Nursing

Committed to patient-centered care, nurses play a critical role in promoting health, preventing illness and providing compassionate care to individuals across their lifespan.

As a nurse, you'll have the opportunity to make a profound impact on the lives of patients and their families as an advocate, educator and caregiver.

At the College of Charleston, you can begin your journey toward a rewarding career in nursing by completing the necessary prerequisite courses and gaining a strong foundation in the sciences and liberal arts.

Contact Health Professions Advising

Pre-Professional Nursing Advising Guide

The College of Charleston does not grant nursing degrees. However, we do offer pre-professional advising and coursework that prepare students for acceptance to the Accelerated BSN Program offered at the Medical University of South Carolina and other nationally accredited nursing programs. The following guide - in addition to consultation with your advisor - can help you prepare for your application and potential admission to a nursing program.
  • Undergraduate Preparation/Prerequisites

    College of Charleston students can complete 60 semester hours of transfer credits, or an undergraduate degree in their chosen major, and apply to professional schools of nursing.

    Students can apply to the College of Nursing at MUSC after having completed a minimum of 60 semester hours of coursework in specific categories or an undergraduate degree.

    The undergraduate prerequisite courses required for nursing schools are similar for most professional programs, but additional courses may be required by individual schools.

    The following lists common prerequisite courses for admission into nursing programs. Make sure to check the websites of the nursing programs that you are most interested in applying to for complete undergraduate requirements.

    • General Biology with labs (8 semester hours)
    • Human Anatomy and Physiology with labs (8 semester hours)
    • Science Elective with lab (4 semester hours)
    • English (6 semester hours)
    • Microbiology with lab (4 semester hours)
    • Life Span Human Development (3 semester hours)
    • Statistics (3 semester hours)
    • Nutrition (3 semester hours)
    • Humanities (Fine Arts, Literature, History, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Languages, Social Sciences) (15 semester hours)
    • Electives (14 semester hours)

      Minimum Number of transfer credits (60 semester hours)
      or
      College of Charleston Bachelor's Degree (122 semester hours)

    • College of Charleston Prerequisite Equivalencies for the MUSC School of Nursing

    Volunteer Service

    Students are urged to do volunteer service in a healthcare setting.

    You may volunteer only a few (3) hours per week, but you must be dependable and your activities should extend over a significant period of time.

    Diverse clinical experiences are encouraged and certifications such as EMT or CNA give added value to your application.

    The experience component of your applicant profile is increasingly important for some programs, so you should make the most of this opportunity. Also, you should ensure that someone familiar with your performance can serve as a reference.

  • Dual Degree Program (MUSC)

    Dual Degree Program for Nursing with MUSC

    Program Overview

    This accelerated dual degree program allows students to earn a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Biology from the College of Charleston and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from MUSC in approximately 4.5 years. Students complete three years of coursework at the College of Charleston before transitioning into MUSC’s Accelerated BSN program.

    How the Program Works

    Students complete biology major requirements, general education coursework, and nursing prerequisites during their first three years at CofC. After the junior year, students take a leave of absence and begin the Accelerated BSN program at MUSC. During their first year at MUSC, students are eligible to participate in CofC commencement exercises. Students then complete their final semester at MUSC and graduate with a BSN.

    Key Program Details

    • Up to 12 seats available each year
    • Application occurs during Fall semester freshman year at CofC
      • Students cannot apply ahead of time
    • Admission is currently on a first come, first served basis
    • Waitlist available once seats are filled
    • Students follow a structured academic plan
    • Students meet with Program Advisor each semester

    Academic Expectations

    Students admitted to the program are expected to maintain strong academic performance throughout their time at CofC. This includes maintaining an overall and science GPA around a 3.5. If a student cannot maintain acceptable GPAs, they may be removed from the program. All prerequisite and degree requirements must be completed by the end of the junior year.

    Important Considerations

    Due to the structured and accelerated nature of this program, students may find it challenging to pursue a minor, participate in other programs across campus, or study abroad. This will depend on incoming AP or dual enrollment credit. Students will meet with an advisor early in their first semester to develop an individualized academic plan.

    How to Get Started

    Students should express interest during summer orientation by emailing Edie Hering from their College of Charleston student email account. A short application will be distributed early in the fall semester. Seats are filled in the order applications are completed. Seats will not be reserved in advance.

  • Graduate Record Exam (GRE)

    The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) may only be required for advanced nursing degrees beyond undergraduate BSN programs.

    The test covers basic mathematics and reading comprehension skills and is designed measure your general academic ability including critical thinking, analytical reasoning, quantitative reasoning and communication skills.

    The GRE consists of five sections.

    • Analytical Writing (One section)
    • Verbal Reasoning (Two sections)
    • Quantitative Reasoning (Two sections)
  • Timeline

    First Year

    • Declare your major and identify yourself as a pre-health profession student on the major declaration form.
    • Make an appointment/get to know your advisors. Discuss your academic game plan.
    • Check in regularly with your advisor to discuss your academic progress and plans to complete all prerequisite courses and gain clinical/volunteer experience.
    • Work/volunteer to gain experience and hours

    Sophomore Year

    • Meet with your advisor to discuss your spring schedule.
    • Continue with your sequence of courses.
    • Identify the nursing schools to which you will apply and discuss the prerequisites with your advisor.
    • Stay involved in extracurricular activities (shadowing, service, volunteer). Consider leadership positions in these groups.

    • Two-Year Plan: Complete and submit your application through the Nursing Centralized Application Service (NursingCAS)
      • Applications for nursing school at some schools (including MUSC) are accepted for both fall and spring semesters. Check their website for deadlines. You will want to apply as early as possible to enhance your chances for acceptance.
    • Two-Year Plan: If you are offered a position at a professional nursing school, you can leave the College of Charleston and complete your BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) degree at a professional school. If you are not offered a position, you can continue toward the completion of your undergraduate degree at College of Charleston and apply again later. 

    Junior Year

    • Talk to Health Professions Advising Office about competitiveness.
    • Identify three to four individuals to write letters of recommendation.
    • Complete and submit your application through the Nursing Centralized Application Service (NursingCAS).
    • Continue engaging in activities.

    Senior Year

    • Meet with your advisor.
    • Get a degree audit and apply for graduation.
    • Ensure your application materials are organized and submitted within the deadlines (earlier is always better).
    • Prepare for interviews (if applicable).
    • Interview and wait.
    • Explore opportunities for financial aid.
    • Send updated transcripts directly to the schools to which you applied (Spring).
    • Discuss alternative plans with your advisor if necessary.
    • Finish your degree requirements and graduate.