St. Francis College Nursing Program Review

St. Francis College (SFC) is located in Brooklyn Heights, in Brooklyn. This New York City private college was founded by the Franciscan friars in 1859. There are 19 academic departments at the school with 72 majors and minors offered. This small college has only around 2,500 students, but the student body is diverse because students originate from more than 80 countries. St. Francis has opportunities for studying abroad in several European countries.

Nursing Programs

The nursing program at Saint Francis College is designed to meet the shortage of Registered Nurses (RNs) in Brooklyn who do not have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in nursing. This program is only for those who are currently licensed in New York State as Registered Nurses. It is a bachelor’s degree completion program that will result in a Bachelor of Science in nursing. RNs with their bachelor’s degree can step into higher-level jobs. These Registered Nurses will then supervise and work with RNs who have an associate degree in nursing. A bachelors degree also leads to great salary increases as more administrative and supervisory responsibilities are assumed. This is the only nursing program available at St. Francis College.

Bachelor of Science Degree

This program is designed to help RNs who would like to earn their bachelor’s degree. The courses may be completed either full-term or part-time, according to the RNs personal availability. Courses and clinical experience are provided during the daytime, but the college attempts to make evening classes possible as well. Part-time students must complete a minimum of 12 credits per year, so it takes five years to earn the bachelor’s degree on a part-time basis. A total of 62 credits are earned in the program, whether a student attends full-time or part-time.

Registered Nurses may transfer up to 97 credits to St. Francis as long as they were completed with a grade of C or higher. Foreign students and graduates who have a diploma in nursing may transfer up to 30 credits. They must first complete an exam that is taken during their first semester at St. Francis. To qualify for graduation, students must have a total of 128 credits completed.

RNs in the program take liberal arts and science courses that are required for the bachelor’s degree at Saint Francis College. They also spend a substantial amount of time taking upper-level nursing courses and completing clinical experience at area hospitals in Brooklyn and in other Burroughs in New York City. Students must show that they have the knowledge and skills in liberal arts and sciences, including mathematics, natural sciences, social sciences, history, the arts, and basic communication in the courses that they take.

Student life at St. Francis College is much different for working RNs who are completing their bachelor’s degree than it is for students who attend the college right out of high school. There are sports, clubs, and many activities at the college, including the opportunity to study abroad. Working nurses are not usually able to participate in the travel abroad opportunity since they must work and complete courses and additional clinical work at the same time.

Contact:
St. Francis College
180 Remsen Street
Brooklyn, New York 11201
(718) 489-5200