In the traditional track, students complete all nursing courses during fall and spring semesters. Additional general education coursework required for the BSN is also typically completed during the "traditional" academic year, at least for courses taken at Belmont. Students may choose to take additional courses or study abroad during the summer months and, in some instances, may be required to complete some general education and/or prerequisite courses in the summer to meet graduation requirements.
Entry to the traditional track most often occurs as a Belmont freshman, but the School of Nursing offers the opportunity for students to transfer into the nursing program. Belmont offers direct entry to the BSN (admitted to the nursing program at the same time as admitted to the University). Thus, an additional application to the School of Nursing is not required. The following minimum admission requirements must be met by both freshmen and transfer applicants.
Minimum Admission Requirements to the BSN for Freshmen
|
Minimum Admission Requirements to the BSN for Transfers
|
Applicants who do not meet these requirements may be admitted to the University, but are ineligible for entry into the nursing program.
At the end of the program, students will graduate with the BSN degree and be eligible to take the NCLEX, the nursing licensure examination.
- Entering as a Freshman
- Entering as a Transfer from a "Partners in Nursing" School
- Nashville State Community College
- Volunteer State Community College
- Welch College
- Entering through the Joint Degree Program with Trevecca Nazarene University
- Entering as a Transfer from Other Colleges and Universities
- Microbiology (4 credit hours with lab; online credits not accepted*)
- Human Anatomy and Physiology I (4 credit hours with lab completed within 5 years of entry into the program; online credits not accepted*)
- Human Anatomy and Physiology II (4 credit hours with lab completed within 5 years of entry into the program; online credits not accepted*)
- General Chemistry (3 credit hours)
- General Psychology (3 credit hours)
- Life Span Development (3 credit hours)
- Nutrition (3 credit hours)
- Statistics (3 credit hours)
- Program Summary
- First Year Writing (3 credits)
- First Year Seminar* (3)
- Intro to Sociology (3)
- Bible Sequence
- Old Testament (3)
- New Testament (3)
-
- Old & New Test. (3)
- 2nd Religion (3)
- Fundamentals of Speech (3)
- Quant. Reasoning/Math (3)
- Junior Cornerstone* (0)
- Third Year Writing* (3)
- Humanities course (3)
- Fine Arts course (3)
- Wellness Activity (1)
- General Electives (8)
- Microbiology (4 credits)
- General Psychology (3)
- Anatomy & Physiology I (4)
- Lifespan Psychology (3)
- Anatomy & Physiology II (4)
- General Chemistry (3)
- Statistics (3)
- Persp. in Health Care (2)
- Diversity in Health Care (3)
- Wellness, Assess. & Hlth. (3)
- Foundational Skills Lab (2)
- Intro. to Pharmacology (1)
- Lifespan Nutrition (2)
- Nursing Research (2)
- Nurse as Scholar (2)
- Patho/Pharm I (2)
- Therapeutic Nutrition (2)
- Patho/Pharm II (2)
- Nurse as a Team Member (2)
- Patho/Pharm III (2)
- Populations (3)
- Nurse as a Leader (3)
- Senior Capstone (3)
- Found. of Care Man. (3)
- Found. of Exp. Learning (2)
- Care Management I (3)
- Exp. Learning I (2)
- Care Management II (3)
- Exp. Learning II (2)
- Care Management III (3)
- Exp. Learning III (2)
- Focused Exp. Learning (2)
- Care Management IV (3)
- Exp. Learning IV (2)
- Preceptorship (2)
- Student Learning Outcomes
- 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.
New
Early Entry to Graduate FNP Program- Provides opportunity for well qualified nursing majors to gain early entry into one of the school’s graduate degree programs for preparation as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP).
- Allows students to complete a selection of specified courses during junior and senior years which not only satisfy undergraduate degree requirements but also provide a head start on their graduate degree course requirements, potentially waiving a full semester of graduate work before finishing their BSN.
- Guarantees admission to Belmont’s DNP or MSN program after all application and admission requirements are completed.
