Despite being the eighth smallest state in America, there are several top-notch accredited nursing degree programs in Maryland approved by the CCNE for baccalaureate education. In the heart of the thriving Mid-Atlantic region, Maryland is packed with highly ranked universities within commuting distance of the major hubs of Baltimore and Washington DC. The “Old Line State” is a major epicenter for medical research with over 400 biotechnology companies and several internationally recognized hospitals in its borders. Staying in Maryland after graduation will be beneficial because the state has our nation’s highest median household income. In fact, RNs in Maryland bring home an above-average mean salary of $72,210 annually. The following are the accredited bachelor’s in nursing degree programs available for Marylanders.
Coppin State University
Helene Fuld School of Nursing
As part of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Coppin State University is a premier senior public historically black institution enrolling a diverse community of over 4,000 students on its 52-acre urban campus in Maryland’s largest city of Baltimore. Since being founded in 1900 to train African American elementary school teachers, Coppin State has expanded to provide 53 accredited majors. The university received the prestigious EDUCASE Award for Innovation in Network Technology for its wired campus. The Helene Fuld School of Nursing has dual CCNE and ACEN accreditation to produce nursing professionals committed to compassion.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Through the HFSON at Coppin State, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing can be achieved in one of three distinctive methods. There’s a traditional track for incoming freshmen, an accelerated second degree for students with a non-nursing bachelor’s, and an advancement track for nurses with valid RN licensing. All of these routes share the common goal of preparing students for joining the multi-disciplinary healthcare team as professional nurses. By building on the humanities and natural sciences, the total 120-credit curriculum ensures graduates have the leadership and decision-making skills for quality care. BSN students will complete a senior practicum in medical-surgical, pediatric, women’s health, or psychiatric mental health nursing to specialize their therapeutic intervention techniques.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
2500 West North Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21216
(410) 951-3970
healthprofessions@coppin.edu
http://www.coppin.edu/academics/nursingtraditional
Frostburg State University
Department of Nursing
Nestled on a beautiful 260-acre rural campus in Frostburg west of the Baltimore-Washington corridor, Frostburg State University is a mid-sized public four-year teaching institution in the University System of Maryland that educates more than 5,600 students annually. Celebrating more than 100 years in higher education, Frostburg State is currently ranked as the 125th best regional college, 41st top public school, and 46th best university for military veterans in the North within the U.S. News and World Report survey. Certified by Quality Matters, the Department of Nursing is dedicated to providing affordable, accessible online education for nurses seeking further professional development.
RN to BSN Program
First founded by Frostburg State in 2008, the RN to BSN Program is designed for licensed registered nurses who wish to expand their career prospects in today’s exploding healthcare industry with a CCNE-accredited bachelor’s degree. Featuring small class sizes for personal, individualized attention from caring faculty, the program can be completed online in as few as 15 months full-time. All coursework is finished through an asynchronous virtual classroom accessible 24/7. Based on the AACN guidelines, the 32-credit major enhances skills in nursing leadership, nursing informatics, quality management, health promotion, and disease prevention using evidence-based techniques. Clinical practicum hours are conveniently scheduled in approved healthcare agencies close to students’ homes.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
101 Braddock Road
Frostburg, MD 21532
(301) 687-4141
nursing@frostburg.edu
http://www.frostburg.edu/nursing/bsn/
Hood College
Nursing Department
Enrolling a close-knit community of around 2,300 students, Hood College is a small private co-educational liberal arts institution affiliated with the United Church of Christ to encourage personal and spiritual growth on its 50-acre urban campus in Frederick within 50 miles west of Baltimore. Boasting a low student-faculty ratio of 12:1, Hood is honored as the 31st best regional college, 14th top value school, and 10th top college for veterans in the North by the U.S. News and World Report. Backed by the CCNE, the Nursing Department has the mission of inspiring students to advocate for the improved health of individuals, families, and communities.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Requiring a minimum of 124 credits, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program spans over eight semesters to prepare undergraduate students at Hood to transform into reflective, culturally competent nursing practitioners in a diverse global society. Building on the liberal arts, the program explores the science of nursing to develop students’ clinical reasoning and critical thinking skills for effective health interventions. As a direct-entry baccalaureate program, students are admitted as freshmen and start their first nursing course in their first semester. Upon successful completion of the culminating senior practicum, graduates will be qualified to take the NCLEX-RN exam. Registered nurses who are already licensed can instead complete the part-time BSN Completion program.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
401 Rosemont Avenue
Frederick, MD 21701
(301) 663-3131
watsonk@hood.edu
http://www.hood.edu/nursingprogram/
Johns Hopkins University
School of Nursing
Since opening in 1876, Johns Hopkins University has become a prestigious private research institution serving over 20,800 students from its main 140-acre urban campus in the Homewood neighborhood of downtown Baltimore. Ranked #1 for total medical research development spending by the National Science Foundation for 35 straight years, JHU is honored as America’s 12th best university and 19th top value school in the U.S. News and World Report survey. Johns Hopkins is also crowned the world’s 15th best college by the Times Higher Education. Even more importantly, the School of Nursing is highly regarded as the 2nd best nursing school nationwide with six top 10 graduate nursing degree specialties.
