Nursing (B.S.N.)

Program Delivery Options

Two types of undergraduate curricula lead to the Bachelor of Science with a major in nursing: one for standard, online, and accelerated option students and one for RNs who are academically prepared at the associate degree who are seeking a bachelor’s degree.

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 20 months on the Sioux Falls campus. Information about the Accelerated, Online, and RN to B.S.N. programs is available in the subsequent sections.

The Online B.S.N. option is available only to students located in South Dakota. Theory courses are completed online (blend of synchronous and asynchronous methods). Students will complete some clinical on campus at one of our SDSU College of Nursing sites in Brookings, Sioux Falls, or Rapid City and a blend of traditional and precepted clinical experiences primarily in their home communities (contingent on available partnerships).

Standard B.S.N. Program Admission

Admissions Application Dates

Refer to the SDSU College of Nursing website for admission application deadlines.

Early Assurance Program

Our College of Nursing Early Assurance Program allows high school senior students to apply for early assurance admission in the B.S.N. program directly from high school. Students complete three semesters of pre-nursing coursework, while maintaining eligibility requirements and then move seamlessly into the B.S.N. program and earn a degree five semesters later.

Qualifications for the Early Assurance Program

To be considered for the Early Assurance Program, applicants must:

• be admitted as a first-time freshman nursing major at SDSU,
• have a minimum 27 composite score on the ACT (SAT equivalent 1280) and 
• submit the College of Nursing Early Assurance Program Application.

Requirements to Maintain Eligibility in the Early Assurance Program

Early Assurance students are conditionally admitted to the professional program. Students must meet and maintain the following requirements for all pre-nursing semesters:

• be enrolled as a full-time student each semester prior to beginning the B.S.N. program,
• participate in the Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College and meet the Honors College progression standards,
• a grade of “C” or higher in all completed pre-nursing courses (on first attempt) required for graduation (no D, F, or withdrawal grades). Failure in any pre-nursing courses will disqualify the student from participation in the Early Assurance Program,
• complete the Early Assurance Program Verification form while completing your final nursing prerequisite courses.

Guaranteed Admission Program

Students in the Applied Health Sciences degree at Black Hills State University (Rapid City) are guaranteed admission to SDSU’s Rapid City Standard B.S.N. program as long as they meet the following requirements:

• be enrolled as an applied health science student at Black Hills State University,
• overall GPA of 2.700,
• a grade of “C” or higher in all completed courses required for graduation,
• all other admission requirements to SDSU and the B.S.N. program,
• complete the Guaranteed Admission Program Verification form the semester prior to beginning the B.S.N. program.

Competitive Admission Requirements

To be considered for competitive admission to the Standard Option, students must have:

• a cumulative GPA of 2.700
• 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) #3 Social Sciences (must meet the Civics requirement)
  • 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:
  • CHEM 106  and CHEM 106L  or CHEM 108  and CHEM 108L  or CHEM 112  and CHEM 112L  or CHEM 114  and CHEM 114L  
  • NUTR 315   
  • MICR 231  and MICR 231L  
  • PSYC 101  
  • SOC 100 , SOC 150 , SOC 240 , or ANTH 210     
  • BIOL 221  and BIOL 221L  
  • BIOL 325  and BIOL 325L  
  • HDFS 210  

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.

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 Student Handbook. This includes but is not limited to health requirements, immunizations, background checks, and drug screens.

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. 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.

Requirements for Nursing Major: 120 Credits

Bachelor of Science in Nursing 

System General Education Requirements

• Goal #1 Written Communication: SGR #1 Electives Credits: 6   
• Goal #2 Oral Communication: SGR #2 Elective Credits: 3  
• Goal #3 Social Sciences: SOC 100 - Introduction to Sociology (COM) [SGR #3, HSDC] Credits: 3  or SOC 150 - Social Problems (COM) [SGR #3, HSDC] Credits: 3  or SOC 240 - The Sociology of Rural America (COM) [SGR #3, HSDC] Credits: 3  or ANTH 210 - Cultural Anthropology (COM) [SGR #3, HSDC] Credits: 3  and SGR #3 Electives Credits: 3  
• Goal #4 Arts and Humanities: SGR #4 Electives Credits: 6  
• Goal #5 Mathematics: SGR #5 Elective Credits: 3  
• Goal #6 Natural Sciences:
  • CHEM 106 - Chemistry Survey (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 3  and CHEM 106L - Chemistry Survey Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1  
    or CHEM 108 - Organic and Biochemistry (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 4  and CHEM 108L - Organic and Biochemistry Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1  
    or CHEM 112 - General Chemistry I (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 3  and CHEM 112L - General Chemistry I Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1  
    or CHEM 114 - General Chemistry II (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 3  and CHEM 114L - General Chemistry II Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1  
  • MICR 231 - General Microbiology (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 3  and MICR 231L - General Microbiology Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1  

Pre-Nursing Requirements

• BIOL 221 - Human Anatomy (COM) Credits: 3
• BIOL 221L - Human Anatomy Lab (COM) Credits: 1
• BIOL 325 - Physiology (COM) Credits: 3
• BIOL 325L - Physiology Lab (COM) Credits: 1
• HDFS 210 - Lifespan Development (COM) [SGR #3, HSDC] Credits: 3
• NURS 119 - First Year Seminar (COM) Credits: 2
• NUTR 315 - Human Nutrition (COM) Credits: 3
• PSYC 101 - General Psychology (COM) [SGR #3, HSDC] Credits: 3

Major Requirements

• NURS 225 - Clinical Application I Credits: 3
• NURS 228 - Assessment of Individuals and Populations Across the Lifespan Credits: 4
• NURS 246 - Professional and Population Health Nursing I Credits: 2
• NURS 323 - Introduction to Pathophysiology Credits: 3
• NURS 338 - Client Centered Care I Credits: 4
• NURS 346 - Professional and Population Health Nursing II Credits: 2
• NURS 348 - Client Centered Care II Credits: 4
• NURS 351 - Pharmacology for Nursing Practice Credits: 2
• NURS 353 - Clinical Judgment I Credits: 2
• NURS 365 - Clinical Application II Credits: 3
• NURS 361 - Research, Quality, and Safety in Nursing Credits: 3
• NURS 373 - Clinical Judgment II Credits: 2
• NURS 375 - Clinical Application III Credits: 4
• NURS 425 - Clinical Application IV Credits: 4
• NURS 446 - Professional and Population Health Nursing III Credits: 2
• NURS 448 - Client Centered Care III Credits: 4
• NURS 451 - Pharmacology for Nursing Practice II Credits: 1
• NURS 453 - Clinical Judgment III Credits: 2
• NURS 473 - Clinical Judgment IV Credits: 2
• NURS 482 - Transition to Professional Nursing Credits: 3
• NURS 495 - Practicum (COM) Credits: 1-6 (4 credits required)

Electives

Taken as needed to complete any additional degree requirements.

Total Required Credits: 120

Summary of Program Requirements

*System General Education Requirements for students pursuing a baccalaureate degree shall include a minimum of 30 credit hours. Some general education coursework may be counted for Major Requirements and Supporting Coursework.
**Taken as needed to complete any additional degree requirements.

Academic Advising Guide Sheet

The goal of the academic advising guide sheets and sample plans of study is to promote undergraduate student success by guiding all students to timely completion of an undergraduate degree. Students are not limited to the course sequence provided for their academic program. Instead, the sample plan of study is one possible path to completing your degree and is meant to be used as a guide for planning purposes in consultation with an academic advisor. The plans also help students prepare for meetings with their academic advisor and track their progress in their selected academic program.

• Nursing (B.S.N.)