Students who aspire to make a career out of nursing can benefit from the many rigorous, accredited nursing degree programs in Arizona. These programs were developed to pair a university’s liberal arts curriculum with highly specialized coursework in healthcare delivery and comprehensive patient care, and they create well-rounded professionals who are equipped to work in family clinics, specialized care for patients ranging from newborns to the elderly, emergency response positions, and much more. Consider Arizona’s four accredited programs, and their unique merits, before enrolling in one of these growing degrees.

Arizona State University

College of Nursing and Health Innovation

Arizona State University is the flagship public institution in Arizona, with a massive student body and hundreds of degree programs that range from the undergraduate level to doctoral pursuits. Nursing students are enrolled in the College of Nursing and Health Innovation, and enjoy access to doctoral professors, a medical school campus, and a partnership with the Mayo Clinic that has yielded excellent academic opportunities for nurses and doctors alike. Consistently top-ranked for the value of their programs and the quality of their degrees, Arizona State University is a top choice for nursing students nationwide thanks to both on-campus and online BSN options.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

In order to be fully admitted to the BSN program at Arizona State University, incoming freshmen must be accepted into the pre-nursing major and maintain a GPA of at least 3.00, but preferably at least 3.25 during their first two years of study. The first two years of the program primarily center on ASU’s general education curriculum, with a few nursing classes and clinical experiences scheduled amid these classes. The final two years of study include part-time clinical experiences and advanced nursing classes on campus, including classes in human pathology, chemistry, anatomy, healthcare law and ethics, patient privacy, public health, healthcare management, nutrition, and much more.

Accreditations

  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
  • Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges

Contact

Arizona State University
College of Nursing and Health Innovation
550 N. 3rd St.
Phoenix, AZ 85004
Phone: (602) 496-2644
Website: https://nursingandhealth.asu.edu

Grand Canyon University

College of Nursing

Located in Arizona’s largest city of Phoenix, the for-profit Grand Canyon University has long offered both in-person and online education options for students in the nursing program. GCU offers both a traditional, four-year BSN program and a two-year, RN-to-BSN program that is open to students who have already completed a two-year nursing degree through a local community college. The program is available online and off, and requires at least 18 hours per week of clinical experience in an approved, pre-licensure placement arranged by the university.

BSN Nursing

The BSN program is one of GCU’s most popular degree options, thanks in no small part to the many connections maintained by the university with local healthcare providers and hospitals nationwide. These connections make it easy to arrange clinical work experiences for nurses, and allow for greater hands-on educational experience that is valuable in the workplace. Students will complete a general university core of liberal arts classes in this program, but the main focus is on courses like chemistry, biology, anatomy, human pathology, disease care, pain management, healthcare law and regulation, patient privacy and the ethics of treatment, elder care, infant care, and several specialized concentrations within the nursing field.

Accreditations

  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
  • Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges

Contact

Grand Canyon University
College of Nursing
3300 West Camelback Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85017
Phone: (602) 639-7500
Website: http://www.gcu.edu/College-of-Nursing-and-Health-Care-Professions/Nursing-Programs/BSN-in-Nursing.php

Northern Arizona University

School of Nursing

Northern Arizona University is one of the largest public institutions in Arizona, serving nearly 20,000 students across programs in healthcare, business, education, and the liberal arts and sciences. The school’s nursing program is highly competitive, admitting fewer than 36 percent of applications in each of the last three admissions cycles. The school has a policy of admitting no more than 60 students per year, allowing for a 30:1 student-to-faculty ratio from start to finish in the program. NAU enforces a mandatory clinical experience requirement in line with Arizona state licensure standards, and offers advanced coursework in specialized areas of nursing for a competitive edge in the workplace.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

NAU’s nursing program is offered in traditional, hybrid, and online formats, with students able to choose the setup that works best for their professional schedules and other considerations. The BSN program requires at least 18 hours of clinical experience per week, documented by local or approved employers. Many students exceed this requirement, however. In addition to nearly 45 credits of university general education classes, nurses will take introductory nursing classes in anatomy, chemistry, and biology, during their first two years at NAU. Then, they’ll follow up with advanced human pathology and disease care, courses that teach them how to care for at-risk populations, the elderly, and younger children, and classes that teach the nuances of family clinic work, hospital work, and emergency care.

Accreditations

  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
  • Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges

Contact

Northern Arizona University
School of Nursing
202 E. Pine Knoll Dr.
PO Box 15035
Flagstaff AZ 86011
Phone: (928) 523-2671
Email: nursing@nau.edu
Website: http://nau.edu/CHHS/Nursing/Degrees-Programs/BSN/

University of Arizona

College of Nursing

Ranked as a “best value” university, and widely appreciated for the quality and academic rigor of its programs, the University of Arizona is home to more than 40,000 students and hosts one of the largest, accredited nursing programs available in the state. All students in the program must first apply as pre-nursing, with admission to the full nursing program based on their academic performance during the first two years of the degree offering. Students must earn a GPA of at least 3.0 to be admitted to the full nursing program, and their graduation depends on clinical experience and eligibility of the NCLEX nursing licensing examination afterward.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

The first two years of study at UAZ include the school’s core liberal arts curriculum and several introductory nursing classes. Students will focus on anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and biology, during these first two years. These classes will help the university evaluate their ability to perform at a high level in more advanced coursework. Upon admission to the full nursing program, students will be subject to a weekly clinical experience requirement as they enroll in advanced treatment, care, and ethics classes. All students will satisfy requirements necessary for licensure in Arizona, pending their successful completion of the NCLEX examination.

Accreditations

  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
  • Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges

Contact

University of Arizona
College of Nursing
1305 N. Martin
PO Box 210203
Tucson, AZ 85721
Phone: (520) 626-6154
Email: studentaffairs@nursing.arizona.edu
Website: http://www.nursing.arizona.edu/bsnprogram.htm

Nursing continues to grow both in terms of demand for qualified professionals and in terms of annual compensation for qualified, highly skilled nurses. To qualify for an entry-level nursing career in public agencies, large hospitals, or even smaller family clinics and retirement centers, students must have an accredited degree. The numerous accredited nursing degree programs in Arizona offer the right blend of comprehensive health education, liberal arts skills, and practical experiences that benefit nurses, healthcare facilities, and patients, in equal measure.