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Rapid City

In Rapid City, students take coursework and participate in lecture, on-campus labs and clinical rotations in Rapid City and surrounding communities. Classes and on-campus clinical experiences meet at Black Hills State University, Rapid City campus. 

Sioux Falls

In Sioux Falls, students take coursework and participate in lecture, on-campus labs and clinical rotations in Sioux Falls and surrounding communities. Classes meet on the campus of Southeast Technical College in the Terrance Sullivan Health Science Center.

» Estimated cost is based on 2024-25 South ��ֱ���� Board of Regents tuition/fees.

» Additional costs will be incurred throughout the B.S.N. program, including but not limited to textbooks, background checks, travel, ATI bundle, etc.

Financial Aid

SDSU is committed to helping students find the resources available to help pay for college. Our Office of Financial Aid is here for you.

This curriculum is for students meeting the 2025-26 and after catalog requirements. The academic advising guide sheet promotes student success by guiding all students to timely completion their degree.

Prerequisite Coursework

Students may apply while prerequisite coursework is in progress as long as courses are completed before starting the first semester of the nursing program (in August in Sioux Falls or January in Rapid City).

Prerequisite Coursework

• BIOL 221/221L Human Anatomy/Lab (four credits)
• BIOL 325/325L Physiology/Lab (four credits)
• NUTR 315 Human Nutrition (three credits)
• *CHEM 106/106L Chemistry Survey and Lab or CHEM 108/108L Organic and Biochemistry and Lab or CHEM 112/112L General Chemistry I and Lab or CHEM 114/114L General Chemistry II and Lab (four credits)
• *PSYC 101 General Psychology (three credits)
• *SOC 100, 150 or 240 or ANTH 210 (three credits)
• *MICR 231/231L General Microbiology/Lab (four credits)
• HDFS 210 Lifespan Development (three credits)

System General Education Requirements

System General Education Requirements are common across the entire South ��ֱ���� regental system. The College of Nursing requires specific courses for System General Education Requirements 3 and 6. The others are as follows:

• *SGR 1: Written Communication: any two eligible courses
• *SGR 2: Oral Communication: any eligible course
• *SGR 3: Social Sciences: any eligible course. Please note that the College of Nursing requires an additional specific course to meet the SGR 3 requirement.
• *SGR 4: Arts and Humanities: any two eligible courses
• *SGR 5: Mathematics: MATH 103 or higher course

Students who have completed a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution will have successfully completed the System General Education Requirements. See ,  and  for more information.

Elective Credits

Students must have enough elective courses to equal 120 credits upon completion of the program. Elective credits must be completed before the student starts in the accelerated nursing program. 

Nursing Major Requirements

• NURS 228 Assessment of Individuals and Populations Across the Lifespan (four credits)
• NURS 246 Professional and Population Health Nursing I (two credits)
• NURS 323 Introduction to Pathophysiology (three credits)
• NURS 225 Clinical Application I (three credits)
• NURS 338 Client Centered Care I (four credits)
• NURS 346 Professional and Population Health Nursing II (two credits)
• NURS 353 Clinical Judgment I (two credits)
• NURS 351 Pharmacology for Nursing Practice I (two credits)
• NURS 365 Clinical Application II (three credits)
• NURS 348 Client Centered Care II (four credits)
• NURS 373 Clinical Judgment II (two credits)
• NURS 361 Research, Quality and Safety in Nursing (three credits)
• NURS 375 Clinical Application III (four credits)
• NURS 448 Client Centered Care III (four credits)
• NURS 446 Professional and Population Health Nursing III (two credits)
• NURS 453 Clinical Judgment III (two credits)
• NURS 451 Pharmacology for Nursing Practice II (one credit)
• NURS 425 Clinical Application IV (four credits)
• NURS 462 Transition to Professional Nursing (three credits)
• NURS 473 Clinical Judgment IV (two credits)
• NURS 495 Capstone (COM) (four credits)

As a graduate of the program, you will have the knowledge to:

• Integrate knowledge, skills and values from liberal education into the nursing discipline.
• Integrate nurse-led initiatives and leadership to improve the quality and safety of health care.
• Incorporate evidence-based practice in complex health care systems to enhance quality of care and safety.
• Demonstrate proficiency in informatics and health care technologies to support the health care process and improve outcomes.
• Interpret and evaluate implications of health policy and system-based practice in nursing.
• Integrate effective interprofessional communication and collaborative team-based partnerships into professional nursing practice.
• Improve population health outcomes through healthcare management across the lifespan.
• Integrate behaviors that reflect nursing values, ethics, and professional standards into practice.

As a college, we recognize that students come from a variety of backgrounds and have different experiences. We welcome the benefits that a diverse student body brings to the college and ultimately, the profession of nursing.

