Nursing, B.S.

Apply your passion for helping others.

Being a nurse is one of the most impactful careers you can choose. You can go anywhere in the world and change lives, but it all starts at our renowned nursing program at LR

Started in 1960, the nursing program at LR is one of the oldest in the state and the first fully accredited program at a faith-based college or university. It is ranked as one of the best programs in North Carolina and is highly regarded throughout the country with more than 98 percent of students passing the national licensure exam for the past two years.

Typically, most LR nursing students have already been offered and accepted full-time positions prior to graduating.

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Take the next step toward completing your Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at Lenoir-Rhyne University.

The School of Nursing provides baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs grounded in Christian faith and liberal arts. We educate nursing leaders who influence the quality of health care through the promotion of health and the management of illness in a global society.

The faculty strives to develop specific cognitive, affective, psychomotor and technological skills in students to enable you to work in collaboration with other members of the health care team and improve the quality of health care through the use of information technology, clinical judgment and research.

Nursing faculty believe that the development of nurse leaders is best accomplished within the context of a Christian caring perspective.

Degree Pathways

Nursing students have the opportunity to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree through these pathways.

Nursing program graduates are prepared to pursue graduate study in nursing and to continue education in emerging nursing fields. By graduating with your Bachelor of Science in Nursing from LR, you will be eligible for alumni tuition discounts for the Doctor of Nursing Practice program.

Pre-Licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing
In the pre-licensure route, you can earn your Bachelor of Science in Nursing through completing the traditional four-year curriculum at Lenoir-Rhyne University. Students are also admitted into this program with transfer credit from other colleges or universities.

Lenoir-Rhyne nursing students benefit from both the applied sciences and a core curriculum based in the liberal arts. Students apply to the School of Nursing in the spring of their sophomore year. Once accepted, students begin the program in the fall of the junior year. Upon graduation, nurses are prepared to take the national licensure exam (NCLEX®) and are ready to enter the nursing profession and provide direct patient care.

Through our Bear Bound program, students, including early college/middle college high school students, can now apply for direct entry into the nursing program if they have completed an Associate in Arts (AA) or Associate in Science (AS) and satisfied the School of Nursing admission criteria.

This means that if a student graduates with an AA or AS in May and satisfies the School of Nursing admission criteria, the student can immediately begin NUR 231 and NUR 235 as summer courses, keeping the student on track to graduate within two years.

In addition to earning an AA or AS, students need to be aware of the following nursing admission criteria:
- CNA I certified or on track to earn certification before the start of fall classes
- TEAS test score of 65 or above (students may also take the test during the summer but must earn a 65 or above to advance)
- Minimum cumulative GPA and nursing GPA of 2.9 or above
  - Courses factored into Nursing GPA are Anatomy & Physiology I (BIO 165 or BIO 168), Anatomy & Physiology II (BIO 166 or BIO 169), Microbiology (BIO 275), either Organic Chemistry or General Chemistry (CHM 130 or CHM 131 or CHM 151), Introduction to Statistics or Applied Statistics (MAT 152 or MAT 252), Nutrition (BIO 155), General Psychology (PSY 150), Developmental Psychology (PSY 241), Introduction to Sociology (SOC 210), Introduction to Professional Nursing (NUR 231 - LR), Health Assessment (NUR 235 - LR).
- Successful completion (C or better and repeated no more than 1 lab science course) of Anatomy & Physiology I (BIO 165 or BIO 168), Anatomy & Physiology II (BIO 166 or BIO 169), Microbiology (BIO 275), either Organic Chemistry or General Chemistry (CHM 130 or CHM 131 or CHM 151), Introduction to Statistics or Applied Statistics, Nutrition, General Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Introduction To Sociology, Introduction to Professional Nursing (NUR 231 - LR), Health Assessment (NUR 235 - LR).
- Successful completion (C or better) of Introduction to Statistics (MAT 152) or Applied Statistics (MAT 252), Nutrition (BIO 155), General Psychology (PSY 150), Developmental Psychology (PSY 241), and Introduction To Sociology (SOC 210).
Course codes listed above are from the North Carolina Community College system.
RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing

In this route, you can earn your Bachelor of Science in Nursing through the pre-licensure path. If you’ve already earned an associate degree in nursing, you can take this program and work as a nurse, while completing your bachelor’s degree in three or four semesters.
RIBN (Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate prepared Nurses)

RIBN is a dual enrollment program where you have the opportunity to complete coursework at both Lenoir-Rhyne University and a number of area community colleges. You take a pre-approved list of courses at community college to earn your Associate Degree in Nursing before transferring fully to LR to complete your Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Lenoir-Rhyne has prepared me for a job in nursing through a strong health science foundation and diverse clinical experiences throughout my time in the nursing program.

Berina Coffey '18, Nursing

Learning Outside the Classroom

Qualified nursing students may become members of Mu Alpha, Lenoir-Rhyne’s local chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International, Honor Society of Nursing.

Sigma Theta Tau International provides leadership and scholarship in practice, education and research to enhance the health of all people. The honor society supports the learning and professional development of its members, who strive to improve nursing care worldwide.

You also have the opportunity to participate in regular student community service initiatives such as fundraising activities for campus-wide events, Foothills Homeless Veteran Stand Down and community health promotion projects.

Career Opportunities

LR’s nursing program prepares you for a wide variety of nursing-related positions across multiple specialty areas, such as: obstetrics, gynecology, labor/delivery, newborn/neonatal intensive care, pediatrics, medical/surgical/operating room services, intensive/critical care, oncology/palliative care, home health/public health, geriatric care and psychiatric care.