Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Accepting applications for April 2024 ADN and BSN programs, for those that qualify. Please contact Admissions at 303-292-0015 for more information.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

This program is for the student that has already met the prerequisite requirements for the BSN completion program and consists of seven quarters (21 months) of nursing courses with both didactic and clinical components built on a foundation of general education courses transferred in from other accredited institutions.

Applicants to the BSN Completion Option are often professionals in other disciplines who elect to make a career change after completing a BA, BS or Associate’s Degree. Other applicants are inspired to pursue a nursing career by building on the competencies gained in post-secondary courses. For students transferring in general education courses from other accredited institutions, this option provides a focused nursing curriculum with didactic and clinical components built on the general education courses. Graduates are prepared to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN®) and earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. This option consists of seven quarters of nursing courses with both didactic and clinical components built on foundational courses and is generally completed in 21 months (1 year, 9 months) of full-time study.

Upon completion, a student should be prepared to:

  1. Synthesize knowledge from nursing and the arts and sciences in the holistic practice of professional nursing.
  2. Design, manage, and coordinate nursing care to deliver quality healthcare and safety for patients.
  3. Base practice on current knowledge, theory and research.
  4. Integrate effective inter-professional collaboration practice to enhance the health of all patients, including diverse and vulnerable populations.
  5. Use patient care technologies and clinical information systems to facilitate decision making necessary for delivery of safe care.

Students achieve general education outcomes as they:

  1. Develop creative and critical analytical skills across a wide range of clinical and human knowledge situations
  2. Develop skills in written, technical, and oral communications
  3. Function ethically and meet professional standards with integrity
  4. Demonstrate evidence of and caring for a diverse and multicultural society
  5. Develop skills for independent decision making and leadership.

Please submit all application materials at the same time, with the exception of official transcripts. 

For Early Acceptance:

  • January Start Date, application open July 1st
  • April Start Date, application open October 1st
  • July Start Date, application open January 1st
  • October Start Date, application open April 1st

For Late Acceptance: 

  • Applicants will be considered up to two weeks before the beginning of the term based upon program availability. 

Unsure if you want to apply for the ADN or BSN program? Contact Admissions at 303-292-0015 for guidance.

Course No. Course Name Quarter Credits
Quarter 1
BIO 309 Pathophysiology 6
NUR 310/310L Health Assessment (with Laboratory) 6
NUR 358 Topics of Professional Nursing Practice 3
    15
Quarter 2
NUR 320/320L/320C Foundations of Nursing (with Skills Laboratory and Clinical) 10
NUR 328/328L Pharmacology with Calculations Laboratory 6
    16
Quarter 3
HIT 410 Healthcare Informatics 3
NUR 330/330L/330C Medical Surgical Nursing I (with Skills Laboratory and Clinical) 10
    13
Quarter 4
NUR 420/420C Mental Health Nursing (with Clinical) 6
NUR 440/440C Medical Surgical Nursing II (with Clinical) 9
    15
Quarter 5
NUR 340/340C Pediatric Nursing (with Clinical) 6
NUR 350/350C Obstetrical Nursing (with Clinical) 6
NUR 338C Research and Evidence Based Practice 3
    15
Quarter 6
NUR 450/450C Community/Public Health Nursing (with Clinical) 7
NUR 460 Transition to Professional Practice 3
NUR 470 Leadership and Management  3
    13
Quarter 7
SOC 321 Life Transition: Death and Dying 4
NUR 485/485C Senior Integrative Seminar and Capstone Clinical 9
    13
  Program Quarter Credits 100
  Transfer Credits 80
  Total Quarter Credits for the BSN Degree 180

A minimum of 75% of the DCN program courses must be earned at Denver College of Nursing.

This program is for the student that has already met the prerequisite requirements for the BSN completion program and consists of seven quarters (21 months) of nursing courses with both didactic and clinical components built on a foundation of general education courses transferred in from other accredited institutions.

Applicants without a prior Baccalaureate Degree

Applicants without a prior baccalaureate degree must show completion of all prerequisite courses that include a minimum of 56 semester credits of post-secondary coursework from an accredited institution with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. This includes 40 semester credits of prerequisites with a grade of C or better (C- or below is not acceptable) and a GPA of 2.0 or better for the courses noted below and 16 or more semester credits of General Education courses. General Education credits must be from three different disciplines such as Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, Communications and History etc. Applicants that do not have a prior Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college are required to take the HESI A2 entrance exam.

