Answer your calling in five semesters
Ida V. Moffett once said, "It takes courage to care, to open the heart and act with sympathy and compassion." It's a defining characteristic of Moffett & Sanders nurses: compassion and courage combined with deep knowledge and exceptional clinical skills. Nursing is more than a job. It's a calling for those unique individuals who are compelled to caring for and improving the lives of others.
For students who've already completed a degree in something other than nursing, we offer the five-semester second degree BSN option. This program begins with each fall and runs five semesters; students do not attend during the summer session. Many students enrolled in this program have family responsibilities and find the pace appropriate for helping balance career goals and personal responsibilities.
We've been preparing those called to our profession for 100 years, giving our graduates the knowledge, critical thinking and practice skills they need to effectively care for patients in wide variety of clinical settings. On the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), our graduates consistently achieve pass rates above the state and national averages.
Employment rates of our graduates exceed the average and many graduates have opted to pursue advanced degrees upon completion of the program.
Why Samford?
There are a number of reasons to choose Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing:
- Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing is a designated Center of Excellence by the National League for Nursing
- Samford has been nationally ranked for the engagement of its students
- Excellent clinical opportunities in all major health-care facilities in the metro Birmingham area
- Low student-to-teacher ratio in clinical settings
- State-of-the art patient simulation center and skills lab
- NCLEX-RN pass rates consistently above the national average
- Excellent employment rates at graduation
- Students study alongside other health care disciplines as part of Samford’s College of Health Sciences
- Opportunities for medical mission trips and study abroad
Outcomes
Our nursing graduates are prepared to use the knowledge, critical thinking skills, and practice skills they learned in our program to provide professional nursing care in a variety of clinical settings. Employment rates of our graduates exceed the average, and many graduates have opted to pursue advanced degrees upon completion of the program.
Admission Requirements & Criteria
Admission Requirements for Second Degree (Five-Semester) BSN
Deadline: June 1 (Fall Admission Only)
Prospective students must first apply to Samford University. Upon submission of your Samford application, you will receive a link to the School of Nursing application. Please submit your nursing application and any related materials as soon as possible.
Admission Criteria for Second Degree (Five-Semester) BSN
Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing applicants should meet the following criteria:
- Minimum of a baccalaureate degree in a field other than nursing from an accredited institution at the time the degree was awarded.
- Admission to Samford University. Apply now. (Be sure to apply as an Undergraduate Transfer.)
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale
- Minimum science GPA of 2.3 on a 4.0 scale in all required college courses (anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry) or to be considered for conditional admission, a student must have a 2.3 in two of the four required courses. Additionally, a 2.3 or higher must be maintained to progress into nursing courses.
- Must have completed all required science courses within the last seven years
- Must have repeated no more than one of the required science courses, and the course can only be repeated once.
- No ACT or SAT scores are required
- International applicants or American citizens who learned English as a second language must score at least 550 (paper), 213 (computer) or 80 (internet) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
- Must complete the ATI Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) with a minimum score of 72% and proficiency in all four subject areas. The ATI TEAS Exam may be taken a maximum of three times per calendar year.
Admission to the Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing is competitive. Meeting minimum admission requirements is not a guarantee of admission.
Transfer Equivalency
To learn more about how your courses will transfer to Samford, visit our Transfer Credit Equivalency Guide.
Please note: In order to receive credit for Samford's Biol 217 Human Anatomy-Allied Health Sci and Biol 218 Human Physiology-Allied Health Sci, Anatomy and Physiology I, and Anatomy Physiology II courses have to be completed. At present, no online labs will be accepted for required science courses.
Plan of Study
Clinical Education
Nursing is a deeply personal profession, requiring hands-on care of your patients. At Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing, your education will include extensive clinical experiences working with patients in a variety of settings. You won't just learn nursing theory, you'll put what you know into practice from the very beginning. Located in Birmingham, Alabama, one of the nation's most advanced health care communities, you'll have clinical opportunities in a variety of health care facilities.
