Bethel College in Kansas Nursing Program Review

Bethel College (BC), founded by a group of Mennonites in 1887, educates just over 500 students each year on its campus in North Newton, Kansas. Students at Bethel College can choose among programs in the liberal arts, science, education, and nursing. For prospective nurses, Bethel College offers a bachelor’s degree program. The program has two specialized tracks for nurses who wish to continue their education. Bethel College’s nursing program has accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Traditional students in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program must earn 124 credits in total. This includes fifty-three credits of nursing coursework, thirty-five credits of nursing prerequisites, and thirty-six credits of Bethel College general education requirements. Students in the BSN program spend their first two years completing the nursing prerequisites and general education requirements. They can begin the nursing coursework in the fall of their junior year. Clinical rotations start that same semester. At the conclusion of four years of full-time study, a graduate is eligible to take the National Council Licensing Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

Bachelor of Science in Nursing – RN to BSN

Bethel College’s RN to BSN program is designed to allow working Registered Nurses (RN) complete their BSN degree. The RN to BSN program follows the outline recommended by the Kansas Council on Nursing Articulation, so graduates of any accredited associate degree nursing program or diploma program in Kansas should be able to transfer smoothly into Bethel College’s RN to BSN program. RNs can choose to complete the program in a hybrid format (partly online and partly on-site) or they can complete all the required coursework online. Studying on a full-time basis, an RN in the RN to BSN program should be able to complete all the nursing coursework and the remaining general education requirements in just eighteen months.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing – LPN to BSN

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) can participate in Bethel College’s traditional, on-campus BSN program. They are not eligible to enroll in the hybrid/online RN to BSN program. An LPN must first complete all missing prerequisites and general education requirements. Once these are finished, he will meet with an advisor. The advisor will evaluate his nursing skills and his transcript, and determine whether he is eligible for any advanced placement credits. Depending on how many general education classes and prerequisites an incoming LPN has already completed, as well as how many advanced placement credits he receives, he may be able to complete the BSN degree in less than four years.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Transfer Students

Bethel College welcomes transfer students into its BSN program. Interested students can complete nursing prerequisites and general education classes at another college, and transfer up to sixty-four credits to Bethel College. They must maintain a GPA of 2.75 for all transferred classes. In order to complete the BSN degree at Bethel College, a transfer student must earn at least sixty credits at the college. This includes the fifty-three credits of nursing coursework.

Contact:
Bethel College
2600 College Avenue,
North Newton, KS 67117