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Brookings

Brookings is the main South ��ֱ���� State University campus. Clinical rotations occur at facilities in Brookings and surrounding communities.

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 occur at Black Hills State University, Rapid City campus.

Nursing students in Rapid City can take advantage of the West River Health Science Center, a unique partnership between BHSU, SDSU and Monument Health. Through this partnership, students start at BHSU to take their general education and prerequisites, earn their Associate of Applied Health Science degree and then seamlessly transition into the nursing major at SDSU. Through this partnership, all the courses needed to earn a B.S.N. can be taken on-site in Rapid City. An added benefit is that students who start with BHSU and earn the required GPA for admission to the nursing major are guaranteed admission to the nursing program.

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.

Tuition Information

» 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.

Getting past the rumors and tall tales surrounding admission isn't easy. The SDSU College of Nursing academic advisors have compiled this information to help you arrive at the truth about various aspects of admission. These are the facts about our most recent admissions to our standard four year Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

Spring 2023

The college received 182 qualified applications for 184 seats (Brookings 64, Rapid City 72, Sioux Falls 48). Among the students admitted, the average prenursing GPA was 3.57, and the average cumulative GPA was 3.56. Prenursing GPAs of admitted students ranged from 2.764 to 4.0. Cumulative GPAs of admitted students ranged from 2.714 to 4.0.

Fall 2022

The college received 152 qualified applications for 136 seats (Brookings 64, Rapid City 72). Among the students admitted, the average prenursing GPA was 3.45 and the average cumulative GPA was 3.47. Prenursing GPAs of admitted students ranged from 2.760 to 4.0. Cumulative GPAs of admitted students ranged from 2.778 to 4.0.

A primary component of nursing education is the clinical experience. Students participate in supervised learning sessions in real-world health care environments, which provide them with the opportunity to put what they’ve learned in the classroom into practice. One of the many advantages of enrolling in the SDSU nursing program is that students complete over 800 clinical hours in on-campus and off-campus clinical. These hours include acute hours, community hours and time spent in simulation. Our program combines the unique resources of the SDSU campus with outside health care agencies in a manner that enables students to participate fully in all facets of the health care delivery system.

On-campus clinical learning

Each College of Nursing site has a Healthcare Simulation Center, a clinical practice laboratory and technology-enhanced classrooms. South ��ֱ���� State University College of Nursing Healthcare Simulation Center has provisional accreditation by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare in the areas of teaching and education. The center is one of 146 health care simulation programs accredited by the society and is among the first land-grant institutions to receive this accreditation.

During simulation, students work with a variety of patient simulators (high-tech mannequins) of varying ages and backgrounds. The patients present with a variety of health conditions. They can talk, breathe, simulate human heartbeat and more. Students will get to know each patient in a manner that makes them come alive.

Off-campus clinical learning

Off campus, students participate in increasingly complex clinical experiences at some of the best-known health care entities in the region. These experiences take place in a variety of settings across the health care continuum and are supervised by preceptors, who are caring and experienced practitioners and educators. Students complete their clinical learning in major hospitals, community clinics and other health facilities in the region. The variety of settings helps to prepare students to interact appropriately and effectively with patients from all walks of life.

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 System General Education Requirements) completed or in progress at the time of application to the nursing major:
  • 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
    • 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

High school seniors, who meet certain pre-established requirements, may have the option to make their future worry-free by applying for the direct admit program.

Non-native speakers of English

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.

Transferring from another nursing program

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

Technical Standards

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

Fall Entry

Fall entry is available in Brookings and Rapid City.

• Application Opens: First week in January
• Deadline: Feb. 15
• Program Start: August
• Rolling admission will continue on a space available basis until June 15.

Spring Entry

Spring entry is available in Brookings, Rapid City and Sioux Falls.

• Application Opens: First week in August
• Deadline: Sept. 15
• Program Start: January
• Rolling admission will continue on a space available basis until November 1.

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 the 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 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.

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 circumstances and situations 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. Hands-on clinical internships are available at many of the hospitals in our state.

The degree is designed to be completed in eight semesters (four years). Students typically take 14-17 credits per semester and have three semesters of prerequisites. The nursing courses take five semesters to complete.

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 registered nurses.
• 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 educational 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 multidisciplinary 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 a team.

On the Brookings main campus, we admit 64 students each fall and spring. At the Rapid City site, we admit 72 students each fall and spring. At the Sioux Falls site, we admit 48 students each spring.

Admission to the nursing program is competitive, and while there are sufficient spaces, 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. Alternatively, they may choose to be placed on a waiting list for their preferred location.

Students who do not meet the admission qualifications often use the following semester to focus on fulfilling requirements while also completing electives, general education courses or nursing major support classes.

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

Typically, many (but not all) of the prerequisite courses students must take will transfer to SDSU from another institution. To ensure you will receive appropriate credit, check the to see if a course you are considering has previously been evaluated by the Registrar's Office or check with your academic advisor to make sure the course you wish to take will equate to the proper SDSU course.

Due to the distinctive structure of each nursing program, coursework from other programs may not transfer to SDSU. Prospective students are encouraged to consult with an academic advisor for guidance.