Winston-Salem University is a public university in North Carolina that is one of the few historically all black colleges still operating in the country. Founded in 1892 as the Winston-Salem Teachers College, it opened as a private college that primarily offered preparatory programs for teachers. Its founder wanted to establish a college that would teach black students how to work with younger black students later. Due in part to the strength of its education programs, it became a four-year college and adopted the name Winston-Salem University. The WSU campus now covers more than 100 acres in the city of the same name.

While it still offers a number of teaching programs, WSU now offers more than 40 programs at the bachelor’s level and around 10 graduate programs. It also allows students to earn their degrees online instead of taking classes on its campus. Though more than 6,400 students take classes through WSU, a large number of those students takes at least one class online. The Social Mobility Index puts WSU within the top 10 of American colleges. It also ranks on the list of the best southern colleges on the list put out by U.S. News & World Report. WSU appeared on that list for nine straight years.

Winston-Salem State University Accreditation Details

Winston-Salem University is one of several colleges in North Carolina with both regional and specialized accreditation. With specialized accreditation, you can rest easy in knowing that the program you enroll in has approval from a professional and specialized organization relating to that subject. Regional accreditation is just as important because without it, you cannot take out government loans or get any type of federal financial aid. The regional accreditation WSU has comes from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. You’ll also find that it has accreditation for some of its programs, including those in computer science, occupational therapy, parks and recreation and music, from:

National Recreation and Parks Association

National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences

Council on Rehabilitation Education

American Occupational Therapy Association

Accreditation Board for Engineering & Technology

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

Winston-Salem State University Application Requirements

WSU gives prospective students the option of filing out an online application or printing off a paper copy and mailing it back to campus. The main factors it looks at when accepting students are high school grades, test scores and grade point averages. While you will list those details on your own application, the university must also receive an office transcript from your high school and an official test score from one of the testing boards. Make sure that the university receives all that information prior to the admissions deadline.

The university also requires that students complete a minimum core of classes in high school. You must take four English classes, at least two years of social studies and a foreign language and a minimum of three years of math and science classes. Math and sciences classes should include physical science, biology, algebra and geometry. You can also mail in a letter from your guidance counselor.

Admissions requirements for those enrolling in a nursing program are a little different. You must still fill out the online application and send in both your test scores and a high school transcript. The university also asks for a transcript from the college where you earned your RN degree. This helps WSU determine which credits will transfer into the program. You also need to submit proof that you have your nursing license, even if you have a license in a different state. The university also accepts those who have an RN degree but do not have a license.

Tuition and Financial Aid

As a full-time student, you must take at least 12 credits every semester. Winston-Salem University charges a little over $4,000 a semester for North Carolina residents, which includes all university fees. Nonresidents pay closer to $9,100 a semester. Its distance learning system, which lets students take classes online, charges much less. Residents pay around $1,400 to take 12 credits. If you are a nonresident, WSU will charge around $5,500 per semester for the same number of classes. Those living on-campus must pay for both a room and a meal plan.

No matter how you take classes, you should still complete the FAFSA. This simple form lets you see how much aid you will get for the coming year based off the amount you made in the previous year or the amount your parents made. Most aid is only available for full-time students. You also need to keep your grades up to receive financial aid the following year. As an online student, you may receive loans or grants that pay for your tuition and other expenses. If you have a positive balance on your account, WSU can mail you a check in the form of a refund on that balance.

Online RN to BSN

If you want to earn your BSN but feel like you don’t have the time, consider enrolling in the Online RN to BSN program available from Winston-Salem University. The university will look at both your professional experience and your college degree and give you credit. This reduces the number of classes you need to take in the program. The university lets students enroll in the summer, spring or fall semester and finish their degrees in just three semesters of full-time work. While the program doesn’t require that you do any clinical work, it does require that you take advanced nursing classes.

Most students enrolled in this RN to BSN program follow the same course schedule. You’ll take classes on health assessments, pathophysiology and professional nursing in your first semester. The second semester consists of classes on nursing research, caring for the elderly and nursing in community health organizations. The last semester includes adult nursing, care leadership and management and an elective. WSU lets you choose between classes on global health nursing or financial management for nurses. You also have the option of taking one or more of your classes on one of the regional and local campuses around the city and across the state. Winston-Salem University allows its Online RN to BSN students to go from a lower RN degree to a higher BSN degree in just one year.

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