- N5020 Theoretical Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice
- N5050 Statistics in Health Care Research
- N5100 Transition to Graduate Nursing Practice
- N5040 Advanced Nursing Research in place of N3100 Nurse as Scholar
- N6100 Population Health & Epidemiology in place of N4020 Populations & Their Contexts
- A cumulative GPA of 3.5 at the end of 3 undergraduate semesters
- A grade of B (3.0) or better in each of the following courses:
- Introduction to Sociology (SOC 1010)
- General Psychology (PSY 1100/1200)
- Microbiology with lab (BIO 1030)
- Human Anatomy & Physiology I with lab (BIO 2230)
- Human Anatomy & Physiology II with lab (BIO 2240)
- Life Span Psychology (PSY 2800)
- A signed statement of intent
- Documentation of the required observation hours
- A recommendation from the student’s academic advisor which must document that the student has exceeded the minimum GPA and completed required coursework for the Early Entry program
- A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.5 or better by the end of the junior year
- A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better in all graduate nursing courses completed through the end of the junior year
- A letter of recommendation from a graduate faculty member related to the student’s professional behaviors
- Attendance at specified information sessions with the Director of Graduate Nursing in the fall of the junior and senior years
- Completion of the NursingCAS application for admission to the specific Belmont Graduate Nursing program by September 1 of the senior year, which includes the following items:
- Official transcripts from all schools attended
- Personal essay
- Two letters of recommendation, one each from:
- An undergraduate nursing faculty advisor or other undergraduate faculty member
- A licensed Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
- Fall of Sophomore Year (Semester 3): Begin preparing Early Entry application
- Spring of Sophomore Year (Semester 4): Submit Early Entry application before January 31
- Fall of Junior Year (Semester 5): Begin graduate level courses and attend Graduate Information Session #1
- Fall of Senior Year (Semester 7): Submit NursingCAS application by September 1 and attend Graduate Information Session #2
The traditional nursing track offers high school graduates the opportunity to gain direct entry into our nursing program to earn a BSN in four years. Qualified applicants are accepted into the nursing program as freshmen and begin their nursing coursework during their first semester.
Our experienced faculty provides a supportive learning environment as students learn skills to become compassionate, knowledgeable, and conscientious nurses.
During the first year and a half of study, students combine general education coursework with introductory and prerequisite courses in the nursing curriculum. Foundational and experiential coursework typically begins in the spring semester of the second year as long as students have completed prerequisite requirements. 
Experiential courses increase in number during the third and fourth years.
For freshman admissions and program information, please contact Sarah Caylor, our Admissions Coordinator at 615-460-6120 or via email at sarah.caylor@belmont.edu.
The Partners in Nursing program provides a specialized transfer opportunity for students who are on track to complete an Associate of Science degree at one of the current partner schools:
This program allows candidates to complete the majority of general education and prerequisite coursework at the partner school prior to enrollment in the School of Nursing at Belmont University.
Admission is determined through a joint selection process that includes representatives from both schools. A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 is required for admissions consideration with preference given to those with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above. Otherwise, all other minimum requirements listed above must be met. Partners in Nursing applicants receive priority consideration for admission into the School of Nursing. Admitted students may complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at Belmont University in as little as two years with some summer coursework required.
Belmont Program of Study for Partnership Students (PDF)
Application Process
Students who are interested in applying should first speak directly with the partnership school to determine their eligibility. If approved, candidates may begin the application process during the fall semester prior to their intended fall transfer date.
Partnership candidates must complete the regular application process for transfer admission no later than February 1 prior to the semester of transfer in order to be considered through the Partners program. Additional information and requirements will be communicated to candidates who meet the application deadline.
For transfer admissions and program information, please contact Sarah Caylor, our Admissions Coordinator at 615-460-6120 or via email at sarah.caylor@belmont.edu.
Belmont has partnered with Trevecca Nazarene University for its first ever joint degree program. Students will complete their first two years of general education and prerequisite coursework at Trevecca and then enroll in the nursing program at Belmont during the remaining two years.
Students must enroll at Trevecca as freshman and work with the Nursing Program Coordinator to determine program eligibility and ensure that they maintaining satisfactory progression through the joint degree program of study. Trevecca students must meet Belmont’s School of Nursing admissions requirements and interview with the Nursing Admissions Committee the semester prior to enrollment at Belmont.
