Earn a pre-licensure bachelor of science in nursing at SBU-Bolivar
Current SBU pre-nursing students and transfer students: The Pre-Licensure BSN program currently is accepting applications for the Spring 2023 cohort. We are seeking applications from current SBU pre-nursing students and students looking to transfer to SBU from other institutions. View the admissions criteria and degree plan for prerequisite requirements and application instructions.
NEW for high school seniors: Apply for our early acceptance program to guarantee your spot in the nursing program upon your arrival at SBU!
SBU has received full approval from the Missouri State Board of Nursing for our pre-licensure BSN program. This is a traditional pre-licensure BSN degree program for students who do not already have a nursing degree (or LPN or RN certification). If you have an ASN degree and would like to earn a bachelor's degree, please read about our degree completion BSN nursing program.
Experience college life while attending nursing school
Studying nursing at the Don and Carrie Babb Department of Nursing at SBU will enable you to experience traditional college life while also receiving a quality nursing education. You will graduate with a bachelor's degree, preparing you for the NCLEX-RN to become a Registered Nurse (RN).*
A combination of seated and online nursing course formats, together with a strong liberal arts and sciences curriculum, will prepare you to practice in a variety of health care settings — critical care, outpatient care, public health, and mental health.
*Completion of the nursing bachelor's program does not guarantee eligibility to take the licensure examination.
Our communities need more nurses
Demand is growing for highly qualified nurses. Our communities need registered nurses and the need is growing! SBU is helping address the nursing shortage issue by preparing professional nursing graduates.
- Registered Nurse (RN) is listed among the top occupations in terms of job growth through 2029.
- A shortage of Registered Nurses is projected to spread across the country between 2016 and 2030, with the greatest shortages predicted in the South and the West.
- By 2030, it is estimated that the number of U.S. residents ages 65 and older will top 82 million, increasing the need for geriatric and nursing care.
(Source: American Association of Colleges of Nursing)
Value of a bachelor's degree in nursing
A two-year study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Institute of Medicine (IOM) concluded that the nursing industry needs to move toward a more highly educated workforce. The IOM (now known as the National Academy of Medicine) recommended that 80% of nurses have at least a BSN degree by 2020 — as of September 2020, only 64% of the national nursing workforce had a BSN.
The International Journal of Nursing Studies found a significant association between the number of nurses with BSN degrees on cardiac care units and patient mortality.
SBU's bachelor of science in nursing degree will equip you with the education, skills training and leadership preparation you need to be a successful nurse in today's society.
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High School Early Acceptance
Current high school seniors can apply for the High School Early Acceptance (HSEA) program offered by SBU's pre-licensure bachelor of science in nursing degree. This would guarantee you a spot in the nursing program when you arrive at SBU!
Learn More About Early Acceptance
The Pre-Licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree is offered through SBU's College of Health Professions.
