Department of Nursing

West Chester University

222 Sturzebecker Health Sciences Center
West Chester, PA 19383
610-436-2219

Graduates of the Program - What they’re doing now

Congratulations to Erin Lopes (Cohort 3) for her continued dedication to the autism community

Janelle Mirabeau and Rita Stella
Janelle Mirabeau & Rita Stella

Congratulations Rory Tedrick! A few weeks ago he received the Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary's Award for Nursing Excellence for both the Wilmington VA Medical Center and the entire VISN4 region which encompasses all VA facilities in Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Advance 2 BSN Accelerated Second Degree Program

The Advance-2-BSN program is for the student with a previously earned baccalaureate degree to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Upon successful completion of the program graduates are then be eligible to take the NCLEX-RN exam (National Council on Licensure Examination for the RN) for licensure as a Registered Nurse. This intensive 18-month program builds upon the student's previous education.

You must have an earned bachelors degree in another discipline to apply to this program. All Advance 2 BSN program prerequisite courses must be completed before starting the program.

The undergraduate curriculum of West Chester University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) through 2019.

Advance 2 BSN Information Session
A 17-minute narrated video overview of the admission process
Cohort 10 Information Guide Video (101MB wmv video file)
[Mac users may need to install the Flip4Mac plugin]

Cohort 10 Advance-2-BSN Information Guide

Click the link above for information on how to apply to Cohort 10.
Applications for Cohort 10 will open in September 2013.

Advance-2-BSN Program Information

A full-time 18-month accelerated second-degree program for those with a previously earned bachelor's degree who would like to begin a nursing career.
Graduates earn a BSN and are eligible to take the national NCLEX-RN registered nurse licensure exam.
One cohort of about 40 students is accepted each year.
Each cohort begins at the end of May and graduates in December of the next year.
Follows the same curriculum as the traditional BSN program but at an accelerated pace.
Costs are the same tuition and fees as the traditional BSN program. Billing is by semester.
Classes are held weekdays in the summer semesters. In the fall and spring semesters classes are held weeknights with clinicals on weekends.

Information and Application Guide

Cohort 10- Advance 2 BSN Information & Application Guide:
Click to view or download. Includes the procedure for applying and the checklist for eligibility into Cohort 10, FAQ of Admissions, Costs and Financial Aid, and Curriculum Progression, a prerequisite course list, application eligibility checklist, course sequence chart, a self-check of your transcripts and course descriptions (22-page downloadable PDF, latest document dated 23-May-2013)

Application Facts

No applications are being accepted until September 2013.
This web page will announce when applications are being accepted.
Application window for Cohort 10 will run from September to November 2013.
Cohort 10 runs from May 2014 to December 2015.
Applications, transcripts, and TEAS V scores are submitted to WCU Admissions.
The most qualified applicants are invited to an on-campus group interview in November and December.
The WCU Nursing Admissions Committee only reviews applications that are complete with all required documentation.
Eligibility to apply includes a bachelor's degree, minimum 2.75 GPA, TEAS V >70, and more. See the Application Guide for details.
Criteria for admission acceptance are: Higher Education GPA, Composite Science GPA, TEAS V score, Number of prerequisite courses completed at time of application, and Interview performance.
All previous applicants must reapply. Only updated transcripts will need to be submitted with the application.

The West Chester Advantage

WCU is a Klipinger’s “Best Buy”.
All nursing courses are taught by faculty, not graduate assistants.
Students are taught by clinical experts in their area of specialization.
Classes are condensed into one evening per weekday plus clinical on weekends (during fall and spring semesters) for maximum flexibility.
Students learn skills in a state-of-the-art simulation laboratory.
Students are accepted into "cohorts" fostering group learning and support.
A faculty advisor is assigned to each student upon admission.
Payment is by the semester, not a lump sum up front like other programs.
WCU NCLEX-RN nursing board first-time passing rate has ranged from 90 to 100% for the last 7 cohort
As a recent graduate stated: "It was a tough program, but I think we all learned a lot...I am happy to say I...got my dream position as a NICU RN"