalaureate degrees who wish to obtain a degree in nursing. The Standard Option is designed to meet the educational needs of persons who are not registered nurses and can be completed in two and a half years on the Brookings and Rapid City campuses. The program is a year-round program completed in twenty months on the Sioux Falls campus. Information about the Accelerated and RN to B.S.N. programs is available in the subsequent sections.
Standard B.S. Program Admission
Admissions Application Dates
- September 25 is the priority admission application deadline to enter in the Spring Semester.
- January 25 is the priority admission application deadline to enter in the Fall Semester.
- The Brookings and Rapid City sites admit students to the professional program for both the Fall and Spring semesters.
- The Sioux Falls site admits students to the professional program for the Spring semester.
Direct Admit Admission Requirements
High school seniors who wish to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from South Dakota State University have the option to apply for the Direct Admit program. The Direct Admit program guarantees admission into the professional program prior to the competitive selection process, for students who meet specific, pre-established criteria. Students who do not meet the criteria for the Direct Admit program can apply for admission to the professional nursing program as part of a competitive application process, as long as all application requirements have been met.
Selection Criteria for the Direct Admit Program
To be considered for the Direct Admit program, applicants must:
- be admitted as a first-time freshman nursing major at SDSU main campus in Brookings,
- have a minimum 27 composite score on the ACT (SAT equivalent 1280), and
- submit the College of Nursing Direct Admit Application.
Direct Admit students are provisionally admitted to the professional program. They must meet a specific set of requirements during their first three semesters in order to begin the professional program at the start of the fourth semester. Once admitted in the fall of their freshman year, Direct Admit students must:
- be enrolled as a full-time student each semester,
- participate in the Fishback Honors College and meet the Fishback Honors College progression standards required for priority registration each semester (students with a 27 or higher ACT are automatically admitted to Fishback Honors College),
- apply to the professional nursing major* before or during their 3rd semester on campus, once all Pre-Nursing courses are completed or in progress, and
- complete the following core requirements with a letter grade of ‘C’ or higher:
- One course from the System General Education Requirement (SGR) #1: Written Communication list
- One course from the System General Education Requirement (SGR) #2: Oral Communication list
- One course from the System General Education Requirement (SGR) #4: Humanities list
- System General Education Requirement (SGR) #5: Mathematics
- NURS 119 - First Year Seminar (COM)
- earn a letter grade of ‘C’ or higher (no D, F, or Withdrawal grades) in all required Pre-Nursing courses:
*Application to the nursing major is required for validation and site placement purposes. Students must pass a background check and drug screening after provisional acceptance into the nursing major.
If a Direct Admit student does not maintain eligibility, their application to the Nursing major will be considered in the competitive application pool, as long as application requirements have been met.
Competitive Admission Requirements
To be considered for competitive admission to the Standard Option, students must have:
- a cumulative GPA of 2.7
- a pre-nursing course GPA of 2.7
- a grade of ‘C’ or higher in all completed courses required for graduation,
- completed the following core requirements
- One course from the System General Education Requirement (SGR) #1: Written Communication list
- One course from the System General Education Requirement (SGR) #2: Oral Communication list
- One course from the System General Education Requirement (SGR) #4: Humanities list
- System General Education Requirement (SGR) #5: Mathematics
- NURS 119 - First Year Seminar (COM)
- earned a letter grade of ‘C’ or higher in all required Pre-Nursing courses:
Any student eligible for regular admission to SDSU who plans to enroll in the College of Nursing, Department of Undergraduate Nursing, can be accepted into nursing and will have an academic advisor from the College of Nursing. During the semester in which students are completing their final Pre-Nursing courses, they apply for admission to the professional program. Applicants with courses in progress at the time of application will be required to provide proof of enrollment in those courses with the application form.
Fulfillment of course and application requirements does not ensure admission. The number of students admitted to the professional program may vary depending upon available clinical facilities, qualified faculty and resources.
Additional Coursework Policies
Students who fail (earned a “D” or “F”) two or more of the Pre-Nursing lab science courses (CHEM 106 and CHEM 106L or CHEM 112 and CHEM 112L ; MICR 231 and MICR 231L ; BIOL 221 and BIOL 221L ; BIOL 325 and BIOL 325L ), within the past 5 years will not be admitted to the professional program. Students who fail one Pre-Nursing course (CHEM 106 and CHEM 106L or CHEM 112 and CHEM 112L ; MICR 231 and MICR 231L ; BIOL 221 and BIOL 221L ; BIOL 325 and BIOL 325L ; PSYC 101 ; one of the following: SOC 100 , SOC 150 , SOC 240 , or ANTH 210 ; NUTR 315 ; HDFS 210 ), and repeat and fail the same course a second time within the past 5 years, will not be admitted to the professional program. 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 standards of the assigned clinical agencies. These requirements are presented in detail in the College of Nursing Undergraduate Handbook. This includes but is 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 within the last five years 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. Additionally, students must obtain a letter from the Dean or Director of the former institution identifying whether the student is not continuing in the program at that institution for any reasons other than lack of academic success or personal choice. The Dean or Director of the former program is asked to identify if the student would be recommended for continuation in pursuit of a nursing degree, recommended with reservation or not recommended. A form is available from Nursing Student Services which can be utilized for this purpose. Being enrolled in clinical courses and courses that are normally associated with having started the nursing program at that institution serves as the definition of beginning a nursing program for this requirement.
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 a student with English as a Second Language to complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), DuoLingo 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 Office of International Affairs lists waiver countries on their website and has information about these tests, however, the College of Nursing minimum scores are higher than those of the University to align with the national standards in nursing. The minimum TOEFL score required for admission to the professional program is 79 (iBT), with a minimum speaking score of 26. The required IELTS band score for admission to the professional program is 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each module. The minimum DuoLingo score is 110. The TOEFL, IELTS or DuoLingo 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 professional program and the student is responsible for all testing fees.
Academic Requirements
A GPA of 2.5 or higher is required for continuation in the professional program and graduation from the College of Nursing. A grade of “C” or higher is required in all courses required for graduation. Students may repeat one failed professional program course with permission from the College of Nursing. Upon failing a second professional program course, the student is dismissed from the major. A student who needs to repeat a failed professional program 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 professional program 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 conduct inconsistent with the Code of Ethics for Nurses or legal requirements.
Course Delivery Format
The professional program combines 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 clinical learning experiences in health care facilities and in community settings.
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