Clemson University

Established in 1889, Clemson University is a public institution in Clemson, South Carolina. It is the second-largest university in South Carolina, with close to 25,000 students enrolled in 2018. The university is structured into seven colleges, including the College of Social and Health Sciences that houses the nursing department. The university manages the Clemson Experimental Forest, which includes 17,500 acres of land for research and education. The campus includes three buildings from the beginning of the university. Hardin Hall, Tillman Hall, and Godfrey Hall were built between 1890 and 1898 and remain in use by the university.

Nursing students may enroll in the traditional BSN, RN to BSN, accelerated BSN, or MSN programs. The programs are all accredited by the CCNE. After graduating, most students find jobs in the nursing field within several months. In fact, the university has a nearly 100% job placement rate within three months of graduation. The traditional BSN program offers hands-on training through clinical labs in a state-of-the-art simulation skills center. During the junior and senior years, BSN students begin clinical rotations and take on more of their nursing courses. The RN to BSN program is offered entirely online, providing a flexible option for registered nurses seeking a BSN.

Updated on: 26 Oct, 2025

Program Length & Format

20 months total; 5-semester track starting each Summer
Full-time enrollment required
All classes and clinical experiences based at Clemson Nursing Building, 605 Grove Road, Greenville, SC; clinical rotations in surrounding area hospital systems
Semester credit and course structure:
- Summer (semester 1) 6 hours: NURS 3100 Health Assessment 3 (2,3); NURS 3300 Research 3 (3,0)
- Fall (semester 2) 14 hours: NURS 3040 Pathophysiology 3 (3,0); NURS 3400 Pharmacotherapeutic Nursing Interventions 3 (3,0); NURS 3120 Medical-Surgical I 4 (2,6); NURS 3200 Professionalism in Nursing 3 (3,0)
- Spring (semester 3) 15 hours: NURS 3330 Healthcare Genetics 3 (3,0); NURS 3030 Medical-Surgical II 7 (3,12); NURS 3050 Psychosocial Nursing 3 (3,0); NURS 3230 Gerontology Nursing 2 (2,0)
- Summer (semester 4) 15 hours: NURS 4010 Mental Health Nursing 5 (3,6); NURS 4110 Nursing Care of Children 5 (3,6); NURS 4120 Nursing Care of Women and Their Families 5 (3,6)
- Fall (semester 5) 16 hours: NURS 4030 Medical-Surgical III 5 (3,6); NURS 4140 Community Health 5 (3,6); NURS 4100 Leadership Management 6 (3,9)

Admission Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally or nationally accredited college or university required
Cumulative GPA or last 60 hours GPA minimum: 3.0
Applicants must apply through Clemson undergraduate admissions as a transfer applicant

Deadlines

Application for Summer 2026 open through September 15th
Admissions decisions communicated in late November
Program start: May (Summer term)
Orientation and nursing building tour held in the Spring prior to program start

Application

Apply via Clemson undergraduate admissions as a transfer applicant (includes former and current Clemson students)
ASD Admission Application requires selecting Spring term; admissions office will default enrollment to Summer term
Applicants may apply and be accepted while completing prior bachelor's degree and/or ASD prerequisite courses

Selection Process

Admissions notifications issued in late November
Cohorts begin each Summer; admitted students proceed on a 5-semester track
Transcripts evaluated to determine additional coursework requirements

Clinical & Simulation Lab

Clinical rotations conducted in surrounding area hospital systems
Clinical and lab hours indicated in course listings (lecture, lab breakdown shown for each course)
Nursing simulation centers available at sites of instruction

Cost & Financial Aid

Nursing academic program fee for full-time students: $1,000 per semester beginning first semester of enrollment (applies to ASD students)
Nursing scholarships and awards administered by Clemson University and School of Nursing; additional awards available in Spring semester with application materials emailed to students
Listed scholarships and awards: Elizabeth Ashley Gillespie Annual Travel Grant-in-Aid; Eugene Edwards Memorial Award; Gracie Evelyn Boggs Jameson Endowed Scholarship; Hearst Annual Scholarship; Herbert N. Shearin, Jr. Award for Excellence in Nursing; J.C. Hubbard Endowment Educational Fund; Judy Yvonne Robertson Memorial Scholarship; Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation Annual Nursing Scholarship; Reva W. Burns Endowment Scholarship in Nursing; Viola M. Wolf Nursing Annual Scholarship (eligibility: U.S. citizen; minimum GPA 3.0; junior or senior)