Through our holistic admissions process, we look at each individual applicant as just that — an individual. Use of a holistic approach allows our undergraduate and graduate admissions committees to consider a combination of items including experiences, attributes and metrics to assist us in finding individuals who will be able to face the challenges of today’s health care needs and those that will arise in the future.

Prior to applying to the nursing program, students must apply for admission to SDSU. The number of students accepted to enroll in the program may vary depending upon available clinical facilities.

Prior Educational Preparation

For students entering the university under the SDSU 2025-26 Undergraduate Catalog and later, the following admission criteria will apply:

• To be considered for admission to the accelerated B.S.N. program, students must have:
  • A cumulative GPA of 2.700 or higher.
  • A grade of “C” or higher in all completed courses required for graduation.
  • Completed all prenursing coursework, System General Education Requirements and elective courses. Students must have enough elective courses to equal 120 credits upon completion of the program. Elective credits must be completed before the student starts in the accelerated nursing program. Students may apply while prerequisite coursework is in progress as long as courses are completed before starting the first semester of the nursing program (in August in Sioux Falls or January in Rapid City), if selected for admission.
    • Prenursing courses
      • PSYC 101 General Psychology, three credits
      • SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology or 150 Social Problems or 240 Sociology of Rural America or ANTH 210 Cultural Anthropology, three credits
      • HDFS 210 Lifespan Development, three credits
      • CHEM 106/106L Chemistry Survey and lab or CHEM 108/108L Organic and Biochemistry and lab or CHEM 112/112L General Chemistry I and lab or CHEM 114/114L General Chemistry II and lab, four credits
      • NUTR 315 Human Nutrition, three credits
      • BIOL 221/221L Anatomy and lab, four credits
      • BIOL 325/325L Physiology and lab, four credits
      • MICR 231/231L Microbiology and lab, four credits
    • System General Education Requirements and other courses
      • Students that have completed a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution will have successfully completed the System General Education Requirements. See ,  and  for more information.
        • *SGR 1: Written Communication: any two eligible courses
        • *SGR 2: Oral Communication: any eligible course
        • **SGR 3: Social Sciences: any eligible course. Please note that the College of Nursing requires an additional specific course to meet the SGR 3 requirement.
        • *SGR 4: Arts and Humanities: any two eligible courses
        • *SGR 5: Mathematics: MATH 103 or higher course

Non-­Native Speakers of English

As the nurse is a professional who deals with human lives, it is mandatory that a higher level of English fluency be met in order to ensure the safety of clients and students. The English as a Second Language requirement for the College of Nursing is the same as that required by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. The College of Nursing requires all students who meet the definition of student with English as a Second Language to complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language, International English Language Testing System, Duolingo or an accepted substitute. English as a Second Language is defined as a student who was instructed and spoke primarily in a language other than English in the K-12 grades or primary and secondary schooling. The minimum Test of English as a Foreign Language score required for admission to the professional program is 79, with a minimum speaking score of 26. The required International English Language Testing System band score for admission to the professional program is 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each module. The minimum Duolingo score is 110. The Test of English as a Foreign Language, International English Language Testing System or Duolingo is required for all students for whom English is a second language, regardless of residency status. These scores are required before the student will be accepted into the professional program. The student is responsible for all testing fees. More details about requirements for the university and waiver countries are included on the International Admissions page.

Background Checks

All students must submit federal and supplemental criminal background checks. Admission to the College of Nursing is not contingent on a clean background check, however, clinical placement and future licensure may be impacted by background check results.

Technical Standards

Those seeking admission must meet the College of Nursing Technical Standards.

Please email or call an academic advisor before applying or registering for classes to make sure courses are completed in the appropriate sequence.

Rapid City 

• Application opens: First week of February
• Priority review date: Aug. 25
• Final deadline: Rolling admission on a space-available basis through Oct. 25
• Program start: January

Sioux Falls 

• Application opens: First week of August
• Priority review date: Jan. 25
• Final deadline: Rolling admission on a space-available basis through May 25
• Program start: August

Before submitting your application, be sure to review the admission criteria.

• Submit an application to the university.
  • Prior to applying to the nursing program, students must apply for admission to SDSU. The university application can be completed online through the Admissions Office.
  • Students graduating with an undergraduate degree from SDSU this academic year will need to complete a new application.
• Complete the application for admission to the nursing program.
  • The application and application materials for the professional nursing major must be completed online through . You are encouraged to submit the application at least one week prior to the application deadline.
  • Application materials will include unofficial or official transcripts.
• Complete your interview/essay assessment through Kira Talent.
  • You will receive an invitation to the Kira Talent interview from the program after your application is reviewed.
• Submit Test of English as a Foreign Language, International English Language Testing System or Duolingo score report with NursingCAS Application (non-native speakers of English)
  • The College of Nursing requires all students who meet the definition of English as a Second Language to complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language, International English Language Testing System or Duolingo exam, regardless of residency status. English as a second language is defined as a student who was instructed and spoke primarily in a language other than English in the K-12 grade.
  • The minimum Test of English as a Foreign Language score required for admission to the professional nursing major is 79, with a minimum speaking score of 26. The required International English Language Testing System band score for admission to the professional nursing major is 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each module. The minimum Duolingo score required is 110. These scores are required before the student will be accepted into the professional nursing major.

