There are nearly as many diverse accredited nursing degree programs in Minnesota for bachelor’s students as bodies of water. The “Land of 10,000 Lakes” is America’s 12th largest state situated in the Upper Midwest just south of the Canadian border. Minnesota has consistently been named among the nation’s healthiest states with a long life expectancy rate and low rate of cardiovascular disease. Minnesota is highly regarded for hosting the world-renowned Mayo Clinic. Nursing students will be welcomed with a wealth of career opportunities offering a high mean yearly salary of $75,560. In fact, the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area has the country’s 10th highest concentration of RN openings according to the BLS. To see more accredited nursing degree programs in Minnesota, visit Nursing Degree Programs in Minnesota (D-R) and Nursing Degree Programs in Minnesota (S-Z).

Augsburg College

Department of Nursing

Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Augsburg College is a regional private co-educational liberal arts institution founded in 1869 on a parklike 24-acre urban campus in downtown Minneapolis. Enrolling more than 3,800 students annually in a close-knit Christian learning community, Augsburg was honored with the Presidential Award for Community Service. The U.S. News and World Report has ranked Augsburg as the 20th best college in the Midwest for 2015. The Department of Nursing offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs to produce transformational nurses capable of sound, ethical leadership.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Since 1978, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at Augsburg has been accredited by the CCNE as a completion program exclusively for registered nurses with an associate’s degree from another accredited college. Coursework is delivered in a hybrid format that combines online and in-class sessions at the Twin Cities or Rochester campus. BSN students are trained with the advanced clinical knowledge to broaden their supervisory capacity in today’s complex nursing field. Nurses will graduate with the comprehensive skills to serve persons, groups, and communities of diverse cultures throughout the age spectrum. The program typically takes 16 months full-time with two courses per semester. There’s also an accelerated RN to M.A. in Nursing degree offered.

Accreditations

  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
  • Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association (NCA)

Contact

2211 Riverside Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55454
(612) 330-1326
nursinginfo@augsburg.edu
http://www.augsburg.edu/bsn/

Bemidji State University

Department of Nursing

Nestled on a beautiful 89-acre suburban campus on the shores of Lake Bemidji within northwest Minnesota, Bemidji State University is a comprehensive four-year public teaching institution serving more than 6,300 students. Along with being named the 465th best master’s-level university for civic engagement in Washington Monthly magazine, Bemidji State is ranked the 99th best regional college, 34th top public school, and 77th best university for veterans in the Midwest by the USNWR. Fully accredited by the CCNE, the Department of Nursing delivers broad, practical clinical experiences for aspiring nurses with a special emphasis on serving rural and Native American populations.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

Bemidji State offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program with two distinctive tracks for mapping individualized educational paths. The traditional four-year baccalaureate track builds on a strong liberal arts foundation starting in the sophomore year for notice learners. The RN to BS track is tailored for ADN registered nurses looking to advance their clinical capacity for professional nursing. Courses are offered in a blended format with convenient in-class sessions in Bemidji, Cambridge, Coon Rapids, Duluth, White Bear Lake, and East Grand Forks. The 88-credit major spans across specialties from geriatric health and palliative care to mental health nursing and child/adolescent health. In its 30-year history, the program has achieved an average graduation rate of 90 percent.

Accreditations

  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
  • Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association (NCA)

Contact

1500 Birchmont Drive NE
Bemidji, MN 56601
(218) 755-3860
NursingDept@bemidjistate.edu
http://www.bemidjistate.edu/academics/departments/nursing/programs/four-year-track/

Bethel University

Department of Nursing

First established in 1871, Bethel University is a private non-profit evangelical Christian higher learning institution affiliated with Converge Worldwide to educate over 6,500 students annually from its 289-acre suburban campus in the quaint neighborhood of Arden Hills in St. Paul. Featuring a low student-faculty ratio of 12:1, Bethel is currently recognized by the U.S. News as the 23rd best regional college and 21st top school for veterans in the Midwest. With state-of-the-art simulation labs, the Department of Nursing is dedicated to producing competent nurses who provide Christ-like presence in compassionate, caring healthcare services.

B.S. in Nursing (RN to B.S.)

