Nassau Community College Nursing Program Review

Nassau Community College (NCC) is a two-year public college located on Long Island in New York. It is in East Garden City in Nassau County. It is a very large college with over 22,000 students enrolled in various associate degree and certificate programs. A large number of students transfer to a four-year college after graduating from Nassau Community College. Since the school is part of the State University of new York (SUNY), students are able to transfer most or all of their credits earned at Nassau to a four-year program within the SUNY network.

Nursing Programs

Associate in Science Degree

Nassau Community College has an Associate in Science Degree (AAS) in nursing that takes two years for most students to complete. Graduates are then able to transfer to a baccalaureate program or to enter the workforce as beginning nurses. They will be prepared to take the NCLEX-RN after they have finished the program. This national exam leads to licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse. This nursing program is highly competitive, but applicants may apply through several routes. Students who have just graduated from high school must have taken three years of science, including biology with a minimum grade of 80. They must have also taken two years of college preparatory math with a grade of at least 80, and an overall average of at least 80 in English, math, and science courses. Meeting these criteria does not guarantee that a student will be admitted to the nursing program.

Freshmen usually need to take five semesters to complete the program. They can take 16 credits of liberal arts courses in the first semester. By earning a grade of C or better, they are guaranteed a seat in Nursing 101 in semester two. Transfer students with some college credits, on the other hand, need to have 13 credits to enter the nursing program. The courses that must have been completed to receive 13 credits are Composition I, Anatomy & Physiology, General Psychology, and Introduction to Statistics. A grade of at least a C must have been earned in these classes with a 3.0 overall average. Transfer students may then begin nursing courses and clinical experience and complete the program in four semesters.

Another way to enter the nursing program at Nassau Community College is through a Change of Program. When a student enters the college to take the 13 credits that are required before applying to the nursing program, they are considered a “Pre-nursing” student. After the 13 credits have been earned, the student may make an official Change of Program to “Nursing.” Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) may enter the program through another means referred to as Advanced Standing. They have the opportunity to challenge the first semester of nursing courses by passing a test that shows their knowledge in beginning nursing. This shortens the amount of time that LPNs spend at Nassau earning their AAS.

Nassau Community College has an agreement with Empire State College of the State University of New York (SUNY) to accept graduates of the AAS program at Nassau into their Bachelor of Science (BS) in nursing degree. This Registered Nurse (RN) to BS program means that the Nassau graduate has met the admission requirements of Empire State College when he or she graduates. The Nassau Community College graduate must have completed the AS degree in nursing, have a current RN license, and must have graduated with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. The RN must also have current certification in CPR, a current resume, and must complete the Empire State College admissions application. Students who take advantage of this opportunity to continue their education typically transfer at least 48 credits to the bachelor’s degree program. They will then need to attend Empire State College either full-time or part-time for two or three years to earn their BS.

Contact:
Nassau Community College
1 Education Drive
Garden City, New York 11530
(516) 572-7501