Southwestern College Kansas Nursing Program Review

Southwestern College (SC) was founded in 1885 through the efforts of the Southwest Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. It was originally known as Southwest Kansas Conference College until 1909 when the college was renamed to reflect its present name. The school is noted for its recommendable reputation in the arts, and since its inception has expanded the number of programs it offers to cater to a wide range of students.

It is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association. SC is also affiliated with the military and offers numerous courses in its Professional Studies program geared towards those that serve the country.

The school currently offers two programs to students that want to pursue studies in the nursing field. They are:

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

This is a four-year program that prepares students to work in hospitals, clinics and a wide variety of settings. The school has established agreements with numerous clinical agencies such as Wesley Medical Center, Wichita; Arkansas City Memorial Hospital; William Newton Memorial Hospital, Winfield; Breakthrough Club, Wichita-just to name a few. The program prepares students to be nurse generalists. Those that wish to apply their skills in specific areas can complete a Master’s Degree at another institution to build on the foundation of their BSN course at SC. The school does not offer any graduate programs in nursing.

All students are required to take a number of support courses before they are admitted into the program. Some of these programs include Pathophysiology, Principles of Nutrition, Abnormal Psychology, and General Psychology- just to name a few. Applicants that wish to transfer credits must comply with the Validation of Course Credit policy that exists at the school. Once admitted in the program, all students must complete 32 hours of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) to be able to graduate. Students that have a degree in a non-nursing field aren’t required to complete the integrative studies requirements except for LAS 499.

RN to BSN

The RN to BSN route is categorized in the professional studies programs open to students. It is open to any registered nurse (RN) that has a valid, active license and that holds a degree or associate degree in nursing from an accredited institution. The program aims to build on the professional and academic experiences and knowledge that an RN has to undertake leadership roles in many healthcare settings. Throughout the program, students will develop critical thinking skills and understand the essence of evidence-based care for individuals. They will be trained to provide a holistic approach to patient care for individuals across various settings.

Applicants must have a GPA of 2.5 for all college work and complete the Introduction to Professional Nursing course. Additionally, they must also complete English Composition 1 & 2 and earn a total of 124 credits to be eligible for graduation.

Scholarships and Grants

SC does not have any scholarships geared specifically towards nursing students. The school offers three academic scholarships that are open to the general pool of students once they meet the requirements. These scholarships are Southwestern Scholarships, Presidential Scholarships, and Phi Theta Kappa Scholarships. Students can only receive one of these scholarships.

Contact:
Southwestern College
100 College Street, Winfield,
KS 67456-2499