Minnesota and the United States more broadly are experiencing a nursing shortage. The field of nursing needs more professionals who approach health care from a whole-person perspective, recognizing the many factors that contribute to a person's health and well-being.
In the Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of St. Thomas program, you will be prepared to enter this high-demand field and provide the care, advocacy and interprofessional collaboration so urgently needed in the field.
Graduates will be educated to work as generalists in a variety of settings. The program will prepare you to sit for the National Council of State Boards of Nursing NCLEX-RN® licensure exam. Over the course of earning your degree, you'll gain real-world experience during work in a clinical setting.
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program provides a unique emphasis on whole-person wellness, social determinants of health and health equity, interprofessional collaboration, and advocacy and systems change. St. Thomas seeks to help serve the health needs of diverse populations in urban and rural areas by training culturally responsive nurses who proactively improve whole-person healing.
High school seniors applying for admission to the University of St. Thomas have the opportunity to be directly admitted into the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. First-time, first year domestic and international students must meet the following criteria to be considered for Direct Admission:
Nursing is a person-centered profession that requires care, compassion and engagement with people who are different from you. Please describe an experience with someone from a different culture, background or social status who challenged you, and describe what you learned about yourself from this experience.
Students will first be informed of their admission into the university and their Direct Admission into the BSN program decision will be communicated directly from the School of Nursing after December 15.
Applying to the BSN through the General Admission Pathway requires a secondary application after admission and enrollment at St. Thomas. Interested students may apply to the BSN program when the application opens on October 1.
Application requirements include a review of the applicant’s academic record, experiences and personal statement. Applicants who meet the minimum application requirements will be invited for additional assessment before admissions decisions.
Students admitted into the BSN program (either through the Direct or General Admission Pathway) to start in the fall must have completed the following courses with a C- or better prior to the start of the program:
Additionally, students must have a cumulative GPA of a 2.75 or higher when they apply.
Applying to the BSN through the Transfer Admission Pathway requires a secondary application after admission and enrollment at St. Thomas. Interested students may apply to the BSN program when the application opens on October 1.
Students interested in transferring to St. Thomas for the nursing program should review the St. Thomas transfer policy.
Application requirements include a review of the applicant’s academic record, experiences and personal statement. Applicants who meet the minimum application requirements will be invited for additional assessment before admissions decisions.
Students admitted into the BSN program to start in the fall must have completed several prerequisite courses with a C- or better prior to starting the program. Additionally, students must have a cumulative GPA of a 2.75 or higher when they apply.
A transfer student may expect to complete the BSN program in three years.
High school seniors applying for admission to the University of St. Thomas have the opportunity to be directly admitted into the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. First-time, first year domestic and international students must meet the following criteria to be considered for Direct Admission:
Nursing is a person-centered profession that requires care, compassion and engagement with people who are different from you. Please describe an experience with someone from a different culture, background or social status who challenged you, and describe what you learned about yourself from this experience.
Students will first be informed of their admission into the university and their Direct Admission into the BSN program decision will be communicated directly from the School of Nursing after December 15.
Applying to the BSN through the General Admission Pathway requires a secondary application after admission and enrollment at St. Thomas. Interested students may apply to the BSN program when the application opens on October 1.
Application requirements include a review of the applicant’s academic record, experiences and personal statement. Applicants who meet the minimum application requirements will be invited for additional assessment before admissions decisions.
Students admitted into the BSN program (either through the Direct or General Admission Pathway) to start in the fall must have completed the following courses with a C- or better prior to the start of the program:
Additionally, students must have a cumulative GPA of a 2.75 or higher when they apply.
Applying to the BSN through the Transfer Admission Pathway requires a secondary application after admission and enrollment at St. Thomas. Interested students may apply to the BSN program when the application opens on October 1.
Students interested in transferring to St. Thomas for the nursing program should review the St. Thomas transfer policy.
Application requirements include a review of the applicant’s academic record, experiences and personal statement. Applicants who meet the minimum application requirements will be invited for additional assessment before admissions decisions.
Students admitted into the BSN program to start in the fall must have completed several prerequisite courses with a C- or better prior to starting the program. Additionally, students must have a cumulative GPA of a 2.75 or higher when they apply.
A transfer student may expect to complete the BSN program in three years.
Gain Real-world Experience
You will complete clinical placement to gain real-world experience in areas of nursing practice such as health promotion, acute care, pediatrics, obstetrics, public health and psychiatric/mental health. Our clinical placement specialist coordinates placements in these important areas of practice. You will be placed at clinical sites based on clinical partner needs, capacity and the needs of the program.
The pre-licensure BSN program is a traditional four-year undergraduate major program that consists of 56 required nursing credits along with a 1-credit First Year-First Experience course; 34 credits in supporting courses such as biology, chemistry, psychology, anatomy, physiology and more; as well as 40 credits in liberal studies courses.
Through the coursework, you will develop knowledge and skills in assessment and diagnostics to develop, implement and evaluate plans of care and nursing interventions to care for the whole-person. You'll learn how to make clinical judgments based on the principles and practices of evidence-based nursing practice. And you'll learn to provide socially just nursing grounded in diversity, equity and inclusion to advance the common good.
