Jacksonville University Nursing School Review

Jacksonville University (JU) is a private, non-profit, four-year university founded in Florida in 1934 as a community college, which offered evening courses to local residents. Currently the school offers over 70 different academic programs of study (majors, minors and concentrations).

Over 90% of incoming, first-year students receive financial aid and the college has a division 1 athletic program which has participation from hundreds of Jacksonville University students. With slightly over 3,000 students, class sizes are small and the average class size is about 16 students. Jacksonville University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Review of Jacksonville University Nursing Degree Programs

The School of Nursing at Jacksonville University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The School of Nursing strives to offer a liberal arts foundational education to their degree programs as well as opportunities for engaged learning. The university values student diversity and desires to see each student succeed. The university offers a variety of programs for nurses at the bachelor’s master’s and doctoral degree level.

Jacksonville University Undergraduate Nursing Programs

Freshman BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) Program

The freshman BSN program is designed for nurses with no previous nursing education that are entering the nursing profession after graduating from high school. The program requires a 3.2 GPA, grade of “B” or better in pre-requisite courses as well as minimum score of 1100 or 24 on the SAT and ACT respectively. Students in this program will benefit from exposure to nursing activities all four years of their education. The program is four years, during which some summer study may be required. Upon completion, students are awarded a BSN degree.

Traditional BSN

For students who have already begun their career in higher education, the three year traditional BSN is available. Admission requirements for the program include a minimum of 2.5 GPA in college coursework (non-nursing related) and at least 28 credits of nursing pre-requisites complete including Anatomy and Physiology and English. A grade of “C” or better must be earned in all pre-requisite courses, which may be repeated at most, one time. Students may also gain some credits through the CLEP exams which allow students to contest taking certain courses by passing an exam in a given subject area.

Transfer BSN

This program is ideal for students who have completed the first two years of general education towards a bachelor’s degree or who have earned an associate’s degree. Admission requirements to the program are nearly the same as those for the traditional BSN; however students are to meet certain requirements for specific courses including introductory philosophy and writing courses as well as courses in social science, humanities and fine arts. This program is approximately 2 years.

Second Degree to BSN

For students who have earned a bachelor’s degree and would like to complete a degree in nursing, an accelerated program is available to allow students to complete the requirements to earn the BSN degree. Admission requirements to the program are nearly the same as those for the traditional BSN. The program can be completed in less than one and one-half years, in approximately 16 months.

Online RN to BSN (Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing)

The online RN to BSN program is for currently practicing RNs who seek to take the next step in their career by earning a BSN qualification. The program is designed for nurses with active personal and professional lives, and can even be completed by nurses overseas in the military. Students in this program automatically receive 30 credits from earning their nursing license and are then required to earn a total of 120 credits to earn the BSN degree. The program can be completed on a full or part time basis asynchronously, meaning students do not have to log in at certain times to access coursework.

Jacksonville University Graduate Degree Programs

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Degree Program

The MSN Nursing Program is ideal for nurses who demonstrate leadership aptitude and want to gain a leadership position in the nursing field or who desire to pursue doctoral study. Students choose from several concentrations for the program:

MSN Nursing Education

MSN Leadership in Healthcare Systems

MSN/MBA Master of Science in Nursing/ Master of Business Administration (Dual Degree Program)

MSN Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

MSN Family Nurse Practitioner/Emergency Nurse Practitioner (FNP/ENP)

Nurses in the MSN program complete 18-20 credits towards the MSN core nursing classes and additional credits based on their specialization.

The MSN Nursing Education and MSN Leadership in Healthcare Systems programs can be completed online. The program is available worldwide to US nurses in the military, offers online interaction with peers and faculty members, and allows practicum opportunities to be completed local to the student. The online programs can be completed 24 months on a full-time schedule.

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Degree Program

The DNP program is designed for nurses who are and would like to remain in nursing practice will earn a post-master’s qualification. The program is designed for APRNs (Advanced Practice Registered Nurses) who will work while earning their DNP qualification. Admission requirements for the program are quite intensive and include an MSN degree from a program accredited by one of two nursing bodies (CCNE or NLNAC). An APRN or CNS licensure or eligibility to sit the exam, specialization with at least 500 hours of supervised clinical practice and certification in this area, an interview and a minimum of 3.3 MSN GPA are among other qualifications.

Jacksonville University Certificate Programs

Several of the MSN programs offer a post-master’s option in which nurses with an MSN can take the required courses to earn a specialization in a given area of practice. Upon completion of this option, the nurse will receive a post-master’s certificate outlining the coursework completed towards the specialization.

Nursing Lab at Jacksonville University

The nursing lab at Jacksonville University is a unique, hospital like environment in which students can gain hands on practice with a variety of procedures. The lab features special skills review stations in which nurses can be assessed on basic nursing skills such as IV insertion and also a real life birth simulator in the OB/GYN station.

Contact:
Jacksonville University
2800 University Boulevard North
Jacksonville, FL 32211

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