B.S.N. in Nursing
Harrisonburg, USA
Bachelor's degree
DURATION
4 semesters
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
USD 6,434 / per semester *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* in-state tuition fee | $15,076: out-of-state tuition fee. Additional fees may apply
Key Summary
We engage students, faculty and communities through dynamic and innovative nursing education, practice and scholarship to influence health in our world.
Our pre-licensure BSN program graduates 226 students per year incorporating patient care simulation, be it with high fidelity mannequins or standardized patients (trained live actors), into clinical and courses. Our senior-level transition to practice course includes a review of critical skills and preparation for the NCLEX (RN certification and licensure exam). Seniors enjoy an expanded 7-week "capstone" practicum their final semester, working full-time with a preceptor in a hospital or other clinical agency.
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN) prepares undergraduate students to be professional nurses and leads to eligibility to take the National Certification and Licensure Exam (NCLEX) to become a registered nurse (RN). During the first two years of study, students will take General Education courses in biology, chemistry, math, and psychology, as well as a course in nutrition, while developing a strong foundation in the liberal arts.
After admission to the nursing program, the curriculum consists of concurrent classroom courses, laboratory and simulation learning, and clinical practice experience. Students have opportunities for learning in a variety of settings including community, specialty, and academic medical centers and hospitals; long-term care facilities and clinics; and community-based clinical learning experiences. The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at James Madison University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The program is also approved by the Virginia Board of Nursing.
The graduate of the JMU baccalaureate nursing program will be able to demonstrate:
- Knowledge for Nursing Practice: Attain, develop, and critique theoretical and empirical knowledge specific to the discipline of nursing through ways of being, knowing, choosing, and doing. Engage relationally with complex and dynamic personal, social, cultural, ethical, and political concepts to endeavor to support the well-being of persons and populations.
- Inquiry & Critical thinking: Develop a spirit of inquiry to contribute to innovative contributions to nursing practice. Critically appraises current practice, and actively seeks to find and translate best evidence into practice. Makes judgments and uses problem-solving skills in practice that synthesize nursing science and knowledge.
- Population Health: Engage in community and population assessment, health promotion, disease prevention, care coordination and interdisciplinary efforts to improve outcomes. Assess determinants of health and respond to health disparities at the individual, family, community, and population level, across all levels of prevention, and over the entire healthcare continuum.
- Healthcare systems collaboration: Communicates and effectively utilizes technology to achieve high quality, safe, evidence-based, and cost-effective care at the individual and systems level. Collaborates with individuals, families, community stakeholders, and the interdisciplinary health care team to assess, implement and evaluate the safety and quality of both patient and population-centered care across health care settings and systems. Develops and advocates for policies across the healthcare continuum.
- Professional Identity and development: Demonstrate responsibility as a life-long learner. Utilizes self-care to practice in a mindful and resilient manner. Reflects on and modifies professional practice according to ethical, moral, humanistic, and legal principles. Contributes to the profession through mentorship, leadership, and advocacy.
JMU offers a 4-year program leading to a Bachelor of Nursing degree. During the first 2 years, students complete the General Education Program and the Prerequisite Courses. Students must earn a C- or higher in all prerequisite courses before they can begin junior nursing classes.
Students begin courses in the 4-Semester Nursing Program usually at the beginning of the junior year. The 2-year nursing program of study includes 59 credit hours of core nursing courses and 2 required credit hours of Nursing Elective Courses. Nursing electives can be taken anytime in the freshman through senior year. The Nursing Program consists of:
- Classroom courses
- Varied practicum activities
- Health Assessment & Skills labs
- Simulation Lab Experiences
- Learning: Theory, Skills, Application
Generic B.S.N. Degree Requirements
Required Courses
- General Education, prerequisite and elective courses 59 Credit Hours 1
- Nursing courses (including nursing electives) 61 Credit Hours
Footnote
1 The General Education program contains a set of requirements each student must fulfill. The number of credit hours necessary to fulfill these requirements may vary.
General Education and Nursing Prerequisite Requirements
The following are course prerequisites required for the Nursing major. Courses must be completed with “C-” or higher.
