There are many fine accredited nursing degree programs in Illinois to prepare students for careers in this sought-after profession. The average age of RNs in America is just over 47 years. Add to that fact a declining number of new nurses coming into the workforce and you can understand why the demand for nurses is expected to increase well into the 2020s and beyond. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 19 percent growth rate for nurses through 2025. That is far above the rate for all occupations of 11 per cent. People who want to capitalize on this trend to find a satisfying and financially rewarding career must have a good education. This list can help students find schools that are the right “fit” for them. To see more accredited nursing degree programs in Illinois, visit Nursing Degree Programs in Illinois (A-I) and Nursing Degree Programs in Illinois (J-N).
Olivet Nazarene University
School of Nursing and Health Sciences
This school, founded in 1907, is ranked # 49 of Regional Universities, Midwest, by U.S. News and World Report. The student body of 4900 contains 3335 undergraduates. It operates on the semester schedule and annual tuition is $33, 3390. During the spring, the nursing school, in collaboration with the engineering school, takes a missions trip to Argentina. Students in the nursing program, participate in emergency room and disaster simulations in a state-of-the-art lab.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
This accredited nursing degree program in Illinois consists of 63 credit hours. Students are admitted to the clinical nursing program as juniors, having already taken general education and prerequisite classes during their first two years. The curriculum is based on the essential learning as the American Association of Colleges of Nursing defines them. There are 19 courses in prerequisites and fundamental courses such as Introduction to Nursing, Fundamentals of Nursing, Health Assessment and Pharmacology. The program contains six courses in biology, one in chemistry as well as nutrition courses, statistics, “Lifespan Development,” global and diversity studies as well as introductions to psychology and sociology. Because this is a Christian school, the material is faith-based and there are some scripture classes.
Accreditation
- Recognized by the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Contact
School of Nursing and Health Sciences
Olivet Nazarene University
1 University Avenue
Bourbonnais, IL 60914
815-939-5011
ldavison@olivet.edu
http://catalog.olivet.edu/content.php?catoid=2&navoid=120
Resurrection University
College of Nursing and College of Allied Health
This school is a not-for-profit private institution associated with the Roman Catholic Church. There are fewer than five hundred students, most of whom are undergraduates. Tuition and fees at Resurrection are about $23,300 a year and there is a $50 admission fee. The school is unranked by U.S. News and World Report. The College of Nursing has ten classrooms and a simulation learning center that offers students the opportunity to participate in learning experiences such as disaster simulations. Students from the nursing program have a 90 per cent pass rate for the NCLEX exams.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
This degree has “A” and “B” options. Option “A” is daytime classes, full or part time, and “B” is evening classes. In addition, the program can be earned as a pre-license degree or as an RN-to BSN degree. The 120 hour accredited nursing degree program contains 40 hours of mandatory residency. Students entering the nursing program must take the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) and complete general education and pre-nursing requisites before beginning the nursing curriculum. There are 61 credits of non-nursing support classes such as psychology, statistics, sociology, English composition and math foundations and six hours of electives. There are also 59 hours of courses in the nursing major. The traditional BSN program takes four semesters to complete while the Option “B” program takes five semesters.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission
- CCNE
Contact
College of Nursing and College of Allied Health
Resurrection University
1431 N. Claremont Avenue,
Chicago, IL 60622
773-277-3838
admissions@resu.edu
http://www.resu.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/bsn
St. Anthony College of Nursing
This nursing college has fewer than two hundred students. It is a Roman Catholic not-for-profit school and is unranked by U.S. News and World Report. In-state tuition is $22,624 and tuition for part-time students is $692 per credit hour. Students are admitted to Resurrection University as juniors, having taken the general education and nursing pre-requisite components of the degree at another accredited school. The faculty-to-staff ratio is 8:1. This school is a part of the Order of St. Francis Healthcare System.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
There are 64 credits in the BSN degree program, of which 32 must be completed with a GPA of at least 2.5. The program includes courses like health assessment, foundational courses in nursing practice and pharmacology and seeks to pair academic study with real-life experience with clinical practicums and lab simulations. Students earning this degree are prepared to work in acute care settings as well as in hospitals, nursing homes and private clinics. The school maintains a skills simulation lab and a health assessment lab for hands-on learning. Because this is a faith-based organization, there is a faith component to many classes and at least one course is entirely about Catholic ethics in the nursing practice.