Summer-Entry Accelerated Bachelor’s
For highly motivated graduates who already possess a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing major from another accredited university, the Summer-Entry Accelerated Bachelor’s program is available at JHU. Beginning every June, the program immerses students in 13 months of rigorous nursing training for taking the NCLEX-RN exam the following July. The fast-paced, full-time program includes a total of 56 credits ranging from health assessment to adult health and information technology in nursing. The curriculum includes several clinical components and a culminating transitions practicum. Over 90 percent of students are placed in the award-winning Johns Hopkins Health System. Pre-licensure nurses could also gain experience in university’s large Peace Corps Coverdell Fellows Program.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
525 North Wolfe Street
Baltimore, MD 21205
(410) 955-7548
jhuson@jhu.edu
http://nursing.jhu.edu/academics/programs/pre-licensure/bachelors/index.html
Salisbury University
Department of Nursing
Located on a quaint 182-acre rural campus in the small town of Salisbury within a two and a half hour’s drive from our nation’s capital in Washington DC, Salisbury University is a mid-sized public state-supported institution with over 8,700 students in its 56 distinct academic programs. According to the U.S. News and World Report, Salisbury is ranked the 65th best regional college, 17th top public school, and 23rd best university for military veterans in the North. Within the Henson School of Science and Technology, the Department of Nursing is dedicated to actively engaging students in skill development for delivering safe, effective care.
B.S. in Nursing
Designed to blend substantial liberal arts education with the theory and clinical practice of professional nursing, the B.S. in Nursing degree is awarded by Salisbury in three different learning tracks. The Traditional track is available with four semesters of upper-division nursing coursework for first-degree seekers seeking to become RNs. The 2nd Degree track is given for graduates with a bachelor’s degree in another field and life experience over three semesters full-time. The RN to BS track is for nurses who already hold a resident state license over the course of two years part-time. Salisbury nurses benefit from excellent clinical facilities and one-on-one career mentoring. Graduates have one of Maryland’s highest five-year average NCLEX-RN pass rates at 92 percent.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
1101 Camden Avenue
Salisbury, MD 21801
(410) 543-6401
jawilley@salisbury.edu
http://www.salisbury.edu/nursing/programs.html
Stevenson University
School of the Sciences
Initially founded in 1947 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, Stevenson University is a private non-profit independent institution enrolling more than 4,300 students on its main 60-acre suburban campus in Baltimore County’s Greenspring Valley and satellite location in Owings Mills. Offering small class sizes with a student-faculty ratio of 13:1, Stevenson is honored as the North’s 98th best regional college and 35th top school for veterans by the U.S. News and World Report. Even more importantly, the School of the Sciences is recognized for housing the country’s 171st best nursing school.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing and CCNE, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Stevenson is structured to provide rich practice-oriented learning experiences dealing with real-life healthcare issues from the very first semester. Through a blend of the arts, sciences, and humanities, undergraduates are equipped with the essential skills to excel in holistic reflective nursing practice at the professional level. The full-time curriculum spans 120 credits over eight semesters with clinical rotations in the junior and senior year. New nurses will be introduced to several specialty areas, including medical-surgical, psychiatric mental health, maternal health, community health, family health, and pediatric nursing. Stevenson graduates consistently surpass Maryland’s average pass rate for the NCLEX-RN exam.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
1525 Greenspring Valley Road
Stevenson, MD 21153
(877) 468-6852
admissions@stevenson.edu
http://www.stevenson.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/nursing/
Towson University
College of Health Professions
