Undergraduate Bulletin > Academic Units > School of Nursing

School of Nursing

The School of Nursing offers an undergraduate program leading to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. The first two years of study are in general education, basic sciences, humanities, and basic nursing. The majority of work in the junior and senior years is in nursing.

The School of Nursing offers a Master of Science in Nursing degree to prepare persons for a leadership role in nursing education, administration, and clinical practice. This program has a strong research emphasis and is founded on specialization in clinical practice. The School, along with the Bryan School of Business and Economics, offers the s the M.S.N./M.B.A. The School of Nursing offers the Ph.D. in Nursing to prepare nurses as scientists in academia and industry.

Accreditation

The pre-licensure program offered by the School of Nursing is approved by the North Carolina Board of Nursing. The B.S.N. program is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC). For information, contact the NLNAC at 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 500, Atlanta, Georgia 30326, or on the Web at www.nlnac.org.

The B.S.N. program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036-1120, 202/887-6791.

Philosophy

The philosophy of the faculty at the School of Nursing is a statement of the beliefs and values they hold about the discipline and profession of nursing, as well as nursing education. The conceptual framework and the goals of the undergraduate and graduate programs are built upon this philosophy.Nursing is both a practice discipline and a profession. Comprising the discipline is a unique body of knowledge that is integral to nursing practice, nursing education, and nursing administration. The body of knowledge is continuously developed and refined as an outcome of scientific, historical, philosophical, and ethical inquiry. Nursing knowledge is generated about health experiences and behaviors of persons across the life span. Testing and validation of interventions used in nursing practice generates evidence to support best practices. The metaparadigm concepts of person, environment, health, and nursing form the foundation upon which inquiry and the profession are based.

Nurses use knowledge developed by the discipline to promote optimal health in people and to achieve professional goals. Nursing is an essential component of the health care delivery system and includes the promotion of wellness, the detection of alterations in health, and the provision of care for those with illness, disease, or dysfunctions. Professional nursing is characterized by inquiry, caring, and practice. Nurses are professionally, ethically, and legally accountable for the care they provide, and their practice includes independent and interdependent functions.

Professional nursing education is built upon a foundation of a broad general education and professional nursing curriculum that provides opportunities for learners to attain knowledge and competencies required to practice nursing. Mature learners identify their own learning needs and assume responsibility for continued learning. Effective teachers establish an inviting learner-centered environment that promotes collaboration among themselves and their learners for achievement of educational goals. Baccalaureate education prepares nurses to practice as generalists, while specialty education at the master’s level prepares advanced practice registered nurses, administrators, and educators. At the doctoral level, nurses are prepared as scientists to practice in academia and industry.

Please see complete details on School of Nursing admission, policies, requirements, programs, and coursess, programs, and courses.