Nursing Major (B.S.N.)

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

Program Overview
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program prepares students for professional practice as Registered Nurses who deliver safe, evidence-based, and relationship-centered care across diverse settings. Faculty serve as mentors and partners in learning, fostering a supportive, scholarly environment where students develop clinical judgment, professional identity, and reflective practice. The program emphasizes cultural humility and high standards of quality and safety to prepare graduates for the complexities of modern healthcare.

Curriculum & Learning Experience
Grounded in the biological and social sciences and the humanities, the curriculum develops strong critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and person-centered communication skills. Students progress through a carefully sequenced plan of study aligned with the AACN Essentials, including population health, health equity, leadership, informatics, and interprofessional collaboration. Throughout the program, students gain experience with electronic health records, clinical decision support tools, and emerging digital health technologies to enhance care delivery and outcomes.

Clinical Education, Simulation, and Partnerships
Clinical learning is enhanced through a state-of-the-art simulation center using high-fidelity scenarios, skills practice, and guided debriefing to strengthen clinical judgment, communication, and confidence. Simulation is integrated across the curriculum to support equitable, evidence-based care.
Students complete diverse clinical placements in acute care, community and public health, primary care, mental health, and long-term care settings. Partnerships with regional health systems and community organizations provide authentic experiences that emphasize collaboration, professionalism, and advocacy.

Senior Capstone: Transition to Practice
In the senior year, students complete a precepted transition-to-practice capstone. Working with an experienced Registered Nurse, students integrate program competencies, manage care priorities, and refine leadership, communication, and time-management skills to support a confident transition into entry-level practice.

Professional Readiness & Outcomes
Graduates are prepared to deliver high-quality, person-centered care; collaborate with interprofessional teams; promote population health; and use data and technology to improve outcomes. Upon completion of program requirements, graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN® licensure examination (in accordance with state regulations) and are well prepared for professional practice or graduate study.

Honors in Major (Optional)
Eligible students may pursue Honors in Major, offering opportunities for advanced scholarship, mentorship, leadership development, and engagement in evidence-based or quality improvement projects. (See the Requirements tab for details.)

Degree Requirements

All Major, Option and Elective Requirements as indicated.
*Major GPA requirements as indicated.

Major Requirements

Candidates for the nursing degree must satisfy all of the University Discovery Program requirements in addition to satisfying major requirements.

• Discovery courses that are required for the major require a minimum grade of C or better in the major. 
• Most of the prerequisite courses also meet Discovery requirements.
• Major courses require a minimum grade of C or better.
• A cumulative grade-point average of 2.5 must be maintained throughout the program.

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Discovery courses that are required for the major require a grade of C or better in the major. 

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Clinical hours are completed through the following required courses: NURS 534, NURS 630, NURS 631, NURS 632, NURS 633, NURS 730, NURS 733, and NURS 734.

Honors-in-Major Program

The Honors-in-Major Program is offered to interested junior nursing students who achieve 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 and/or junior nursing students who are members of the University Honors Program.  A total of 18 credits taken at the honors level is required for the Honors-in-Major Program.  Orientation to the Honors-in-Major Program is held at the beginning of the junior nursing year.  Students must successfully complete with a grade of B or better 8 additional credits of honors coursework drawn from the following courses:

Honors-in-major students must also successfully complete with a grade of B or better:

These self-directed learning experiences, related to the student's interests, are designed to help students acquire advanced knowledge and skills to undertake inquiry or scholarly projects. Students must submit a project description to a faculty mentor at the beginning of the senior year. Students have the option to complete a student research project, which must undergo University IRB proposal approval, or a student Quality Improvement project, which must undergo School of Nursing Quality Improvement Committee proposal review. All students completing Honors-in-Major will complete a written thesis or capstone to be submitted for inclusion in the UNH Scholars’ Repository and present at the annual UNH Undergraduate Research Conference. 

Sample Degree Plan

This sample degree plan serves as a general guide; students collaborate with their academic advisor to develop a personalized degree plan to meet their academic goals and program requirements.

4-Year BSN - Group A Students

4-Year BSN - Group B Students

Non-Nursing Associate Degree to BSN Students

Program Learning Outcomes

• Apply knowledge from liberal arts and sciences to deliver safe, competent, and compassionate care to diverse patients, families, and communities.
• Provide holistic, individualized, and evidence-based person and family centered care across the lifespan while advocating for social justice and equity in health care accessibility and quality.
• Engage in collaborative activities with community partners to advocate for equity and justice to improve health-related social needs and enhance population health.
• Utilize scholarly inquiry to inform best practices and compile evidence to address health-related problems across the healthcare system.
• Apply quality improvement science, to identify safety concerns and engage in risk mitigation strategies to improve patient care outcomes.
• Collaborate within multidisciplinary care teams, through effective communication and mutual respect, that enhances the quality of healthcare services and their delivery.
• Identify resources, across transitions of care in ever-changing healthcare systems, applying knowledge of cost-effectiveness and health policies to deliver equitable care.
• Utilize healthcare technologies and informatics processes to inform the provision of safe and effective care and support meaningful changes in nursing practice.
• Demonstrate a professional nursing identity marked by integrity, curiosity, civility, inclusion, and ethical practice.
• Participate in self-reflection to foster personal resilience and well-being and embrace lifelong learning to develop nursing expertise.

Nursing (B.S.N.)

Location/Delivery: School of Nursing, Durham Campus [In-Person Program]

This program is designed to prepare graduates for professional licensure/certification as follows:

Registered Nurse

National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses

The University of New Hampshire has determined this program meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification in:¹
Alaska, American Samoa, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Additional information and related resources are available on the Office of the Registrar's website.

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State specific post-education requirements are subject to change. Students are responsible for confirming these requirements in their state of residence and intended practice.