Located in Salt Lake City, the University of Utah is home to more than 21,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The public school's College of Nursing grants a specialized accelerated bachelor's degree in nursing for students who already have a bachelor's degree in another field. An online degree-completion program is also offered for registered nurses who are licensed to work in the field but only hold associate degrees. Before beginning the traditional four-year degree program, students must complete classes in biology, chemistry, statistics, mathematics and nutrition. Clinical rotations for the program are held throughout the Salt Lake City area.
The University of Utah
201 Presidents Circle
Salt Lake City, UT 84112
801-581-7200
utah.edu
The United Methodist Church founded Dillard University in 1869. The college's urban campus in New Orleans, Louisiana, is home to approximately 850 students. The school's college of nursing boasts a nearly 100 percent passing rate on the state's registered nurse licensing exam. In addition to its traditional bachelor's of nursing program, Dillard has a special baccalaureate course of study for individuals who already are licensed practical nurses, as well as a degree-completion program for registered nurses with associate degrees. All students of the university must complete 120 hours of community service or volunteer work to graduate from the school.
Dillard University
2601 Gentilly Boulevard
New Orleans, LA 70122
800-216-6637
dillard.edu
With nearly 40,000 undergraduate students, Pennsylvania State University at University Park is Pennsylvania's largest university. In 2010, U.S. News and World Report awarded the school the forty-seventh-place ranking among all national universities. The public college offers entry-level associate and bachelor's degrees in nursing. A second bachelor's program is also available for students who enter the school already holding an associate degree in the field and a registered nursing license. Students in the traditional bachelor's program complete clinical work not only in hospitals but also in physicians' offices, outpatient clinics and community health care agencies.
Pennsylvania State University at University Park
201 Old Main
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-5471
psu.edu
Situated in Chicago, St. Xavier University is a Roman Catholic college with more than 3,100 undergraduate students. The college opened its School of Nursing in 1935 and grants traditional, degree-completion and licensed practical nursing (LPN) baccalaureate degree programs in the field. All three programs are flexible, allowing students to enroll full or part time. Students also participate in small mentoring classes that focus on topics like career and self-development. Among the many majors at the university, nursing is one of Saint Xavier's most highly rated and popular, reports the 2009 Barron's Profiles of American Colleges.
Saint Xavier University
3700 West 103rd Street
Chicago, IL 60655
773-298-3000
sxu.edu