Frequently Asked Questions
Some of the most commonly asked questions are answered here. For answers to other questions not found here, send an e-mail to: nursing@nsc.nevada.edu
General
How many people are accepted into the Nursing program each year?
Does NSC have a two-year/associate degree program (like
CSN)?
What is the difference between the CSN nursing program and the Nevada State College nursing program?
Is your Nursing program accredited?
Where do I go for my clinical experiences?
If I major in Nursing, can I have a minor?
Tuition and Fees
How much does it cost to attend the School of Nursing?
Are there scholarships available for Nursing students?
Can I work while I am in the Nursing Program?
Prerequisites
What are the prerequisites for the program?
Do I have to complete all of my prerequisites before I apply to the BSN program?
Can I take online courses?
Is there a time limit on any of the prerequisite courses?
Can I take any of the nursing courses before I have been accepted into the program?
Transferring Credits
Can I make an appointment with an advisor to have my transcripts evaluated?
Will my credits from out-of-state transfer?
Can I transfer courses from a foreign country?
Can my LPN program transfer over as the first two years of the BSN
program?
Applying to the Program
When are the application deadlines?
What is the TEAS?
When will I find out if I have been accepted into the BSN program?
Is there a waiting list?
If I am not accepted, when can I re-apply?
- How many people are accepted into the Nursing program each year?
- Generally, the regular degree track accepts 40 new students each semester.
The accelerated degree track accepts 56 new students each fall.
The RN to BSN track is open to all Registered Nurses who have a 2.0 GPA or higher. - Does NSC have a two-year/associate degree program (like CSN)?
- The School of Nursing at Nevada State College only offers a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.
- What is the difference between the CSN nursing program and the Nevada State College nursing program?
- CSN offers a two-year Associate of Applied Science (AS) degree. An associate degree in nursing prepares students with the knowledge and skills to care for individuals or groups in a structured setting and to manage and lead unlicensed personnel. Nevada State College offers a four-year Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. This degree gives students the skills for comprehensive care of individuals and groups with complex and unpredictable needs. In addition, it prepares students with management processes and leadership skills to promote change and improve nursing care. Students will need a BSN if they want to go on to earn a Masters degree or become a nurse practitioner.
- Is your Nursing program accredited?
- Yes, the Nursing program is nationally accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Their web site is http://www.aacn.nche.edu/.
- Where do I go for my clinical experiences?
- Clinical experiences are conducted at various hospitals, clinic and health care agencies throughout the greater Las Vegas area.
- If I major in Nursing, can I have a minor?
- Yes, you can complete the specific 18 credits in another discipline to receive an 18 credit minor. For information about a specific minor, contact the advisor for that department.
- How much does it cost to attend the School of Nursing?
- The approximate cost of attending the School of Nursing regular or accelerated track for Nevada residents is $10,000. Click here for a breakdown of tuition and fees and the approximate costs for non-residents.
- Are there scholarships available for Nursing students?
- Some hospitals offer loans/scholarships to students once they are admitted into the program. Students must sign a contract to work for a specified amount of time for the hospital upon graduation. For more information on this and other scholarships and financial aid programs, contact the Office of Financial Aid.
- Can I work while I am in the Nursing Program?
- It is strongly recommended that students in the Regular Degree Track keep work to a minimum during the academic semester. The program is very demanding. It is important for students to obtain enough rest and sleep to be able to care for their patients and complete all of the course work.
- For the accelerated track, it is recommended that students do not work outside of school due to the heavy demands of being on a fast-track which covers two years of course work in just 12 months.
- What are the prerequisites for the program?
- A printable list of prerequisites for the Regular, Accelerated, and RN-BSN tracks can be found under Nursing Degree Programs.
- Do I have to complete all of my prerequisites before I apply to the BSN program?
- Students must be in the last semester of their prerequisites to submit their nursing application, or be finishing them in the summer/winter term.
