Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) — Traditional Four-Year
Earn your BSN at Tennessee Tech in four years, with five semesters of clinical placements across Middle and East Tennessee and a first-time NCLEX pass rate better than 95%.
At a Glance
Credential: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Length: 4 years, 120 credit hours, including 5 clinical semesters
Format: On campus, with clinical placements every week once you reach clinicals
Clinical admission: Twice a year, for a Fall or Spring start
Leads to: Eligibility for the NCLEX-RN licensure exam
How the Program Works
Your first three semesters build the foundation: general education, the science sequence, and pre-nursing coursework.
Clinical nursing runs five semesters. Admission to it is competitive and separate from your admission to the university, and most students apply toward the end of their freshman year. From then on you are in clinical placements every week, at sites throughout Middle and East Tennessee, in mental health, medical/surgical nursing, pediatrics, and other focus areas.
When you graduate you are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN and become a registered nurse. Tennessee Tech BSN graduates pass the NCLEX-RN on the first attempt at a rate better than 95%.
Direct Flight - Guaranteed Admission
If you meet Tennessee Tech's Presidential Scholarship requirements — a 3.4 high school GPA and a 23 ACT composite and enrollment as a new freshman — you are guaranteed admission to the clinical nursing program before your freshman year begins. No separate clinical application, and no waiting a year to find out.
Direct Flight students still complete the same prerequisite coursework and the same post-admission health and background requirements as everyone else. What you skip is the competitive application.
See our Direct Flight page for more information
Applying To the Clinical Program
Applications for a Fall clinical start are open December 1 to February 1. Applications for a Spring start are open June 1 to August 1. All applications are reviewed together after the window closes, so applying early gives no advantage — but you must complete the HESI A2 entrance exam before you submit, because your score report is part of the application.
What You Need for Your Application to be Considered
- ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020, BIOL 2010, and one additional science — a C or better in each
- Around 30 total credit hours in your program of study
- A 3.0 GPA across all college credit you have earned
- A HESI A2 composite score of 70 or above
- A one- to two-page essay on your interest in a healthcare career
- Optional, and helpful: reference letters, a résumé, or certifications such as CNA, EMT, or LPN
After Admission, Before Clinicals
Before you can enroll in clinical courses you will complete a background check through an approved university vendor, submit health records and required immunizations, and complete a drug screening. We will tell you exactly what is needed and when.
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SCHEDULE A VISITProfessional Licensure Disclosure
The Whitson-Hester School of Nursing cannot guarantee licensure eligibility outside the state of Tennessee. Applicants are encouraged to contact the applicable licensure board(s) in their state of residence or in the state where they intend to obtain a license before beginning an academic program that results in licensure and prior to beginning any internship/practicum. For more information see Tennessee Tech’s Professional Licensure Disclosure web page or the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.