ChooseWhy Choose This Program?
Why Choose This Program?
This program combines the well-rounded liberal arts education offered by Goucher in small class settings with nursing coursework that can be completed in person or online, before transitioning into in-person labs and clinicals. This program provides a level of convenience and autonomy for pursuing a nursing degree.
LearnWhat Will You Learn?
What Will You Learn?
This program combines nursing theory coursework, nursing skills and simulation labs, and a clinical rotation, providing you with the tools you need to start your career. Once completed, our accelerated BSN program readies students to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), a national exam all nursing students must take to receive licensure to practice the profession.
DoWhere Will You Go?
Where Will You Go?
The Accelerated BSN program condenses a traditional nursing school curriculum into just 15 months. Due to the nationwide shortage of nurses, you will be able to find jobs in hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, public health organizations, and health agencies, among others.
How the B.A./B.S. Dual Degree in Nursing Works
Goucher College has established a partnership with Notre Dame of Maryland University to enable Goucher students to explore the liberal arts and sciences and develop professional knowledge and experience in nursing. Upon completion of the B.A. degree and fulfillment of the prerequisites for a nursing degree, Goucher students transfer to Notre Dame, where they complete the accelerated B.S. in Nursing (BSN) in just 15 months. This relationship streamlines the application process and makes transitioning to a BSN smoother and more seamless. For that reason, ten seats are reserved each year for Goucher students.
Students have two options to earn their nursing degree: (1) in-person at Notre Dame's
Baltimore campus, which offers a one time a year start in May, or (2) a hybrid modality
that consists of a combination of both on-line courses and in-person clinical experiences
and other activities at the Elkridge Learning Site in Elkridge, MD and local healthcare
facilities. Elkridge offers three start dates each year: September for the Fall Semester,
January for the Spring Semester, and May for the Summer Semester. Although in principle
students pursuing any major at Goucher are eligible, the required prerequisites include
coursework in biology, chemistry, and statistics.
Coursework & Curriculum
Students must complete their B.A. at Goucher and take all required foundational courses in biology, chemistry, and statistics prior to beginning the nursing program. Admission is likely, though not guaranteed, if a student successfully meets all of the following requirements:
- Minimum overall GPA of 3.00
- Minimum GPA of 3.00 for all science and mathematics prerequisite coursework
- Favorable recommendation letter from student's advisor
- Successful submission of application materials and an essay
Foundational Courses
BIO 202 — Bioethics (4 Cr.)
In this class, we will analyze the central tenets of bioethics in conversation with race, disability, and gender. In particular, we will consider how the four principles of autonomy, beneficence, justice and non-maleficence function in the historical and contemporary practice of medicine. Our focus will be on considering the differential application of these principles to different populations in healthcare practices and policies in order to ask better informed questions about how to promote justice in medical practice, research, and policy. This will also allow us to think through what kinds of assumptions and norms are built into our understanding of health and healthcare and reflect critically on how we might transform them.
Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every other fall
Instructor: Kimoto
BIO 254 — Microbiology (4 Cr.)
An introduction to the cell structure, physiology, genetics, ecology, diversity, and evolution of viruses, prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms. Relevance in the environment and human health will be discussed in detail.
Prerequisites: None
Offered: Spring Semester. Three hours classroom, three hours laboratory.
BIO 261 — Human Anatomy (4 Cr.)
An introductory human anatomy course that emphasizes the relationship between form and structure. A combined approach of lecture, laboratory and interactive learning technologies will be employed to demonstrate normal function and clinical variation. A systems approach including musculoskeletal, digestive, cardiovascular, respiratory, urinary, endocrine, reproductive, and integumentary systems will be used. Organization at the cellular, tissue and anatomical region levels will be integrated into the systems approach. Students will acquire the fundamentals of human anatomy relevant for clinical application. Students will be required to work with preserved bones, organs and specimens for dissection.
Pre-requisite: BIO 111 (formerly BIO 102) (C- or better)
Offered: Fall 2024 and alternate years. Three hours classroom, three hours laboratory.
Instructor: Garaycochea
BIO 360 — Principles of Physiology (4 Cr.)
Systems approach to the physiological processes of the body, emphasizing humans, including nerve, muscle, circulation, respiration, immune system, endocrine, renal function, and metabolism. Laboratory work introduces standard methods used in physiological investigations and emphasizes data interpretation with regard to known physiological mechanisms.
Prerequisites: BIO 220, BIO 224 , one additional 200-level or higher biology course, and CHE 230
(C- or better)
Offered: Spring semester. Three hours classroom, three hours laboratory.
Instructor: Garaycochea
CHE 111 — Principles of General Chemistry I with Lab (4 Cr.)
Introduction to chemistry including atomic structure, molecular structure, bonding, chemical reactions, and states of matter.
Prerequisites: none
Offered: Fall semester. Six hours per week. Taught in studio format with integrated classroom
and lab.
Instructor: Gray, Greco, Gulian, Segarra, Tate.
CHE 151 — Principles of Chemistry II with Lab (4 Cr.)
Second Semester of introduction to chemistry sequence including kinetics, thermodynamics, equilibrium, acid-base chemistry, redox reactions and electrochemistry.
Prerequisite: CHE 111 with a grade of C- or better or permission of the instructor.
Offered: Spring semester. Six hours per week. Taught in studio format with integrated classroom
and lab.
Instructor: Gray, Greco, Gulian, Schultz, Tate.
CHE 230 — Organic Chemistry with Lab (4 Cr.)
Chemistry of the compounds of carbon with emphasis on the relation of molecular structure to chemical and physical behavior. Topics covered include functional groups, nomenclature, structure, bonding, isomers, conformations, chirality, reactions that proceed through ionic mechanisms, structure elucidation using NMR, MS, and IR, and introduction to multistep synthesis. Specific reactions covered include acid-base, nucleophilic substitution, elimination, oxidation, reduction, and carbon-carbon bond formation reactions. Laboratory work includes appropriate techniques, synthetic and analytical methods including melting points, recrystallization, distillation, chromatography, extraction, GC/MS, and IR.
Prerequisite: CHE 151 with grade of C- or better.
Offered: Fall semester. Three hours classroom, three hours laboratory.
Instructor: Ahmed-Schofield, Greco, Schultz.
DMC 106 — Introduction to Statistical Methods (4 Cr.)
This course provides an introduction to basic statistical principles, including basic probability, the normal and binomial distributions, hypothesis testing, and confidence intervals. This will culminate with the introduction of correlation and linear and logistic regression. The class focuses on conceptual learning and hands-on problem solving as well as computational tools for the statistical analysis of large data sets. Data cleaning and importing, model refinement, and visualization will be emphasized. Fall and Spring semesters.
Prerequisite: Students who have earned a grade of C- or higher in EC 206 may not take this course.
Offered: Fall and Spring semesters.