General Nursing Degree

Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing

The General BSN program, established in 1965 by the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing, is a four-year nursing program that combines a broad liberal arts and science foundation with an extensive range of nursing courses.

The nursing degree program prepares students to provide nursing care in a variety of settings, including hospitals, private practice, long-term care, clinics, and health care/community agencies.

Students gain experience in diverse settings such as academic medical centers, rural hospitals, community agencies, schools, and prisons. After earning the B.S., students are eligible to take the national examination for licensure as a registered nurse (NCLEX).

Suggested Academic Plan for Nursing

Why a four-year nursing degree?

A four-year education helps nurses navigate the increasingly complex medical field. In its report The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, the Institute of Medicine recommends that 80 percent of all nurses have, at minimum, a bachelor's degree by 2020.

Hospitals applying for Magnet status employ a larger percentage of nurses with a B.S. degree than those without.
Many institutions have higher pay grades for baccalaureate-prepared nurses.
A four-year degree is also the foundation for the advanced education needed for advanced practice positions (nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse midwife, nurse anesthetist) and other advanced nursing roles (administrator, educator, or researcher).

What I love the most about the nursing program is how small the class sizes are, so I am able to work with all of my fellow classmates and learn with them through both coursework and clinicals. The professors are also amazing at teaching both lectures and life lessons for when it comes to the real the world of nursing. After college I plan on becoming a pediatric nurse, hoping to work in the PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit.)

John Evans, Nursing

For more information, please call:

Admissions 570-963-2500
Registrar 570-963-2505

Many US states and territories require professional licensure/certification to be employed. If you plan to pursue employment in a licensed profession after completing this program, please visit the Professional Licensure/Certification Disclosures by State interactive map.