Last Updated: October 1, 2026
Program Overview
A 20-month second-degree BSN based in Greeley, with selected hybrid courses and the same per-credit tuition for resident and nonresident students.
UNC’s second-degree BSN begins in May and runs through five consecutive terms to December of the following year. The pathway includes 71 nursing credits after prerequisite coursework.
Most teaching is in person at the Greeley campus; selected foundation courses combine online and classroom work. All courses have in-person requirements, and clinical experiences take place in Greeley and along the Colorado Front Range.
Accreditation and Outcomes
UNC’s baccalaureate nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and approved by the Colorado State Board of Nursing. Graduates are prepared for the NCLEX-RN.
Admissions
- Degree: previously earned non-nursing bachelor’s required
- GPA: minimum 3.0 cumulative, calculated on the most recent 45 non-remedial/non-technical college credits plus prerequisite grades (CNA/EMT and remedial courses are excluded)
- Prerequisites: at least 6 prerequisite courses completed with a C− or higher; up to 4 may be in progress at the time of application
- Experience: CNA coursework/experience encouraged but not required
- English proficiency: required for international applicants
Applicants apply to UNC and separately to the School of Nursing. Select “Nursing B.S.N. – Seeking Second Bachelors” and the summer/May start; the program lists UNCnursing as an application-fee waiver code. The Registrar’s transfer evaluation is followed by a nursing prerequisite review, which can take 10–15 business days. A pre-nursing advising meeting is strongly recommended.
The current open-admission process also includes HESI A2, Casper and two professional recommendation surveys. HESI covers reading comprehension, vocabulary/general knowledge, math, and anatomy/physiology. UNC lists no minimum total or subcategory score; applicants may submit one HESI transcript per calendar year. Confirm the checklist and dates for the May second-degree cohort on the nursing admissions page.
Prerequisite Courses (34 credits)
- BIO 110 Biology: Atoms to Cells (4)
- BIO 245 Intro to Human Anatomy & Physiology (4)
- BIO 246 Advanced Human Anatomy & Physiology (3)
- BIO 251 Allied Health Microbiology (4)
- CHEM 281 Fundamentals of Biochemistry (3) and CHEM 281L laboratory (1)
- ENG 123 Writing and Research Methods (3)
- FND 250 Principles of Nutrition (3)
- NURS 326 Pathophysiology (3)
- PSY 230 Lifespan Development (3)
- STAT 150 Introduction to Statistical Analysis (3)
The major requires 105 credits: 71 in this nursing sequence and 34 in prerequisites. UNC states that the catalog’s general 120-credit and Liberal Arts Curriculum requirements do not apply in the same way to students who already hold a bachelor’s degree. Prerequisites normally must be within 10 years, except PSY 230, STAT 150 and ENG 123; the nursing school excludes self-paced, self-directed and independent-study delivery for specified science prerequisites.
Curriculum
The five-term nursing sequence progresses from foundations and adult care to maternal-child, psychiatric, public health and advanced acute care. The 2026 nursing brochure confirms this progression for both traditional and second-degree cohorts. Required nursing credits total 71.
