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Nursing - Traditional

Deliver the care and leadership that keep patients and communities healthy.

Nursing combines science, skill, and technology to prepare you for one of the most essential careers in health care. Close faculty support in small classes ensures you get personal guidance as you take on the challenges of a demanding field. Training is hands-on from the start, with labs, simulations, and virtual reality tools that let you practice in realistic spaces. Clinical rotations take you into hospitals, schools, and community health centers to experience every corner of the profession.

By graduation, you’ll be ready to step into a profession that is always in demand, ready to serve with the skills, compassion, and confidence that set Norwich nurses apart.

Key Information:

Courses & Curriculum

Student Experience

Career Paths

What is Nursing?

Nursing is the science and practice of caring for people across every stage of life. 
You’ll learn how to assess patients, support recovery, and promote health. Clinical training takes place in hospitals, schools, and community clinics, giving you experience in many areas of care. The field blends medical knowledge with communication, leadership, and problem-solving.

Why choose a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)?
A BSN is a strong foundation for a long-term career in health care. Unlike an associate degree or CNA/LPN certification, a BSN gives you broader clinical training and greater responsibility for patient care. It prepares you to pursue advanced practice or graduate study. A BSN also leads directly to Registered Nurse (RN) licensure, positioning you to begin your career at the RN level with more opportunities for advancement. If you want flexibility in career paths and the ability to grow into leadership roles, a BSN is the right choice.

What can I do with a Nursing degree?
With a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, you can begin your career as a Registered Nurse in hospitals, clinics, and community health organizations. Your degree also opens doors to specialized areas like pediatrics, critical care, mental health, and public health. Beyond direct patient care, a BSN prepares you for leadership positions and advanced study if you choose to become a nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, or nurse educator. Wherever you go, you’re ready to meet the needs of patients and communities and make an immediate impact on health care.

Explore occupations in nursing

Life as a Norwich Nursing Student

Nursing is hands-on from the start, blending classroom learning with real patient care. Classes are small, and professors mentor you closely as you move from simulations into clinical rotations. Training builds step by step, giving you technical skill and the judgment to act with confidence under pressure. By the time you reach your final year, you’ll have cared for patients in a variety of settings and be ready to begin your nursing career.

Program Breakdown by Year

Year 1:
Build your foundation in the sciences that support nursing practice.  
Courses in anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and psychology give you a strong understanding of how the human body works and how people respond to illness and care.

Year 2:
Begin core nursing classes while expanding your scientific knowledge.
You’ll advance to courses like microbiology, pharmacology, and pathophysiology. Early clinical experiences connect what you learn in class to real patient care.

Year 3:
Deepen your skills and explore different nursing applications.
Apply your foundational knowledge to specialized study in medical-surgical nursing, maternal and child health, and mental health. Clinical rotations broaden your perspective, taking you into hospitals, schools, and community organizations.

Year 4: 
Focus on advanced nursing practice and leadership.
Senior-level courses and clinical placements prepare you for the NCLEX exam and your transition into professional practice. By graduation, you’ll have the training and experience to step directly into your role as a Registered Nurse.

Continued Study: Master’s in Nursing

A BSN also prepares you to advance into graduate study with Norwich’s Master of Science in Nursing. The program offers paths to become a nurse practitioner, nurse educator, or health care leader, giving you the opportunity to expand your scope of practice.

Career Outcomes

What can I do with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)? 
With a BSN, you can pursue careers in hospital, clinical, and community settings while caring for patients across the lifecycle. Registered Nurses earn an average salary of $93,000 nationally, with opportunities across many specialties. 

Here are some of the top occupations available to Nursing grads:
 

Acute Care Nurse

Provide care for patients recovering from surgery, illness, or injury in hospital and clinical settings.

Acute care nurse careers

Critical Care Nurse

Support patients with life-threatening conditions in intensive care and emergency units. This career path often requires fast, skilled decisions under pressure.

Critical care nurse careers

Pediatric Nurse

Care for infants, children, and teens in hospitals, schools, or outpatient clinics. This career path focuses on development and family-centered care.

Pediatric nurse careers

Public Health Nurse

Promote wellness and disease prevention in communities through outreach, screenings, and health education programs.

