BSN Programs in Vermont

The Castleton State College nursing program offers two BSN tracks: a four year baccalaureate degree program and an RN to BSN transition program for Registered Nurses who already have an Associate of Science in Nursing Degree or a Nursing Diploma.

The BSN program is intended to equip students to meet the demands of a career in nursing. Students who successfully complete the program are eligible to apply to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses to be a licensed Registered Nurse.

Admission Requirements:

• High School Diploma
• Class standing in the upper quarter
• Official transcripts for high school and college level coursework
• Combined Critical Reading and Math SAT scores
• Evaluation of college level coursework completed in the past
• Interview

Candidates for the RN to BSN transition program are required to have a current and unencumbered Registered Nurse license from the state of Vermont as well as transcripts for all prerequisite courses.

RN to BSN candidates will be evaluated on an individual basis and the time and number of previously completed credits may vary from candidate to candidate. All licensed Registered Nurses accepted into the transition program will be awarded 34 credits towards the completion of the BSN degree.

Students who are able to successfully complete the Norwich University BSN program are eligible to apply to sit for the NCLEX RN. The curriculum is offered in a combination of in classroom theoretical instruction, learning laboratories, simulated laboratories and a range of clinical settings. The program is affiliated with the University of Vermont’s Fletcher Allen Medical Center and with the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center.

Students in the program are offered a range of technological applications in the classroom and clinical settings including through the use of handheld PDAs and smart phone apps.

Admission to the nursing program is only open for enrollment in the fall semester due to limited space availability and structured curriculum sequence.

Admission to the program is highly competitive depending on the class standing, grade point average, recommendations and results on standardized exams along with other requirements.

Students seeking to transfer into the program will be allowed to do so depending on the availability of space in the program and conditional on the transfer credit evaluation. The Chair of the nursing department makes the final decision on the students transferring into the program.

The University of Vermont BSN program curriculum combines professional nursing courses with courses in general science requirements and liberal arts as well as courses in humanities, behavioral and natural sciences which serve as a foundation for the nursing courses.

Nursing major courses and clinical practice rotations commence in the second year of the program.

Admission Requirements:

• Transcripts
• Results on standardized tests
• Personal statement
• Recommendations
• Prerequisite academic courses in the areas of language, science and math.

The application deadline for admission in the Spring semester is the 1st of November with applicants notified by late December. Application deadline for the fall semester is the 1st of November for early action first year candidates and the 15th of January for regular candidates. Applicants for early action will receive notifications by late December and regular applicants will be notified by late March.

Admission to the nursing program is competitive and depends on the composite of the application documents.

The college accepts transfer students into the program but that is depending on the availability of space in the program and conditional on the transfer credit evaluation.