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Preparing for a Career as a Nurse

Registered nurses provide patient care in a variety of settings (hospitals, long-term care facilities, physician offices, and schools), and provide support and guidance to patients and family members. Registered nurses must be licensed through passing a national licensing exam. According to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, the demand for nurses is expected to rise due to several factors, including the increased emphasis on preventative care and the aging of the large baby boomer population.

Accelerated nursing programs allow students who have a bachelor’s degree in a different field (typically biology or health studies) to obtain a nursing degree (BSN) in 14 months of full-time study.

Prerequisites vary by program, but typically include:

  • 1 year of physiology and anatomy with laboratory
  • 1 year of general chemistry with laboratory
  • 1 semester of microbiology with laboratory
  • Developmental psychology
  • Sociology
  • Statistics
  • An overall GPA of 3.25 or higher is recommended

Monmouth University offers a new entry-level Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program for students entering Monmouth from high school, as well as advanced programs in nursing which require the RN as a prerequisite.  Please refer to Monmouth University’s Department of Nursing website for more information.  Monmouth University does not have an accelerated nursing program for students with an undergraduate degree in another discipline, though there are several schools in the tri-state area that offer such programs. Students should research potential programs to be sure all prerequisites are complete.