Accreditation
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Contact
St. Anthony College of Nursing
5658 East State Street
Rockford IL, 61108
815-395-5091
Email through website
http://sacn.edu/undergraduate/bsn/curriculum.html
St. Xavier University
School of Nursing
This four-year school was ranked in a tie for #49 of Regional Universities Midwest by U.S. News and World Report, and a tie at #143 for “Best Nursing School.” St. Xavier’s baccalaureate degree in nursing was the first accredited BSN degree in Illinois. Its online graduate nursing program is ranked #1. Eighty-three per cent of faculty members are tenured or on tenure track. There are 2,974 full-time undergraduate students enrolled at St. Xavier. The tuition for full-time students is $28,150 and tuition for part-time students is $650 per credit hour.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
This accredited nursing degree program in Illinois is offered as a traditional four-year degree or in an accelerated format and also as the LPN-to-BSN degree. The degree contains 55 credit hours after students meet the pre-requisites. The format includes lectures, seminars, clinical simulations and practical experience opportunities and small group discussions. There are 29 required courses and electives. LPN-to-BSN students receive 12.5 hours of advanced placement credit that the school keeps in escrow until the student has completes 12 hours of required nursing classes. The diverse associations maintained by the school gives nursing students exposure to many different healthcare environment including long-term care, acute care, hospital, clinic and other facilities. There are also mentoring courses in which students benefit from mentors and small peer groups.
Accreditation
- CCNE
Contact
School of Nursing
St. Xavier University
3700 West 103rd Street,
Chicago, IL, 69655
773-298-3706
Jacobson@sxu.edu
http://www.sxu.edu/academics/colleges_schools/son/under_programs.asp
Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville
School of Nursing
This is a four-year co-ed school that is ran ked #47 of Regional Universities Midwest by U.S. News and World Report. It has a student body of about 14,000. All students are assigned a faculty mentor on admission. Most students are admitted to the nursing program through traditional means, but some freshmen who have an ACT score of 27 or higher qualify for the “select” program that allows them to enter the nursing program provisionally. The tuition is $9,738 for those living in the state and $20,682 for out-of-state students.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Applicants to this accredited nursing degree program must be admitted to the university first, and then apply to the nursing program in the second semester of their freshman year, after completing pre-requisite courses and taking the HESI A2 exam. The program contains 125 credit hours and students must maintain a 2.5 GPA. Graduation depends upon students completing a senior assignment as well. The program is experience-based and students take practicum in both rural and urban settings. The BSN at Southern Illinois State University is offered in a traditional format at the main campus and by teleconference, face-to-face experiential learning and web-based classes at a site in Carbondale. The Carbondale option takes six semesters of intense study, taking eighteen credits per semester.
Accreditation
- CCNE
Contact
School of Nursing
Southern Illinois State University
Edwardsville, IL, 62025
800-234-4844
nursing@siue.edu
http://www.siue.edu/nursing/siue-nursing-carbondale.shtml
Trinity Christian College
Department of Nursing
This school, with a student body of about 13333, is ranked by U.S. News and World Report as #28 of Regional Colleges Midwest. Trinity Christian College is a private school and nearly all classes have less than fifty students. Student-to-faculty ratio is 11:1. In-state tuition is $25,290. Because the nursing school is located near Chicago, the experiential component of the degrees it offers occurs in diverse healthcare facilities. The simulation labs feature manikins that are high tech and exhibit any symptom selected, then respond automatically to nursing interventions.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
This degree program contains 125 credit hours. There are 64 general education hours and 56 nursing core hours plus electives. Students apply to the clinical portion of the nursing degree in their sophomore year and must carry a 2.5 GPA. After admittance to the program they must maintain a 2.5 GPA and earn a 2.7 in select courses. Courses include developmental stages, health assessment, pharmacology, research and independent study and other classes, along with participation in simulations and hands-on learning. The senior capstone project which is entered in the spring of the senior year consists of carrying a full caseload in a healthcare facility under the supervision of a teaching assistant mentor.
Accreditation
- CCNE
Contact
Department of Nursing
Trinity Christian College
6601 W. College Drive
Palos heights, IL 60463
708-239-4763
janet.chayney@trinity.edu
http://www.trnty.edu/academics/nursing/nursing.html
Trinity College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Trinity College of Nursing
This is a private, not-for-profit niche school and is not ranked by U.S. News and World Report. It has a student body of less than three hundred of which slightly more than two hundred are undergraduates. The school has a history of more than 100 years in the Quad-City area and tuition is $23,818. The focus of the nursing program is critical thinking along with practical skills.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
This degree is offered as an accelerated BSN for those with degrees in other disciplines, as an RN-BSN degree, as a Medic-BSN degree and as a Basic BSN. Students take prerequisites and general nursing classes in the first two years of study, and then apply for admission to the nursing program. Upon admittance, they are credited with 52 hours of general education toward the degree. The Basic BSN takes six semesters to complete in full-time study. Students coming into the program must have a 2.75 college GPA. The program is not flexible and must be taken in the order prescribed. Graduates must have a minimum of 69 credit hours in nursing courses and must have taken the last 35 hours in residence at the college. Upon completion of the program students take a standardized test which must be passed be4fore students can graduate and sit for the NCLEX.
