The curriculum is divided into biological, social sciences, and humanities as a foundation for courses in the major; and nursing courses, which emphasize relationship-based care, reflective thinking, clinical decision making, and the use of evidence-based guidelines to develop quality and safe clinical skills. Clinical experiences are offered in area hospitals and in community health agencies. The senior year culminates in a capstone practicum in which students apply curriculum concepts in a precepted clinical experience.

The faculty of the nursing program believe learning is a creative process wherein students are active participants in their education, growth, and development as professional nurses. Faculty members are facilitators and mentors to students within a supportive, scholarly environment.

Honors-in-major courses are offered to interested nursing students who have achieved a minimum grade-point average of 3.75 in NURS courses and cumulative GPA of 3.4 at the end of the sophomore year in nursing.

A grade of C or better in high school chemistry is required as well as biology or physics. The following prerequisite courses must be completed successfully prior to enrollment in NURS 500: ENGL 401; BMS 507-508; and PSYC 401. BMS 501 must be taken prior to or concurrent with NURS 500. A course in statistics must be completed prior to, or taken concurrent with, NURS 641.

Prerequisite courses require grades of C or better and only one prerequisite course may be repeated one time in order to progress. Most of the prerequisite courses also meet discovery requirements.  Major courses require a minimum grade of C. Nursing courses may not be repeated.  A cumulative grade-point average of 2.50 must be maintained throughout the program.

Students are responsible for their own transportation to clinical agencies, uniforms, professional equipment, health insurance coverage, criminal background checks through approved vendor and New Hampshire State Police, drug and alcohol screening through approved vendor, fingerprinting, and select immunizations and titers.  Students must be certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation at the Healthcare Provider or Professional Rescuer level only.  All clinical documents must be received by July 1st before their sophomore year and remain up to date as necessary until graduation. Clinical documents cannot expire during the academic year. Students will be assessed a late fee if clinical documents are not received by the due date and must drop nursing courses if documentation is not received by the first day of class.  Additional costs associated with the program include nursing laboratory fees each semester beginning in the sophomore year and fees associated with attendance at professional meetings.

Freshman Year
ENGL 401, First Year Writing
PSYC 401, Introduction to Psychology
BMS 507-508, Human Anatomy and Physiology
Discovery/Inquiry 4 courses 

Sophomore Year
BMS 501, Microbes in Human Disease
NURS 500, Introduction to Professional Nursing
NURS 504, Diseases and Drugs 1
NURS 505, Diseases and Drugs 2
NURS 506, Human Development, Interaction, and Learning Across the Lifespan
NURS 516C, Health Assessment and Nursing Fundamentals Clinical
NURS 517C, Clinical Integration
NURS 601, Function and Well-being of Older Adults
One course in statistics*

Junior Year
NURS 611, Care of the Adult with Acute Illness 1
NURS 611C, Care of the Adult with Acute Illness 1 Clinical
NURS 612, Care of the Adult with Acute Illness 2
NURS 612C, Care of the Adult with Acute Illness 2 Clinical
NURS 616, Living with Mental Illness
NURS 616C, Living with Mental Illness Clinical
NURS 621, Maternal and Newborn Nursing
NURS 621C, Maternal and Newborn Nursing Clinical
NURS 627W, Clinical Judgment in Nursing
NURS 641, Translating Research for Practice
Discovery/Elective 2 courses

Senior Year
NURS 702, Child Health Nursing
NURS 702C, Child Health in the Community Clinical
NURS 704, Public Health Nursing
NURS 704P, Public Health Nursing Project
NURS 705, Contemporary Leadership within Health Care Systems
NURS 711, Clinical Judgment in Complex Illness
NURS 721, Integrating Professional Nursing Practice
NURS 721C, Integrating Professional Nursing Practice Clinical
Discovery/Elective 1 course

*HHS 540, PSYC 402, SOC 502, MATH 439