Do you already hold a Bachelor's Degree in an unrelated field but are looking to transition into nursing? Belmont's Accelerated Second-Degree Nursing Program is for you!
Why Major in Nursing?
The College of Nursing at Belmont is a Christ-centered, student-focused community which embraces a culture of openness and mutual respect, excellence in teaching and the privilege of service. We strive to provide an academically challenging education that enables individuals of diverse backgrounds to safely practice professional nursing with disciplined intelligence, compassion, courage and faith.
Belmont's Accelerated, Second-Degree Nursing Program is for individuals who a Bachelor's degree in any field who are looking to become a nurse. Our program builds on prior learning in foundational areas of science, humanities and liberal arts to provide you with the knowledge you need to provide safe and holistic care for individuals, families and communities.
Highlights of our program include:
- Exceptional College of Nursing faculty who serve as mentors and advisors for students throughout their time at Belmont
- A 90 percent NCLEX pass rate average for the past five years
- Small class and clinical groups to enhance student learning
- Successful career placement with more than 96 percent of students employed in nursing within 6 months of graduation
- An accredited Nursing Simulation Center with state-of-the-art facilities and five dedicated nursing labs
- One of only 79 institutions to be designated as an National League of Nursing Center of Excellence in Nursing Education
- Participation in interdisciplinary simulations and service projects with students in social work, pharmacy, OT, PT, public health and graduate nursing programs.
Belmont BSN students who wish to further their nursing education are offered priority admission and seamless entry into the Doctor of Nursing Practice program if they meet admissions requirements.
What You'll Learn
Graduates of the BSN program become professional nurses who promote the delivery of patient centered care to individuals, families and communities of diverse backgrounds in various settings. Students are prepared to embrace a commitment to lifelong learning by continuing to increase knowledge and competence, and advocate for both patients and the nursing profession.
As a graduate of Belmont’s BSN program you will be able to:
- Incorporate knowledge from the arts, humanities and sciences in nursing practice.
- Utilize leadership and management skills to improve healthcare outcomes of individuals and populations in a variety of settings within a culture of safety and caring.
- Evaluate, integrate and translate current evidence into professional nursing practice.
- Utilize effective communication and information technology to enhance safe nursing practice.
- Utilize knowledge of healthcare policy, resource management and regulatory environments to advocate for consumers and the nursing profession.
- Communicate and collaborate with members of the healthcare team to optimize patient outcomes.
- Incorporate knowledge of health promotion and disease and injury prevention across the lifespan for populations.
- Demonstrate core nursing values through self-reflective professional behavior that enhance the safety and welfare of all patient populations.
- Integrate knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to provide compassionate, therapeutic and culturally sensitive, patient-centered care.
Program Details
Curriculum
Students enrolled in the ABSN degree program follow a rigorous program of study that is designed to build on knowledge and prepare students to successfully transition to practice as an entry level nurse. The program includes a combination of general education, prerequisite/introductory and upper-level nursing courses.
Prerequisite and Introductory Nursing Courses must be successfully completed before enrolling in upper level nursing coursework. Examples of prerequisite and introductory courses include:
- NUR 1010 Perspectives in Healthcare
- NUR 1020 Cultural Competence in Nursing
- BIO 2230 Human Anatomy & Physiology I
Upper-Level Nursing Courses provide a foundation of knowledge for nurse education and may include an experiential component that includes laboratory, simulation or clinical requirements. Examples of upper level coursework include:
- NUR 3010 Care Management I
- NUR 3011 Experiential Learning I
- NUR 3100 Nurse as Scholar
- NUR 4060 Patho/Pharm III
Additional information related to BSN plans of study is available in the University Undergraduate Course Catalog.
Students will require careful evaluation of previous coursework from the program director and admissions counselor.
Some requirements may be accepted through appropriate coursework completed elsewhere at a regionally accredited college or university; however, certain requirements must be completed at Belmont.
The program begins in the Fall semester and can be completed in as little as 16 months of full-time study.
For additional information, please reach out directly to Sarah Caylor, our Assistant Director of Admissions at 615-460-6752 or via email.
The College of Nursing supports many organizations and activities for students to get involved with—both on and off campus—to support their time at Belmont and beyond.
Active participation in community life can greatly enhance the quality of a student’s educational experience—we encourage all students to participate!
Community Service, Mission and Study Abroad
In addition to the many university-sponsored mission and study abroad trips, nursing students participate in health-related projects in our neighborhood, city, state and around the world.
Our students regularly participate in service-learning through:
- Room in the Inn
- Red Cross Blood Drives
- Health Fairs
- Remote Area Medical (RAM) Clinics
- Vaccine Clinics
- Contract Tracing Sites
In recent years, nursing students have participated on Service learning and mission trips to: trips to
- Africa
- Cambodia
- China
- Guatemala
- Haiti
- Northern Ireland
Sigma Theta Tau International
Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI), the Honor Society of Nursing, is dedicated to improving the health of people worldwide by increasing the scientific base of nursing practice. Members are nursing scholars and students committed to the pursuit of excellence in clinical practice, education, research and leadership.
Belmont’s College of Nursing has always had a commitment to excellence in nursing scholarship and practice. Belmont's chapter of STTI, Omicron Phi, was chartered May 2, 1998. Undergraduate students who rank in the top 35 percent of their class after completing half of the nursing curriculum are invited to join STTI. Graduate students who have completed one quarter of their curriculum and have demonstrated excellence in nursing are invited to join STTI. Members of the community can also be invited as Nurse Leaders.