- Can I take online courses?
- There are a number of prerequisite courses that students can
take online, that may include: CH 203, PSY 101, PSY 201, ENG 102,
NURS 122, NUTR 223, PSY 210. For other courses available online, refer to the class schedule.
Once admitted to the School of Nursing, all classes for the Nursing Regular track are classroom only. Classes for the Accelerated track are a combination of online and classroom. All RN-BSN classes are online with the exception of required clinicals. - Is there a time limit on any of the prerequisite courses?
- For the Regular and Accelerated tracks, biological science courses, BIOL 223, BIOL 224 and BIOL 251 (Anatomy and Physiology I, Anatomy and Physiology II and Microbiology) must have been taken within seven (7) years of the date of application to the School of Nursing.
There is no time limit on any prerequisite courses for the RN-BSN track. - Can I take any of the nursing courses before I have been accepted into the program?
- Only one required course can be taken before being admitted to the Regular Track:
NURS 122 - Medical Terminology (formerly NURS 111) - Two required courses are required prior to beginning the Accelerated Track:
NURS 122 - Medical Terminology (formerly NURS 111)
NURS 337 - Pathophysiology - There are several electives that students may take prior to beginning their degree track:
NURS 100 - Exploring the Nursing Profession
NURS 310 - Cultural Issues in Health Care
NURS 430 - Aging and Health - Can I make an appointment with an advisor to have my transcripts evaluated?
- To have your transcripts evaluated, you will first need to apply to Nevada State College as a pre-nursing major and send all of your official transcripts to the Office of Admissions. Once you have been admitted, you may then make an appointment with the pre-nursing advisor.
- Will my credits from out-of-state transfer?
- Most prerequisites can be taken out-of-state. One exception is Nevada Constitution. If you have already taken a history or political science class you will need to take PSC 100 (Nevada Constitution). If you have not already taken a history or political science class, you will need to take CH 203 which includes Nevada Constitution. Both classes are available online.
- Can I transfer courses from a foreign country?
- Transferring credits from another country can be difficult. Students need to have their transcripts sent to an outside agency for interpretation and the agency will forward the transcript to Nevada State College. The agency is not responsible for assigning credit, only translation. There is a fee involved which varies per agency. Please realize that this process may take some time. Be sure to start as soon as you can. For more information and a list of recommended agencies, visit the Office of Admission web pages.
- Can my LPN program transfer over as the first two years of the BSN program?
- No. There is no bridge program for LPNs at this time. Admissions at Nevada State College will determine on a course-by-course basis what will be accepted and transferred for each student.
- When are the application deadlines?
- The deadline for the Fall semester is March 1 and the deadline for the Spring semester is August 1. However, you must apply first to Nevada State College as a pre-nursing major and send all official transcripts to the Office of Admissions at least one month prior to submitting an application to the School of Nursing. Only admitted students of Nevada State College may apply to the School of Nursing.
- What is the TEAS?
- The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) is a pre-entry test used to evaluate the academic preparedness of students entering the School of Nursing and is taken the same semester in which you apply for the program. If you are applying for the Fall, yours TEAS test will be in February. If you are applying for the Spring, your TEAS test will be in July.
- When will I find out if I have been accepted into the BSN program?
- Students will be notified within approximately one month after the application deadline. Admission decisions are made by a nursing committee and a letter is sent out to all applicants.
- Is there a waiting list?
- The School of Nursing does not keep a waiting list. After admission decisions are made, an alternate list is developed for that semester only and ranked according to GPA and TEAS. Students placed on the alternate list are notified by letter. In the event an admitted student decides not to attend, a student on the alternate list will be notified.
- If I am not accepted, when can I re-apply?
- Students who are not accepted may re-apply the next semester. However, if you were not accepted we strongly advise that you meet with your Academic Advisor well in advance of the next application due date to develop an academic plan and hopefully improve your chances of admission next time.