Course Overview!

Ball State University's Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program provides a comprehensive education blending intense lecture material with extensive hands-on clinical experience. Students gain practical skills using high-fidelity simulators in state-of-the-art labs and apply their knowledge in various clinical settings across east-central Indiana. The curriculum includes rigorous medical-surgical nursing courses alongside specialty classes in areas like pediatrics, psychiatric nursing, and community health. The program prepares graduates for entry-level registered nurse positions in hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, and home health care. Graduates consistently achieve high pass rates on the NCLEX-RN exam, and employers praise their preparedness. The program also serves as a strong foundation for those pursuing graduate studies in nursing. The program offers various concentrations including a traditional four-year option, a three-year accelerated option, an accelerated second-degree option (for those with a prior bachelor's degree), and an LPN-to-BSN option. The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Course Structure

The BSN program's structure varies depending on the chosen concentration. The regular four-year concentration and three-year accelerated program both involve five semesters of clinical study starting in the second year and include subjects like introduction to nursing, health appraisal, fundamental nursing skills, medical-surgical adult health, psychiatric nursing, pediatrics, nursing of the childbearing family, community health, critical care, leadership and management, and a transition-to-practice seminar in the final year. The accelerated second-degree program is a condensed 19-month pathway designed for students already holding a bachelor's degree. The LPN-to-BSN option allows LPNs to leverage their prior experience to complete their BSN. Students in all concentrations will master fundamental nursing skills and advance through increasingly complex clinical experiences.