School of Professional Studies
Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program Requirements
The Charles Share Trust Division of Nursing at Northwestern offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) designed to meet you where you are, and take you where you want to go. Since 1982, our nationally respected nursing programs have prepared graduates for successful, meaningful careers in healthcare and advanced nursing education.
We offer three flexible pathways to a BSN:
The Traditional (Generic) Track is a four-year program for students beginning their nursing journey. Graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensing Exam (NCLEX-RN) and become licensed registered nurses. To learn more about the Traditional track, see the Generic Track button below on the left.
The LPN-to-BSN Track is a hybrid option designed for working LPNs who are ready to advance their careers. This pathway blends online coursework with hands-on learning, allowing students to balance work, life, and school. Through Oklahoma's articulation agreements and partnerships with regional technology centers, eligible students may recieve credit for prior learning. To learn more about the LPN-to-BSN track, see the LPN-to-BSN Program Track button below on the left.
The RN-to-BSN Track supports registered nurses with an Associate Degree in Nursing or diploma who want to earn their BSN, often through an online format that fits a working nurse's schedule. To learn more about the RN-to-BSN track, see the RN-to-BSN Program Track button below on the left.
Admission is competitive and based on a students potential for success, program requirements, and available course space. Our faculty are committed to supporting motivated students as they move toward professional practice and lifelong learning in nursing.
The annual application cycle is October 1 through February 1.
Generic Track
Minimum criteria for generic or traditional 4-year curriculum applicants, seeking admission to the junior nursing courses are:
- Meet the NWOSU Admission requirements. Must provide a copy of official transcript(s) from all colleges/universities attended to the Northwestern Registrar's office. ​Transcripts may be submitted by the student in person or by mail. The Registrar’s office also will accept transcripts sent electronically as official if they are sent via email to Sheri Lahr or Teri Warren directly from the issuing institution or the institution’s third party company (E-Script, Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, etc.). These transcripts must be on file in the Northwestern Registry Office on the Alva campus.
- Completion of all courses listed as prerequisites to the nursing major with a minimum of “C” before entering the junior nursing courses, maintaining the RGPA requirement of 2.50. Applicants completing prerequisite coursework during summer session may be admitted conditionally pending attainment of the specified RGPA, and a minimum grade of “C” in the following prerequisite courses prior to beginning the junior nursing courses in the Fall.
- CHEM 1105 Chemistry for Non-Majors OR CHEM 1115 General Chemistry I
- BIOL 3115 Introduction to Microbiology
- BIOL 3184 Human Anatomy
- BIOL 3194 Human Physiology
- NURS 3033 Pathophysiology for Nurses OR BIOL 4503 Pathophysiology
- ENG 1113 Comp I
- ENG 1213 Comp II
- HED 1820 Nutrition (3 hours)
- MATH 1513 College Algebra
- MATH 2013 Statistics OR PSYC 4213 Statistics
- PSYC 1113 General Psychology
- PSYC 3123 Human Life-Span Development
- SOC 1113 Introductory Sociology
- SCOM 1113 Intro to Speech Communication
- Must have a Science GPA of 2.5. Applicants cannot repeat a science course more than one time. A withdrawal counts as a repeat.
- Complete and submit the following Charles Morton Share Trust Division of Nursing BSN Program Application components online:
- University Application
- BSN Program Application (Includes college and/or technology center transcript submission)
- BSN Applicant Reference Form (List three references from teachers or employers)
- Online submissions from the three references listed on Applicant Reference Form
- Background Check
- Successful completion of a federal background check through Certified Background. For more information visit the Nursing Background Check web page.
- All students who have decided to enter the Nursing Program must complete the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS), at a required level to be admitted into the program. For more information, visit the NWOSU TEAS Information web page.
