Medcenter One College of Nursing

Admission information

General admissions information Generic student requirements Licensed nurse requirements

Registered nurse requirements Print our application pdf

General admissions information

Medcenter One College of Nursing (College) endeavors to admit qualified applicants interested in pursuing a career in professional nursing. Medcenter One College of Nursing is an equal opportunity institution that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion or disability in its admission, student aid, employment practices, education programs or other related activities. Admission is selective and decisions are made on the basis of an assessment of the student's previous academic record and personal achievements, letters of recommendation, personal statement, impromtu essay, interviews and the likelihood of success in the academic program. Whenever possible, preference is given to qualified applicants who are relatives of alumni or Medcenter One employees.

An individual with a disability is considered for admission based on his/her ability to meet the cirriculum requirements. No otherwise qualified person shall be, solely by reason of a disability, excluded from participation in the program (American Disabilities Act of 1990). All students must be able to fully perform the essential functions of clinical course work (refer to Document 323A Essential Functions for Clinical Course Work in the College of Nursing).

The College reserves the right to request references from former teachers, employers and correctional officers for applicants arrested or charged with a felony. Applicants to the College who have been convicted of a felony and have spent time in a correctional institution may not be admitted to the College during the time the sentence is being served or while on parole or probation. As with all students, applicants will be considered on an individual basis.

The Medcenter One College of Nursing admits students each fall semester. Students who have met the requirements and who enroll full-time in the fall semester can expect to graduate in two years if they follow the suggested program.

Medcenter One College of Nursing has an application deadline of November 7. After November 7, applications will be considered as they are received. Students must realize the College will tentatively accept students until the fall class is full. This means the entire fall class may be selected from the students that meet the November application deadline. The College still encourages interested students to apply after the application deadline should there still be spaces available in the fall class or on the waiting list.

Students tentatively accepted who have met all necessary prerequisites for Health Assessment and Foundations of Nursing Practice are expected to register for these courses through Medcenter One College of Nursing during the spring semester. If these students fail to complete these two nursing courses during the spring semester, they will be required to submit a request form to be placed on the list for Health Assessment and Foundations of Nursing Practice offered in the summer through the College.

There will be a limit of 12 spaces available in the summer session. Students transferring from colleges outside the Bismarck area will have priority in registering for these classes in the summer. Any other students will be able to register on an "as space available" basis.

Contact us to request an application or more information. Or write us at:

Medcenter One College of Nursing
512 N. Seventh St.
Bismarck, ND 58501

The stated admission requirements represent the minimum level of achievement. Fulfillment of the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission into the program.

Transfer credits may be accepted from accredited institutions of higher education only.

Students should be advised that many healthcare facilities require complete criminal background checks on all employees and students. If a student has been convicted of certain crimes, he/she may not be allowed to work in such facilities, thus jeopardizing the completion of the nursing program. Some state professional licensing boards may refuse to issue a license to an individual with a felony or other conviction on his or her record. Applicants are advised that, following admission, criminal background studies will be requested by Medcenter One College of Nursing. If a student has been convicted of a criminal offense, other than a minor traffic offense, he/she is required to disclose the nature of the offense, the court in which conviction occurred, and what disposition occurred as a result of that offense. This disclosure must be made irrespective of whether the individual served a sentence and had civil rights restored, or whether the conviction(s) are expunged from the record.

Generic student requirements

Completed College of Nursing application form with a $40 application fee included. The application fee is nonrefundable.

An official transcript from each college attended indicating satisfactory completion of prerequisite courses, with at least a 2.50 grade point average (GPA) on a 4.00 scale. At the time of application, students must have two of the five required prerequisite science courses completed with a minimum 2.5 science GPA. To matriculate into the nursing program, students must have three of the five prerequisite sciences completed maintaining a minimum 2.5 science GPA. A structured personal interview and impromptu essay are required.

Admission is on a conditional basis until all pre-requisite courses have been completed with a grade of C or above. Minimum GPA requirements must be maintained.

Pre-entrance medical examination forms including current immunization status, documentation of TB status, and documentation of personal health consistent with the ability to perform the essential functions of clinical coursework are complete.

Students must submit documentation of current CPR certification prior to the beginning of the first nursing course and maintain such certification throughout the program.

The Student Affairs Committee will notify students that are accepted into the program. These students are required to confirm their acceptance to Medcenter One College of Nursing by completing a commitment form and submitting a $200 Reservation Fee which will reserve space in the fall class. This fee is nonrefundable. The fee will be applied to the first semester tuition.

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Licensed nurse requirements

A special purpose of the Medcenter One College of Nursing is to offer educational opportunities to qualified candidates who seek a baccalaureate degree in nursing, including those nurses who have been prepared in less than baccalaureate-level programs.

A limited number of these students will be allowed to participate in the program. This amount will vary dependant on availability of faculty and space for nursing practice placement.

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Registered nurse requirements

The following are the minimum requirements for registered nurse admission to the College of Nursing:

• Completed College of Nursing application form with a $40 application fee included. The application fee is nonrefundable.
• RNs are not required to complete all prerequisite courses before admission. RNs may concurrently take the prerequisite courses if these courses do not interfere with the course of study, i.e., prerequisites for each course must be met. It is expected that all prerequisite courses will be satisfactorily completed with a grade of "C" or higher concurrent with the last semester of nursing sciences courses. A 2.50 GPA on a 4.00 scale is required for admission. Credit for lower division courses may be awarded by successfully completing the CLEP examinations or challenge examinations taken at Bismarck State College. Non-nursing courses taken in regionally accredited programs may be transferred to satisfy the requirements of both lower and upper division courses.
• Must provide an official transcript to prove graduation from a state approved diploma or associate degree program and transcripts from any other colleges attended.
• Must provide evidence of current/unencumbered license from any United States of America jurisdiction. New graduate nurses who do not have a license yet will be eligible to enroll in nursing courses but ineligible to participate in any nursing practice component until licensed. A graduate nurse who fails the NCLEX may continue in the program while preparing to retake the examination a second time at the next available date. Should a graduate nurse fail the NCLEX a second time, the student will be advised to apply to the generic program and will no longer progress in the RN/LPN curriculum sequence.
• RN graduates from state approved diploma programs may use the NCLEX-RN® exam as a validation exam to demonstrate evidence of nursing knowledge, skills and abilities. Students who have passed the NCLEX-RN® exam may request 30 credits by validation.
• RNs are required to submit at least two professional references.
• A structured personal interview and impromptu essay are required.
• Upon confirmation of admission, a $200.00 reservation fee will be required to reserve space in the class.

Admission is on a conditional basis until:

• Pre-entrance medical examination forms including current immunization status, documentation of TB status, and documentation of personal health consistent with the ability to perform the essential functions of clinical coursework are completed.
• Students submit documentation of current CPR certification. Must be submitted prior to beginning the first 300 level or higher nursing course and maintained throughout the program

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