Nestled on a landscaped 328-acre suburban campus in Towson within just eight miles north of bustling downtown Baltimore, Towson University is a premier regional public state-supported institution with a large enrollment of over 22,200 students. Well-known for being placed among the top 100 best public values in Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine, Towson is named the 60th best college, 15th top public school, and 21st best university for veterans in the North by the U.S. News and World Report. As part of the Institute for Well-Being, the College of Health Professions has the goal of providing outstanding education while promoting wellness in the surrounding Baltimore metropolitan area.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Fulfilling the education requirements needed to sit for the NCLEX-RN licensing exam in Maryland and several other states, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is a basic program at Towson for traditional undergraduate students with little to no prior nursing education. The four-year program blends knowledge from related science disciplines to ensure nurses have the clinical capacity to positively influence the health status of individuals across the lifespan. Within the 120-credit curriculum, BSN students will take courses in anatomy, physiology, chemistry, microbiology, human development, pharmacology, cultural diversity, case management, nursing leadership, and health assessment. Students will gain experience through clinical practica assignments and optional study abroad trips to the Dominican Republic.
Associate to Bachelor’s (ATB) Nursing
In collaboration with the Community College of Baltimore County and Hagerstown Community College, the Associate to Bachelor’s (ATB) Nursing program is offered to help newly registered nurses seamlessly transition to baccalaureate-level professional nursing. In this accelerated year-round program, students pursue dual enrollment at a community college and Towson for completing both degrees in just 2.5 years. A maximum of 60 units will be accepted for transfer to build a broad liberal arts base for evidence-based nursing care. ATB students must complete a total of 120 credits to graduate and take the state licensing examination. Graduates will be on the fast track to function in beginning nursing leadership roles.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
8000 York Road
Towson, MD 21252
(410) 704-2067
bnecker@towson.edu
http://www.towson.edu/nursing/
University of Maryland
School of Nursing
As the state’s public flagship land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research institution, the University of Maryland serves more than 37,600 students from its main 1,250-acre suburban campus headquarters in College Park within four miles from the northeastern limits of the District of Columbia. Highly regarded for being one of the Peace Corps’ 25 Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges, UMD is recognized by the U.S. News and World Report as the 62nd best university and 20th top public school nationwide. From its health science center in Baltimore, the School of Nursing is also distinguished as America’s 6th best nursing school.
BSN Program
Available at the Baltimore, Shady Grove, or Laurel College campus, the BSN Program is offered for UMD undergraduate students looking to enhance their expertise as dedicated nursing professionals in the high-tech healthcare environment of the 21st century. Using 26 state-of-the-art lab facilities, students will engage in clinical experiences that simulate real-life situations to sharpen their therapeutic decision-making. The 120-credit curriculum is split into two divisions with the first two years spent in general education and the final two years covering clinical nursing skills. There’s also an Online RN-to-BSN program available for registered nurses seeking to make a long-lasting impact on healthcare in leadership roles.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
655 West Lombard Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
(410) 706-6109
dean@son.umaryland.edu
https://www.nursing.umaryland.edu/academics/undergrad/
Even though it’s possible to work at the bedside with a hospital-based diploma or associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) in Maryland, forgoing a bachelor’s degree can severely limit your future career prospects in the healthcare field. The Institute of Medicine has reported that 80 percent of the nursing workforce should have a baccalaureate degree by 2020. Investing in a BSN will be valuable in marketing yourself as a competent nurse capable of safe, effective treatment with patients across the lifespan. It can also become a stepping stone for successfully enrolling in graduate school for advanced practice (APRN) positions. Maximize your potential as a healthcare provider by considering one of these accredited nursing degree programs in Maryland.