Using a Christian worldview, the B.S. in Nursing (RN to B.S.) program at Bethel focuses on preparing baccalaureate-level nurses with the clinical capacity to treat patients holistically to touch body, mind, and spirit. In a convenient hybrid format, the program blends face-to-face meetings in St. Paul or Bloomington and online coursework from anywhere via the Internet. Students receive hands-on practice experience with people from diverse cultures at healthcare systems throughout the Twin Cities Metro. The 33-credit curriculum can be fully completed in just 19 months full-time. Courses will range from applied nursing ethics and public health nursing to evidence-based practice and nursing informatics. Having valid Minnesota state RN licensure is required for admissions.

Accreditations

  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
  • Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association (NCA)

Contact

3900 Bethel Drive
St. Paul, MN 55112
(651) 638-6400
diane-dahl@bethel.edu
https://www.bethel.edu/adult-undergrad/academics/nursing/

Capella University

School of Nursing and Health Sciences

Since 1993, Capella University has grown into a major private for-profit higher learning institution offering online courses to over41,000 students worldwide from its main physical headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Capella caters to working adults with an average student age of 37. As a proud partner of the American Nurses Association (ANA), the School of Nursing and Health Sciences delivers professionally-aligned programs in an online format to quickly obtain competencies requisite for nursing leadership.

RN-to-BSN

The RN to BSN program at Capella is designed for busy registered nurses seeking to build on their clinical experience for greater opportunity in professional nursing practice. The standard online path features structured learning with one to three courses each quarter. There’s also a self-paced FlexPath option available for acquiring the degree within as little as 9 months. A total of 180 units is required for completion. Online courses offer 24/7 access to learning materials in an interactive virtual classroom.

Accreditations

  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
  • Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association (NCA)

Contact

225 South 6th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55402
(612) 339-8650
http://www.capella.edu/online-degrees/bachelors-rn-to-bsn-completion/

College of Saint Benedict & Saint John’s University

Nursing Department

As a senior four-year private Roman Catholic liberal arts partnered institution, the College of Saint Benedict & Saint John’s University serves more than 3,600 undergraduate men and women from a main 2,500-acre suburban campus in the prairies of St. Joseph. With a low student-faculty ratio of 12:1, CSBSJU is ranked as the 79th best national liberal arts college and 57th top university for veterans in the United States by the U.S. News and World Report. The Nursing Department is accredited by the CCNE to promote excellence in student learning, teaching, and service. Over the past five years, 88 percent of BSN graduates passed the NCLEX-RN exam the first time.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Aligned with the AACN Essentials, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at CSBSJU was structured to prepare undergraduate nurses with a liberal arts and science background for providing holistic healthcare treatment for patients of all ages. Starting in the freshman year, the four-year program produces strong professional nurse leaders with Catholic and Benedictine values. Within the 120-credit curriculum, coursework will cover topics in biology, psychology, chemistry, nutrition science, human development, statistics, physiology, tertiary prevention, pharmacology, transformational leadership, and community health. All students have the option to study abroad in South Africa, Belize, and other third world countries. Nursing majors are also encouraged to join the Minnesota Student Nurse Association (MSNA).

Accreditations

  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
  • Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association (NCA)

Contact

37 South College Avenue
St. Joseph, MN 56374
(320) 363-5404
nursing@csbsju.edu
http://www.csbsju.edu/nursing

College of St. Scholastica

School of Nursing

Located on a beautiful 186-acre suburban campus in Duluth along the shoreline of Lake Superior near the Canadian border, the College of St. Scholastica is a premier private non-profit Roman Catholic institution enrolling more than 4,200 students of diverse faiths. Affiliated with the Order of Saint Benedict since 1912, CSS is currently crowned the 33rd best regional college and 27th top university for military veterans in the Midwest by the U.S. News. Also acclaimed for being America’s 143rd best nursing school, the CCNE-accredited School of Nursing is one of Minnesota’s largest providers of qualified nursing professionals to work with underserved rural and mental health populations.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at CSS is designed for traditional undergraduate students seeking the qualifications to take the NCLEX-RN exam and beginning entry-level professional nursing practice. Grounded in the Benedictine values, the curriculum trains students to holistically lead healthcare delivery in today’s complex medical world. Clinical experience is offered on-site in the nursing simulation lab and a variety of acute care facilities across Duluth. Most students apply during the fall of their sophomore year, but the ENTER program can give early admission to highly qualified freshmen. The 50-credit major aligns with the AACN Essentials. 96 percent of graduates successfully receive Minnesota RN licensing.