Effective January 1, 2022, the NWOSU Charles Morton Share Trust Division of Nursing will no longer require the Certified Nurse’s Assistant (CNA) certification as an entry requirement into the BSN Nursing Program. While the Division acknowledges the importance of the CNA role and will continue to recommend it to students, the cost of the course is an issue for many. We will be including pertinent content in our nursing courses and increasing skills time for students to ensure their knowledge and respect for this role. If you have any questions about this change, please contact your Academic Advisor or Mrs. Pam Hess.
Completed applications (including references and transcripts) are submitted to the Charles Morton Share Trust Division of Nursing and are reviewed by the Admissions Committee to be presented to the faculty in February. Upon acceptance into the program, students will be required to submit the following:
- Complete History and Physical
- Immunization Records/Current TB Test
- Health Insurance
- Transcripts to courses completed during the Spring and Summer semesters following acceptance
LPN to BSN Program Track
- Meet the NWOSU Admission requirements. Must provide a copy of official transcript(s) from all colleges/universities attended to the Northwestern Registrar's office. ​Transcripts may be submitted by the student in person or by mail. The Registrar’s office also will accept transcripts sent electronically as official if they are sent via email to Sheri Lahr or Teri Warren directly from the issuing institution or the institution’s third party company (E-Script, Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, etc.). These transcripts must be on file in the Northwestern Registry Office on the Alva campus.
- Completion of all courses listed as prerequisites to the nursing major with a minimum of “C” before entering the junior nursing courses, maintaining the RGPA requirement of 2.50. Applicants completing prerequisite coursework during summer session may be admitted conditionally pending attainment of the specified RGPA, and a minimum grade of “C” in the following prerequisite courses prior to beginning the junior nursing courses in the Fall.
- CHEM 1105 Chemistry for Non-Majors OR CHEM 1115 General Chemistry I
- BIOL 3115 Introduction to Microbiology
- BIOL 3184 Human Anatomy
- BIOL 3194 Human Physiology
- NURS 3033 Pathophysiology for Nurses OR BIOL 4503 Pathophysiology
- ENG 1113 Comp I
- ENG 1213 Comp II
- HED 1820 Nutrition (3 hours)
- MATH 1513 College Algebra
- MATH 2013 Statistics OR PSYC 4213 Statistics
- PSYC 1113 General Psychology
- PSYC 3123 Human Life-Span Development
- SOC 1113 Introductory Sociology
- SCOM 1113 Intro to Speech Communication
- Must have a Science GPA of 2.5. Applicants cannot repeat a science course more than one time. A withdrawal counts as a repeat.
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Complete and submit the following Charles Morton Share Trust Division of Nursing BSN Program LPN-to-BSN track Application components online:
- University Application
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BSN Program LPN-to-BSN Track Application (Includes college and/or technology center transcript submission)
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BSN Applicant LPN-to-BSN Track Reference Form (List three references from teachers or employers)
- Online submissions from the three references listed on Applicant Reference Form
- Background Check
- Successful completion of a federal background check through Certified Background. For more information visit the Nursing Background Check web page.