Course Name

Semester Credits

Quarter Credits

Equivalent (1 semester credit = 1.5 quarter credits)

Microbiology with lab

4

6

Anatomy & Physiology with labs

8

12

Sciences

Two courses; one with a lab (Pathophysiology cannot be used)

7

10

Algebra

3

4

Statistics

3

4

Psychology

3

4

Human Growth & Development

3

4

Nutrition

3

4

English Composition

3

4

English

3

4

 

40

56

Added General Education Total

16

24

Total prerequisite credit hours

56

80

Applicants with a prior Baccalaureate Degree

Applicants who already possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, must show satisfactory completion of 21 semester credits from an accredited institution with a GPA of 2.0 or better and with grades of C or above (C- or below are not acceptable) for the courses noted below. Applicants that have already graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college do not have to take the HESI A2 entrance exam.

Course Name

Semester Credits

Quarter Credits

Equivalent (1 semester credit = 1.5 quarter credits)

Microbiology with lab

4

6

Anatomy & Physiology with labs

8

12

Statistics

3

4

Human Growth & Development

3

4

Nutrition

3

4

Total prerequisite credit hours

21

32

Applicants who have completed courses that are different from, but are the equivalent of, those required for admission should submit transcripts and course descriptions for review by the Director or Nursing Education Programs.

NOTE:Anatomy & Physiology and Microbiology must have been taken within seven (7) years of start date at Denver College of Nursing.  Pathophysiology cannot be used as a science prerequisite as it is part of the program.

  • Submit official transcripts and course descriptions for review by the Dean of Nursing Education Programs or designee 
  • Applicants that have not already graduated from an accredited college with a Bachelor’s degree have two opportunities to obtain a minimum of 75% on the HESI A2 English Composite Subscale (Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Grammar) and on the Math Subscale; and take the HESI A2 components utilized in the advising program
  • Applicants that have already graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college do not have to take the HESI A2 entrance exam
  • Provide a background check and drug screen that meets licensure requirements 
  • Successfully complete Anatomy & Physiology and Microbiology within seven (7) years of start date
  • Applicants to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Completion Option must show satisfactory completion of 56 semester credits or 80 quarter credits from an accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better
NOTE: Meet additional requirements detailed in the Admissions Policies and Procedures section of the DCN catalog available for download on this site.

  • Minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above on a 4.0 scale. 
  • Grades of C or above (C- or below are not acceptable) for the listed prerequisite courses.
  • Have completed all prerequisites prior to the start date of their program. (Not before application)
  • Prerequisite course work does not have to be completed at the time of application, however please be realistic about being able to complete all outstanding prerequisites before the start date of the program.
  • Applicants will submit a one-page typewritten personal statement (double-spaced, 12 point font) that addresses your professional goals, healthcare related work background and volunteer experience with their application. The content is the most important part of the statement; however it will be reviewed for writing style, syntax and grammar.
  • Eligibility for all BSN programs is pending the successful completion of a drug screen and a criminal background check due five weeks before the start of the program. These are not required with the initial application.
  • Eligibility for all BSN programs is pending the successful submission of all required immunizations records and completed “Fit For Practice” form. Applicants will receive more information on submitting these forms during the admissions interview if granted. These are not required with the initial application.
  • Applicants must have the ability to meet all the requirements for licensure and the physical, psychological and emotional standards established by the Colorado Nurse Practice Act and the State Board of Nursing. 
  • Applicants must have the ability to become certified in CPR. This is not required with the initial application.
  • BSN applicants who appear best qualified for the program will be contacted for an application interview and testing. In state students will have the interview and be set up to return within 3 weeks to take the entrance exam. In state students will be loaned a study guide for the exam. Out of state applicants typically will buy a study guide, come to Denver for the interview and take the entrance exam the next morning.  
  • Applicants that have already graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college do not have to take the HESI A2 entrance exam.
Important note: This program has an admissions process where students are selected based on a number of factors including personal statement, previous health care and or volunteer experience and cumulative / science GPA (acceptance is not based solely on GPA). 

Can a DCN graduate with a Colorado license work in another state?

Yes, each state has different requirements for the transferring or endorsement of licenses so you should contact the state’s Board of Nursing in the state you’re interested in to find out the specifics on the process in that state. We have graduates that are currently employed as Nurses in California, Texas, South Carolina, and New Mexico to name a few. As of January 2018, Colorado is a participating state in the enhanced Nurse Compact. When a new graduate residing in the state of Colorado obtains a nursing license, it is granted as a multi-state license allowing practice in all the participating states. Please visit https://www.nursecompact.com for more information.  For information on licensure and nursing regulatory bodies in general, please visit https://www.ncsbn.org.


Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) | NCSBN

www.ncsbn.org

The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) provides a multistate license that allows nurses to practice with patients across state lines.

Licensure

This program requires licensure to obtain employment. Please review to determine if the program meets the educational requirements for licensure in your state.