Nursing Program
Major in Nursing at Carthage
The nursing major at Carthage comprehensively prepares students as entry-level nursing generalists.
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Grounded in the liberal arts, humanities, and sciences, the program facilitates students’ understanding of clinical reasoning processes, how to apply those processes to concepts important in delivering nursing care, and how to address healthcare needs across the lifespan and continuum of care to improve healthcare outcomes.
Students graduate as competent entry-level clinicians, scholars, and leaders in nursing and are prepared to take the National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).
Direct-Entry Admission
Carthage’s Freshman Direct-Entry admission option is a unique opportunity for students pursuing a nursing career. High school seniors who meet specific, pre-established criteria are guaranteed admission into Carthage’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
Why Freshman Direct-Entry at Carthage? You don’t have to wait two years to see if you’re accepted into the Nursing Program. As a direct-entry student, you will be part of the nursing major on your first day on campus!
- You won’t have to apply in your sophomore year to apply.
- You will receive support and guidance right away from the nursing faculty.
- You will be goal-oriented and focused on advancing your nursing career beyond your BSN degree.
Opportunities for Nursing Majors
Clinical Experience
From their first weeks at Carthage, students will be challenged to apply what they learn to patient care situations. During the sophomore year, students will begin clinical work, caring for patients in many different settings — hospitals, homes, schools, and the community. Carthage students graduate with three full years of clinical experience on their resumes.
Carthage works with more than 50+ clinical partners and offers three years of clinical experience to nursing students. Clinical partners include:
More about the clinical experience
Beyond Borders
Because so much of human behavior is determined by culture, nurses must strive to understand their clients, families, and communities within the context of culture. At Carthage, nursing majors will have the opportunity to study abroad, experience other cultures first-hand, and learn more about medical care in other countries.
Opportunities include participating in Carthage’s medical mission trip to Nicaragua or Honduras, where students volunteer in medical clinics.
Nursing Program Traditions
The Nursing Program at Carthage is new, but we are already creating our own traditions. Each year, we hold a White Coat Ceremony for junior students. This ceremony formally admits students to their clinical education and emphasizes their commitment to providing compassionate and excellent nursing care.
As senior students near graduation time, we hold an Honors and Pinning Ceremony. This ceremony recognizes individual student excellence in academic and clinical endeavors, as well as excellence in teaching among the faculty. The faculty then bestow upon the students the Carthage Nursing Pin, a symbol of their successful completion of the program and admission to the nursing profession as colleagues.
Not Just Professors — Mentors
Carthage nursing faculty pride themselves on being mentors, facilitators, and role models of excellence. The faculty strive to create learning environments and opportunities that will prepare students for the realities of professional practice while providing compassionate nursing education.
Nursing Major Scholarships Available
Carthage is now offering a full-tuition Nursing Scholarship that will be awarded to one incoming student in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program. This scholarship will be awarded to a promising student who exhibits a desire for excellence in the field and
compassionate, quality patient care. Carthage awards more than $2 million each year in its various scholarship competitions.