Bradley University

Bradley University is a private university in Peoria, Illinois, which is about three hours from Chicago or St. Louis. The university was founded in 1897 and they currently offer over 100 undergrad programs and more than 30 graduate-level programs through their five colleges. The campus is located on the west side of the city of Peoria and is just a few minutes from the downtown area. The campus is also compact, ensuring that students can walk from one part of the campus to any other part within 10 minutes or less. Bradley University has also received many awards and honors, including ranking sixth nationally for producing Fulbright students.

The nursing programs offered at BU include the traditional BSN and MSN programs. Registered nurses and licensed nursing practitioners may enroll in the RN to BSN or LPN to BSN programs to earn their degrees. Each of the nursing programs is accredited by the relevant body, including the CCNE and ACEN. Students have access to hands-on training at two major hospital systems along with several public health facilities and nursing homes in the area. The clinical experience starts during the sophomore year of the BSN programs. The university also boasts one of the highest pass rates in the nation for the NCLEX-RN exam.