This popular four-year program is offered on four campuses around the state of Arizona. After a very competitive admission process, nursing courses are taken in sequence over five semesters. Graduates are eligible to take the national licensing exam for registered nurses (NCLEX-RN).
This program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
The high-tech world of health care will always be driven by the human heart. If a gifted nurse has helped you, you know that one person truly can make a difference. What you may not know is that nurses outnumber all other health care practitioners. And the demand grows.
Our programs provide the tools you need for a successful nursing career. You can advance in dozens of directions. Our hands-on curriculum covers health maintenance, disease prevention, primary care assessment, and evidence-based research. We emphasize rural and urban health care needs in the culturally diverse Southwest.
We offer a traditional BSN program as well as an Accelerated Second Degree option for students with a bachelor's degree in another field. This accelerated program is a 12 month program. The traditional BSN is a five semester (2.5 year) program.
A new program is available for prospective associate degree nursing students selected in a competitive admission process with their Arizona community college. This program will enable them to complete many of the baccalaureate nursing courses (professional requirements) as a cohort while completing their associate degree in nursing. All pre-professional requirements must be completed in order to be considered for this program.
Note: If you want to major in Nursing, you must apply and be accepted to the School of Nursing’s program in addition to being admitted to the university.
To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally includes a major, the liberal studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.
The full policy can be viewed here.
In addition to University Requirements:
Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 120 |
| Highest Mathematics Required | STA 270 |
| Additional Admission Requirements | Required |
| Fieldwork Experience/Internship | Required |
| University Honors Program | Optional |
| Some online/blended coursework | Required |
| AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-A | Recommended |
| Progression Plan Link | View Progression Plan |
| Licensure | This program may lead to licensure. |
Purpose Statement
The philosophy of the School of Nursing at Northern Arizona University is based on an ethic of caring that embraces students, faculty and staff, and the university community and the global community within which we live and work. We also believe that caring is a conscious, intentional discipline that is part of nursing’s unique body of knowledge and is practiced in interdisciplinary contexts. Caring includes the creation and nurturing of an environment that recognizes that students, staff and faculty have unique ways of viewing the world. This philosophy promotes excellence for nursing education and practice in an environment of constant change and emerging healthcare trends.
The faculty believes the transition to the role of competent professional nurse is a major developmental achievement. We believe that nursing is an art and science that is an integral component of health care. Applying the discipline of nursing to practice depends on a foundation of natural and human sciences, humanities and arts, the application of research, and the diverse backgrounds of learners. Societal influences in the evolving healthcare system challenge all involved in nursing education.
Education is a dynamic, life-long collaborative process by which an individual pursues life goals, broadens human potential, develops thinking and clarifies values. The faculty believes that learning is the intentional acquisition, application, and integration of knowledge, skills and attitudes. Learning is shaped by the environment and developmental level of the learner, and is ultimately the responsibility of the learner. Faculty plan, guide, and facilitate learning while supporting the learning needs of a diverse community of students. We believe that learning-centered experiences with rigorous expectations and actively-engaged students result in higher-level thinkers and graduates prepared for real world practice. We value incorporating rural and global healthcare into a variety of educational experiences. Thus education not only expands the thinking of the learner, but increases opportunities for application.
The faculty has developed a philosophy that values diverse persons, environment, health, and nursing, and their inter-relatedness. The following meta-paradigm concepts guide the implementation of the organizing framework for the curriculum.
NAU's Bachelors of Science in Nursing program is a four and a half year program will teach student to provide care for individuals, families, and communities in a variety of urban, rural, and culturally diverse settings. During the BSN Program you will learn the tools to be in a successful nursing career, along with a hands on curriculum and many different programs that are available within NAU's Nursing Department. Graduates of the Program are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), and begin their rewarding career in healthcare.
Student Learning Outcomes
Outcomes align with Standards from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
Preprofessional Requirements
Prerequisite courses and also complete liberal studies and diversity requirements before being admitted to the nursing program (47 units):
This major requires 109 units distributed as follows:
Take the following 73 units of sequenced nursing coursework in five semesters:
Compressed Option
Students in the compressed option, take the following 73 units of sequenced nursing coursework in four semesters:
Please note that NUR 390W meets NAU's junior level writing requirement, and NUR 450C meets NAU's senior capstone requirement.
Additional coursework is required if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.
You may take these remaining courses from any of the academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. You may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren't used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.
We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you.
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.