The BSN program at the UK College of Nursing graduates professionals who are ready to meet the ever-changing challenges of today’s health care needs. Students graduate with a solid foundation of nursing knowledge obtained through a combination of classroom, laboratory, and supervised clinical setting instruction. The College of Nursing fosters a diverse and inclusive learning environment for all students while promoting health and health care services in our local and global communities.
Our B.S.N. program is carefully designed with our students’ best interests in mind. Our nurses enter the field as adaptable leaders in a variety of settings, including:
Career opportunities in Nursing
“The College of Nursing’s faculty have taught me how a nursing research team works, what goes into writing grant proposals, how to collect data in a clinical setting, what it’s like to be a part of an interprofessional collaboration – all of it. I see what they are doing, and I want to do the same.”
A 2015 BSN graduate, who was selected for a prestigious externship at the Mayo Clinic.
Learning may take place in the classroom, a laboratory or a supervised clinical setting where you receive hands-on learning experiences from top nurse leaders in the College. Undergraduate nursing students have the option to enroll as nursing practice interns, nursing research interns or nursing skills lab interns to enrich their understanding of a topic of interest to them.
To obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, students must satisfy the University requirements for graduation, including the UK Core requirements, and obtain a 2.0 grade-point average in nursing in the courses listed below. A grade of C or better must be attained in all courses required in the nursing curriculum in order to proceed to the next clinical course or to graduate. A minimum of 120 credit hours is required for graduation.
All majors at the University of Kentucky require students to complete a set of Core classes in the following categories: arts and creativity; humanities; social sciences; natural, physical and mathematical sciences; composition and communication I (CIS/WRD 110); composition and communication II (CIS/WRD 111); quantitative foundations; statistical inferential reasoning (STA 210 or BST 330); community, culture and citizenship in the USA; and global dynamics. Students must check with their academic advisors regarding any requirements already fulfilled from high school courses.
Three courses, a total of 11 hours, are required to fulfill the graduation composition and communication requirement (GCCR) including:
Undergraduate nursing students have the opportunity for exceptional clinical experiences in community health care settings, such as Albert B. Chandler Hospital, Kentucky Children’s Hospital, Baptist Health Lexington and many others.
Though the Kentucky Board of Nursing limits clinical group size to no more than 10 students per instructor, UK caps most clinical groups at eight students to ensure high-quality learning experiences.
Internships
Some of the basic tools and experiences needed to understand and apply evidence-based practice or to become a successful nurse researcher may be developed early in a nursing student’s career. At UK, nursing students can begin building these skills through internships while they are undergraduates.
There are three types of internship opportunities in the College of Nursing:
Nursing Practice Interns
Nursing Research Interns
Nursing Skills Lab Interns
The College of Nursing offers several ways for students to get involved beyond the classroom including:
Sigma Theta Tau – Delta Psi Chapter
This international honor society is devoted to the improvement of global health and has been an educational force in the College of Nursing by contributing to the preparation of nurse leaders.
Undergraduate Nursing Activities and Advisory Council (UNAAC)
UNAAC strives to be a liaison between the College’s dean and students. The council fosters communication so that students may voice their opinions regarding College procedures, activities and evaluation. Other functions of UNAAC consist of the implementation of undergraduate student activities, promoting resources and providing support to facilitate the successful progress of students.
Student Ambassadors
Student Ambassadors for the College of Nursing strive to enhance the image of professional nursing in Kentucky. They are essentially the face of the College, as they assist in information sessions, give tours and provide an idea to prospective students of what it’s really like to be a nursing student here at UK.
Kentucky Association of Nursing Students
The Kentucky Association of Nursing Students is a pre-professional organization for pre-nursing and nursing students enrolled in Kentucky accredited diploma, associate and baccalaureate degree programs.
Interprofessional Healthcare Residental College
The IHRC is a high-impact, living-learning program (LLP) designed to meet the needs of undergraduate students interested in pursuing a career in healthcare. Participants live together in Woodland Glen V located on the newly-renovated south side of campus where they learn together via connected coursework and participate in an array of co-curricular enrichment activities. This competitive LLP is open to any major and is part of the UK Housing application.
The College of Nursing requires all students to complete 25 hours of premajor requirements as follows:
Students in the College of Nursing must complete 80 hours of major requirements as follows:
Semester I
Semester II
Semester III
Semester IV
Semester V
Semester VI
There are countless ways to “see blue.” on campus, but the best way to maximize your journey at the University of Kentucky is by engaging in an Education Abroad opportunity.
This will allow you to gain a global perspective and enhance future employability. As you take the first step towards investing in your future, we encourage you to take advantage of all the opportunities UK has to offer. Take a look at some of the options UK Education Abroad & Exchanges office suggests to complement your major! #SeeBlueAbroad
View Major Advising Page
College of Nursing
315 College of Nursing Building
Lexington, KY 40536-0232
(859) 323-5108
