LPN-B.S. (Sioux Falls)
Grow your potential.
What kinds of jobs and specialties await you when you earn your B.S. in nursing degree?
Hospital registered nurse
Clinical nurse
Public health nurse
Nursing
director
Nurse educator
What’s the Difference at DWU?
- You will be granted 30 credits for your LPN licensure.
- Your learning will include three semesters of 100% online class time. Remaining semesters will consiste of one-day simulation-based lessons per week at our Sioux Falls nursing site and one day per week of clinical time. This means you can work and attend school, if you so choose.
- You will finish in 28-months or less. Before starting the program, you’ll need to complete general education requirements (100% online). If you have completed some courses in the past, it might not take you as long to complete your bachelor’s degree.
- DWU nursing graduates have a high pass rate with the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensing Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). After you graduate, you will be ready for the exam.
- You’ll graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (B.S.) and be better prepared to serve patients and enjoy more employment opportunities, career advancements, and higher pay.
Accreditation
The baccalaureate program at Dakota Wesleyan University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791. The Dakota Wesleyan University LPN-B.S. Nursing program has been granted full approval status by the South Dakota Board of Nursing, 4305 S. Louise Ave., Suite 201, Sioux Falls, SD 57106-3115, 605-362-2760.
Nursing Admission Requirements
Admission to the LPN-B.S. Nursing Program is contingent upon completing the following requirements:
- Active, unencumbered LPN license to practice nursing in South Dakota. The LPN degree must have been granted from an accredited institution of higher education. You will need to provide a current copy of your SD LPN license. You will be granted 30 credits for your LPN license.
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Transcripts
- An official copy of all college transcripts.
- If coursework is still in progress, attach a current transcript that documents all of the courses in progress from that institution.
- A cumulative grade point average of 2.7 or above in college, university, vocational or technical school is required.
Post-Admission Requirements
Once you have been accepted and confirmed your spot in the program, you will need to complete the following steps before class begins.
- Immunizations and Immunization Records
- Immunizations and immunization records are required prior to participating in clinical rotations. These include (2) MMR or titers proving immunity, Hepatitis B series & Hepatitis B Titer (Hep B Surface Antibody), Tdap vaccinations, Varicella vaccination, annual Tuberculosis testing (QuantiFERON TB Blood Test is required), and an annual influenza vaccination. Covid-19 vaccinations are per guidelines/requirements of clinical facilities.
- Physical Evaluation
- Physical evaluation is required for new nursing students (and returning nursing students).
- CPR Certification and Renewal
- Incoming nursing students must be CPR certified. The American Heart Association course, HeartCode® BLS (Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers CPR) is required. BLS must have a hands-on training component.
- Criminal Background Check
- Department of Nursing requires criminal Background checks on all incoming, accepted nursing students. Background checks are completed before taking the first nursing course and before beginning clinical rotations in a health care agency. Instructions will be provided to you upon acceptance.
All costs associated with these requirements are the student’s responsibility.
Course List
Classroom simulations will be mixed with online courses. A total of 123 credits are required for graduation, which include:
- 30 non-nursing credits are accepted for a licensed LPN nursing degree from an accredited nursing program
- 54 nursing core credits
- 39 non-nursing general education and support courses
Nursing Core - 54 Credits
NUR 218 Introduction to Professional Nursing Concepts
NUR 316 Nursing Concepts in Pathophysiology
NUR 318 Concepts in Nursing Leadership
NUR 320 Fundamental Nursing Concepts II
In addition, the Mitchell Campus must take NUR 310.
NUR 321 Health Assessment Nursing Concepts
NUR 326 Nursing Concepts in Pharmacology
NUR 332 Nutrition Concepts in Health and Illness
NUR 342 Mental & Social Health Nursing Concepts
NUR 408 Advanced Nursing Concepts
NUR 411 Lifespan Nursing Concepts I
NUR 412 Lifespan Nursing Concepts II
NUR 418 Concepts in Nursing Management
NUR 423 Complex Nursing Concepts
NUR 426 Nursing Concepts in Population Health
NUR 440 Nursing Concepts in Research
NUR 450 Transition to Professional Practice
If you have taken general education courses in the past, you may be able to move right into the nursing core courses. Review the LPN-B.S. Plan of Study and visit with your admissions counselor to discuss your options.
