NOW accepting applications for limited clinical opportunities in El Paso, Texas and rural areas of Utah.
WGU is currently recruiting students for programs in California, Texas and Utah. See admissions requirements below.
Want to become a nurse? Now is the perfect time to become a Registered Nurse (RN). WGU’s B.S. in Nursing (Prelicensure) degree program prepares you with the content knowledge and extensive in-hospital clinical experience to earn your bachelor’s degree and prepare you to sit for the national NCLEX licensing exam.
Your clinical education also includes learning skills and patient care competencies in simulation lab “boot camps” followed by agency-based clinical “intensives” where patient care competencies can be honed and mastered. These “intensives” take place in hospitals and other key healthcare facilities under the guidance of expert staff nurses who provide coaching and clinical learning opportunities.
You will become a technologically proficient, caring, bachelor’s degree-prepared nurse who is ready to preserve, promote, improve, and maintain the health and well-being of individuals and families in your community.
Program Details
This program includes five domains of study plus intensive clinical rotations for each clinical subdomain of study. The domains of study are as follows:
Nursing Domains:
Pre-Nursing Curriculum
Nursing Theory and Practice
Nursing Science
Program Admissions Requisites:
Nursing Science Prerequisites
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Total Program: 120 Competency Units (credit equivalents)
Less: any competency units waived through transfer of prior college credits and prerequisites
NOTICE: There will be limited clinical opportunities available in select hospitals in Southern California, Texas and Utah. Because of limited clinical opportunities, this is a highly selective program. Future expansion is planned in all three states and in additional states this year and beyond.
WGU is now opening admissions to aspiring nurses in these select areas who have completed all prerequisites as outlined below. Enrollment into this program is conducted in two phases of admissions: Pre-Nursing Curriculum and the Clinical Nursing Program.
To be considered for enrollment into the Pre-Nursing Curriculum, you must meet the following requirements:
Possess a current CPR certification at the Healthcare Provider Level.
Submit at least one letter of recommendation from your current healthcare employer.
Submit official transcripts from all previous institutions that show:
You have earned a bachelor’s or associate’s degree AND/OR
You have completed the program admissions prerequisites in Liberal Arts and Sciences and Behavioral Sciences
You have completed all nursing-related science prerequisites in:
Note: Preference will be given those individuals with a prior college degree. All prerequisites must be complete before an application for enrollment can be considered.
For enrollment into the Clinical Nursing Program, you must meet the following requirements:
If you meet the requirements above and wish to be considered for admission into the Clinical Nursing Program, you must be prepared to enroll, complete the Pre-Nursing Curriculum requirements, and apply for admission into the program.
Admission into the Clinical Nursing Program is competitive. Enrollment in the Pre-Nursing Curriculum is NOT a guarantee for admission into the Clinical Nursing Program.
Approximately 60 days after enrollment into the Pre-Nursing Curriculum, if you qualify, you must apply for admission into the Clinical Nursing Program. To be considered for admission, the following support documentation must be provided by you as part of the application process:
Proof of health insurance.
Proof of student malpractice insurance (usually a modest $29/year cost).
Proof of successfully passing of a criminal background check*.
Proof of successfully passing a urine drug test*.
Proof of successfully passing a physical exam*.
Proof of completing the Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Test and demonstrating the attributes of a successful nurse*.
This program includes intensive clinical rotations. Preparation for these clinicals will be completed both online under the guidance of a WGU mentor and through mandatory attendance to high fidelity Clinical Simulation Learning Labs.
Your innovative clinical education experience includes:
Cutting-edge clinical simulations, including virtual reality and high fidelity simulations to develop clinical skills.
Agency-based clinical rotations in hospitals and other key healthcare sites.
One-on-one guidance, supervision, and support in a busy, contemporary clinical setting with a Clinical Coach—an experienced staff nurse and clinical expert.
Clinical rotations are arranged as compressed “intensives” where students work one-on-one with expert nurses. You will complete at least four sessions of clinical rotations each year.
Basic tuition: $4,250 per 6-month term (includes clinical rotation fees) Estimated time to completion*: 2 years * Contingent on completing all prerequisites
Other student responsibilities:
Consolidated Nursing fee: $350
Uniforms: $200
iTouch unit: $199
LabPaq fees: $200
Criminal Background Check: $140
Drug Test fee: $50
NCLEX exam fees: $500
You may also be required to pay for doctor’s visit for a physical examination and immunizations to fulfill specific admissions requirements.
WGU offers degrees, not classes. As a competency-based program, learning is measured by what you know and can do based on assessments rather than time spent in classes or courses completed. You’ll study. You’ll write papers. You’ll take tests. You’ll complete rigorous lab work, simulations, and clinical rotations.
Here’s generally how your program will work:
Your degree requirements are carefully developed to give you high-level competence in a variety of patient care settings, including chronic care, geriatrics, pediatrics, etc.
You will work with a WGU mentor to prepare for rigorous assessments, virtual reality simulations, and high fidelity simulations. Upon successful completion and demonstration of competency, you will qualify to attend your agency-based clinical rotations.
You will work one-on-one with a Clinical Coach (under the guidance of a Clinical Instructor) to complete several “intensives” of clinical rotations. Your Clinical Coach is an experienced staff nurse who is trained to help you throughout the duration of your clinical rotations.
Together with your mentor, you will largely be able to decide when you are prepared to complete course assessments. (assessment of your clinical competence will be conducted by Clinical Instructors .)
You should expect to work hard and spend at least 30 hours or more per week on your studies, and in the completion of clinical rotations and clinical simulation labs.
Accreditation is a key indicator of a university’s credibility among both academia and employers. WGU is:
CCNE accredited — by the Commission for Collegiate Nursing Education.
Approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, the Texas Board of Nursing, and the Utah Board of Nursing.
Nationally accredited — by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC).
Regionally accredited — by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. The Northwest Commission is also responsible for the accreditation of other major universities such as the University of Washington, University of Oregon, and the University of Utah, to name a few.
Founded by 19 governors and supported by hospital partners — WGU was founded by the governors of 19 U.S. states. WGU and this BSN program are also supported by hospital partners across the nation, including Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), Tenet Healthcare, Cedars-Sinai Hospital, Kaiser Permanente, Catholic Healthcare West, and Universal Health Services.
