Kean University Nursing School Review

Kean University (KU) history can be traced back in 1855 when it was founded as Newark Normal School in Newark. The college was renamed New Jersey State College in 1937 and shortly after relocated to Union, its current location. The name changed again to New Jersey State Teachers College and to Kean College by 1973. In 1997, the college gained university status having largely expanded it programs from teacher education to include a wide array of career choices. This development also came at a time when the college had opened satellite campuses in Ocean County, Hillside New Jersey and prospects to open such a campus in the Peoples Republic of China.

Kean University-Nursing Programs

Kean University as a large university also has a large school of nursing offering a large number of programs to qualified students.  The main campus at Union offers Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN) program, three Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) tracks and post baccalaureate school nurse certificate program. The main campus in collaboration with Raritan Valley Community College offers a registered nurse to BSN completion option.

At Kean Ocean campus, the university has an RN to BSN completion option and 3 flexible MSN programs similar to those offered in the main campus. In addition there is a Transcultural Nursing Institute that offers programs with nursing Continuing education courses for nurses.  The school of nursing is approved by the New Jersey Board of nursing and the MSN and BSN tracks are accredited by the National League of Nursing Accrediting Commission.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing    

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Kean University is a completion program open to graduates of nationally accredited Associate and diploma nurse programs. Candidates must be registered nurses with current New Jersey licensure and join the program to complete upper division nursing courses. Upon admission, registered nurses automatically get 30 lower division credits towards the 125 needed for the BSN program. The curriculum consists of 72 support and upper division nursing credits to be completed at Kean with an additional 2 electives.

The BSN degree requirements can be completed on a full time format of 2-years. Students can also opt for the part time study format that accommodates busy and working registered nurses. With the extended option, RNs can take up-to 10 years.

Kean’s Offsite Nursing Program at Raritan Valley Community College

This program at Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) is meant to help students to complete their RN-BSN at a convenient location upon graduating from the associate nursing program at RVCC. General education courses are taught by faculty from both schools but the upper division nursing courses are taught by Kean’s faculty only. Nursing courses are usually offered once a week on Friday at RVCC North Campus Branch in usual semesters and summer sessions.

Generally, the program takes 20 months for students to earn the BSN degree but interested students can Fast-Track or take it a slower pace. What’s more, RVCC also has a Dual Admission program whereby, associate of science in nursing students at RVCC can apply to be BSN majors after their 1st year. After successful completion of the freshman nursing courses, students can apply to take Kean’s upper division nursing courses along with their sophomore credits. Credits earned this was can be used towards the RN to BSN program.

RVCC offsite program also offers an option for RN to BSN students to complete Bridge Courses towards the MSN programs at Kean. Such courses are double-edged as they count towards the BSN besides ability to transfer to the MSN tracks.

Post Baccalaureate School Nurse Program

This certificate program is open to all registered nurses who have a baccalaureate degree in any major. Kean is fully approved by the State Department of Education to offer the school nurse/instructional program. Candidates must have completed at least 8 selected foundation courses before registering for the 4-school nurse concentration courses.

MS in Nursing

The MSN tracks offer BSN-prepared students an opportunity to become advanced practice nurses in the following areas:

  • Clinical Management option
  • Community Health Nursing option
  • School Nursing option

Students have the choice of taking 3 to 9 credits hours per semester on a full time or part time basis. The 3 tracks puts more emphasis on trans-cultural nursing concepts of nursing hence graduates fit well in locations with a diverse culture populations.

Kean Ocean Nursing

Kean University offers RN to BSN and MSN programs at the Ocean County campus.

RN to BSN

This program is specifically designed for associate of Science in nursing graduates of Ocean County College but other students may be considered. This completion program is offered at the Kean’s campus based in Ocean County College but courses are taught by Kean Faculty. The program is designed to cater for the education needs of working nurses hence have flexible modes of course delivery. Students complete 82 credits: lower division nursing and general education for Ocean County College. They then proceed to take 43 upper division credits for Kean’s BSN curriculum.

MS in Nursing

Three MSN tracks are offered in a flexible, work-balanced mode at the Ocean County Campus. They include:

  • Master of Science in nursing-Clinical Management
  • Master of Science in Nursing-School Nursing
  • Master of Science in Nursing- community Health Nursing

The clinical management option requires 36 credits while the other two have a curriculum of 39 credit hours each. Support courses can be completed online while the nursing courses can be taken at 2 campuses of Ocean County College and Kean’s main campus at Union.

Transcultural Nursing Institute

The institute offers courses congruent to the needs of caring for diverse populations. The institute offers these courses in two capacities: as Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or for all the transcultural credit requirements for the MSN tracks. Courses are offered in the fall and spring semesters for the graduate category as well as all year round off-campus presentations for the CEUs. The CEUs can be used as contact hours for registered nurses license renewal.

Contact:
Kean University
1000 Morris Avenue, Union,
NJ 07083