The College of Nursing

The College of Nursing offers three undergraduate program options for students to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing.

1. The Standard Option
2. The Accelerated Option
3. The RN Upward Mobility Option

Students who want to enter the Nursing Major are required to submit an application for admission to the Major. Prior to applying to the Nursing Major, however, a student must apply and be accepted for admission to SDSU. Students may apply to only one program site (campus) at a time. The number of students accepted to enroll in the Nursing Major may vary depending upon available clinical facilities, qualified faculty and funds. Selection is made from among the best qualified for the study and practice of nursing.

The Standard Option is designed to meet the educational needs of persons who are not registered nurses. The Standard Option is a five-semester program that can be completed in two years and one-half years. Students in the Standard Option are admitted to the Nursing Major in both the Fall and Spring semesters on the Brookings Campus and the Rapid City Campus. The deadline for Spring admission is Sept. 25th and the deadline for Fall admission is Jan. 25th. To be considered for admission, students must have a 2.7 GPA or higher and a grade of "C" or higher in all completed required pre-requisite courses.  Effective Fall 2008, the admission process will also include an interview with the Undergraduate Admission & Scholastic Standards Committee. 

Beginning for students entering the University Fall 2008 (under the 2008-09 Undergraduate Catalog), the following admission criteria will apply:
~ Students who have failed ("D" or "F") 2 or more of the pre-nursing science courses (CHEM 106/106L or 112/112L, 108/108L or 114/114L; MICR 231/231L; BIOL 221/221L, 325/325L), repeated and passed them on the second attempt will not be admitted to the Nursing Major.
~ Students who have failed ("D" or "F") one pre-nursing course (CHEM 106/106L or 112/112L, 108/108L or 114/114L; MICR 231/231L; BIOL 221/221L, 325/325L; PSYC 101; one of the following: SOC 100, 150, or 240; NFS 321; HDFS 210), repeated and failed the same course a second time will not be admitted to the Nursing Major.
~ Students who have taken Anatomy or Physiology more than seven years prior to their admission date will be required to update these courses.

All students admitted into the Standard Option will be required to purchase one of the approved Gateway laptop computer models listed on the eSDSU Program webpage.
To access the websites listed below, click on the line and NOT the ICON.

Application for the Nursing Major: Standard Option

Undergraduate Nursing Curriculum Plan: Standard Option

Information about the Laptop Computer

Laptop Computer Requirement Rationale

The Accelerated Option is for students who have completed a Bachelor of Science or Master of Science degree in any field and wish to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. The Accelerated Option is an intensive program that is delivered in a compressed format over 12 months. Students in the Accelerated Option are admitted once a year at the beginning of the 12-month cycle at the University Center in Sioux Falls. All theory and on-campus labs are taught in Sioux Falls, with clinicals in Sioux Falls and surrounding community hospitals. The deadline to apply for the Accelerated Option is noted at the top of the application. To be considered for admission, students must have a 2.8 GPA or higher and a grade of "C" or higher in all completed required nursing major support courses. All students admitted into the Accelerated Option will be required to purchase one of the approved Gateway laptop computer models listed on the eSDSU Program webpage. To access the websites listed below, click on the line and NOT the ICON.

Application for the Nursing Major: Accelerated Option

Undergraduate Nursing Curriculum Plan: Accelerated Plan

Information about the Laptop Computer

Laptop Computer Requirement Rationale

The RN Upward Mobility Option is designed as a degree completion program for registered nurses who have completed academic Associate or Diploma degree nursing programs. Students in the RN Upward Mobility Option must complete all support courses, except for seven (7) credits, prior to admission to the Nursing Major. The deadline for application to the RN Upward Mobility Option is March 1st of each year. To access the websites listed below, click on the line and NOT the ICON.

RN Upward Mobility Option
 
"Admission to South Dakota State University is open to all academically qualified students without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, or national origin" (SDSU Undergraduate Bulletin). One of the purposes of the SDSU nursing program is to provide graduates with a broad and basic preparation for professional nursing practice. In preparation for the professional nursing roles, nursing faculty expect students to show a stable personality and demonstrate ability to meet the demands of the profession. To prepare students to meet these expectations, the College of Nursing offers a curriculum leading to the Bachelor of Science degree with a major in nursing. Applicants to the program must be able to meet the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor requirements of the curriculum.