Complete BSN Application Instructions
Learn about our outstanding BSN program and tour our state-of-the-art nursing labs at the upcoming, in-person Open Houses.
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program prepares you to begin the practice of professional nursing. Upon graduating, you will be eligible to apply to sit for the National Council of State Boards of Nursing licensure examination for registered nurses (NCLEX-RN).
Students will take courses centered around the nursing profession that build off of prerequsite courses taken prior to entry into the program. Courses will be held on the main campus at the Health and Human Sciences Building. Along with traditional lecture courses, students will recieve clinical instruction at healthcare institutions and agencies in rural and urban areas across Western North Carolina beginning the first semester of the program.
Application to the BSN program is now completed online. Admission is granted twice a year and program cohorts will begin in the Fall and Spring semesters. Undergraduate students attending WCU will apply to the nursing program in the sophomore year for junior entry. Admission is competitive, and it is important for students planning to pursue the BSN to maintain a competitive GPA and to read and complete all admission and prerequisite requirements listed in detail for you below.
The suggested curriculum plan is laid out Freshman through Senior year in the 8-semester plan.
As each student's situation may vary students should communicate with their advisor to complete their liberal studies and University requirements for graduation.
Thanks to NC Promise, tuition for all undergraduate students at WCU is $500 per fall and spring semesters for in-state students and $2,500 for out-of-state students. Students admitted into the BSN program will be required to make additional purchases for supplies and other requirements as needed for class and clinical placement throughout the program.
To be eligible to apply and be considered for admission, students must complete the following admission requirements. Applicants are encouraged to use the Pre-requisite Worksheet to keep track of their completed and still needed entrance requirements:
Chemistry 132 – Introductory Chemistry with lab (4hr) [Note: Chem 139: Gen Chem I meets/exceeds Chem 132]
Biology 292 – Human Anatomy & Physiology with lab (4hr)
Environmental Health 260/261 – Etiology of Infectious Disease with lab (3hr) [Note: BIOL 331: MicroBio in Health and Nutrition meets/exeeds requirement]
Transfer Course Credits:
If courses were completed at another institution, we will accept (approved) equivalents
with grades of C (2.0) or higher. You can check what courses will transfer in as through
the "Credits Earned Elsewhere" tool.
The BSN program application should only be completed by students who have completed or are nearly finished with their program prerequisites as detailed below. Applicants should follow the Complete Application Instructions.
Application Deadlines:
Fall Entry
Spring Entry
Students should reference this checklist when completing their WCU and NursingCAS applications.
INCOMING TRANSFER STUDENTS
Transfer students will need to submit a WCU Transfer Application for admission to WCU as an "undeclared-interested in nursing" student. Most transfer
students enter WCU at least one semester prior to their intended BSN start date, to
allow them to take required pre-requisites. Thus, applicants should apply for admission
to WCU in general for the first semester during which they plan to take pre-requisites.
To allow time for receipt and processing of transcripts transfer students should submit this application at least 10 days prior to the program application deadline. Following that, they will need to apply to the BSN Program.
Applicants are responsible for reviewing the admission and prerequisite requirements in advance of the application deadline. University admissions and/or meeting the minimum requirements for program admission does not guarantee acceptance into the BSN Program.