Shenandoah University Eleanor Wade Custer School of School of Nursing

Program Length & Format

• 15-month
• Total nursing credits: 65; total credits required for BSN: 121
• Program start terms: fall and spring (Winchester campus: fall entry only; Loudoun campus: fall and spring entries)
• Existing bachelor’s or master’s degree in a non-nursing field fulfills non-nursing course requirements

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree from an accredited college or university required
• Meet all general admission requirements for Shenandoah University
• Letter of good standing required if previously enrolled in a nursing program
• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 in science prerequisite courses and 3.0 in non-science prerequisite courses
• 75% of prerequisite coursework required for provisional admission; 100% completion required prior to enrollment

Prerequisites

• All prerequisite courses must be completed before enrollment
• Required courses and credits:
  • Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II with labs: 8 credits
  • Microbiology with lab: 4 credits
  • College/General Chemistry, Biochemistry, or Organic Chemistry with lab: 4 credits
  • Statistics: 3 credits
  • Nutrition: 3 credits
  • English Composition: 3 credits
  • Sociology: 3 credits
  • Psychology (General, Abnormal, or Developmental): 3 credits

Deadlines

• Priority application submission deadlines: February 15 for fall term; October 1 for spring term
• Prerequisite completion deadlines: 100% completion prior to August 1 for fall start; prior to December 15 for spring start

Application

• Submit Shenandoah University application and meet university admission requirements
• Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended
• Letter of good standing from prior institution(s) if applicable
• All prerequisite coursework completed before enrollment
• Enrolled students required to complete criminal background check, random urine drug screening, and maintain required immunizations

Selection Process

• Rolling admissions; applications evaluated after submission of all required documents
• Applications completed by priority deadlines considered before later submissions
• Admission requires meeting program-specific criteria (degree, prerequisite GPA, prerequisite completion)

Cost & Financial Aid

• ABSN students eligible for transfer scholarships and need-based scholarships
• Private loan options available; university provides lender resources
• Parent PLUS Loan available for dependent students
• Employer tuition assistance and installment payment options available

Clinical & Simulation Lab

• Simulation suite configurations: emergency department/operating room, intensive care unit, labor and delivery/pediatrics, medical-surgical unit
• Simulators: adult, pediatric, birthing, and newborn mannequins that accept IVs, simulate bleeding, produce heart/lung/bowel sounds, and exhibit chest rise
• Clinical sites (Winchester): Valley Health System hospitals (Winchester Medical Center, Warren Memorial Hospital, Shenandoah Hospital), WVU East Berkeley Medical Center, Martinsburg VA Medical Center, INOVA Health System, community settings (Blue Ridge Hospice, public health departments, Sinclair Free Medical Clinic)
• Clinical sites (Loudoun/Scholar Plaza): INOVA Health System hospitals (Loudoun, Fair Oaks, Fairfax, Alexandria), Reston Hospital Center, Virginia Hospital Center, Children’s National Medical Center, Fauquier Hospital, Novant Hospitals
• BSN program requirement: 2,080 direct patient care hours prior to starting specialty courses

Credit Transfer

• Prerequisite courses may be taken at any regionally accredited institution and evaluated for equivalency
• Science coursework must have been completed within the last 10 years to be eligible for transfer credit
• No more than two science prerequisites may be repeated more than one time
• Minimum of 30 credits must be completed at Shenandoah University for BSN degree

Contacts

• Eleanor Wade Custer School of Nursing, Cecil Pruitt, Jr. Health & Life Sciences Building, 1460 University Drive, Winchester, VA 22601; Phone: 540-678-4374
• Loudoun location, 44160 Scholar Plaza, Leesburg, VA 20176; Phone: 540-535-3402

The Shenandoah University Traditional BSN program is a four year track designed for students who are just entering the program as freshmen for full time instruction with a combination of nursing and general education courses beginning from the first semester of enrollment. Students are encouraged to take the opportunities made available to work in healthcare settings during summers.

The university also provides a transfer track into the program that is intended for students who have already completed all general education requirements and pre-requisite courses. Transfer students are accepted in the fall or in the spring semesters for five academic semesters of full time instruction.

The other track,  RN to BSN  offers advanced placement entry for Registered Nurses who have a diploma in nursing or an associate degree. RNs can transfer general education credits and nursing courses taken at an accredited institute to complete the BSN in two semesters of full time enrollment of three to six semesters of part time study.

The last track is second degree BSN/accelerated BSN is a 15 month program designed for students who already have a baccalaureate degree in a nursing program.

Program Specific Requirements:

• Specific immunizations required by healthcare facilities
• Proof of Tetanus Diphtheria and Pertussis
• Tuberculosis testing
• Proof of health insurance
• Complete criminal background check
• Random drug testing
• Current CPR certificate for health care providers from the American Heart Association