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Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Topics
General BSN Information
How long is the BSN program?
The program is 128 credits. Following the course path at right, the program takes four years.
How is TCNJ different from programs at other nursing schools?
TCNJ places emphasis on helping to develop tomorrow's leaders in the field of Nursing. Our program will not only help you develop excellent technical skills, but it will help you expand your awareness of global health care and the role of Nursing in it. We pride ourselves on preparing our graduates to continue setting goals for themselves that will take them on to positions of professional leadership, advanced practice or nursing education.
How academically rigorous is the program?
TCNJ is very academically demanding. However, excellent instruction, student-centered faculty, and plentiful student support services allow us to maintain a very high retention rate. Our program requires a rich background in the sciences. We challenge our students to build on this background because we believe it is essential in order to empower our graduates not only to succeed in their profession, but also to excel.
What is the average class size?
Typical nursing classes range from 15 to 30 students. We strive to limit clinical groups to eight students (two fewer than the maximum allowed by state law).
What options do you offer for distance learning or internet based classes?
While we currently do not offer distance learning options, we are actively exploring this possibility. The School of Nursing at The College of New Jersey places great emphasis on its role in developing a community of nursing professionals. Our challenge is to find ways to present distance learning options while preserving the mentoring and collegial relationships fostered in our curriculum.
Do you offer weekend courses?
The College of New Jersey does not currently offer any weekend course options.
Outcomes & Graduate Study
What is the BSN program's NCLEX pass rate?
The six-year average NCLEX pass rate for The School of Nursing is 85.8%. The pass rate for graduates of the 2004-2005 academic year is 97%.
What percentage of BSN graduates get employed?
100% of our students who seek full-time employment upon graduation are placed within six months. A large number of our graduates also go on to begin their graduate studies upon completion of the BSN.
What options do you offer for graduate study?
The School of Nursing at TCNJ currently offers two master's level Nurse Practitioner programs. These are the Adult Nurse Practitioner and the Family Nurse Practitioner programs.
Do you suggest students go immediately into graduate study?
The School of Nursing does not take a specific stance on whether it is best to enter graduate school immediately upon graduation or to gain workplace experience first. We believe that such a decision should be made after considering a broad range of criteria, including career goals, personal resources, and personal philosophy. While no one can make this decision for you, we do provide a highly supportive environment in which to weigh the options and make the best decision possible.
Clinical Experiences
How many Clinical Experiences will I be required to take?
Although most classes have an experiential component, there are five structured clinical experiences that all students must have in order to complete the program.
When do I begin Clinical Experiences?
The first clinical (Holistic Health Interventions) takes place in the second semester of the sophomore year.
Where are Clinical Experiences conducted?
The School of Nursing has developed clinical partnerships with a variety of local hospitals and agencies, including Robert Wood Johnson-Hamilton, Princeton Medical Center, Mercer Medical Center, Saint Francis, Mercer Street Friends and others. See also Practicum Sites.
Will I be able to indicate a preference for my Clinical Experiences?
Students may indicate a preference for the location of their clinical experience, but in order to maximize objectivity of evaluation, the clinical group coordinator attempts to makes random clinical assignments.
How many hours per week are devoted to Clinical Experiences?
Typically students spend between eight and ten hours each week in their clinical settings.
What is the average size of each Clinical Group?
The School of Nursing at TCNJ strives to limit the size of each clinical group to eight or fewer. We often achieve clinical groups as low as six, especially for the initial clinical experience.
Transfer Students
As a transfer, how long can I expect the program to take?
As the number of credits and level of experience each transfer student brings are different, it is difficult to universally predict the length of our program. We have found, however, that students transferring in with an average of two full years of college have between five and six semesters remaining in our program.
Who evaluates my transcripts?
Transfer transcripts are evaluated both by The College's Office of Records and Registration, and by the Chair of the Undergraduate Division of Nursing.
How many credits can I transfer?
Students may transfer no more than 78 credits into our program, and no more than 60 of these may come from two-year programs. The College of New Jersey requires that no fewer than 42 credits be taken at TCNJ in order to fulfill our residency requirement.