Prerequisites
- PSYC 160. Life Span Human Development [C5SD] Credits: 3.00 2
- CHEM 120. Concepts of Chemistry [C3PP] Credits: 3.00 1
- MATH 220. Elementary Statistics [C3QR] Credits: 3.00 1
- BIO 245. General Microbiology Credits: 3.00 and
- BIO 245L. General Microbiology Laboratory Credits: 1.00
- BIO 270. Human Physiology [C3NS] Credits: 3.00 1 and
- BIO 270L. Human Physiology Laboratory [C3L] Credits: 1.00
- BIO 290. Human Anatomy Credits: 3.00 and
- BIO 290L. Human Anatomy Laboratory Credits: 1.00
- NUTR 280. Nutrition for Wellness Credits: 3.00
Footnote
1 Contained in General Education Cluster Three.
2 Contained in General Education Cluster Five.
Required Courses
- NSG 350. Foundations of Nursing Credits: 2.00
- NSG 351. Health Assessment Credits: 3.00
- NSG 352. Clinical Applications & Reasoning in Nursing Care I Credits: 4.00
- NSG 352L. Clinical Applications & Reasoning in Nursing Care I Clinical Credits: 2.00
- NSG 353. Pathophysiology & Pharmacology Credits: 4.00
- NSG 354. The Art and Science of Nursing Credits: 2.00
- NSG 355. Women’s Health Credits: 3.00
- NSG 355L. Women’s Health Clinical Credits: 1.00
- NSG 356. Clinical Applications & Reasoning in Nursing Care II Credits: 4.00
- NSG 356L. Clinical Applications & Reasoning in Nursing Care II Clinical Credits: 2.00
- NSG 357. Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Credits: 3.00
- NSG 357L. Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Clinical Credits: 1.00
- NSG 450. Nursing Inquiry and Research Methods Credits: 3.00
- NSG 451. Child Health Credits: 3.00
- NSG 451L. Child Health Clinical Credits: 1.00
- NSG 452. Clinical Applications and Reasoning in Nursing Care III Credits: 4.00
- NSG 452L. Clinical Applications & Reasoning III Clinical Credits: 2.00
- NSG 453. Population-Centered Care in the Community Credits: 3.00
- NSG 453L. Population-Centered Care in the Community Clinical Credits: 2.00
- NSG 454. Transition to Practice Credits: 3.00
- NSG 455. Nursing Informatics Credits: 3.00
- NSG 456. Capstone Credits: 4.00
- Nursing Electives 2 Credit Hours
Additional Information
Students can seek fall or spring admission to the program. Students must complete 36 credit hours before they will be considered for admission to the program.
Cluster One normally is completed during the first year. General Education courses in clusters two, three, four, and five can be scheduled as desired by the student across the first and second years.
Most students can complete general education and prerequisite courses in four semesters, but some students find it necessary to enroll in summer school or an additional year to complete the work satisfactorily.
Major Requirements
Additional information regarding the nursing curriculum can be found on the nursing website.
Junior/Senior Year
Can be taken anytime during junior or senior year.
- Nursing Electives 2 Credit Hours
First Semester
- NSG 350. Foundations of Nursing Credits: 2.00
- NSG 351. Health Assessment Credits: 3.00
- NSG 352. Clinical Applications & Reasoning in Nursing Care I Credits: 4.00
- NSG 352L. Clinical Applications & Reasoning in Nursing Care I Clinical Credits: 2.00
- NSG 353. Pathophysiology & Pharmacology Credits: 4.00
Second Semester
- NSG 354. The Art and Science of Nursing Credits: 2.00
- NSG 355. Women’s Health Credits: 3.00
- NSG 355L. Women’s Health Clinical Credits: 1.00
- NSG 356. Clinical Applications & Reasoning in Nursing Care II Credits: 4.00
- NSG 356L. Clinical Applications & Reasoning in Nursing Care II Clinical Credits: 2.00
- NSG 357. Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Credits: 3.00
- NSG 357L. Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Clinical Credits: 1.00
Third Semester
- NSG 450. Nursing Inquiry and Research Methods Credits: 3.00
- NSG 451. Child Health Credits: 3.00
- NSG 451L. Child Health Clinical Credits: 1.00
- NSG 452. Clinical Applications and Reasoning in Nursing Care III Credits: 4.00
- NSG 452L. Clinical Applications & Reasoning III Clinical Credits: 2.00
Fourth Semester
- NSG 453. Population-Centered Care in the Community Credits: 3.00
- NSG 453L. Population-Centered Care in the Community Clinical Credits: 2.00
- NSG 454. Transition to Practice Credits: 3.00
- NSG 455. Nursing Informatics Credits: 3.00
- NSG 456. Capstone Credits: 4.00
A successful career and a meaningful life is what it’s all about. Whether it’s an internship, a great first job or a top graduate school appointment, JMU Dukes make their dreams ignite. You will, too.