Omicron Phi holds several events to promote the recognition of excellence and the dissemination of scholarship and participates in service projects throughout the academic year.
Student Nurses Association
The Student Nurses Association (SNA) is a student organization for all nursing students that is affiliated with the National Student Nurses Association. SNA provides the first opportunity for students to get involved with a professional nursing organization which is vital for nurses.
SNA sponsors events that promote healthy living or show the scope of nursing practice and provides opportunities for nursing students to participate in community service events, business meetings and social events. Members also get the benefits of a Barnes and Noble book discount and a mentorship program.
To find out more information about the Belmont SNA:
- Email sna@pop.belmont.edu
The Baccalaureate, Post-graduate APRN and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs at Belmont University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington DC 20001, (202) 887-6791.
Belmont University College of Nursing is a member of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the National League for Nursing and the Southern Council of Collegiate Education for Nursing. The program is approved by the Tennessee Board of Nursing.
Belmont University School of College is designated as a NLN Center of Excellence in Nursing Education.
In addition, the College of Nursing holds the charter for the Omicron Phi chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.
Click here for full accreditation and state licensure information
Admission Requirements for Accelerated BSN, 2nd Degree Applicants
Candidates are required to meet the following minimum criteria to be considered for admission into the Second Degree Track:
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- The student must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university prior to the start of the program.
- The student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale.
- The student must have a minimum GPA of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale in prerequisite courses.
- The student must demonstrate understanding of and commitment to an intensive program.
Applicants who meet these criteria are eligible for consideration, but acceptance is not guaranteed.
Letters of recommendation are not required, but applicants are welcome to submit up to two letters from academic and/or professional references to their Nursing CAS application. Standardized tests (HESI, TEAS or ACT/SAT) are not required.
Prerequisites for Second Degree Students
The following prerequisite courses are required for program enrollment and must be completed by the start of the program with a grade of "C" or higher. Candidates may submit an application prior to completing all prerequisites but must provide a reasonable plan on how they will be completed before classes begin.
- Microbiology (4 credit hours with lab)
- Human Anatomy and Physiology I (4 credit hours with lab completed within 5 years of entry into the program)
- Human Anatomy and Physiology II (4 credit hours with lab completed within 5 years of entry into the program)
- General Chemistry (3 credit hours)
- General Psychology (3 credit hours)
- Life Span Development (3 credit hours)
- Nutrition (3 credit hours)
- Religion Courses (6 credit hours)
- Option A: An Old Testament course (3 credit hours) and a New Testament Course (3 credit hours)
- Option B: A Bible course which includes study of both the Old Testament and New Testament (3 credit hours) and any other Religion course (3 credit hours)
Application Instructions
- The College of Nursing receives applications for admission and all applicant credentials for second degree candidates exclusively through the Nursing Central Application Service (NursingCAS), provided by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) at https://nursingcas.liaisoncas.org/apply/.
- All second degree candidates must complete their application using NursingCAS, adding appropriate program materials as indicated after selecting Belmont University Second Degree BSN in the Program List.
- Priority Deadline - February 1, 2024
- Our Fall 2024 application is now open on NursingCAS. Candidates must submit all application documents no later than February 1, 2024. Applications received by this date will be given priority consideration during the College of Nursing's initial review for admission.
- Applications received after this date will be reviewed on a rolling basis (as space is available) through May 1, 2024. Due to unprecedented demand, applications submitted after this date will most likely be considered for a place on our waitlist.
International Student Admission Requirements
- International students, non-citizens or permanent residents should refer to Belmont's International Education page for information regarding application requirements including TOEFL scores, transcripts and evaluation of college-level course work from foreign institutions.
- Applicants should contact the university's Office of Admissions if they have additional questions regarding the application process.
For any questions related to admissions or program information, please contact Tiffany Fincher, our Admissions Coordinator at 615-460-6120 or via email.
Career Possibilities
Bachelors prepared Registered Nurses (BSN) have a broad range of career options ranging from direct clinical patient care to roles in healthcare leadership and policy.
Career opportunities include nursing roles in:
- Hospital Based Acute Care
- Intensive and Emergency Care
- Specialty Population Care (Pediatrics, Geriatrics)
- Case Management
- Public Health & Community Based Nursing
- Research Nursing
- Hospital Administration & Leadership
Graduate Education Opportunities:
Students with a BSN degree are also able to transition seamlessly into graduate school and pursue a career as a nurse practitioner, nursing educator or healthcare leader.
Click here to learn more about the opportunities available for qualified Belmont students to enroll in the BSN-DNP program immediately upon completion of the undergraduate program.
As a Belmont University Nursing Student, you will join a community of scholars and leaders committed to improving healthcare and enhancing patient outcomes. You will think critically about patient care, collaborate in interdisciplinary teams and engage in clinical reasoning. You will improve the lives of patients and communities in underserved and underrepresented populations. As a Belmont Nurse, you will make the world a better place. We look forward to supporting your journey and welcoming you to the most trusted profession in the world.
Request Information
Contact Us
Gordon E. Inman College of Nursing
Tiffany Fincher
Admissions Coordinator
(615) 460.6120