So you want to become a nurse? Whether you’re a beginning student in nursing or a nurse returning to school, the Nursing Program at Delaware State University has a course of study to meet your needs.

The program is approved by the Delaware Board of Nursing (820 Silver Lake Road, Dover, DE 19904, 302-744-4500) and is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326, 404-975-5000, www.nlnac.org).

This accredited baccalaureate degree nursing program is grounded in the concept of academic excellence. Students seeking professional preparation for nursing practice are admitted to the program. Preparation for professional nursing practice demands a knowledge of the humanities, natural and social sciences and nursing theory with correlated laboratory and clinical practice.

The faculty of the Department of Nursing subscribe to the mission and core values of DSU and EdH&PP. Its mission is to provide meaningful and relevant education that emphasizes the liberal arts, scientific and professional aspects of higher education for a multicultural student population. The nursing program provides educational opportunities for students of diverse backgrounds and prepares knowledgeable, entry-level practitioners for meeting present and future health needs of individuals, families, groups and communities. The nursing program develops an educational base for graduate study and fosters professionalism.

The primary purposes of the program are (1) to prepare competent professional nurses, (2) to meet the needs of a culturally diverse student population, and (3) to develop an educational base for future specialization and/or graduate study.

The nursing curriculum is four academic years and leads to the bachelor of science degree with a major in nursing. Professional level nursing courses include both nursing theory and related laboratory and clinical study. Health agencies including hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, and other community health settings, and schools in the Delaware area provide settings for laboratory study in nursing. Practica are also provided in the simulated laboratory in the Department of Nursing.

Students who meet nursing admission criteria may be admitted to the nursing program. Nursing students are responsible for their own transportation to all clinical experiences. All nursing students are eligible to become members of the Delaware State University Student Nurses' Association. Delaware State University Nursing Honor Society invites students to be member after successful completion of the junior year of the Nursing Program with a 3.0 GPA and in the top 1/3 of the class.