Once admitted, the student much purchase a laptop computer that meets our computer requirement (unless you already have one). The student must also complete the compliance requirements. The student will be given instructions to complete compliance requirements through the online management system.

Accelerated program compliance requirements are comprised of both university requirements and clinical agency requirements. SDSU College of Nursing does not guarantee clinical placement for students who are not in compliance with clinical agency requirements. Clinical agencies may change their compliance requirements at any point in time and students are expected to be in compliance with any of these changes.

Compliance Requirements

Criminal background check: Students must complete a criminal background check through the online management system. An annual background check is required.

10-panel drug screen: Students will complete a drug screen through the online management system. Instructions will be provided at the time of purchase, including approved laboratory locations for completing the drug screen.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation certification: Certification must be Basic Life Support for Health Care Provider issued by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross.

Health insurance: Students must provide proof of health insurance coverage.

Online training: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and infection control training will be completed through a designated online platform.

Required SDSU College of Nursing forms

• Certificate of health
• Multiwaiver release form
• Room scan consent form
• Participation and self-transportation agreement

Additional compliance requirements/immunizations

• Tuberculin (TB) testing
• Hepatitis B
• MMR (measles, mumps and rubella)
• Varicella (chickenpox)
• TDaP (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis)
• Influenza
• COVID-19

Immunization exemption requests will be submitted in writing using the SDSU immunization exemption request form which will be available in the online management system. An exemption approved by SDSU College of Nursing does not guarantee the exemption will be granted by clinical agencies.

The College of Nursing provides a state-of-the-art nursing program that prepares graduates for the variety of situations and circumstances necessary to practice anywhere in the United States. An emphasis in liberal studies and humanities, as well as in social and natural sciences, provides the foundation for a student's nursing education.

The accelerated nursing programs in Rapid City and Sioux Falls are South ��ֱ���� State University programs. They are just conducted at our distance sites. Graduates of these programs will receive their degree from SDSU but will complete their coursework and clinical in and around Rapid City or Sioux Falls.

The program is designed to be completed in one year. Each of the five semesters of the major are compressed into variable-week terms, typically between eight and 12 weeks in length. Students typically take 11-13 credits per term. Students in Rapid City complete the program between January and December. Students in Sioux Falls complete the program between August and August.

Discuss financial aid options with Office of Financial Aid staff early in the application process by calling them at 605-688-4702. There are also multiple scholarship opportunities available to nursing students.

Before discussing differences, let’s look at similarities between the programs:

• Graduates from both programs take the National Council Licensure Examination to become licensed as a registered nurse.
• Students take arts and sciences to support the nursing core requirements.
• Entry-level staff nurse positions appear similar. However, the baccalaureate-prepared nurse has a broader education background, thus affording greater career opportunities.
• Students complete coursework in communication skills, technical skill mastery, and clinical care of child-bearing women, psychiatric patients and children and adults with health variations.

Now, the differences. A baccalaureate degree requires 120-130 credits and 620-945 clinical practice hours. Graduates are classified as professional nurses. In addition to basic knowledge, the baccalaureate student completes courses in professional issues, statistics research, health promotion and maintenance, health assessment, pathophysiology, community health and leadership. We prepare graduates to work in unstructured settings with more complex patients, and they manage and direct themselves and others as well as work in collaboration with the multi-disciplinary team.

As a general rule, associate degree programs require 65-91 credits and 585-810 clinical practice hours and can be completed in four to six semesters. Graduates of associate degree programs are classified as technical nurses. They have basic nursing knowledge and are prepared to work in structured settings with less complex patients. They direct themselves and others, and they work as part of team.

We admit 48 students each August for the Sioux Falls accelerated program; we admit 72 students each January for the Rapid City accelerated program.

Admission to the nursing program is competitive, and while there are sufficient spaces across all our B.S.N. programs, qualified students may not always be offered their first-choice location. Qualified applicants are strongly encouraged to accept placement at one of our other College of Nursing locations, if offered, or consider the B.S.N. standard program option at one of our College of Nursing locations if space is available. Alternatively, they may choose to be placed on a waiting list for their preferred location.

Applicants will be notified of acceptance by university email. Acceptance is conditional on meeting additional requirements including drug screening, background check, evidence of health insurance, current immunization status, CPR certification and purchase of an approved laptop computer.