Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing Program Overview

Degree Conferred

The Undergraduate Nursing Program confers a Bachelor of Science.  The Major is Nursing. This Program admits students who are not currently registered nurses (i.e., pre-licensure students).

There are two application cycles a year for entrance into the School of Nursing Undergraduate (pre-licensure) Program. Only 60 students are accepted per application cycle.

The four year Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing consists of a three semesters of pre-requisite courses (open to any student admitted to Boise State) and a five semester professional component (sophomore, junior and senior years).

Nursing courses in the program of study are sequential and need to be taken each of the Program’s five semesters in the order they are listed.

Students are strongly recommended to seek out advising through the College of Health Sciences Student Services and Academic Advising office (SSAA) to plan an appropriate course of study for the additional non-nursing courses needed for graduation with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing.

Program History

In 1955, while Boise State University was still known as Boise Junior College, the first Nursing Program was established as a three-year program that resulted in an Associate of Science (AS) Degree. The Program changed to a two-year program in 1957 and was endorsed by the National League for Nursing (NLN).  Due to rapidly expanding student enrollment, Boise Junior College became Boise State College in 1965, and finally Boise State University in 1974.  The Nursing Program grew rapidly as well, becoming fully accredited by the NLNAC in 1971 and becoming its own separate University Department within the College of Health Sciences and with a student enrollment of 191 by 1973. Grant funding provided the initiation of a RN completion program for a Bachelors of Science (BS) Degree in 1975 which grew over time and paved the way to start a full-time BS Undergraduate Program in 1987.  The strength of the Undergraduate Program fostered the addition of a Master of Science Program in 2007, as the AS program was amicably transitioned to a local community college.  By 2009, Boise State University became the largest institution of higher education in Idaho and Nursing grew to become its own School of Nursing within the College of Health Sciences. The School continues to build upon all of the advancements since 1955 and is currently providing three graduate programs.

In 2010, the School of Nursing moved into the Norco Nursing Building complete with a 12-bed practice lab and state-of-the-art simulation equipment. The Simulation Center includes an interactive six-bed suite with high-fidelity manikins, debriefing rooms, and a digital video/audio data capture system that provides easy retrieval of indexed videos for debriefing. The Simulation Center gives undergraduate learners the opportunity to practice skills, decision making, and the application of critical thinking in designed learning activities in a safe, controlled environment. The Simulation Center was awarded accreditation by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare’s Council for Accreditation of Healthcare Simulation Programs in 2013 in the area of Teaching and Education; it is the first simulation center west of St. Louis, Mo. not affiliated with a major medical institution, to become accredited.

The School of Nursing’s Bachelor of Science Program received initial NLNAC accreditation in 1980 and has maintained continuous accreditation of all tracks since that time, with the most recent re-accreditation review in 2020.  The School of Nursing is currently accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).