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Program Overview
Gain a strong foundation for a cutting-edge career registered nurse (RN) with Mercy College's eight-semester Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. You'll gain hands-on training as a nurse and achieve a bachelor's degree-level education.
This bachelor's degree nursing program provides the breadth of academic and clinical experience to prepare you to become an RN. Courses begin in the spring (January) and fall (August) semesters. However, students can be admitted and begin taking pre-requisite and general education courses toward their program of choice in the fall semester (August), spring semester (January), or summer semester (May).
The following student learning outcomes emphasize Christian values, critical thinking, clinical competence, and professional development:
- Integrate knowledge from nursing and other disciplines as the basis for clinical judgement.
- Apply quality improvement strategies to promote a culture of safety.
- Incorporate evidence-based practice to ensure effective nursing care.
- Use informatics and healthcare technologies to manage and improve the delivery of nursing and health care services.
- Demonstrate leadership strategies within the complex healthcare system to recognize and influence health policies and laws.
- Collaborate in interprofessional partnerships to optimize health.
- Provide health promotion and disease prevention interventions to improve population health outcomes.
- Incorporate professional and ethical behavior, the commitment to lifelong learning, and professional values into nursing practice.
- Provide holistic care to diverse populations across the lifespan.
Candidates must be high school graduates with a GPA of at least 2.7 or GED recipients with a score of 570 (score of 57 prior to 2002).
Applicants must have completed and passed these high school courses, or their college equivalents:
- *Biology – one year
- *Chemistry with a lab – one year
- *Math – Algebra – one year
All courses should be completed with a grade of “C” or better; a grade of “B” or better is preferred.
*Courses must have been completed within the past seven (7) years with a grade of “C” or better.
BSN Pre-licensure Coursework and Clinical Experience Requirements
Students interested in applying to the BSN Pre-licensure coursework and clinical experiences must complete a BSN Candidacy form in Semester III, if a current student, and meet the following admission requirements or transfer student guidelines by following the process below. All candidate information will be thoroughly evaluated by the BSN Pre-licensure Nursing Program Admissions Committee using the Nursing Division BSN Program Admission Scoring Rubric. The scored rubric provides an objective review of candidates’ educational records. Accepted students will receive a letter from the Dean of Nursing.
BSN Pre-licensure coursework and clinical experiences are sequential and begin in fall (August) and spring (January) semesters with NUR 251, NUR 252, and NUR 290. Candidates who apply after the priority application dates will be considered based on seat availability.
| Application for | Priority Application Review Date for File to be Complete | Review of Candidates |
| Fall Start (August) | January 15th | February 15th |
| Spring Start (January) | September 15th | October 15th |
Transfer Student Guidelines
Transfer students must be high school graduates or GED recipients and have earned a minimum of 15 credit hours of college coursework with a GPA of at least 2.7 and have completed all the necessary program prerequisite courses from an institution that is approved/accredited by a recognized accreditor and a regional accrediting organization recognized by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). For applicants who have attended more than one college, the cumulative GPA from all colleges must equal at least 2.7. The Nursing Division BSN Program Admission Scoring Rubric will be used to objectively review a candidate’s educational records.
The BSN Pre-licensure Nursing Program Admissions Committee will not consider applicants for admission into the program if applicants have failed two or more nursing courses at another college or university or have been dismissed from another nursing program in the past five (5) years.
Students who do not meet the requirements or who need to complete the necessary program prerequisite courses should review General College Admission Requirements in the Enrollment Management section of the College Catalog.
The Direct from High School Initiative - Edge
The College offers Direct Admission into the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, called EDGE (Early Decision Guaranteed Enrollment), which guarantees a seat in the Nursing program after three semesters of specific coursework.
- This option is specifically designed for high school seniors with:
- A minimum GPA of 3.3
- A minimum composite ACT score of 24 or SAT score of 1160-1190
A high school student who is accepted into the EDGE program must begin at Mercy College within one year of high school graduation.
EDGE is a full-time eight-semester program of study designed for highly qualified students pursuing a career in nursing. Students must:
Maintain a GPA of at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in Mercy College coursework, with a 3.0 GPA in the science courses.
Complete all prerequisite courses by the end of the third semester.
Students in the EDGE program do not have to complete the BSN Candidacy form.
Criminal background checks, drug screens, health records, and titers/immunizations are required prior to the start of the clinical program. Program requirements and instructions are maintained on the College website at https://mercycollege.edu/background. The Policy can be found at https://mercycollege.edu/about/compliance-consumer-information.
To earn the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree, students must complete all college requirements including:
General Education Requirements
Specific courses are required by the program.
