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Nursing (Pre-Licensure BSN)

It is an exciting time to be involved in health and medicine as nurses continue to be integral leaders and members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team. As a nursing student at UL Lafayette you will have the opportunity to impact healthcare outcomes, advocate for health policy and become leaders in the delivery of patient care.

In our undergraduate, prelicensure program you will have a rich academic experience incorporating nursing theory, clinical practice and leadership in multiple healthcare settings. The four-year baccalaureate curriculum leads to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. As a graduate, you will be eligible to apply for examination for licensure as a registered nurse.

Upon completion of all requirements of a baccalaureate degree in nursing, graduates must pass the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX-RN) and receive approval to practice as a Registered Nurse from the regulatory agency in the state in which they intend to work.

This program prepares its students for licensure or certification within the state of Louisiana. Please visit the list of licensure programs for important information if you plan to move out of state.

Learn more about:

Please click here to view the current Nursing Mission and Goals.

Why be a Nurse?

Because You Care

Nursing is an emotionally fulfilling and rewarding career with tangible benefits.

You’ll have job opportunities

Nursing is the fastest-growing occupation in the US. Nurses make up the majority of the healthcare industry, and that number’s going up, with 581,500 more nursing jobs by 2018. Why? There are a lot of reasons, including an aging population and a shrinking nursing workforce.

You'll have options.

Few professions give you as many choices of where to work, areas to specialize in, or degrees to use. The range of nursing specialties is almost as varied as the personalities of the nurses themselves, so no matter what kind of person you are, there’s a place in nursing for you.

You'll have benefits.

Recent nursing school grads enjoy some of the highest starting salaries among their peers in other industries. As you can see below, nurses in Personal Care Services are in the lead, by industry. Most of these nurses work in doctors’ offices, hospitals and outpatient facilities.

You'll have flexibility.

With 104 specialties and a number of advanced nursing degrees, it’s easy to see why most nurses change jobs throughout their careers. As a nurse, you can move laterally, to another specialty, or build on your education, and move up.