Program Overview
A tech-forward public nursing program with standout outcomes — Old Dominion’s Ellmer School of Nursing trains students in a dedicated Telehealth Center and a state-of-the-art simulation center with standardized patients, keeps clinical sections small for direct coaching, and reports a 100% employment rate for graduates who seek jobs — all at affordable in-state public tuition.
Old Dominion University offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (pre-licensure) through the Ellmer School of Nursing. The nursing major runs as a full-time cohort that starts in the fall and continues for five straight semesters (about 20 months), including a required summer term, and is entered after completing prerequisites and at least 30 BSN-applicable credits — making it a strong fit for students with prior college coursework, including those who already hold a degree.
Students learn through classes, lab practice, and faculty-led clinical rotations, using standardized patient experiences, a state-of-the-art simulation center, and a Telehealth Center that builds technology-based care skills.
The program emphasizes small clinical sections, community-based clinical experiences, and placements in area hospitals, and ODU reports a 100% employment rate for graduates who seek jobs at graduation.
Accreditation
The pre-licensure BSN program at Old Dominion University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and approved by the Virginia State Board of Nursing. Old Dominion University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN.
ABSN Admission Summary
ODU uses a competitive, step-by-step process: first gain admission to the university, then submit a separate School of Nursing supplemental application by the deadline.
- Submit the School of Nursing Supplemental Application by February 15; the program admits for fall semester only
- Minimum 3.0 GPA required for consideration (recent admitted students often have 3.6+)
- Complete at least 30 BSN-applicable credit hours before applying
- Complete required prerequisite courses before admission to the nursing major, with a grade of C or better
- The school may use a pre-admissions aptitude test (HESI); review may also weigh experience, volunteer work, and other attributes
- Transfer students must request a transfer credit evaluation through ODU Admissions and attach all prior transcripts
- Compliance: criminal background checks, routine drug screening, annual professional-level CPR certification, and a physical exam documented by the first week of nursing-major courses
Prerequisite Courses
Complete key science, math, and social science prerequisites before starting the nursing major (these must meet ODU equivalency rules if transferred in):
- English Composition and Writing (e.g., ENGL 110C and ENGL 211C/231C)
- Chemistry with lab (CHEM 105N and CHEM 106N)
- Microbiology with lab (BIOL 150 and BIOL 151)
- Anatomy and Physiology I and II (BIOL 240/250 and BIOL 241/251)
- Statistics (STAT 130M)
- Lifespan Development (PSYC 203S)
- Sociology (SOC 201S)
Curriculum
The nursing major includes approximately 66 upper-division nursing credits completed in a fixed sequence across five consecutive semesters, covering health assessment, professional nursing concepts, adult health, psychiatric-mental health nursing, maternal-child and pediatric care, community health, pharmacology, and evidence-based practice.
NURS 304 – Principles of Practice: Foundations of Health Assessment
This course focuses on health assessment skills through supervised practice, faculty demonstrations, and clinical experiences. Students develop proficiency in health history interviewing and physical examination techniques.
NURS 310 – Principles of Practice: Introduction to Nutrition/Normal Nutrition
Students explore fundamental nutrition concepts, emphasizing the impact of nutrients on the body and overall health.
NURS 314 – Principles of Practice: Foundational Concepts
This course introduces essential nursing theories, professional practice principles, and the nursing process. It also emphasizes therapeutic communication with patients.
NURS 316 – Principles of Practice: Foundations of Practice
Students learn clinical nursing concepts, health assessment skills, and application of the nursing process through laboratory practice.
NURS 317 – Principles of Practice: Clinical Foundations of Practice
This clinical course focuses on assessing and providing basic care for hospitalized adult patients. Students apply nursing concepts in real-world settings.
NURS 430/530 – Principles of Practice: Contemporary Issues in Nursing Care of the Older Adult
Students examine the healthcare needs of older adults, with a focus on complex medical conditions and holistic gerontological care.
NURS 311 – Principles of Practice: Nutrition of Nursing Practice
Building on NURS 310, this course explores therapeutic diets and their application in managing health conditions.
NURS 322 – Health Continuum: Adult Health I
Students learn to assess and manage patients with organ system dysfunctions, including immune, hematological, and metabolic imbalances.
