Bachelor of Science in Nursing

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program incorporates liberal arts and nursing coursework in a program that provides the education and skills necessary for a lifetime of personal and professional growth. The liberal arts component of the curriculum provides the student with a liberal arts foundation. This is accomplished through academic experiences that provide the skills needed for advanced studies and lifelong learning. The first year of the program emphasizes liberal arts and prepares the student for the nursing major. The nursing curriculum provides the opportunity for the student to acquire and demonstrate the professional nursing knowledge and skills necessary to assist patients in attaining an optimal level of health. This is accomplished through an integration of theoretical nursing knowledge with essential clinical skills. The curriculum integrates moral, ethical, and legal principles with critical-thinking, decision-making, leadership, and management techniques. An introductory course in nursing is offered in the third semester of the first year. Clinical practice experiences begin in the second year. The majority of nursing coursework occurs in the second and third years. Significant clinical practice hours are planned throughout the degree program to promote the proficiency necessary for safe, competent nursing practice. Students clinical experiences occur in acute- and long-term care facilities, as well as in community settings that reflect the changing healthcare environment. The emphasis on clinical experience, supported by theory from nursing and related disciplines, is the hallmark of the three-year BSN curriculum at Chamberlain. Theoretical and clinical nursing courses, nursing research, and cultural-diversity courses provide the professional education base for the BSN degree. The BSN degree program consists of a minimum of 129 credit hours: 69 credit hours in liberal arts and 60 credit hours in the nursing major. The registered nurse with an associate degree or diploma may complete the BSN degree via online instruction. The online option allows the registered nurse student to complete the BSN degree in three semesters within an educational format designed for adult learners. Advantages include the convenience of scheduling, a focus on core content readily applicable to professional settings, and interaction with peers who share many similar professional experiences and values.