Nursing

Denver College of Nursing Expanding to Houston

NursingSeptember 20, 2022

Exciting news! The Denver College of Nursing (DCN) is opening a branch campus in Houston and is enrolling students now for its BSN completion program. The private nursing college offers a comprehensive curriculum and plenty of academic support to students ready to embark on a career in nursing or make a career change. 

Get to Know DCN

DCN admitted its first students in 2004 to its downtown Denver campus. In the beginning, the college was known as Denver School of Nursing, but changed to Denver College of Nursing in 2017. Initially, DCN offered a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) program and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) completion program. The following year it added an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program. In 2015, an RN to BSN program was added and, in 2018, DCN started offering an online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). 

Now it offers two in-person programs at its Denver campus and two online programs available to students anywhere. 

  • ADN – pre-licensure (Denver)
  • BSN – pre-licensure (Denver)
  • RN to BSN online program – post-licensure
  • MSN online program – post-licensure. 

A Warm Texas Welcome

DCN decided to expand to Houston for a number of reasons, according to Brandon Villarreal, campus president of DCN Houston. “We have students from around the country who are interested in our programs,” he says.  With so many students wanting to go into nursing and an unmet educational need, DCN realized it could make a difference by offering programs in the state of Texas. Given that Houston is one of the fastest growing cities in the country and has a growing population of residents ages 65 and over, the area has a substantial need for nurses.

Additionally, Houston’s large hospital system, Memorial Hermann, welcomes students for clinical studies and is excited to have DCN Houston in the area. While classroom work is important, nursing graduates will tell you: nothing substitutes for on-the-ground clinical experience.   

The Houston Format

The Houston campus offers a pre-licensure BSN taught in person. It’s designed for students who have already completed their prerequisite program requirements or are in the process of completing them now. The completion program, which includes didactic and clinical components, can be finished in as little as 21 months. 

“We're pulling in some of our most talented faculty and staff from Denver, who are transferring to the Houston campus to support the students,” Villarreal says. At this time, Houston doesn’t plan to offer an ADN program. 

For students who are interested in the online RN to BSN or MSN, you can apply to those programs through DCN’s online option. To learn more, visit our online program page, here.

There’s a Lot to Like About DCN 

DCN is well known for several successes. The one that’s likely most important to prospective students, is that DCN nursing students have had a first-time pass rate of over 90% on the NCLEX exam for the past five years.

Most students are also successful in completing their nursing programs, Maxwell says. Because they come in with their prerequisites completed, students tend to be well prepared for college-level work. Additionally, DCN offers small class sizes that allow for personalized attention, along with tutoring and advising services to help students stay on track.  

Finally, DCN’s programs are accredited, a feature that is very important to nursing students. DCN schools are accredited by the Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), which is seen by many as the most significant accreditation a nursing institution can receive. 

Ready to apply? If you’re interested in learning more about the Houston campus, give us a call at 800-210-9898 or click here to learn more about DCN’s Houston campus.