Here are current openings available to JMU students.
Jobs for JMU Students
Nursing
- Registered Nurse - Emergency Department at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital
- (#R21398) Licensed Practical Nurse / LPN at RHA Health Services, LLC
- Psychiatric/DD Nurse ALL Shifts Available (RN's Only) at Summit Behavioral Healthcare
- Registered Nurse ICU - New Grads Welcome! at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital
- Registered Nurse Med/Surg at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital
- Certified Nursing Assistant at NeuroRestorative
- Nurse - RN/LPN - Full-Time or PRN at UHS of Delaware, Inc.
- Registered Nurse (RN) Unit Coordinator (UC) at Sentara Healthcare
- Registered Nurse at Premise Health
- Certified School Nurse at Merakey
- Registered Nurse at Federal Bureau of Prisons
- Advance Practice Nurse (Mid-Level Practitioner at Federal Bureau of Prisons
- Registered Nurse at Faith Haven Senior Care Centre
- Registered Nurse RN at BridgePoint Healthcare
- Registered Nurse at Chesterfield County Local Government
- Licensed Practical Nurse (PT) at Chesterfield County Local Government
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) at The Arora Group
- Registered Nurse (RN) | New Graduates Welcome! at Atrium Health Navicent
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) at Atrium Health Navicent
- Nurse
- Registered Nurse - Emergency Department at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital
- (#R21398) Licensed Practical Nurse / LPN at RHA Health Services, LLC
- Psychiatric/DD Nurse ALL Shifts Available (RN's Only) at Summit Behavioral Healthcare
- (#R25604) Registered Nurse / RN / Salisbury Behavioral Health at RHA Health Services, LLC
- Registered Nurse ICU - New Grads Welcome! at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital
- Registered Nurse Med/Surg at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital
- Nurse - RN/LPN - Full-Time or PRN at UHS of Delaware, Inc.
- Registered Nurse (RN) Unit Coordinator (UC) at Sentara Healthcare
- Registered Nurse at Premise Health
- Certified School Nurse at Merakey
- Registered Nurse at Federal Bureau of Prisons
- Advance Practice Nurse (Mid-Level Practitioner at Federal Bureau of Prisons
- Registered Nurse at Faith Haven Senior Care Centre
- Registered Nurse RN at BridgePoint Healthcare
- Registered Nurse at Chesterfield County Local Government
- Licensed Practical Nurse (PT) at Chesterfield County Local Government
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) at The Arora Group
- Registered Nurse (RN) | New Graduates Welcome! at Atrium Health Navicent
- Public Health Nurse II - Bertie County at Albemarle Regional Health Services
RN
- RN/LPN - Full Time Night Shift Position at The NeuroMedical Center Rehabilitation Hospital
- Registered Nurse - Emergency Department at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital
- Registered Nurse (New or Experienced) - DUH - General Surgery Trauma Stepdown at Duke Health
- (#R21398) Licensed Practical Nurse / LPN at RHA Health Services, LLC
- (#R25758) Registered Nurse / RN / Salisbury Behavioral Health at RHA Health Services, LLC
- Psychiatric/DD Nurse ALL Shifts Available (RN's Only) at Summit Behavioral Healthcare
- (#R25604) Registered Nurse / RN / Salisbury Behavioral Health at RHA Health Services, LLC
- Social Work Care Manager (LCSW) at PIH Health
- Registered Nurse ICU - New Grads Welcome! at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital
- Nurse - RN/LPN - Full-Time or PRN at UHS of Delaware, Inc.
