Two campuses of South University in Florida, Tampa and Royal Palm Beach, have bachelor degree programs in nursing. If you hold an associate degree as a registered nurse, the bachelor of science in nursing program will take seven quarters to complete. If you do not hold a nursing degree, you must take prerequisite courses for six quarters before entering the program. You must also pass an examination issued by the National Council Licensure Examination--Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) before you can practice. The program is limited in the number of nursing students it can accept. Financial aid is available.
Located in the center of the University of Florida's medical complex in Gainesville, the University of Florida's College of Nursing offered the first nurse practitioner licensing course and the first Ph.D. program in nursing science. The bachelor of science nursing (BSN) students' clinical studies are taught at community hospitals and clinics, the state veteran's hospitals and the Shands Healthcare System. The college of nursing is a top-ranked institution that offers extensive research programs in addition to the nursing curriculum. Sixty hours of pre-professional credits are required for admission to the college of nursing. Financial aid is available.
Located in Tallahassee, Florida State University's College of Nursing requires two years or 60 semester hours of liberal arts and science credits prior to admission. Currently, a grade point average (GPA) of 3.6 is needed for acceptance. Clinical experience, labs, classroom study and research make up the curriculum leading to the state licensing exam. Scholarships, loans, grants, hospitals and healthcare facilities all offer financial aid to nursing students.
A bachelor of science in nursing degree is offered at the University of Central Florida's Orlando, Cocoa and Daytona campuses. Incoming students need a 2.0 GPA in prerequisite science courses and an overall 3.2 GPA for previous college work. The university's recently added College of Medicine allows crossover work between the two disciplines. Scholarships, grants and loans are available for financial aid.