Accreditation
- CCNE
Contact
Trinity College of Nursing
Trinity College of Nursing and Health Sciences
2122 25th Ave.
Rock Island, IL 61201
309-779-7728
Marcella.Davis@trinitycollegegc.edu
http://www.trinitycollegeqc.edu/bsn-graduation-requirements.aspx
University of Illinois at Chicago
College of Nursing
This is a state-funded public research university, which means that a significant amount of its budget goes to conducting research. The University of Illinois at Chicago operates the biggest medical center in the United States. U.S. News and World Report ranks the school as #149 of National Universities. This is a moderately large school with a student body of 28,000. Tuition for In-state students is $13,640 and for out-of-state students tuition is $26,030.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
This degree program contains 63 hours and takes four full-time semesters to finish, beginning the junior year. Students enrolled in the university enter the program in their junior year after they have completed 57 hours of general education and pre-requisites. The program curriculum allows students to do face-to-face training and hands on learning from the first day of classes. Graduates are equipped and eligible to sit for the NCLEX exam. There are many required classes, but the sequence in which they are taken may vary depending on the degree path that students develop with their advisors. Students who have a bachelor’s degree in another discipline may also apply to the traditional BSN program. The degree is also offered as an RN-BSN version that allows licensed RNs to complete a bachelor’s degree completely online while they work.
Accreditation
- CCNE
Contact
College of Nursing
University of Illinois at Chicago
1200 W. Harrison Street
Chicago, IL 60607
312-355-5182
allenk@uic.edu
http://www.nursing.uic.edu/academics-admissions/bachelor-science#program-overview
University of St. Francis
Cecily and John Leach College of Nursing
The University of St. Francis is a private, not-for-profit school affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. U.S. News and World Report ranks the school as #69 in Regional Universities Midwest. There are 3,764 people in the student body and the student-to-faculty ratio is 11:1. Tuition for one year is $25, 930. Programs and classes are designed for adult learners. The school boasts that within six months of graduation ninety-nine per cent of their students are employed.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
BSN programs at this school are either traditional or fast track which is the R.N. to BSN option. The traditional BSN offered by the University of St. Francis is a 121 hour program of which 61 hours are general education and prerequisite courses and 70 are nursing core classes. The curriculum contains classroom lectures, simulations and hands-on clinical practice. Students admitted to the program must have a 3.0 GPA in college courses and a 2.75 GPA in science classes. Because the university is located near Chicago, the opportunity for diverse clinical experience exists. Courses address hospitals, home health, managed care, public health, primary care, hospice, clinics, mental health and long-term care facilities.
Accreditation
- CCNE
Contact
Cecily and John Leach College of Nursing
University of St. Francis
500 Wilcox Street
Joliet, IL 60435
815-740-3059
cwilson@stfrancis.edu
http://www.stfrancis.edu/academics/college-of-nursing/undergraduate-programs/nursing/#.VSgwd2d0w5s
Western Illinois University
School of Nursing
This school was ranked by U.S. News and World Report as #39 of Regional Colleges Midwest. It operates on the semester system and has an undergraduate student body of 9,873. In-state tuition is $11.283 and out-of-state tuition is $15,599. The average class size is 15. The school of nursing says its graduates will log more than 750 hours of clinical practice supervised by faculty mentors.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Applicants to this accredited nursing degree program make a declaration of intent, presented with their high school transcript, their ACT score and a 500 word essay on why they want to become a nurse. Most freshmen are admitted to the traditional BSN program in their junior years, but there is a pre-nursing program status which people can attain with an average ACT score of 22. Applicants to the nursing program must complete 60 hours minimum of general education and nursing support classes. RNs who transfer into the program will be given credit for 30 hours of advanced coursework. The 125 credit hour program includes 45 general education and nursing support class credits and 72 semester hours in nursing major courses plus elective.
Accreditation
- CCNE
Contact
School of Nursing
Western Illinois University
1 University Circle
Macomb IL 61455
309-298-2571
PL-Monahan@wiu.edu
http://www.wiu.edu/cas/nursing/pre-licensure/courses.php
Although the programs offer similar curriculum, the schools have different learning styles and formats. Students who are not religious may want to forgo the church-affiliated schools. Students who learn better in a relaxed environment with smaller classes may not want to enroll in a state university. The material contained in this article can help students decide which schools deserve a longer look. Then they can go to the websites themselves, and perhaps schedule campus visits. In this way, this list of accredited nursing degree programs in Illinois is a valuable tool for those considering a career as a nurse.
