Union, NJ — Kean University is now accepting applications for its newly launched undergraduate nursing degree program, enabling students to earn a bachelor’s degree and qualify as registered nurses (RN) in just three years. Classes for the Pre-Licensure Bachelor of Science Nursing (BSN) program will begin this Fall at the university’s main campus.
The program aims to expedite the path to a nursing career. Students will complete 120 credits, including summer courses, allowing them to become licensed RNs in approximately half the time typically required.
“The program is designed to propel aspiring nurses into the profession in just three years,” said Kean Assistant Professor Chrysanthe Patestos, Ph.D. “Students will earn 120 credits in that period of time, which includes taking summer courses. They can be working as nurses in about half the time it takes for students who enter the field by earning their RN first, then pursuing a bachelor’s degree separately.”
Kean’s Department of Nursing developed the program to address the nursing shortage and lack of diversity in the nursing workforce. “Our Prelicensure BSN program answers the nursing profession’s call to add to the number and diversity of the nursing workforce in a very innovative way,” Patestos said. “Our program places a strong emphasis on holistic nursing education, ensuring a focus on student support from admission through graduation. We are committed to breaking down barriers to success, particularly for students from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in the field of nursing.”
Patestos highlighted that hospitals often require RNs to obtain a bachelor’s degree within a certain period after being hired. “RNs who already have their BSN are more marketable when they enter the workforce,” she said.
Applications for the Fall semester are still being accepted. The program has received provisional accreditation from the New Jersey Board of Nursing, a standard status for new programs pending eligibility for full accreditation, which occurs after the first cohort graduates and meets the required pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam.
The program requires summer studies in all three years and includes clinical immersion in healthcare settings after the second and third years. Graduates will be able to take the licensing exam and enter the workforce. The program is open to students of any age without a nursing degree or those transferring from another college or program within Kean.
