Registered Nurses are among the Top 20 Best Jobs according to U.S. News and World Report, with Nurse Practitioners ranking #2. By completing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), students are eligible to take the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensing Examination- RN (NCLEX-RN) and become a Registered Nurse (RN). As a result of an increased incidence of chronic diseases and a growing aging population, there is currently a severe nursing workforce shortage in Connecticut and beyond. An undergraduate degree in nursing prepares students to practice as RNs in many different healthcare settings, such as hospitals, outpatient clinics, physician's offices, nursing homes and home health care services, to help address the workforce needs.
Eastern's cohort-based Nursing program is dedicated to educating the future leaders of the nursing profession. Combining the core values of the liberal arts with innovative clinical experiences, students will obtain the necessary skills to provide exceptional healthcare to our community. Our newly renovated space in Goddard Hall provides facilities for classroom and experiential learning in a collaborative space with students and faculty. In partnership with Hartford Healthcare (HHC), Eastern students benefit from experienced clinical faculty, a state-of-the-art clinical simulation lab at Windham Hospital and clinical rotations at diverse Hartford Healthcare sites.
High school graduates are admitted directly into this 4-year program. After completion they will have a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing and will be eligible to take the NCLEX-RN exam for licensure.
Completion of all liberal arts education requirements, and requirements in nursing and foundational sciences specified in the program outlined below, to total a minimum of 120 semester hours. All courses identified in the following eight-semester sequence are requirements in this major. Completion of the program within four academic years requires that student completes departmental pre-requisites in the semesters shown. The remaining credits to meet the liberal arts education requirements and additional free electives for a minimum of 120 credits, may be scheduled at the student’s discretion with approval of the departmental program advisor.
A TOEFL or IELTS exam is required if applicants received high school education outside of the United States of America. Applicants graduated from high school education or earned a bachelor’s or master’s degree from an accredited institution in the following countries are waived from this requirement: Australia, Canada (except Quebec Province), New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom and the United States.
Please have an official copy of your TOEFL or IELTS scores sent to Admission Office, Eastern Connecticut State University, 83 Windham Street, Willimantic, CT 06226, U.S.A. The TOEFL or IELTS exam must be taken within 2 years of the date of application. The score must be submitted before the application.
Before clinical experience placement, Nursing students shall meet certain requirements, including but not limited to, American Heart Association BLS or National EMT certification, health and immunization requirements, a criminal background check, and a drug test by certain published deadlines. Students are responsible for the costs for these requirements.
The program cannot guarantee that a student will be accepted by any required clinical placement site if the student cannot meet the compliance requirements. Use of drugs, prescribed or otherwise, may create a risk of being denied a clinical placement. This includes, but is not limited to, prescribed medical marijuana or opiates. If you have concerns about prescribed medications, please reach out to your healthcare provider. The results of a criminal background check or drug screening may prevent a student from completing a clinical placement. The process of obtaining a nursing license in Connecticut and many other states may involve consideration of an applicant’s criminal history or other conduct (see Connecticut license application). Criminal convictions and/or a record of certain other conduct may prevent a nursing student/graduate from being licensed and may preclude the nursing graduate from obtaining gainful employment as a nurse. Applicants to Eastern Nursing program are encouraged to determine, prior to matriculation, the licensure requirements in the state(s) in which they intend to practice.