- All students who have decided to enter the Nursing Program must complete the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS), at a required level to be admitted into the program. For more information, visit the NWOSU TEAS Information web page
- Complete History and Physical
- Immunization Records/Current TB Test
- Health Insurance
- Transcripts to courses completed during the Spring and Summer semesters following acceptance
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UNIV 1011 Ranger Connection
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ENGL 1213 Composition II
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ENGL 1113 Composition I
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BIOL 3184 Human Anatomy (Tech Articulation) *
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MATH 1513 College Algebra
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SCOM 1113 Intro to Speech Communication
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SOC 1113 Introductory Sociology
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PSYC 1113 General Psychology
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CHEM 1105 Chemistry for Non-Majors
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Humanities - 3 Credits
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MATH 2013 Statistics OR PSYC 4213 Statistics
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BIOL 3115 Introduction to Microbiology
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H ED 1820 Nutrition (Tech Articulation) *
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PSYC 3123 Human Life Span (Tech Articulation) *
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NURS 3033 Pathophysiology for Nurses
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BIOL 3094 Human Physiology (Tech Articulation) *
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HIST 1483 US History to 1877 OR HIST 1493 US History Since 1877
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POLS 1113 American Federal Government and Politics
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FIN 1113 Personal Finance
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LEAD 1013 Habitudes OR GBUS 2033 Leadership in Business
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NURS 3013 Introduction to Nursing Care and Skills (Tech Articulation) *
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NURS 3003 Holistic Assessment (1st 8 weeks - Hybrid with in person residency)
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NURS 3147 Nursing Care of the Family (Didactic online with precepted clinical)
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NURS 3337 Nursing Care of the Adult II (Didactic online with precepted clinical)
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NURS 3023 Role Transition (online)
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NURS 3103 Pharmacology and Nursing Care ## (1st 8 weeks online if credit by exam not awarded)
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Spring Total Credit Hours = 13
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Summer Total Credit Hours = 10
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NURS 4316 Nursing Care of the Adult III (Hybrid with online course; in person clinical/lab)
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NURS 4216 Nursing Care in the Community (Hybrid with online course; in person clinical/lab)
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NURS 4003 Research Utilization (online)
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NURS 4333 Professional Issues in Nursing (online)
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NURS 3226 Nursing Care in Mental Health (Hybrid with online course; in person clinical/lab)
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NURS 4216 Nursing Leadership (Hybrid with online course; in person clinical/lab)
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Fall Total Credit Hours = 15
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Spring Total Credit Hours = 15
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RN to BSN Program Track
RN students may complete their BSN degrees through the Online RN-to-BSN Program at NWOSU. Please see the link on the Nursing homepage for the program.
Degree Planning Resources
BSN Student Learning Outcomes
The BSN graduates of NWOSU Charles Morton Share Trust Division of Nursing are able to:
- Integrate transpersonal human caring into own clinical practice. (Caring)
- Use the nursing process as a foundation for safe nursing practice. (Safety)
- Assess the effects of clinical practice through reflection. (Reflection)
- Integrate the principles of holistic nursing into own clinical practice. (Holistic Care)
- Systematically utilize the approach to nursing research with evidence based practice principles to provide multi-dimensional, high quality, and cost-effective care in the provision of nursing care in a changing environment. (Evidence Based Practice)
- Incorporate an awareness of the dignity, worth and uniqueness of each person into nursing practice by developing skills, knowledge, and attitudes to provide culturally competent health care. (Cultural Competence)
- Utilize effective communication skills to engage in therapeutic nurse/client relationships. (Communication)
- Synthesize theories and principles from nursing, the natural and behavioral sciences, and the liberal arts into nursing practice based on sound clinical reasoning. (Clinical Reasoning)
- Collaborate with consumers, health team members, and communities to restore, evaluate, promote, and maintain optimal health. (Leadership)
- Integrate principles of teaching-learning to develop, coordinate, implement, and evaluate teaching plans designated to promote, restore, and maintain optimal outcomes. (Leadership)
- Facilitate problem solving to resolve ethical, moral, and legal dilemmas using sound clinical reasoning and the standards of nursing practice. (Clinical Reasoning)
- Effectively implement the use of informatics as a means of communication for the delivey of health care. (Technology)
Computer Requirements for Success in Program
All Charles Morton Share Trust Division of Nursing students must have access to a computer for assignments and testing. Students in the traditional BSN program must have access to a laptop computer for classroom testing.
Minimum Technology Requirements:
Broadband Internet Access- Hard-wired access preferred
- 4 GB RAM (minimum)
- 2.9 GHz Processor (minimum) or faster with two or more cores
- 64 GB hard drive (minimum)
- Windows 10 or higher
- Web Browser (Firefox or Chrome Stable Channel Release)
- Microsoft Office 2019 Suite or higher
- Adobe Reader 9 or higher
- Graphics Card: Compatible with DirectX12 or later
- Display: 1280 x 768 screen resolution, 9" or greater monitor
- Internet Connection: Internet connectivity is necessary
Additional program-specific applications may be required.
BSN Student Handbook