- Registered Nurse (RN) Unit Coordinator (UC) at Sentara Healthcare
- Health Center Manager RN at Premise Health
- New Grad RN at UNC Health Blue Ridge
- Certified School Nurse at Merakey
- Home Health RN - Flexible Hours at Saint Luke's Health System
- RN Sponsorship at Northern Light Health
- Registered Nurse (RN) – Cardiac Cath Lab w/on-call requirements at Texas Health Resources
- Registered Nurse at Faith Haven Senior Care Centre
- Registered Nurse RN at BridgePoint Healthcare
Internships for JMU Students
Nursing
- Clinical Vet Tech Intern at Labcorp
- Counselor, Adventure staff, Activities staff, Nurse assistant, Office, Store, Kitchen, Media, Grounds, Operations, Snack Shop, Production, at Eagle Sky Camp
- Summer 2023 Insurance Analyst Internship at Kunkel & Associates, Inc.
- Marketing/Business internship at Moon River Senior Care and Transportation
- Clinical Vet Tech Intern at Labcorp
- Quality Measurement Intern (Fall Recruitment) at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
- Student Nurse Internship - Sanford Health at Sanford Health
- Summer 2023 Nurse Extern Opportunities, Allegheny Health Network at Allegheny Health Network
- Carilion Clinic SOAR Nurse Externship at Carilion Clinic
- Summer 2023 Sales Internship- Dubuque, IA at Kunkel & Associates, Inc.
- Pre-Health Internship at Moon River Senior Care and Transportation
- UPMC Student Nurse Internship (SNI) Program at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC)
- Student Nurse Externship - Winter 2022 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital at BJC HealthCare
- Pharmacy Intern at PharMerica Corporation
- Software Engineering Internship Program- Summer 2023 at SIG
- Operations Intern at Essen Health Care
- Adult Day Health Services Internship at Easterseals DE & MD Eastern Shore
Nurse
- Clinical Vet Tech Intern at Labcorp
- Counselor, Adventure staff, Activities staff, Nurse assistant, Office, Store, Kitchen, Media, Grounds, Operations, Snack Shop, Production, at Eagle Sky Camp
- Summer 2023 Insurance Analyst Internship at Kunkel & Associates, Inc.
- Marketing/Business internship at Moon River Senior Care and Transportation
- Clinical Vet Tech Intern at Labcorp
- Quality Measurement Intern (Fall Recruitment) at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
- Student Nurse Internship - Sanford Health at Sanford Health
- Summer 2023 Nurse Extern Opportunities, Allegheny Health Network at Allegheny Health Network
- Carilion Clinic SOAR Nurse Externship at Carilion Clinic
- Filming & Video Editing Internship at Modern Nursery
- Summer 2023 Sales Internship- Dubuque, IA at Kunkel & Associates, Inc.
- Pre-Health Internship at Moon River Senior Care and Transportation
- UPMC Student Nurse Internship (SNI) Program at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC)
- Student Nurse Externship - Winter 2022 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital at BJC HealthCare
- Pharmacy Intern at PharMerica Corporation
- Software Engineering Internship Program- Summer 2023 at SIG
- Operations Intern at Essen Health Care
- Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc. Internship Program at Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc. / Proven Winners
- Adult Day Health Services Internship at Easterseals DE & MD Eastern Shore
RN
- Student Nursing Internship at Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System
- Student Nurse Internship - Sanford Health at Sanford Health
- Pre-Health Internship at Moon River Senior Care and Transportation
- Student Nurse Externship - Winter 2022 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital at BJC HealthCare
- New Grad Nurse Residency at HCA Healthcare
Madison awards more than 400 one- to four-year scholarships each year to incoming students. The primary criterion for merit-based scholarships is exceptional academic performance. Other selection criteria may include leadership, involvement, and career goals.
The Madison Scholarships Hub is the application center for all JMU Foundation scholarships at James Madison University. To access the Madison Scholarships Hub, log in to MyMadison. Under the Applicant tab, click on the Madison Scholarships Hub logo.
All students are encouraged to fill out the General Application in the Madison Scholarships Hub to be considered for various scholarship opportunities. Qualifications for the majority of our scholarships are based on the General Application information as well as information pulled directly from your admissions application.
Review the criteria carefully for any recommended scholarship opportunities you are presented with and if you meet the qualifications, click apply to submit the additional required information. Deadlines vary across departments so be sure to complete the General Application as soon as possible to receive full consideration. Some scholarship opportunities become available starting in the fall while others open later so be sure to check back in January, February and March.