Trevecca students are encouraged to maintain contact with Ellen Musick, Nursing Program Coordinator at Trevecca Nazarene University, to indicate your initial interest in this program at EMMusick@trevecca.edu. For joint degree admissions and program information, please contact Sarah Caylor, our Admissions Coordinator at 615-460-6120 or via email at sarah.caylor@belmont.edu.
Belmont University School of Nursing accepts transfer students to the Bachelor of Science program in Nursing who have varied levels of completed coursework from other regionally accredited colleges or universities. All minimum admission requirements listed above must be met in order to be considered for the program. The School of Nursing does not maintain specific prerequisite requirements prior to transfer, however, students who have completed all of the following prerequisites at the time of enrollment may be eligible to start clinical coursework during their first semester.
Prerequisite Coursework
Applicants are only required to complete an undergraduate application for admission. If accepted, you will receive a preliminary review of your previous college transcript(s) to determine what courses are estimated to transfer into the BSN program. Space in our program is limited, so we strongly encourage applicants to complete the admissions process no later than May 1st. Spring applications will be accepted until our November 1st application deadline.
For transfer admissions and program information, please contact Sarah Caylor, our Admissions Coordinator at 615-460-6120 or via email at sarah.caylor@belmont.edu.
The chart below provides a summary of courses required for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Many of the courses require specific prerequisites within the curriculum that affect progression toward the degree.
General education courses meet the requirements of Belmont's BELL Core which is designed to improve student skills in communication, collaboration, critical thinking, citizenship and connecting disciplines. Transfer students can complete BELL Core requirements through appropriate coursework completed elsewhere at a regionally accredited college or university. Some of the BELL Core requirements, however, must be completed at Belmont.
Prerequisite and introductory nursing courses are offered in first two years of a 4-year program of study and must be successfully completed before enrolling in upper level nursing coursework. Transfer students must complete the introductory nursing courses upon arrival at Belmont which may overlap with some upper level coursework.
Upper level nursing courses include: 1) courses that provide a foundation of knowledge for nurse education without an experiential component, and 2) courses that are experiential in nature or prepare students for clinical experiences.
| General Education Courses - Belmont Bell Core |
Nursing Prerequisites & Introductory Courses |
Upper Level Nursing Courses |
|---|---|---|
|
* These courses must be completed at Belmont and are ineligible for transfer. |
Prerequisite Courses Introductory Nursing Courses |
Foundation Courses |
Successful completion of the student learning outcomes of the undergraduate program in nursing requires the students to:
Program Benefits
Course Opportunities
Students accepted into the Early Entry program have the option to complete any of the following graduate nursing courses as electives in their BSN curriculum:
Please note: Although taking graduate-level courses, students must continue to designate themselves as an undergraduate student to continue to qualify for undergraduate financial aid. All graduate-level courses above will apply to undergraduate degree requirements.
Admission Standards for the Early Entry Program
To qualify for the Early Entry Program students must first meet the following minimum standards in coursework completed at Belmont University*:
*Students who do not meet the standards above may still apply to the Graduate Nursing program and will be considered on a competitive basis along with other applicants.
Applying for the Early Entry Program
Qualified nursing majors may complete and submit an Early Entry Application to their Academic Advisor in January of their sophomore year after their third semester is complete but no later than January 31. This deadline provides opportunity to be a full participant in the program.
Qualified Belmont students who are beyond their sophomore year may apply at different times and will be considered on a case-by-case basis, but only after receiving permission to apply from their Academic Advisor. Once permission is granted, application must occur at least a month ahead of when course registration opens for the next semester.
The application file must include:
Acceptance to the Early Entry program will be communicated by the student’s Academic Advisor, typically before course registration opens for the next semester.
Criteria for Admission to Belmont Graduate School of Nursing via Early Entry
Students accepted for Early Entry will be guaranteed admission to the Belmont Graduate Nursing Program of their choosing (MSN or DNP) by meeting the following criteria:
If the criteria is not met, the student may still be eligible for graduate nursing study at Belmont and is encouraged to apply to be considered on a competitive basis along with all other applicants.
Admission Timeline
School of Nursing
Admissions: 615-460-6120 | Main: 615-460-6139
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |