Frequently Asked Questions

Students take two introductory nursing courses: Nursing in Society and Health Promotion during freshman year. In addition, students also take University 101, a course that explores college expectations and experiences, which is taught by a nursing faculty member. You are a nursing student and are connected with nursing faculty as soon as you begin your freshman year of college.

Some of our unique courses include Nursing Informatics, Genetics in Nursing and Health, Synthesis of Nursing Knowledge, Senior Seminar, and a selection of Nursing Elective Courses. Take a look at the course descriptions to see these and our other BSN courses.

Co-operative education involves employment experiences in the nursing major integrated into every student's plan of study. During co-op experiences, students are employed at major healthcare agencies and have opportunities to gain healthcare and nursing experience as paid employees.

In the five-year track, students have three co-op experiences that last six months each. The first, Nursing in the Contemporary Health Network, provides students an introduction to the healthcare world and takes place during sophomore year. Students work in administrative support roles during this co-op. Next, students go to their Acute and Chronic Illness Co-op in the prejunior (third) year. Finally, during junior year, students have a Specialty Nursing Co-op experience. In the four-year track, students complete only the Acute and Chronic Illness Co-op experience.

The BSN Co-Op Department partners with Drexel's Steinbright Career Development Center (SCDC) to find appropriate co-op positions for nursing students. Students work with SCDC Co-op coordinators to develop resumes, learn professional work behaviors, interview for co-op positions, and work in healthcare settings. In addition, the SCDC staff will assist students with career-management plans as they graduate and search for positions as registered nurses.

For specific questions about the co-op component of the BSN Co-op Department, you may also contact Gerrie Betka, assistant director of co-op, at 215-762-7469.

In addition to co-op, students have faculty-supervised clinical experiences in all nursing specialty areas including adult health, women's health, pediatrics, psychiatric and mental health, community, gerontology, and complex/critical care. Clinical experiences are integrated with academic coursework.

Drexel has a completely wireless campus and all on-line resources, including many library resources, are available this way. All nursing courses are Web enhanced. During co-op experiences, students take on-line synthesis courses and have access to a special co-op community Web site.

Students receive the latest in handheld technology. Instant access to critical information at the point of care is complemented by Drexel's cutting edge educational activities in simulation and standardized patient labs.

There are two main difference between the 4 year plan of study and the 5 year plan of study in the BSN Co-Op program. 1) # of co-ops and 2) timeline of courses and of clinical courses.

4 year

- One co-op (Acute and Chronic Illness) - resulting 6 months work experience on resume at graduation and condensed course sequencing

5 year

- Three co-ops (1. Introdution to Contemporary Healthcare Network; 2. Acute & Chronic Illness and 3. Specialty Nursing Concentration - resulting in 18 months of diverse, work-related experiences on resume at graduation and course credits spread over more gradual timeline.

The ACE BSN Department was started in 2001 at Drexel University in the College of Nursing and Health Professions. It is a full-time baccalaureate nursing study for men and women who have earned a bachelor's degree in another field and are interested in changing careers. This department confers the Bachelors of Science in Nursing degree in just 11 months of full-time study. Graduates may select positions from a variety of practice sites and specialties including critical care, maternal-child health, military services, pharmaceutical research, and many others.

The ACE BSN Department is 11 months in duration and the shortest accelerated BSN track in the country. We accept two cohorts per year, one in the fall and one in the spring. Drexel University is on the quarter system; therefore, you attend classes and clinical rotations on a full-time basis over four quarters.

At Drexel University, we believe in infusing technology into all of our departments. In nursing, we utilize personal digital assistants (PDAs) in the classroom as well as in the clinical setting. Additionally, all courses are Web-enhanced and students take a Nursing Informatics course. Students have a standardized patient lab experience and utilize standardized computerized tests throughout the track. In addition to technology, students are provided with a summative review course that prepares them to take a comprehensive standardized exit exam at the program's conclusion and the licensure exam for registered nurses. Also, we pride ourselves on our experienced faculty who are specialists in their respective fields.

Yes, the ACE BSN Department is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036, (202) 887-6791. Drexel nursing programs are highly recognized locally as well as nationally. Our mean cumulative pass rate for the R.N. licensure exam for all graduating classes since the program's inception is over 97 percent. This pass rate is one of the highest in the nation.

Absolutely! The nursing shortage is expected to continue to grow well into the twenty-first century. The graduates of our ACE BSN Department have a reputation as mature individuals rich with life experience and proven records of academic success. Our graduates are heavily recruited by many healthcare institutions.