Complete All of the Following Courses:
Oral and Written Communication (GCOM) - 6 minimum
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| ENG 101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| ENG 102 | English Composition II | 3 |
Math, Statistics, and Logic (GMSL) - 3 minimum
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| MTH 104 | Mathematical Formulas, Models, and Probability | 3 |
| or | ||
| MTH 130 | College Algebra | 4 |
| MTH 140 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
Social and Behavioral Sciences (GSBS) - 6 minimum
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| PSY 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 201 | Lifespan Psychology | 3 |
| SOC 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
Arts, Humanities, Culture, and Diversity (includes Religious Studies) (GAHD/GAHR) - 9 minimum
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| REL 290 | Medical Ethics | 3 |
| SOC 211 | Cultural Diversity | 3 |
| Arts, Humanities, Culture and Diversity – Religious Studies course | 3 |
Natural Sciences, Technology, and Innovation (GNSI) - 6 minimum
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| BIO 201 | Physiological Basis of Nutrition | 2 |
| BIO 210 | Microbiology | 4 |
| BIO 220 | Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| BIO 221 | Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| BIO 290 | Pathophysiology | 3 |
| CHM 111 | Basic Organic and Biochemistry | 4 |
Required Nursing Pre-Licensure Program Course Requirements
Complete All of the Following Program Courses:
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| NUR 101 | Introduction to Nursing | 2 |
| NUR 256 | Fundamental Nursing Concepts | 8 |
| NUR 259 | Pharmacology Nursing Concepts | 3 |
| NUR 316 | Clinical Nursing Concepts I | 8 |
| NUR 318 | Professional Nursing Concepts I | 4 |
| NUR 326 | Clinical Nursing Concepts II | 8 |
| NUR 328 | Professional Nursing Concepts II | 5 |
| NUR 416 | Clinical Nursing Concepts III | 8 |
| NUR 418 | Professional Nursing Concepts III | 5 |
| NUR 426 | Clinical Nursing Concepts IV | 7 |
| NUR 428 | Professional Nursing Concepts IV | 3 |
| NUR 481 | NCLEX-RN Preparation | 2 |
Semester I
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| BIO 201 | Physiological Basis of Nutrition | 2 |
| BIO 220 | Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| ENG 101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| MTH 104 | Mathematical Formulas, Models, and Probability | 3 |
| NUR 101 | Introduction to Nursing | 2 |
| PSY 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
Semester II
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| BIO 210 | Microbiology | 4 |
| BIO 221 | Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| ENG 102 | English Composition II | 3 |
| MTH 140 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| SOC 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
Semester III
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| BIO 290 | Pathophysiology | 3 |
| CHM 111 | Basic Organic and Biochemistry | 4 |
| REL 290 | Medical Ethics | 3 |
| PSY 201 | Lifespan Psychology | 3 |
| SOC 211 | Cultural Diversity | 3 |
Semester IV
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| Religious Studies general education course | 3 | |
| NUR 256 | Fundamental Nursing Concepts | 8 |
| NUR 259 | Pharmacology Nursing Concepts | 3 |
Semester V
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| NUR 316 | Clinical Nursing Concepts I | 8 |
| NUR 318 | Professional Nursing Concepts I | 4 |
| Arts, Humanities, Culture, Diversity of Social Science Electives | 3 |
Semester VI
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| NUR 326 | Clinical Nursing Concepts II | 8 |
| NUR 328 | Professional Nursing Concepts II | 5 |
| General Elective | 3 |
Semester VII
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| NUR 416 | Clinical Nursing Concepts III | 8 |
| NUR 418 | Professional Nursing Concepts III | 5 |
Semester VIII
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| NUR 426 | Clinical Nursing Concepts IV | 7 |
| NUR 428 | Professional Nursing Concepts IV | 3 |
| NUR 481 | NCLEX-RN Preparation | 2 |
Priority Review Dates for Program Admission
January 15 for a fall semester clinical start
September 15 for a spring semester clinical start
New students meeting program criteria, must have a completed admissions file and all transcripts received, by the priority review date. Students submitting applications for admission after the priority review date may be reviewed but may or may not be eligible for a program seat due to reaching the capacity of clinical seats. Students applying after the priority review date may be offered a spot on the waitlist. Check with an admissions officer for questions regarding the priority review date and program waitlist.
Program At A Glance
8 semesters
Typical program length for full time students
2 Start Dates
January and August start options
$68,450
Median national annual salary for RNs
711,900
Number of new registered nurse jobs projected by 2024
The baccalaureate program of study is further based on sound principles of adult education progressing from simple to complex, familiar to unfamiliar, and general to specific. The Program provides students with the opportunity to achieve program objectives through the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, and competencies necessary to function as professional nurses who meet the healthcare needs of individuals across the lifespan. The following student learning outcomes emphasize Christian values, critical thinking, clinical competence, and professional development:
- Integrate knowledge from nursing and other disciplines as the basis for clinical judgement.
- Apply quality improvement strategies to promote a culture of safety.
- Incorporate evidence-based practice to ensure effective nursing care.
- Use informatics and healthcare technologies to manage and improve the delivery of nursing and health care services.
- Demonstrate leadership strategies within the complex healthcare system to recognize and influence health policies and laws.
- Collaborate in interprofessional partnerships to optimize health.
- Provide health promotion and disease prevention interventions to improve population health outcomes.
- Incorporate professional and ethical behavior, the commitment to lifelong learning, and professional values into nursing practice.
- Provide holistic care to diverse populations across the lifespan.
Career Outlook
Employment Growth
Overall job opportunities for RNs are expected to be excellent, but may vary by employment and geographic setting. Employment of RNs is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2024. In fact, registered nurses are projected to generate approximately 711,900 new jobs, among the largest number of new jobs for any occupation. [bls.gov]
Salary Range
The national median annual salary for registered nurses is $75,330. [bls.gov]
Alumni Job Titles and Where They Work
Direct Admit for High School Students : BSN Nursing Prelicensure
Mercy College of Ohio offers a Direct Admit Initiative called Direct EDGE to qualified high school seniors accepted into the bachelor's nursing program