Nursing - First-Year Change of Major, BS

Nursing Bachelor of Science Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Nursing prepares students for professional nursing practice in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, industry, clinics, and public health agencies. Clinical nursing experiences, guided by the Nursing faculty, include inpatient, outpatient, and community-based settings.

The Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Nursing from Clemson University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.

To comply with clinical agency contract requirements and South Carolina law, all students enrolled in nursing courses must meet specific requirements listed in the School of Nursing Student Handbook. There are a number of tracks a student may take to earn the Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Nursing. Detailed information about each of these tracks is available in separate program entries in this catalog:

• BS-Traditional Track students complete the program in four years (eight semesters).
• BS-Accelerated Track students complete the program in three and a half years (eight semesters).
• Students accepted via the First Year Change of Major Track join the BS-Accelerated Track.
• Upper-class change of major students from within Clemson and transfer students from other institutions complete the program with five semesters of nursing classes and a fall graduation.
• Accelerated Second Degree Track students are those students who have previously earned a bachelor’s degree in another discipline.
• The RNBS Completion Track is for registered nurses who have previously completed an associate’s degree in nursing.

Program Description

First-Year and Upper-Class Change of Major Students

Students are eligible to apply to change their major to nursing in their freshman and upper-class years at Clemson University. Students who successfully change their major to nursing during their first year at Clemson should expect to graduate with the BS Accelerated cohort. Students who successfully change their academic program to nursing and upper-class year should expect to take an extra semester to complete the program.

Upper-Class Transfer Students

Students who successfully transfer to the nursing program from another institution join the upper-class Change of Major cohort of students to form one nursing cohort that begins each fall semester. Accepted transfer students should expect to take an extra semester to complete the program.

Upper-Class Change of Major/Transfer students follow a parallel nursing plan of study for the freshman and sophomore years, excepting any nursing (NURS) course(s) and NUTR 2050. All NURS courses and NUTR 2050 must be completed at Clemson University. The NURS classes and NUTR 2050 must be taken in sequence as outlined on their respective curricula and may not be moved to other semesters. These tracks are only offered as full-time enrollments. 

Entrance Requirements

Change of Major Students

Students may apply to change their major to nursing two times during their studies at Clemson University. Applications are taken once a year during the month of January and are available through the School of Nursing website. The application is submitted electronically. The Nursing Faculty Committee reviews applications and determines change of major admission. Students can anticipate notification of acceptance by early March with a start date of fall semester.

Ideal candidates have completed the appropriate science and math courses aligning with the nursing curriculum. Additionally, students must have a minimum GPA of a 2.75 and be currently enrolled in Clemson University. Detailed information is available from the Academic Advising Center in Edwards Hall and http://www.clemson.edu/cbshs/departments/nursing/students/prospective-students/change-of-major.html.

Transfer Students

The School of Nursing accepts 10 transfer students from non-Clemson institutions each fall semester. Students should submit their application in early fall for admission the following fall. Students apply using the Clemson University Undergraduate Admissions transfer application and select nursing as their first choice of major. Potential transfer students should have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 and completed 30 semester hours of transferable courses. Detailed information is available from the Academic Advising Center in Edwards Hall and at: http://www.clemson.edu/cbshs/departments/nursing/students/prospective-students/transfer-students.html.

Program Requirements