B.S. Nursing
A degree in nursing opens the door to one of the fastest growing and most-in-demand career fields.
Research supports the increase in quality outcomes when nurses have a bachelor's degree and many hospitals are hiring with a goal of all BSN nurses. SWAU’s graduates work in specialty areas such as:
Labor & Delivery Community Health Flight Nurse Mental Health Intensive Care Unit | Nursing Informatics Case Management Operating Room Pediatrics Emergency Room |
Others have completed graduate programs to become:
Nurse Practitioners Nurse Midwives Nurse Anesthetists | Nurse Educators Nurse Leaders |
As a BSN graduate, you have a greater opportunity for career advancement and expanded access to over 100 specialty-nursing roles.

“My experience at SWAU was definitely like no other. Before even getting into nursing school I was told how challenging and difficult it would be, which was absolutely correct. The support network within the SWAU nursing program set them apart from other nursing programs.
I appreciate the professors that always kept their door open for me and would stay extra hours to help make sure I understood the content. I appreciated the ones that would sit with me and check in to make sure I was doing OK overall. I deeply appreciated the prayers, I knew they were genuine and came from the heart.”
-Chioma Nwaohuocha, 2020 Nursing graduate
Careers
A degree in nursing opens the door to one of the fastest growing and most-in-demand career fields. Research supports the increase in quality outcomes when nurses have a bachelor's degree (BSN) and many hospitals are hiring with a goal of all BSN nurses. Many of SWAU's graduates work in specialty areas, leadership and management positions, nursing education, or specialty areas. Many others have completed graduate programs and become nurse practitioners, midwives, or nurse anesthetists. BSN graduates have greater opportunities for career advancement and expanded access to over 100 specialty nursing roles.
Professions
- Staff Nurse
- Nurse Midwife
- Nurse Educator
- Community Health Nurse
- Flight Nurse
- Mental Health Clinician
- Critical Care Nurse
- Case Manager
- Nursing Director
- Operating Room Nurse
54%
increase in demand for
RN's by 2030
Career Field
As a nurse, you will participate in:
- Health promotion
- Disease prevention
- Care for those coping with illness
Job Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, registered nursing (RN) is one of the top occupations with increasing growth and demand.
- By 2024, RN job availability nationwide is projected to be greater than 1 million (bls.gov).
- The Texas Department of State Health Service predicts a 54% increase in the demand for registered nurses by 2030 (DSHS.Texas.gov).
Educational Qualifications
Certifications in many specialty areas are available to BSNs in areas such as:
- Critical Care
- Emergency
- Maternal/Child nursing
- And more!
General Education Requirements
To learn more about the general education requirements for Nursing, please visit the catalog.
NOTE: Due to the rigorous nature of the nursing program, it is advised that students limit work hours while enrolled in the BS or LVN to BS programs.
LVN to BS Nursing Degree Requirements
With a current LVN license and at least one year of work experience in a hospital or long-term care facility as an LVN, credit will be granted for the following upon successful completion of at least 12 credit hours at Southwestern Adventist University including Fundamentals of Nursing (6 credits) and Medical Surgical I clinical (2 credits).



General Education Requirements | ||
Item # | Title | Credits |
UNIV 111 | Wellness for Life | 2 |
ENGL 121 | Freshman Composition | 3 |
ENGL 220 | Research Writing | 3 |
Literature Gen. Ed. Requirement | 3 | |
Fine Arts Gen. Ed. Requirement | 3 | |
History Gen. Ed. Requirement | 6 | |
Kinesiology Gen. Ed. Requirement | 2 | |
Religion Gen. Ed. Requirement | 12 | |
Sub-Total Credits | 34 |
Required Cognate Courses | ||
Item # | Title | Credits |
BIOL 101 | Anatomy & Physiology I | 4 |
BIOL 102 | Anatomy & Physiology II | 4 |
BIOL 220 | Microbiology and Immunology | 4 |
CHEM 105 | Survey of Chemistry | 4 |
KINT 216 | Nutrition | 3 |
MATH 141 | Introduction to Probability and Statistics | 3 |
PSYC 212 | General Psychology | 3 |
PSYC 220 | Human Growth and Development | 3 |
SOCI 111 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
Sub-Total Credits | 31 | |
Total Credits | 125 |