The ACE BSN Department will prepare you to take an entry-level position as a registered nurse in several types of settings including hospitals, out-patient clinics and offices, or insurance and pharmaceutical companies. The majority of students take positions in hospital settings in units such as medical, surgical, critical care, emergency room, obstetrics, pediatrics, oncology, psychiatric, and gerontological units.

Many of our ACE graduates have graduated from master's of science in nursing programs and are now working in a variety of settings as nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, and nurse educators. Click here for details regarding Drexel University's many graduate nursing programs.

Students who already have a bachelors degree and are interested in entering the nursing profession as a "second-degree graduate" are eligible for the ACE BSN Department. The Co-op BSN Department does not require a baccalaureate degree. The Co-op Department includes three integrated employment opportunities over the course of five years. Students who graduate from either of these tracks receive a bachelor's degree and are eligible to sit for the R.N. licensure exam.

To be admitted to the department, the candidate must have earned a prior baccalaureate degree with a 3.0 overall GPA or 3.0 GPA in the last 60 hours of coursework completed. Also, students are required to take prerequisite courses before matriculating in the ACE Department. The university grants advanced credit for courses completed at regionally accredited colleges and universities. We may also grant credit for courses from colleges that are recognized candidates for accreditation (according to the Association of College and Schools/Commission on Higher Education), or if they are substantially equivalent to courses offered in the desired major at Drexel University.

ALL prerequisite courses must be completed prior to starting the ACE Department with a grade of "C" or better.

No, it is a full-time track. In fact, due to its accelerated pace and rigorous nature, we strongly discourage students from working while they are enrolled.

Drexel's programs use the quarter system. The academic year is divided into 10-week quarters and a variety of courses are offered each quarter. Students graduate after completing all required nursing courses and general education courses, and completing at least 180 quarter-credits (including college credits transferred into Drexel).

We require a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 and completion of all prerequisite courses in Tier I of the track. Look at our curriculum to see prerequisites for the RN-BSN Completion Department.

We accept new students for the fall, winter, and spring quarters.

You will graduate with enhanced skills in professional communication, including professional writing and speaking, and you will expand your professional leadership skills. You will develop facility in technology-based information access and management and will have experience using personal digital assistants (PDAs) and other supports for evidence-based professional nursing practice. You also will have a unique opportunity to explore an area of clinical interest through our senior concentration or senior thesis courses. These courses allow students to add depth to their existing areas of expertise or explore options in other clinical nursing specialties.

You will receive credit for your basic R.N. courses, whether you graduated with a diploma or with an associate's degree, as long as you have grades of "C" or higher. Non-nursing courses with grades of "C" or higher can be transferred to Drexel. You may also take CLEP examinations for college credit in a variety of subjects. An individualized plan of study will be developed based on your previous college work, skills, and interests.

If you are interested in the following M.S.N. programs we encourage you to submit an application in your last term of the R.N.-B.S.N. Department:

• M.S.N. in Clinical Trials Research.
• M.S.N. in Innovation and Intra/Entrepreneurship for Advanced Practice Nursing.
• M.S.N. in Leadership in Health Systems Management.
• M.S.N. in Nursing Education and Faculty Role. 

We offer an accelerated R.N.-B.S.N.-M.S.N. option if you are interested in the Nurse Anesthesia and the Nurse Practitioner Departments. We offer the following nurse practitioner areas of study:

• Adult Care Nurse Practitioner Program (online).
• Family Nurse Practitioner Program (on campus).
• Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program (on campus).
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program (online).
• Women's Healthcare Nurse Practitioner Program (online).

Please note: Students in the M.S.N. Adult Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Women's Health Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner tracks may only be admitted from the following areas: Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Students living on the borders of these regions may be admitted with the understanding that all clinical practicums must be taken in the regional states, and that they must be licensed in the respective state.

If you are interested in the Nurse Anesthesia and the Nurse Practitioner Departments, submit an application close to completing the B.S.N. degree. You work closely with the academic advisor to ensure proper progression.

You must meet the admission requirements for the M.S.N. Department. The GRE or MAT exams are waived, with the exception of the Nurse Anesthesia Department. A satisfactory GRE or MAT score is required for the Nurse Anesthesia Department.

If you are accepted to Nurse Anesthesia Department or one of the nurse practitioner tracks, you are permitted to take graduate courses to fulfill Nurs 460 Global Health or Nurs 462 Science, Technology & Health. You are permitted to take up to three graduate courses (nine credits).

You must complete the remaining non-nursing requirements and the remaining upper-division nursing courses.

Please note: You must take "Nurse 465 – Senior Thesis."

You are not permitted to take graduate courses until you have been accepted to the M.S.N. Program.

You remain an undergraduate student until you have completed the required credit hours for the B.S.N. degree.