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This plan of study is for students in the 2025-26 and after catalog requirements. Courses in bold must be completed or in progress at the time of application to the nursing program. The academic advising guide sheet promotes student success by guiding all students to timely completion their degree.

Coursework is taken in a semester block, sequential format. 

Prenursing Requirements

• 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)
• NURS 119 First-Year Seminar (two credits)
• PSYC 101 General Psychology (three credits)
• *SGR 1: Written Communication (three credits)
• *SGR 5: Mathematics (Math 103 or higher) (three credits)
• BIOL 221/L Human Anatomy and Lab (four credits)
• NURS 201 Medical Terminology (optional/elective one credit)
• SOC 100, 150, 240 Introduction to Sociology, Social Problem or Rural Sociology or ANTH 210 Cultural Anthropology (three credits)
• NUTR 315 Human Nutrition (three credits)
• *SGR 2: Oral Communication (three credits)
• SGR 3: Social Sciences (three credits)
• BIOL 325/L Physiology and Lab (four credits)
• HDFS 210 Lifespan Development (three credits)
• MICR 231/L General Microbiology and Lab (four credits)
• *SGR 1: Written Communication (three credits)
• *SGR 4: Arts and Humanities (three credits)

Nursing Major Requirements

Semester 1

• 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)

Semester 2

• 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)

Semester 3

• 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)

Semester 4

• 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)

Semester 5

• NURS 462 Transition to Professional Nursing (three credits)
• NURS 473 Clinical Judgment IV (two credits)
• NURS 495 Capston (COM) (four credits)

Additional Requirements for Graduation

• SGR 4: Arts and Humanities (three credits)
• *SGR 1: Written Communication (three credits)
• Elective Credits (12 credits)

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

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

Students will complete a blend of traditional and precepted clinical experiences primarily in their home communities (contingent on available partnerships).

Price per credit: $408

Estimated total: $24,480

» 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 academic resources, ATI and compliance related items.

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.

As a college, we recognize that students come from a variety of backgrounds and have different experiences. We welcome the benefits that a varied 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.

The number of students accepted to enroll in the program may vary depending upon available clinical facilities.

For students entering the university under the 2025-26 undergraduate catalog and later, the following admission criteria will apply:

• A cumulative GPA of 2.700.
• A grade of “C” or higher in all completed courses required for graduation.
• The following courses (both prenursing and general education) completed or in progress at the time of application to the program:
  • Prenursing courses
    • NURS 119 Seminar
    • PSYC 101 General Psychology
    • NUTR 315 Human Nutrition
    • BIOL 221/221L Anatomy and lab
    • BIOL 325/325L Physiology and lab
    • HDFS 210 Lifespan Development
  • System General Education Requirements (SGRs)
    • SGR 1 Written Communication: any eligible course
    • SGR 2 Oral Communication: any eligible course
    • SGR 3 Social Sciences: any eligible course
    • SGR 5 Mathematics: MATH 103 or higher course
    • SGR 6 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
    • SGR 6 MICR 231/231L General Microbiology and lab

Non-Native Speakers of English

Background Checks

Transferring from Another Nursing Program

Technical Standards

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

• Application opens: First week in February
• Priority deadline: Aug. 25
• Final deadline: Oct. 25
• Rolling admission will continue on a space available basis until Nov. 1
• Program start: January

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.
  • Official transcripts showing a conferred B.A./B.S. degree/prerequisite courses (both completed and in progress) are necessary for admission. These transcripts must be submitted directly to SDSU Office of Admissions. If you will have courses in progress at the application deadline, you must send updated official transcripts to SDSU upon completion of coursework. Coursework completed at South ��ֱ���� State University, ��ֱ���� State University, University of South ��ֱ����, Northern State University, South ��ֱ���� School of Mines or Black Hills State University does not need to be submitted to SDSU Office of Admissions.
• 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 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 (iBT), 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 must 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.

Standard 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.

Students who are unsuccessful in a course may need to transfer to a College of Nursing site in Brookings, Sioux Falls or Rapid City to continue progressing in the program. 

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.