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CU College of Nursing - Nursing BS Program, Denver, Colorado

College of Nursing
 

Nursing BS

Program Info


Getting your Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in the major of nursing is the first step to advancing your career. Obtaining a BS degree opens the door to allow you a more versatile work opportunity, nursing leadership positions and is the initial step to seeking a higher degree to expand your horizons within the nursing field.  Determining which option is the best for you is dependent on your educational background, learning style, and life circumstances. If you are undecided, we encourage attending an information session or meeting with an admission specialist to help you determine the best option for you.

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science (BS) degree program consists of two options.

Traditional option

  • The Traditional pathway is a full-time Bachelor of Science option for you if you have either completed a previous degree(s) or have no previous degree.
  • Students interested in this option apply between August 1 and October 15.
  • Once admitted, students start the following summer semester.
  • The pace of the traditional facilitates integration of learning and acknowledges that students balance a number of responsibilities while completing their nursing education.

 

 

Accelerated option

  • The Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing is a full time alternative option for you if you have earned a previous bachelor’s by the semester or quarter prior to starting the nursing program.
  • Students interested in this option apply between April 1 through June 15. 
  • This is a 12-month, highly intensive, fast-paced program with a rigorous schedule.  
  • Click here to view the Readiness Self-Assessment.

 

        

         Past Program Plans:

 

 

 

Course Work

The links below are the undergraduate courses and descriptions in the College of Nursing Bachelor of Science program. Curriculum revisions were implemented in June 2012.
 
Link to course titles and descriptions for curriculum starting June 2012 and forward
 
Link to course titles and descriptions for curriculum prior to June 2012

 

FAQs

 

 

 
 

Clinical Experience

One component of the Bachelor of Science program is clinical experiences. As a student, you will complete credit hours in a clinical setting under the supervision of a nursing professional. This is an integral part of our mission as a college to provide you with comprehensive nursing education. You will have a wide variety of clinical settings and nursing environments in which to complete your clinical hours. The student clinical education section provides instructions for signing up and more information on the clinical experience.

There are very specific requirements concerning immunizations, background checks, etc. that you will need to follow. For more information about what is required before participating in any clinical experience, please review all of the clinical experience requirements.

Faculty

In addition to providing state-of-the-art technology both inside and outside the classroom, the University of Colorado College of Nursing is consistently ranked as one of the nation's top nursing programs. The faculty at the College of Nursing is dedicated to educating graduates using evidence based best practices in all areas of nursing.

Our distinguished faculty have made significant contributions to a wide variety of areas in nursing, including school-based health care, nursing informatics, setting standards in pain management, rural health as well as pediatric nursing. As we look to the future, we continue to expand our areas of influence including public health, health care of children and chronic illness care.  Our clinical faculty practice in many settings, providing a wide variety of specialty care and working with varying populations. An education at the University of Colorado provides opportunities to be educated by some of the nation’s leading nursing clinicians and nurse science researchers.

For more information about our renowned faculty and their research interests, visit and review the College of Nursing faculty pages and bios.

Careers

A Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in nursing provides a wide variety of career choices. Upon successful completion of the BS nursing program and the national licensure examination (NCLEX), baccalaureate prepared nurses are able to choose from a wide variety of practice settings.

Additionally, unlike graduates prepared with an associate degree in nursing, bachelor's prepared nurses are able to pursue advanced degrees in nursing including careers as an adult or pediatric nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse midwife or certified nurse anesthetist. Doctorate level education is also possible for bachelors prepared nurses who wish to pursue a PhD or DNP (doctorate in nursing practice).

Examples of potential practice areas for a Bachelor of Science graduate include:

  • providing patient care in the hospital settings (the most popular choice of nursing graduates)
  • caring for patients in community based settings
  • providing nursing leadership through nursing management positions
  • pursuing a nursing career at Magnet designated hospital facilities
  • providing nursing care to individuals, families and communities internationally
  • working in clinical research by coordinating human subject studies
  • helping shape future nursing clinicians through teaching opportunities

For more information on the wide variety of career options available to BS in nursing graduates, please visit the Johnson and Johnson Discovering Nursing website.