Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

Pre-nursing

The first two years of the nursing program are dedicated to building an academic foundation that prepares students for the nursing curriculum. Nursing prerequisites and general university requirements must be completed at WSU Pullman (or another campus offering equivalent courses) before applying to WSU College of Nursing.

The last two years of the bachelor’s degree can be completed at WSU College of Nursing in Spokane, Tri-Cities, or Yakima.

See the College of Nursing website for information about prerequisites and how to apply to the nursing program.

Nursing core courses

In the nursing program at WSU, you can expect to take courses like these. See the College of Nursing for a full plan of study.

JUNIOR YEAR

Professional Development I: Research and Informatics
Intro to Nursing Practice
Pathophysiology and Pharmacology in Nursing
Nursing Practice in Health and Illness
Health Assessment

Professional Development II: Ethical Reasoning
Introduction to Gerontological Nursing
Nursing in the Genome Era
The Human Experience of Diversity and Health

SENIOR YEAR

Professional Development III: Leadership and Management
Child and Family Health: Theory
Children and Families: Health of the Family
Childbearing Health of the Family
Nursing Care of Childbearing Families

Professional Development IV: Transition to Practice
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing Concepts
Nursing Practice: Psychiatric/Mental Health
Community Health Nursing Theory
Community Health Nursing Practice
Senior Practicum

Graduation requirements

See the WSU Catalog for degree requirements and talk with your academic advisor about planning and scheduling your courses. All students must meet requirements as outlined in the catalog in order to graduate.

In addition to the BSN, the WSU College of Nursing provides graduate nursing education. 

Master of Nursing (MN) — 2 tracks:

• BSN to MN
• RN to MN

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) — 2 tracks:

• BSN to DNP
• MN to DNP

PhD in Nursing — 2 tracks:

• Bachelors to PhD
• MN to PhD

A variety of state, federal, and university-sponsored programs are available to help students with educational costs.

For all students at WSU

Washington State University awards millions of dollars in financial aid and scholarships to students every year based on financial need, academic merit, or a combination of the two.

To get all the financial help WSU can provide, start by doing these two things:

• Complete the University's general scholarship application so you can be eligible for scholarship consideration.
• Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) so WSU can consider you for aid (scholarships, grants, loans, etc.) based on financial need.

More about scholarships and financial aid

For nursing students

In addition to general university scholarships and other financial aid, WSU offers scholarships specifically for nursing students.

Students are invited and encouraged to apply for scholarships from the College of Nursing if currently enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student at the College of Nursing.

Students in all stages of the nursing curriculum are eligible to apply for general university scholarships.

With 3.1 million Registered Nurses in the U.S., nursing is the largest health care profession nationally, regionally, and locally. Nurses comprise the largest single component of hospital staff, are the primary providers of hospital patient care, and deliver most long-term and community-based care.

BSN graduates have many opportunities to serve and work as a Registered Nurse in a variety of health care settings. Here are a few:

• Cardiology Nurse
• Chemical Dependence Rehabilitation Nurse
• Child Psychiatry Nurse
• Emergency Room Nurse
• Flight Trauma Nurse
• Forensic Nurse
• Geriatric Nurse
• Home Care Nurse
• Infection Control Nurse
• Long-Term Care Nurse
• Military Nurse
• Neonatal Nurse
• Nursing Instructor
• Obstetric Nurse
• Occupational Health Nurse
• Operating Room (Perioperative) Nurse>
• Palliative Care/Hospice Nurse
• Pediatric Nurse
• Pediatric Palliative Care Nurse
• Psychiatric Nurse
• Rehabilitation Nurse
• School Nurse
• Traveling Nurse
• Veteran's Affairs Nurse

As health care continues to emphasize more primary and preventive care, the demand for nurses with bachelor's and graduate degrees will expand. BSN-prepared nurses have a professional platform on which to build a rewarding career.