For other academic policies, see the DWU catalog.
Get to Know Your Professors
With our low student to teacher ratio, you will be supported every step of the way.
Anastasia Barber, M.S.N., RN
Melissa Coull, M.S.N., RN
The Experience
Clinical experience is critical to your career. We have included clinical opportunities in almost every semester. With clinical hours, you can practice your skills as you learn them.
The LPN-B.S. curriculum is designed to build on the foundational nursing skills you have already mastered as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). The goal is to move your knowledge of human health needs and nursing interventions to a deeper level. The program content is designed to develop leadership and management of care skills needed by the registered nurse (RN) in the current healthcare practice setting.
Program Learning Outcomes
Program learning outcomes are supported by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses’ (AACN) The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education. In the end, we want you to build knowledge, skills, and abilities for your entry into professional practice.
Our curriculum is based on:
- disease prevention/promotion of health and well-being
- chronic disease care
- regenerative or restorative care
- hospice/palliative/supportive care across the lifespan
We promise to...
- Teach you to independently provide culturally sensitive, competent nursing care in a variety of settings guided by a scientific concept-based curriculum and professional accountability.
- Help you incorporate critical thinking and clinical judgement in the provision of holistic, evidence-based nursing care throughout the lifespan of your patients.
- Support you in the planning and providing of person-centered, coordinated nursing care that contributes to safe and high-quality care outcomes.
- Grow your ability to communicate and collaborate with inter-professional teams, utilize health information technology, incorporate cost-effectiveness, and utilize educational principles to promote wellness and well-being.
- Motivate you to be committed to lifelong learning and service, display leadership, and participate in instruction that advances the profession of nursing.
- Encourage you to exhibit caring behaviors and uphold morals, ethics and competence in the practice of nursing.
Want to look ahead for the licensure requirements? Prep for the NCLEX Exam.
LPN-B.S. Transfer Credits
Are you a transferring from another institution? Great! DWU accepts and welcomes students from other accredited colleges and universities approved by the U.S. Department of Education.
If you meet admission requirements for the LPN-B.S. nursing program, you will earn 30 transfer credits for your LPN license. The remaining 54 nursing credits and 39 non-nursing general education and support courses are included in the LPN-B.S. Plan of Study.
Coursework completed at other colleges or universities may meet one or more of the required general education or support courses. The DWU registrar's office will evaluate your official transcript to ensure transferred credits meet requirements for the degree. Keep in mind, the credit can be no older than 10 years and other catalog conditions for transfer credits may apply.
LPN-B.S. Program Costs
Program Tuition: $400/Credit Hour
Nursing Credits (54): $21,600
General Education Credits (39): $15,600
Nursing Clinical Fee: $1,785
TOTAL TUITION AND FEES: $38,985
Other anticipated expenses (estimated and subject to change):
- Background check: $87 | You must complete a background check within 30 days of the start of the first nursing course. The cost of the background check is your responsibility.
- Uniform: $40 | You are responsible for the purchase of one royal blue scrub uniform. This is an approximate cost.
- Nursing Textbooks: Approx. $1,379 | This includes the cost of nursing textbooks for the entirety of the program.
- Other Textbooks: varies based on your schedule and course requirements.
- CPR Certification: $55-$65 | This covers a required CPR course provided by the American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers.
- RN Licensure Fee: $100 | This fee is due to the South Dakota Board of Nursing upon graduation.
- NCLEX-RN Exam: $200 | This is the registration fee to Pearson Testing upon graduation in order to take your exam.
Complete your FAFSA Online
Complete your FAFSA online to begin the financial aid process and to determine the various types of aid you may qualify for to help finance your education. Dakota Wesleyan University’s code for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is 003461.
Several payment plan options are available for you:
- Online with a checking account or credit card
- Monthly payment plan
- Check or money order
- PLUS or alternative loan
Are you a member of the United Methodist Church? Students enrolled in the LPN-B.S. program are eligible for the United Methodist Recognition Award, a $1,000 annual scholarship awarded to confirmed members of the United Methodist Church. You must be a member for at least one year and a certification form is required.