Belmont University Nursing School Review

Belmont University (BU), located in Nashville, Tennessee, got its start as an elementary school for girls in 1890. Since 1890, it has transformed itself, changing from an elementary school to a college for women to a coeducational college. Now, Belmont University enrolls over 6000 students, both undergraduate and graduate, in a huge range of disciplines. As part of its Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences and Nursing, Belmont University prepares healthcare professionals (nurses, pharmacists, occupational therapists, and social workers) for the future. Belmont University offers both graduate and undergraduate programs in nursing, all of which are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and approved by the Tennessee Department of Health, Board of Nursing.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Traditional

Belmont University’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program is highly effective, as its graduates prove with their National Council Licensing Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) pass rate. The first-time pass rate is 95 percent. Along the traditional track of the BSN program, students study full-time for four years, not including summers. The first year is devoted entirely to general education requirements. Nursing classes start in the first semester of the second year, and clinical rotations start in the second semester of the second year. In total, a student in the BSN program must earn at least 128 credits to graduate.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Transfer Options

Belmont University welcomes transfer students into its BSN program. Depending on the transfer student’s level of education, the college offers several different tracks. The following are the options for transfer students:

Pre-Clinical Transfer Option

The Pre-Clinical Transfer Option is designed for students who have completed twelve to fifty college credits. As a student on this track still needs additional general education credits and probably needs to complete nursing prerequisites, she can begin with these classes at Belmont University, and transition into nursing coursework later on.

Clinical Nursing Transfer Option

The Clinical Nursing Transfer Option allows a student to begin immediately with clinical nursing classes at Belmont University. In order to be eligible for this track, a student must have earned at least thirty-six credits, and have completed the following prerequisite classes: an advanced math course, biology, anatomy and physiology I and II, general psychology, developmental psychology, and nutrition. He can complete the remainder of the general education courses while completing the nursing courses.

Partners in Nursing Program

The Partners in Nursing Program is designed for students who have completed an associate degree in nursing at Free Will Baptist Bible College, Nashville State Community College, and Volunteer State Community College. These students can enter directly into the upper-level nursing coursework at Belmont University. The Partners in Nursing Program begins in the fall only.

Fast Track

A transfer student who has completed all the general education requirements and all the nursing prerequisites can enter the BSN program via the Fast Track option. She can begin immediately with nursing coursework, taking four semesters (not including a summer term) to complete all nursing courses and earn her BSN.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Accelerated Second Degree BSN

Each fall, Belmont University begins the Accelerated Second Degree BSN program for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree. Before beginning the curriculum, students who wish to complete this program must complete any missing prerequisites. The prerequisites include general biology or microbiology, anatomy and physiology I and II, general psychology, life span development, abnormal psychology, nutrition, an advanced math course, and six credits of religion courses. Once these courses are complete, the nursing coursework for the Accelerated Second Degree BSN program takes sixteen months to complete. Graduates are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing – RN to BSN

An RN who holds an associate degree or diploma who needs to earn a BSN can do so at Belmont University through the RN to BSN program. Belmont University awards an incoming RN with thirty advanced placement credits, which allow him to skip the lower-level nursing courses. He must complete the upper-level nursing courses (thirty-four credits) as well as all the general education requirements (sixty-seven credits). The program is flexible; students may study part-time or full-time. Some classes are offered in the evenings, some classes are offered during the day, and some are offered online. The length of the RN to BSN program can vary considerably, depending on how many general education credits an RN needs to complete and how many courses he chooses to take each semester. He does have to complete clinical rotations as a part of the curriculum.

Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner

For a BSN-prepared nurse, the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program takes four semesters to complete, on a full-time basis. Students do have the option of studying part-time. While courses are not offered online or in the evening, they are scheduled one or two days a week, in order to accommodate work schedules. The program requires forty-one credits in total, and prepares RNs to take the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) certification exam.

Post-master’s Certification – Nurse Educator

A master’s-prepared nurse can work toward certification as a nurse educator by earning twelve credits. This includes three teaching experiences. Students on the nurse educator certification track can study full-time or part-time.

Post-master’s Certification – Family Nurse Practitioner

A nurse who already holds a master’s degree can sit for the FNP certification exam after earning twenty-four credits. The curriculum includes a practicum. Students may study either full-time or part-time.

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Belmont University’s newest nursing program is a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program that is designed to help MSN-prepared nurses reach the highest level of advanced nursing practice. Students in the DNP program must earn forty credits total, which takes four semesters on a full-time basis. In order to allow working nurses to participate in the DNP program, Belmont University offers the classes in a hybrid format. Students will spend four weekends per semester taking classes on campus. They will complete the remainder of the coursework online.

Nursing Scholarships

Undergraduate nursing students at the college who attend more than twelve hours of study in each semester may apply for a nursing scholarship. The nursing scholarship applicant’s Grade Point Average (GPA), class ranking and socially benefical extra -curricular activities will be used to determine who will benefit from the $500 to $2,000 award.

Contact:
Belmont University
School of Nursing,
Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences and Nursing,
1900 Belmont Blvd.,
Nashville, TN 37212