Lisa Levinson, Chair and Assistant Professor, Nursing Department, Winchester Campus
Health and Life Science Building, 540-678-4374, llevinso@su.edu

Fall Entry

The Traditional Four-Year Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at Shenandoah University is designed for students beginning the program as freshmen. These students are interested in the full, traditional college experience that includes living on campus and fully participating in campus life. Traditional BSN students take the required general education (Shen Ed) and prerequisite courses in the first three semesters prior to beginning nursing courses.  Students study with highly skilled faculty in an innovative curriculum designed to prepare them for licensure as a Registered Nurse. Graduates of this program are educated to lead and coordinate the delivery of health-services.

Applicants seeking admission to the Traditional Four-Year Program in Nursing must meet the following guidelines:

1. Meet all requirements for admission to Shenandoah University.
2. Minimum cumulative high school GPA of 3.0.
3. Submit official transcript(s) from their high school.
4. Minimum combined SAT score of 1030 (math and critical reading)
5. Science requirements: Biology and Chemistry with a grade of “B” or higher in each course. Three science courses total are required and four science courses total are recommended.
6. Non-Native English Speaking (NNES) applicants must submit official copies of Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores. Applicants should request official scores be sent to the Shenandoah University Undergraduate Admissions office; the SU code is 5613. More information about TOEFL can be found at www.ets.org/toefl. The date of taking the TOEFL should not be more than 24 months prior to the date of enrollment. The minimum score acceptable for admission to the School of Nursing is 83 or higher for the Internet-based TOEFL. NOTE: Applicants with successful completion of a higher education degree in the U.S. may not be required to take the TOEFL. Please consult with the Office of Admissions.

Admitted freshmen must complete the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) prior to entry into nursing courses and must achieve a minimum overall score of 65 percent (may be subject to change) to continue in the nursing program. Candidates may take the exam twice within two years of matriculating into nursing courses. 

After admission, the traditional 4-year BSN student must attain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on all pre-requisite science courses (BIO 121, BIO 231 Human Anatomy and Physiology I and BIO 232 Human Anatomy and Physiology II, BIO 260 Microbiology, and CHEM 121) and a 3.0 GPA in the remaining prerequisites for nursing to progress to the nursing 200-level courses.

Students are strongly advised to limit employment to 10-12 hours per week during the academic year.

Science Policy for School of Nursing: A student enrolled in the university or under consideration for admission to the undergraduate nursing program may attempt no more than two science courses one time each to be considered for matriculation into the School of Nursing. An attempt is any enrollment in a course that results in completion, withdrawal or an incomplete.

Students currently enrolled in the university may repeat take only one science outside of Shenandoah Unviersity or repeat one science course originally taken at SU at an outside institution. Quality points for the repeat course will be used to calculate SON required science GPA. Pluses and minuses recorded on the student transcript are not included when calculating the science GPA. Science courses taken more than 10 years prior to matriculation are not considered because they must be repeated.

Current Shenandoah University students seeking transfer to the undergraduate nursing track will be considered internal transfer students on a first come basis once all requirements are met. Applicants must meet the following guidelines:

1. Meet with Department Chair or Assistant/Associate Dean 
2. Meet all SON admission requirements of the Traditional Four-year Program.
3. Adhere to the SU Academic Change in Curriculum Policy, including that current GPA must be 3.0 in prerequisite sciences and must be 3.0 in overall prerequisite requirements.