INFORMATION FOR
The William Paterson University bachelor of science degree in nursing is available to freshmen, advanced standing, and RN to BSN candidates. Eligible students who complete the degree may sit for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for RN licensure. The school does not offer an LPN or an associate's degree for RN. The University admits qualified freshmen, transfer, second-degree, re-admit, and international students to the program for fall semesters only (licensed RNs – can be admitted in fall and spring). The admission process is highly competitive and a high GPA may enhance an individual’s opportunity for selection.
Due to the nature of the field, nursing is highly regulated and students should be aware of the many necessary protocols while in school and after graduation.
For Fall consideration, candidates must submit all materials by the Nursing Priority deadline of December 1. Applications completed after December 1 will be considered on a rolling basis until enrollment reaches capacity.
The minimum academic profile for first consideration for Freshman nursing admission is:
Applying Test Optional
Applying with SAT and/or ACT Scores
Students who apply after spaces are filled and are admissible may be placed on a waitlist depending on space availability.
Freshmen who meet University requirements for admission, but do not meet the Nursing major requirements noted above, will be accepted to the University as Undeclared. Students will have the opportunity to reapply to the school of nursing after completion of prerequisite coursework. Please note, however, that due to the competitiveness of the program, admission to the nursing major is neither implied nor guaranteed. See "Change of Major for Enrolled Students" below for details.
Fall Application Deadline: February 1st.*
* The Fall General Nursing deadline is February 1 for receipt of applications and all required supporting documents. Applications received or completed after February 1 will not be considered for admission; there are no exceptions. Students may re-apply for Fall the deadline will be February 1. Students who already hold an RN license may still apply for the BSN program through June 1.
Application, application fee, and all transcripts from every college/university that you have attended, and any other supporting documents that may be requested, must be received by February 1 to be considered for this program. NO EXCEPTIONS.
Admission into the program is highly competitive.
Nursing Prerequisites:
Permission to take nursing courses is dependent on evidence of the student’s achievement in preparatory courses and the number of available seats.
Spring Application Deadline: October 1st*
*The Spring Accelerated BSN application will be live on or before September 1. The deadline to submit an application and all required supporting documents will be October 1. Applications received or completed after October 1 will not be considered for admission; there are no exceptions. Students who miss that deadline may re-apply for the General Nursing program for the Fall or re-apply for the Accelerated BSN for the following Spring. Students must have completed a bachelor's degree by the end of December to be considered for the program.
Students enrolled in the University may apply for a change of major after completing twelve (12) credits at William Paterson. To be considered for Nursing, the student must have completed at least one of the following: BIO 1120, BIO 1130, BIO 1700, BIO 3120 or CHEM1330 at William Paterson. Students choosing to change their major are encouraged to have a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher. Upon meeting these requirements, the student needs to apply for a change of major online in WPConnect for review by the school. The deadline for change of major is February 1; students should be notified within eight ten weeks of the decision.
Students granted a change of major will not be allowed to enroll in nursing courses until they are cleared by the School of Nursing. Permission to take courses in the nursing program is dependent both upon evidence of student achievement in preparatory courses and the number of available seats. Click here for a change of major presentation.
Students will receive a credit evaluation that will list the classes that were accepted by the University/school only after acceptance. Any discussion prior to the actual evaluation being received is unofficial and nonbinding. Students will be assigned an advisor for the subsequent semester. Students are encouraged to contact the School of Nursing directly for advisement during their first semester at William Paterson University. Students not accepted to the school will not be advised by the school.
For more on the school of nursing offerings please follow this link »
For further information on nursing admissions, please e-mail Admissions.
If you are applying as a transfer student, transfer student information may be obtained by using the transfer students link on the navigation bar above.
