Get Your Nursing Degree Faster
If you’re a veteran who served as a medic, corpsman, or in another health care related job, you can get on the fast track to a nursing degree at the University of Michigan-Flint. Provided you have an honorable or general discharge, the Veterans Bachelor of Science in Nursing program lets you shave 12 months off the regular BSN program.
The intense, concentrated Veterans BSN program consists of four full-time semesters that you can complete in just 16 months. You get the same classes as students in the regular 28-month BSN program, but by going to school year-round you save tons of time. Depending on whether you have college credits that can transfer to UM-Flint, you may need to take some general education courses and up to three semesters of pre-nursing courses before you tackle the core nursing curriculum.
You’ll learn in the classroom and in hands-on clinical placements at area hospitals and other health care providers, where you’ll work alongside health care professionals. These clinicals often lead to full-time positions as a registered nurse. This is just one reason a majority of our students have job offers before graduation.
At UM-Flint, you’ll also have the opportunity to meet and learn with students who share your interests and career aspirations in student groups. UM-Flint’s Student Nurses Association and Sigma, the international nursing honor society, provide avenues for these shared experiences.
When you graduate from the Veterans BSN program, you’ll have:
- The advanced, hands-on training needed to become a highly-skilled registered nurse.
- A respected Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Michigan-Flint.
- The preparation needed to take the NCLEX-RN examination to become licensed as a registered nurse.
Opportunities for nurses are abundant today in hospitals, outpatient clinics, urgent care centers, physicians’ offices, home health care agencies, skilled nursing facilities, schools, the military, pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, fitness centers, community and public health agencies, and many other settings. With your Veterans BSN from UM-Flint, you’ll be prepared to work at any of them.
How the Program Works
To be admitted to the Veterans Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, you start by applying for admission to the University of Michigan-Flint as a transfer student. As part of your application, send official transcripts from all colleges and universities you’ve attended (not including UM-Flint) to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. You’re enrolled in the School of Nursing as a pre-nursing student.
Your path at UM-Flint will depend on your educational background. If you’ve never been to college or only have a few credits that will transfer, you’ll start with general education courses. Next up are nine pre-nursing courses over three semesters. They cover subjects like chemistry, microbiology, human anatomy and physiology, nutrition, pharmacology, and developmental psychology.
If you have transfer credits in equivalent general education or pre-nursing courses, you may be able to skip some courses. Our Transfer Equivalency Guide can help you determine which credits may qualify. However, it’s always best to connect an academic advisor, for a definitive answer. An advisor also can tell you whether your military health care training makes you eligible for any course credits or waivers.
Once you complete at least four pre-nursing courses, including a biology course and an additional science course, you can apply to the Veterans BSN program if your GPA is at least 2.75. A description of the application process is available on the School of Nursing’s website. The application process is based on rolling admission; we accept students once a year for the fall semester.
During your four semesters in the Veterans BSN program, you take 12 courses that comprise the core nursing curriculum. Eight have a clinical component at a regional hospital or other health care facility. We’ve designed the program so full-time students can complete it in 16 months. But you must have great personal discipline to succeed.
If you want to continue your education beyond the BSN degree, you’re eligible for potential Early Assurance Admission to UM-Flint’s Doctor of Nursing Practice Program with Master of Science in Nursing. The program, which is offered online with minimal campus visits, prepares students to become nurse practitioners.
Apply by Priority Deadline
You can apply to the Veterans BSN program at any time. However, you increase your chances of being accepted if you apply by a priority deadline. This also gives you plenty of time to apply for scholarships. The priority application deadline is Jan.15 for the fall semester admission.
Why UM-Flint?
Quality, innovation, and leadership are the hallmarks of UM-Flint’s School of Nursing. Here are just three examples:
- Besides enjoying small classes taught by expert instructors, nursing students at UM-Flint benefit from the School of Nursing Center for Simulation and Clinical Innovation. It’s a state-of-the-art simulation facility where you can learn high-quality, safe patient care while using evidence-based clinical decision-making. You can watch virtual tours of the first floor and the second floor.
- Associate Professor of Nursing Marilyn Filter has developed a new scope that makes vaginal and rectal exams more comfortable and less invasive. It replaces the speculum, a device used for two centuries.
- Cynthia McCurren, Ph.D., RN, dean of the School of Nursing at UM-Flint, was recently appointed chair of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Board of Directors. AACN represents more than 850 nursing schools worldwide. Dean McCurren is leading its efforts to establish quality standards for nursing education, influence the nursing profession to improve health care, and promote public support for nursing education, research, and practice.
Nursing Programs at UM-Flint
The Veterans Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is part of our Accelerated Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. UM-Flint’s School of Nursing also offers a wide variety of other undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs. They range from the Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing to a certificate in Nursing Case Management to master’s and doctoral degrees.
All School of Nursing degree and certificate programs at the University of Michigan-Flint are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
UM-Flint’s College of Health Sciences offers two master’s degree programs of its own that complement those offered by the School of Nursing: the Master of Science in Physician Assistant and the dual Master of Science in Physician Assistant/Master of Business Administration.
Scholarships for Nursing Majors
If you transfer into UM-Flint with a GPA of at least 3.0, you may qualify to receive a $5,000 University of Michigan-Flint Transfer Scholarship. If granted, it provides $2,500 for each of your first two academic years at UM-Flint.
You also may qualify for financial assistance through our Office of Financial Aid. In addition, UM-Flint provides more than a dozen scholarships that are specifically for nursing students. They’re made possible through generous donations to the UM-Flint School of Nursing.
Academic Advising for Nursing Majors
Pursuing a Veterans BSN is challenging, especially because the program is concentrated. To help you succeed, the School of Nursing provides dedicated academic advisors. They can help you determine whether your transfer credits allow you to skip any general education or pre-nursing classes, choose classes, navigate program requirements, overcome personal challenges, develop post-graduation plans, and much more.
- Kyle Taylor, [email protected] or 810-762-3420
- Monica Wielichowski, [email protected] or 810-766-6860
You also can schedule an appointment online at UM-Flint SON advising.
Because nursing education has so many components, we’ve created a major map. It provides year-by-year details about classes you’ll take, experiences available in the community, preparing for life after graduation, and more. Download the major map today and start planning your future.
Career Opportunities in Nursing
Demand for nurses is expected to remain strong, especially with the aging of the nation’s population. Consider these job projections through 2030 for different career paths in nursing from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:
- Job growth through 2030: 9 percent
- Job openings annually through 2030: 194,500
- Typical entry-level education required: Bachelor’s degree
- Median annual salary: $77,600
Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners
- Job growth through 2030: 45 percent
- Job openings annually through 2030: 29,400
- Typical entry-level education required: Master’s degree
- Median annual salary: $122,780
- Job growth through 2030: 31 percent
- Job openings annually through 2030: 12,200
- Typical entry-level education required: Master’s degree
- Median annual salary: $121,530
Get Started on Your Nursing Career Today
If you’re ready to tackle the challenges of becoming a dedicated, highly skilled registered nurse in a concentrated program that requires strong personal discipline, apply to the University of Michigan-Flint today. If you have questions, you can contact the program’s dedicated academic advisors.