Required Courses and Credits
Term 1 (14 credits)
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NURS 310 — Foundations of Nursing I | 3 | Introduces the profession, nursing process, communication, diversity, professionalism, legal and ethical issues, geriatrics, end-of-life, and access to care. Includes a civic engagement component. |
NURS 313 — Health Assessment Theory and Laboratory | 3 | Covers theory and hands-on health assessment, including physical, mental, developmental, and cultural appraisals for individuals and families. |
NURS 323 — Clinical Practice: Fundamental Nursing Concepts and Care | 5 | Applies the nursing process to plan, deliver, and evaluate care in lab and clinical settings. Emphasizes safe, evidence-based, patient-centered practice. S/U graded. |
NURS 327 — Pharmacology in Nursing Practice | 3 | Reviews major medication classes and pharmacodynamics for children and adults. Develops nursing plans that support therapy and reduce medication-related problems. |
Term 2 (15 credits)
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NURS 340 — Foundations of Nursing II | 2 | Builds skills in patient education, communication, cultural sensitivity, and professional roles. Includes a civic engagement component. |
NURS 374 — Clinical Practice: Alterations in Adult Health | 6 | Delivers therapeutic interventions for adults in acute care using the nursing process and evidence-based standards. S/U graded. |
NURS 377 — Alterations in Adult Health Theory | 7 | Focuses on person-centered management of acute and chronic adult conditions across the lifespan. |
Term 3 (15 credits)
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NURS 380 — Research and Evidence-Based Practice | 3 | Introduces quantitative and qualitative research for nursing. Applies evidence to improve health outcomes. |
NURS 420 — Clinical Practice: Childbearing Families | 3 | Provides evidence-based, process-guided care for childbearing families in lab and clinical settings. S/U graded. |
NURS 421 — Clinical Practice: Pediatric Nursing | 3 | Applies therapeutic interventions for pediatric patients and families using evidence-based standards. S/U graded. |
NURS 425 — Childbearing Families Theory | 3 | Covers women’s health, pregnancy, newborn care, health promotion, and therapeutic interventions across settings. |
NURS 426 — Pediatric Nursing Theory | 3 | Examines pediatric health promotion, disease prevention, and nursing interventions across care environments. |
Term 4 (14 credits)
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NURS 404 — Clinical Practice of Public Health Nursing: Population-Based Practice | 3 | Applies public health concepts in diverse community contexts with a population focus. S/U graded. |
NURS 405 — Theory and Principles of Public Health Nursing: Population-Based Practice | 3 | Synthesizes nursing and public health theory for population health; strengthens clinical reasoning and role development. Includes a civic engagement component. |
NURS 414 — Clinical Practice: Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing | 3 | Implements therapeutic nursing care for complex psychiatric conditions in community and/or inpatient settings. S/U graded. |
NURS 415 — Theory of Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing | 3 | Applies nursing theory to psychiatric disorders with emphasis on quality, safety, and optimal patient outcomes. |
NURS 440 — Current Issues in Health Care | 2 | Analyzes ethics, policy, economics, and professional issues shaping contemporary nursing practice. |
Term 5 (13 credits)
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NURS 444 — Clinical Practice: Advanced Acute Care | 3 | Advances management of multiple patients in acute care using theoretical concepts and clinical judgment. S/U graded. |
NURS 445 — Advanced Nursing Concepts and Care | 2 | Synthesizes prior knowledge and current evidence to plan care for patients with complex chronic, acute, and critical conditions. |
NURS 446 — Clinical Practice Capstone | 5 | Full immersion practicum under a preceptor to integrate leadership, safety, and evidence-based decision-making. S/U graded. |
NURS 480 — Professionalism in Practice: Leadership and Management | 3 | Explores the nurse’s leadership and management role in health systems, addressing trends and current issues. |
The five-credit clinical capstone is a supervised practice experience; leadership and management are also taught in a separate three-credit course. The UNC catalog provides course descriptions and progression requirements.
Clinical Training
The student handbook requires clinical compliance documentation, including background screening, drug testing, immunization clearance and American Heart Association BLS certification. Students also budget for uniforms, equipment and transportation; a placement is not a promise of a short commute.
Clinicals run concurrently with theory in hospitals, long-term care, schools, and community agencies across northeastern Colorado and the Front Range. Faculty guide placements, and students should expect to travel within the region. Simulation and skills labs support readiness before patient care.
Tuition
Estimated nursing tuition is $35,145: 71 credits × the published $495-per-credit 2026–27 rate. Resident and nonresident students pay the same rate through this Extended Campus program.
The program’s tuition section states there are no student or technology fees, although individual courses can carry fees. Prerequisite tuition, books, clinical compliance, equipment, travel and living expenses are separate.
Undergraduates enrolled in at least nine credits are charged for UNC’s student health plan unless they waive it with comparable coverage. The 20-month sequence spans academic years; $35,145 applies the current rate to all 71 credits and is not a guaranteed cohort price. UNC expects to set 2027–28 rates in mid-June 2027.
Related Programs
Beyond the second-degree BSN, UNC offers a Traditional BSN (campus-based) and an RN-to-BSN program for licensed RNs.