St. Joseph’s College of Nursing Program Review

St. Joseph’s College of Nursing (SJCON) is located at St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center (SJHHC) in Syracuse in central New York State. It was founded by the Sisters of St. Francis in 1898 and there have been thousands of graduates from this nursing program since that time. St. Joseph’s is the only nursing college in the area that is affiliated with a hospital that has been recognized as a Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Nursing Program

Associate in Applied Science

The program at Saint Joseph’s is designed to prepare students to enter the workforce as Registered Nurses. After completing a two-year program, graduates qualify to take the NCLEX-RN to become licensed as Registered Nurses (RNs). Admission to the program is very competitive, so not all applicants are accepted into the program even if they meet the admission requirements. New York State high school students who plan to attend St. Josephs College of Nursing are highly encouraged to take Regents courses, including four years of high school science and math. They should have a grade point average of at least a B in these courses to increase the chance that they will be accepted into the nursing program.

Candidates for admission must have a high school diploma and they must rank in the upper half of their graduating class. They must also have SAT or ACT scores that are acceptable. The high school courses that must have been completed are Biology, Chemistry, and Math, including Algebra, Social Sciences, and English, including English Composition. Once admitted to the program, students must take a critical thinking entrance exam before orientation.

St. Joseph’s has a weekday program for students or a weekend program. Students are placed in clinical experience after only six weeks of classes during their first semester as a freshman. This is not found at most community college or in four year programs that focus on liberal arts and sciences during the first two years. Students complete many hours of clinical care experience during the four semesters that they attend St. Josephs, including 180 hours each semester. Students also take 30 credits of liberal arts and science courses at Le Moyne College. Nursing courses are taken at St. Josephs. The school also offers economical tuition for students, with a fee for the entire program that is approximately equal to one year at a public college. Almost all graduates from the program pass the NCLEX-RN the first time that they take it.

2 + 2 Option

St. Joseph’s College of Nursing offers the 2 + 2 option for students who graduate from the nursing school. Through an arrangement with Le Moyne College in Syracuse and other nearby colleges, students are able to transfer to these four year colleges to complete their bachelor’s degree. They are also able to work as RNs during this time. St. Josephs offers more patient care than most other nursing programs, so attending this college to earn an associate degree in nursing is a good choice. Then, students are able to work and earn a salary while completing their bachelor’s degree.

Dual Degree Partnership in Nursing (DDPN)

This option is very unique because it allows students to earn both an associate and bachelors degree in nursing in four years. Students begin their first year of study at Le Moyne College and then transfer to Saint Joseph’s for the second and third year. They then finish their bachelor’s degree in the fourth year of studies. Students who choose this option live on the Le Moyne campus so that they can have the full college experience.

Weekend Program

This option is good for students who need to work during the daytime. They can then earn their associate degree in nursing in two years by attending classes two weekends each month. Clinical experience is also completed during this time. The 2 + 2 option is also available for weekend students who begin their college career at Le Moyne College for their first year and then attend St. Josephs for the next two years to earn their associate degree. The final year of studies is then completed at Le Moyne to finish the bachelor’s degree.

Licensed Practical Nurse-RN Program

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) who want to become RNs may enter the RN program at St. Josephs. There are weekday and weekend programs available. LPNs are exempt from taking the first semester of nursing courses in most cases. Each applicant must have an 85% grade point average during their practical nursing (PN) program and must be a licensed practical nurse (LPN) .

Contact:
St. Joseph’s College of Nursing
206 Prospect Avenue,
Syracuse, New York 13203
(315) 448-5040