Preparing for nursing school while at Oregon State

Does Oregon State University have a nursing program?

OSU does not have a nursing program, but we offer the prerequisite courses you need to apply to nursing schools in Oregon and beyond.

Can I major in pre-nursing at OSU?

There is no pre-nursing major at OSU. Instead, students are encouraged to choose a major they're genuinely interested in and layer in the prerequisite courses required for nursing school.

Because admissions are highly competitive, it's important to have a major you'll be happy pursuing if you're not accepted on the first or second try. Several College of Health and College of Liberal Arts majors incorporate many nursing prerequisites:

Do I need to take OSU bacc core courses if I want to go to nursing school?

Many nursing school prerequisites also fulfill OSU bacc core categories, so you can often meet both requirements simultaneously.

• Planning to finish your degree at OSU first? Choose courses that satisfy both the pre-nursing requirements and the Bacc Core.
• Planning to transfer to nursing school after two or three years? You don't need to prioritize additional bacc core courses, though many prerequisites will naturally fulfill some categories.
• Planning to complete your degree at another institution? You'll need to meet that school's general education requirements, not OSU's.

If I complete my undergrad degree at OSU, can I apply to both direct-entry MSN and ABSN programs?

Yes. Both accelerated BSN (ABSN) and direct-entry MSN programs are designed for students who hold a bachelor's degree in any major other than nursing — making an OSU degree in public health, kinesiology, nutrition or another field a viable path to advanced nursing programs.

What are the BSN programs in Oregon?

Visit the BSN program pages to learn more about application requirements, deadlines and program details.

Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) offers programs at its Portland campus as well as its partner universities in the Oregon Consortium for Nursing Education (OCNE) around the state (see below).

• Eastern Oregon University (La Grande)
• Western Oregon University (Monmouth)
• Southern Oregon University (Ashland)
• Oregon Institute of Technology (Klamath Falls)

Several community colleges in Oregon are partners in the Oregon Consortium for Nursing Education (OCNE) and in addition to the ADN offer the OHSU bachelor’s degree on their campus with similar prerequisite and entry requirements.

• Clackamas Community College (Oregon City)
• Mt. Hood Community College (Gresham)
• Lane Community College (Eugene)
• Southwestern Oregon Community College (Coos Bay)
• Rogue Community College (Grants Pass)
• Umpqua Community College (Roseburg)
• Portland Community College (Portland)
• Blue Mountain Community College (Pendleton)

There are three private nursing schools in Oregon, all in the Portland area:

• George Fox University
• Linfield University
• University of Portland

What are my options if I don’t get into nursing school?

Nursing school admissions are competitive, and even strong applicants may not be accepted on the first try. Having a backup plan matters.

For most pre-nursing students, that means completing a bachelor's degree at OSU — which gives you time to raise your GPA, gain more work or volunteer experience and build a stronger application for your next attempt. The majors listed above are good options to consider.

Do out-of-state BSN programs accept Oregon residents?

Some do, some don't. Many public universities in the UC and California State University systems don't accept out-of-state applicants. Private nursing schools typically give out-of-state students equal consideration.

OSU students have been accepted to nursing programs at Johns Hopkins University, Hawaii Pacific University and Nevada State College, among others. The prerequisites for Oregon nursing schools will meet most out-of-state requirements, but always verify the specific requirements for any program you're applying to.