Public health nurse careers

Explore More Career Paths

The Center for Career Readiness can help you explore careers, connect them to your interests, and find a major that matches. You can also find internships and build experience along the way.

Visit the Center for Career Readiness

Meet Our Students

Senior student portrait next to cheer squad

Peyton Perry came to Norwich to earn her nursing degree and found more than she expected along the way: lifelong friendships, a confidence she hadn’t felt before, and the kind of community that made every challenge feel possible.

Peyton Perry

American Canyon, California

NU'25, Nursing

Cheer Club, Pegasus Players, Dean's List Fall '24

Read Story
Ann Kolawole at graduation

I have been applying my classroom knowledge in my patient care on the floor, being more detailed in my search and advocating for appropriate and prompt care for patients under my care.

Ann Kolawole

'25 Master of Science in Nursing: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

Read Story
Pashayan Profile

I am constantly working on projects in the UAE, Africa, Asia, and the U.S. and was able to put my knowledge to work immediately, particularly in cross-cultural communication and negotiation styles.

Angela Pashayan

'14 Master of Arts in Diplomacy

Read Story
Terry Cole headshot

Now that I have completed the Strategic Studies and Defense Analysis program, I will be continuing my studies with Norwich into the Master of Arts in Diplomacy program. I owe the credit to Norwich for giving me the desire to continue my education.

Terry Cole

'12 Bachelor of Science in Strategic Studies and Defense Analysis

Read Story
John Joseph Baranowski headshot

I have grown both professionally and personally. I have a much-improved grasp of history as a profession and feel very confident in my ability to teach history at the college level.

John J. Baranowski

'24 Master of Arts in Military History

Read Story
Senior student portrait next to cheer squad

Peyton Perry

Ann Kolawole at graduation

Ann Kolawole

Pashayan Profile

Angela Pashayan

Terry Cole headshot

Terry Cole

John Joseph Baranowski headshot

John J. Baranowski

Rising to the Occasion

All Blog Posts
Preview Image
Norwich University Nursing Students working in simulation
In Their Words

Preparing Tommorow's Nurses with Dr. Jessica Wood

Nursing has long been a profession defined by service and resilience. At Norwich University, experiential learning equips future nurses with the skills and mindset to meet society’s needs—whether in classrooms, hospitals, or communities.

Meet Our Faculty

Jessica's most recent work was for a well-known non-profit organization providing care to women throughout northern New England. Additionally, she has led nursing students to impoverished areas of Nicaragua and continues to practice as a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner in New England.

Jessica Wood

Jessica Wood

Position(s):

  • Associate Professor
  • Director, School of Nursing
All Faculty & Staff
Image of Nursing students at Norwich University

Experience Nursing at Norwich University

Nurses are in high demand. The School of Nursing’s (SON) traditional and accelerated bachelor's degrees in nursing provide our students with the knowledge and practice to be exceptional and compassionate healthcare professionals with the technical knowledge and skills to succeed in a variety of hospital or clinical settings. Our graduates are highly sought and are making a difference both in small rural clinics, urban centers, and large metropolitan hospitals.

Program Requirements

To view additional program details and degree plans, visit the Norwich University Course Catalog.

Accreditations - School of Nursing

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Norwich University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

The master's degree program in nursing and post-graduate APRN certificate program at Norwich University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Next Steps: The Admissions Process

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    Schedule a campus visit to meet students and see Norwich in action. 

You've been accepted to Norwich University. Congratulations, you are on your way to being part of an exclusive tradition and forging your own path within our noble history of service. 

  1. Scholarships

    Upon acceptance, you’ll receive a comprehensive letter that includes the merit-based scholarships you qualify for based on your GPA.

  1. Federal Student Aid App

    To be considered for additional aid, you must complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). By completing the free application you'll learn if you are eligible for grants, scholarships, work-study programs, or loans for college or career school.

    Note: FAFSA will open on or before December 1st, 2024 per the U.S. Department of Education.

    www.usa.gov/fafsa

  1. Review Your Financial Aid Package

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  1. Stress-free Arrival

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    Check out the Start Ready Checklist for details.