Why study Bachelor of Science in Nursing?

Our direct-admission Bachelor of Science in Nursing leverages technology and innovation, embraces equity and inclusion, promotes interprofessional collaboration, and enables experiential learning, so that when students graduate, they're ready to lead.

As part of the UC Academic Health Center (medical campus), our clinical partners include a Level I trauma center, Level III obstetric unit, the nation's top pediatric hospital, and multiple outpatient surgery centers and community hospitals.

High school students apply for direct admission to the bachelor's program. Transition and transfer students apply to join the program as a sophomore.

Major Maps

• Guide: Traditional Undergraduate BSN - Graduating Class of 2022 Forward

Special Programs

Every undergraduate student puts his or her classroom knowledge to the test in our simulation laboratory and in clinical settings. We also offer co-op and international programs that take experiential learning to the next level.

Undergraduate Co-Op

The undergraduate co-op program offers students additional personal and professional growth opportunities through one-on-one mentoring from experienced preceptors in various clinical settings. Students gain valuable, hands-on experience and further develop interpersonal and professional skills. New graduates enter the workforce even more prepared to function independently in clinical settings, delegate appropriately and supervise unlicensed assistive personnel.

Additional benefits:

• Ability to explore career options
• Experience at higher levels of responsibility
• Opportunity to establish professional contacts

The co-op program does not extend the traditional four-year degree timeline. Students apply in January of their third year and serve in the program from June through graduation.

Dedicated Education Units

Dedicated Education Units (DEU) at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and Cincinnati VA Medical Center offer students enhanced clinical experiences by pairing them with experienced staff nurses who volunteer as instructors throughout clinical courses. This close collaboration between the college and partnering clinical organizations provides students with clinical experiences that more closely model how nurses practice in the real world.

International Clinicals/International Experiential Learning Opportunities

The college offers students opportunities to study abroad in various locations. Designed to develop responsible citizens of the world, participants earn course credits while enhancing their cultural competency and challenging their understanding of global health issues and disparities.

In recent years, students have traveled to destinations in Tanzania, Thailand, the United Kingdom and Japan. Partial scholarships for participants are available through UC International.

Admission Requirements

Freshmen are admitted directly into the nursing program. Transfer students must submit an application for consideration to the sophomore year of the program. Admission to the sophomore year nursing program is competitive. Applications are required in the spring of the year in which you intend to begin the fall sophomore nursing curriculum. Applicants to the sophomore year nursing program must have completed all pre-nursing (freshman year) required courses, a pre-admissions essay, a pre-admissions exam, and carry a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA by the application deadline.

Freshman Nursing Admission Guidelines

Applicants to the nursing program will be holistically reviewed using criteria such as high school GPA, essays, recommendations, extra-curricular activities and optional submission of ACT/SAT test scores. Some admission guidelines include:

• Graduation from an accredited high school of preparatory school
• Successful completion of 16 units of college-preparatory subjects: English (4 units); biology and chemistry (2 units); college-prep mathematics (3 units); social sciences (2 units); fine arts (1 unit); additional college preparatory subjects (4 units). Recommended: foreign language, anatomy and physiology or a third unit in social science with a grade of C or better in all required courses
• Recommended minimum high school GPA of 3.0
• Completed application and official high school or preparatory school transcripts

Transferring to UC Requirements

Students transferring from other colleges and universities will apply for admission to the sophomore year. Sophomore year admission criteria include:

• Admission to UC with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Submission of BSN application to the College of Nursing (applications open February 1- February 28)
• Submission of all final transcripts from outside institutions to UC’s Office of Admissions by the posted deadline
• Completing the first-year Nursing curriculum, or be in the final term of those specific classes
• Completion of a pre-admissions essay
• Completion of a pre-admissions exam

Admission is very competitive, as we receive more applications than we have clinical spaces available, therefore admission is not guaranteed by meeting these criteria. The GPA from the first-year Nursing curriculum, pre-admissions essay score, and pre-admissions exam score will be considered, as well as other qualitative characteristics.

Changing Majors within UC Requirements

Students transferring from other other majors at the University of Cincinnati will apply for admission to the sophomore year. Sophomore year admission criteria include:

• Admission to UC with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Submission of BSN application to the College of Nursing (applications open February 1- February 28)
• Completing the first-year Nursing curriculum, or be in the final term of those specific classes
• Completion of a pre-admissions essay
• Completion of a pre-admissions exam

Admission is very competitive, as we receive more applications than we have clinical spaces available, therefore admission is not guaranteed by meeting these criteria. The GPA from the first-year Nursing curriculum, pre-admissions essay score, and pre-admissions exam score will be considered, as well as other qualitative characteristics.

International Student Requirements

International students applying to the freshman year with the intention of entering the sophomore year of the BSN program must meet all requirements as listed for freshman and transfer students as well as meet University of Cincinnati minimum standards for TOEFL.

Graduation Requirements

The requirements for conferring the bachelor's degree in nursing are:

1. Successful completion within seven years from date of matriculation of (a) the required courses in the program of study of the College of Nursing and (b) specific degree requirements
2. A minimum of a 2.0 current and cumulative grade point average
3. Filing of the appropriate degree application forms with the University of Cincinnati by the defined deadline
4. Payment of all delinquent university/college obligations
5. Recommendation by the faculty of the College of Nursing

The requirements for certifying program completion to a board of nursing are:

1. Conferred BSN degree
2. Successful completion of college exit exam

Application Deadlines

Deadlines for application to the freshman year are the same as those listed for University of Cincinnati semester admission, Dec. 1.

The sophomore application is available at nursing.uc.edu from Feb. 1 to Feb. 28. Submission of the application for consideration for the sophomore year is due no later than Feb. 28.

Accreditation

The baccalaureate program at the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington DC 20036, 202-887-6791.

For additional information about the nursing major at the University of Cincinnati, contact the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs in the College of Nursing, 513-558-3600 or nursing1@uc.edu.