North Carolina Central University Nursing School Review

North Carolina Central University (NCCU) is located in Durham and is part of the University of North Carolina system. There are around 8,600 students enrolled in programs at the university that lead to baccalaureate, master’s, professional, and doctoral levels. The university has a history of training Black teachers and other professionals when college education was very limited in the South. The university was founded in 1909 as a religious training school and began adding baccalaureate and additional degrees over the years. It is located only three miles away from Duke University.

Nursing Programs

Traditional BSN

North Carolina Central University offers a traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program that can be completed in four years. This program is designed for high school graduates, transfer students, and licensed practical nurses. The nursing program is divided into the lower and upper divisions. Students must complete the lower level courses in liberal arts and sciences before being admitted to the nursing program. Pre-nursing courses must also be completed before entering the program. If the applicant meets all of the requirements and is admitted to the nursing program, studies focus on higher level nursing courses and clinical experience. At the end of the program, graduates qualify to take the NCLEX-RN, the national certification exam that must be passed to become a Registered Nurse.

Students in their first year at the university must take placement exams in English, math, biology, and foreign language studied in high school. The results of the tests are used to place students in the courses that are needed, and if necessary, remedial courses must be completed before taking college level courses.

RN-BSN

There is also a Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program offered at the university. This program offers RNs the opportunity to complete their bachelor’s degree while obtaining credit for the courses completed while studying for their associate’s degree. The program is web-enhanced and students only go to the university campus several times during their program. Students must first complete the General Education Curriculum before beginning the nursing bridge course that officially begins their upper level nursing courses. A foreign language is a general requirement of the university that must also be completed by students in this program. The university also requires 15 mandatory service hours each semester, and student in this program are also expected to complete this work.

ABSN (Accelerated)

The Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program is specifically designed for second degree students who receive 60 credits from their first degree. Students are required to complete the general education requirements and pre-nursing courses before beginning the upper level nursing program. Applicants must take the TEAS exam to determine if the applicant is ready to begin the nursing program. Although applicants may be accepted who have a grade point average of 2.5, the competitive cumulative grade point average is 3.0 or higher. Students in this program must also meet the foreign language requirement of the university and they must also work 15 hours each semester to complete community service. Once nursing upper level courses are started, the program can be completed in 16 months. Graduates are then eligible to take the NCLEX-RN to gain licensure as a Registered Nurse.

Contact:
North Carolina Central University
1801 Fayette Street,
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 530-6100