Accreditations

  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
  • Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association (NCA)

Contact

1200 Kenwood Avenue
Duluth, MN 55811
(218) 723-6020
pbyrne@css.edu
https://www.css.edu/academics/school-of-nursing/undergraduate-areas-of-study/traditional-nursing-track.html

Concordia College Moorhead

Department of Nursing

First founded in 1891 by Norwegian settlers, Concordia College Moorhead is a senior private non-profit Christian institution affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to foster the development of over 2,500 students on its 113-acre urban campus near Fargo. Named one of the top 20 baccalaureate colleges for studying abroad in the Open Doors survey, Concordia is ranked America’s 120th best national liberal arts university and 87th best college for veterans by the USNWR. The Department of Nursing has small class cohorts to give students extensive nursing experience for influencing global health with compassionate service.

Traditional Baccalaureate Nursing Program

The Traditional Baccalaureate Nursing Program at Concordia is available for sophomores with little or no clinical experience who would like to pursue an entry-level professional nursing career. Featuring CCNE accreditation, the curriculum seamlessly blends both liberal arts and nursing science. Following the first semester, students will attend a two-day retreat for team building and clinical preparation. Nursing majors gather nearly 900 hours of clinical experience in diverse healthcare facilities serving the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area. There’s also the Concordia Language Villages program for working with multicultural children and adolescents. While enrolled in the 120-credit curriculum, students can join the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society for networking in nursing.

Accelerated Nursing Program

Over the course of 16 months, the Accelerated Nursing Program gives students with a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing major the opportunity to pursue a career change into healthcare. The shortened curriculum fills education gaps for second-degree learners to take the NCLEX-RN exam and become registered nurses. Students engage in combination of in-class instruction, laboratory simulation, and applied clinical practicum. Global study abroad opportunities are available in China, Vietnam, and Tanzania. Accelerated nursing majors can further enrich their clinical knowledge through the active Student Nurse’s Association (SNA). 98 percent of recent Concordia Moorhead nursing alumni are employed within six months.

Accreditations

  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
  • Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association (NCA)

Contact

901 8th Street South
Moorhead, MN 56562
(218) 299-3004
admissions@cord.edu
https://www.concordiacollege.edu/academics/departments-programs/nursing/

Crown College

Nursing Department

Affiliated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance, Crown College is a comprehensive private non-profit religious institution first founded in 1916 on a beautiful 215-acre rural campus along Lake Parley in the suburbs outside of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. With a selective acceptance rate of 55 percent, Crown College specializes in giving biblically-based education for Christian leadership with full ABHE and NCA accreditation. The Nursing Department has the mission of prepares competent nursing professionals through a blend of on-campus and online learning options.

Nursing BSN Degree

Following the motto “Called to Serve, Prepared to Lead,” the Nursing BSN Degree program is granted for Crown undergraduate students who can demonstrate healing compassion as the hands and feet of Christ. Building on guiding Catholic principles, the bachelor’s program prepares entry-level professional nurses for enhancing quality patient care. 86 percent of graduates pass the NCLEX-RN exam the first time. Crown’s state-of-the-art lab gives students the valuable opportunity to sharpen their practice skills before completing clinical rotations at Ridgeview Hospital in Waconia. The four-year BSN curriculum requires at least 131 credits. Special emphasis is given on missionary nursing to equip graduates for serving ethically with diverse communities abroad.

Accreditations

  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
  • Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association (NCA)
  • Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE)

Contact

8700 College View Drive
St. Bonifacius, MN 55375
(952) 446-4482
kyarsgaardv@crown.edu
http://www.crown.edu/on-campus-degree-programs/nursing/

Nurses can be become licensed with an associate’s degree through the Minnesota Board of Nursing, but going the extra step to the baccalaureate level is smart. Even if you’re already an RN, earning a bachelor’s degree will broaden your knowledge and skills to confidently deliver high-quality patient care with diverse populations. Investing in a BSN is the best way for registered nurses to unlock better job flexibility, higher income, improved role clarification, and advancement into management if desired. Further investigate these top-notch accredited nursing degree programs in Minnesota to find the ideal program fit.