NURS 323 – Health Continuum: Clinical Management Adult Health I
This clinical course focuses on applying nursing interventions in medical-surgical and oncology settings to manage adult health conditions.
NURS 352 – Health Continuum: Behavioral Issues, Altered Cognition and Coping
Students explore psychiatric care and therapeutic nursing interventions for patients with behavioral and cognitive disorders.
NURS 353 – Clinical Management of Patients with Behavioral Issues, Altered Cognition and Coping
This clinical course provides hands-on experience in mental health settings, focusing on assessment, communication, and group dynamics.
NURS 363 – Principles of Practice: Research as Foundation for Practice
Students learn to analyze and apply nursing research to evidence-based practice, enhancing clinical decision-making.
NURS 373 – Principles of Practice: Pharmacology for Nursing Practice I
This course covers drug therapy and its integration into nursing care using the nursing process.
NURS 332 – Health Continuum: The Growing Family
Students explore nursing care for families during pregnancy and childbirth, focusing on physiological and psychological changes.
NURS 333 – Health Continuum: Clinical Management of the Growing Family
This clinical course emphasizes planning and providing nursing care for childbearing families, integrating family-centered care.
NURS 376 – Principles of Practice: Pharmacology Across the Continuum
Students apply pharmacology concepts to various patient conditions, focusing on medication safety and effectiveness.
NURS 440 – Health Continuum Recovery
This course covers nursing strategies for assisting patients with disabilities in regaining functional independence.
NURS 441 – Health Continuum: Clinical Management of Recovery
Students apply rehabilitation nursing techniques to help patients restore functional abilities and prevent dependence.
NURS 462 – Nursing in the Health Care System Community I
Students explore community and family health nursing, emphasizing prevention and health promotion.
NURS 463 – Nursing in the Health Care System: Community Interactions I
This clinical course provides practical experience in working with community health organizations.
NURS 410 – Health Continuum: Adult Health II
Students learn to manage complex, multisystem health conditions in adult patients using a holistic approach.
NURS 421 – Health Continuum: Clinical Management of Children of the Family
This clinical course focuses on providing nursing care to children with acute and chronic illnesses in various healthcare settings.
NURS 422 – Health Continuum: Children of the Family
Students study nursing care strategies for children, emphasizing individualized, family-centered care.
NURS 453 – Health Continuum: Clinical Management Adult Health Nursing II
This clinical course focuses on providing and coordinating care for adults with complex health conditions.
NURS 472 – Nursing in the Health Care System: Community II
Students develop advanced community nursing strategies to promote health and prevent disease.
NURS 473 – Nursing in the Health Care System: Community Interactions II
This clinical course emphasizes working with healthcare organizations to implement community health programs.
NURS 474 – Principles of Practice: Pharmacology for Nursing Practice II
Students expand their knowledge of pharmacological principles and medication management across various healthcare settings.
NURS 412 – Ethics, Law, Economics & Health Policy: Application to Quality Nursing Practice
This course examines how ethical, legal, economic, and policy factors impact nursing and patient care.
NURS 417 – Nursing Informatics
Students explore healthcare technology and data management to improve patient care quality and efficiency.
NURS 480W – Nursing in the Health Care System: Leadership
This writing-intensive course focuses on leadership principles, management strategies, and professional development in nursing.
NURS 481 – Principles of Practice: Role Transition
This capstone clinical course helps students transition to professional nursing roles through precepted experiences in healthcare settings.
More detail is available in the ODU pre-licensure BSN catalog.
Clinicals and Learning Experiences
Students complete clinical experiences each semester of the nursing major under faculty guidance, with ODU emphasizing small clinical sections for more direct coaching. Students practice in simulation labs and standardized patient settings before and during clinical work, and complete community health clinical experiences with local partner organizations.
Clinical placements occur in area hospitals and other regional care sites, and students must stay eligible through background checks and drug screening requirements.
Tuition
Estimated total tuition for the full 120-credit BSN is about $50,640 in-state or $132,900 out-of-state, using ODU’s 2025-26 per-credit tuition ($268 in-state / $953.50 out-of-state) plus a $154-per-credit mandatory auxiliary fee.
Students entering with transfer credits or a prior degree pay only for the credits they complete at ODU, so actual cost is typically well below the full-degree figure. The nursing program also charges a $375 program fee per semester during the nursing major.
Confirm current figures via the official tuition page.