The BSN program follows a rigorous curriculum plan. Nursing faculty and academic counselors will work closely with you to advise you on the courses needed to complete the nursing degree plan.
Students who complete the program will receive a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
The pre-licensure BSN program is a traditional four-year undergraduate major program that consists of 56 required nursing credits along with a 1-credit First Year-First Experience course; 34 credits in supporting courses such as biology, chemistry, psychology, anatomy, physiology and more; as well as 40 credits in liberal studies courses.
Through the coursework, you will develop knowledge and skills in assessment and diagnostics to develop, implement and evaluate plans of care and nursing interventions to care for the whole-person. You'll learn how to make clinical judgments based on the principles and practices of evidence-based nursing practice. And you'll learn to provide socially just nursing grounded in diversity, equity and inclusion to advance the common good.
The BSN program follows a rigorous curriculum plan. Nursing faculty and academic counselors will work closely with you to advise you on the courses needed to complete the nursing degree plan.
Students who complete the program will receive a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
Curious what it's like to be a student athlete in our nursing program? Join BSN student, Nolan Kemp, for a day in the life to see what it's all about!
Curious what it’s like to be a student in our nursing program? Join BSN student, Nolan Kemp, for a day in the life to see what it’s all about!
Dr. Annette Hines brings over 40 years of nursing experience to St. Thomas. Dr. Hines previously served as a faculty member with Queens University of Charlotte since 2000. She was also a nurse scientist at Novant Health, served as chair for graduate studies for five years and as director of the Presbyterian School of Nursing for five years. Her research interests include health promotion in families with a child with chronic illness, asthma as a health disparity, and teaching strategies in classroom and clinical settings.
With over 26 years of experience in healthcare, Laura Beasley has served in various roles, including medical assistant, Registered Nurse (bedside practice), leadership in higher education, and nurse education in the classroom, lab, and clinical environments.
Heather Anderson is the assistant director of nursing, simulation education and staff/clinical/laboratory instructor. She joined St. Thomas from HealthPartners Clinical Simulation at the HealthPartners Institute in St. Paul, where she served as Lead Simulation Education Specialist. In this role, she was responsible for the coordination, development, facilitation, and evaluation of simulation activities. She also has experience as a critical care nurse, medical/surgical nurse and adjunct nursing faculty member.
Lindsay is a Registered Nurse who brings 20 years of nursing experience to her role, including in home care and hospice at Fairview Lakes Homecaring and Hospice as well as pediatric nursing at Children’s Minnesota.
Please review the most up-to-date information regarding undergraduate tuition and fees on the University of St. Thomas website.
Students will incur the following fees each semester for six semesters. These figures are estimates; actual costs once enrolled may vary slightly.
Estimated total: $1,702 per semester
*Includes licensure (NCLEX-RN), prep, and testing software
†Not all books will be uploaded/available on iPad; students may need to purchase hard copies from St. Thomas Bookstore
§Includes required iPad, Apple Pencil, keyboard/case, and AppleCare warranty
‡Includes lab and clinical costs related to simulation
The following includes one-time fees for students. These figures are estimates; actual costs once enrolled may vary slightly. Students are also responsible for covering the travel, lodging and accommodation costs associated with traveling to their clinicals, which will vary by location.
Estimated total: $998
*Cost is dependent on student selection. Includes stethoscope, pen light, and optional watch
†Cost is dependent on student selection. Includes scrub top, pants, jacket and polo shirt, and shoes
The Morrison Family College of Health and the Susan S. Morrison School of Nursing is proud to offer the following scholarships and grant awards to new, incoming BSN students. After admission, students will be invited to apply for scholarships.
Established in December 2021, the Dan and Ruth Haggerty Nursing Scholars Fund provides financial assistance for students in the BSN or MSN programs in the Susan S. Morrison School of Nursing. Scholarships are awarded annually and may be renewed for up to three years for those in the BSN program or up to two years for those in the MSN program. The scholarship program is intended for students with financial need to help remove barriers to enrollment and completion of nursing programs at St. Thomas.
The Ann and Pat Ryan Scholars program was established to improve workforce diversity in the field of nursing. The program will seek to provide assistance to students from backgrounds underrepresented in nursing. The scholarship is available to students pursuing a BSN or MSN in the Susan S. Morrison School of Nursing.
The University of St. Thomas offers a variety of additional options and opportunities for financial aid and scholarships. Explore our resources for undergraduate students.
Technical standards (see below) are required abilities for effective performance in the Susan S. Morrison School of Nursing. The standards are compatible with the scope of practice for which nursing students will seek licensure as defined by the . The examples show how a standard may be applied in entry-level nursing education programs. The examples listed are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be a complete list of all tasks required in an entry-level nursing program.
These technical standards are essential program requirements, and School of Nursing students must demonstrate that they can meet these technical standards, with or without reasonable accommodations, throughout their time in the program. Reasonable accommodations to meet standards may be available for otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities. Contact the office of Disability Resources as soon as possible for more information if you think you may need an accommodation for a disability.
There is more to learn about St. Thomas; including our ranking as a Best Value School by U.S. News & World Report, the many classroom and extracurricular activities that will be part of your student experience and so much more. Schedule a visit to see our beautiful campus or start your application today.