Kennesaw State University Nursing Program: A Comprehensive Guide

Kennesaw State University (KSU) offers a variety of nursing programs designed to prepare students for successful careers in the healthcare field. This article provides detailed information about the undergraduate and graduate nursing programs at KSU, including admission requirements, curriculum details, and program features.

Undergraduate Nursing Program (Traditional BSN)

The Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at KSU is a full-time, in-person program designed for students seeking to enter the nursing profession. The program spans five semesters, with no required classes during the first summer semester, and is structured to provide a comprehensive nursing education through a specific curriculum plan and a series of courses taken in a sequential order. It does not offer a part-time curriculum.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Traditional BSN program at KSU is a competitive process. To be considered, applicants must meet the following minimum requirements by the designated deadlines:

KSU Admission: Students must first be admitted to KSU through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions as a degree-seeking student or be a currently enrolled student. Due to financial aid regulations, students cannot declare Nursing as their major until accepted into the Nursing program.
Prerequisite Courses: Successful completion of 11 prerequisite courses (or approved KSU equivalents) with a minimum grade of "C" or higher in each course.
GPA: A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. For students with less than 18 credit hours at KSU by the nursing application deadline, their transfer GPA will be reviewed.
ATI TEAS Exam: Completion of the ATI TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) exam within 5 years prior to the nursing application deadline, with scores submitted to KSU. A TEAS score of 78 or higher is strongly recommended.

Prerequisite Courses:

Applicants to the Traditional BSN program must successfully complete 11 prerequisite courses (or approved KSU equivalents) as listed below, with a minimum grade of "C" or higher in each course, prior to beginning the Nursing program.

Core IMPACTS Area Technology, Mathematics, and Sciences (2 Natural Science Courses with labs): Students must choose one of the following sequences below, consisting of two courses and their associated labs. Science courses older than ten years at the time of the nursing application deadline will not be accepted by the Nursing program.

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Applicants to the BSN program must complete a minimum of 7 of the above 11 prerequisite courses before the nursing application deadline (for the semester in which applicant is applying to), to be considered for admission. Of these 7 courses, at least 5 must be from the math and science requirements. Some of the 11 prerequisite courses may be taken within KSU’s General Education Core IMPACTS Curriculum, while others are taken within the Core Field of Study.
For transfer and exam credits for prerequisite courses to be considered for admission to the Nursing program, they must be transferred to and verified by KSU Registrar, as well as entered in DegreeWorks, by the nursing application deadline.

Important Considerations:

Students who were previously enrolled in a nursing program and were dismissed from this program for any reason may not be eligible for admission into KSU’s Wellstar School of Nursing.
Before applying, students are strongly encouraged to meet with an advisor in the Wellstar College Advising Center to review the admission criteria and verify they have met all minimum requirements by the designated deadlines.

Application Process

To apply to the Traditional BSN program:

Apply to KSU: Apply as an undergraduate transfer student seeking a degree if transferring, or as an undergraduate student if a first-time applicant, via KSU’s Undergraduate Admissions. The application deadline is January 31st, 2026. For Fall 2026 start term, apply to admissions by October 31st, 2025.
Nursing Application: Once admitted to KSU, students can access the nursing application. Apply to the term you wish to start the nursing program.

Additional Information for BSN Applicants

Transfer Credits: In order for any transfer courses to be considered for nursing admission, they must be transferred to and verified by the KSU Registrar’s Office by the nursing application deadline. The OWL Transfer Credit Database can be used to check the likely outcome of transfer courses to KSU.
Course Overlap: Each course requirement must be fulfilled individually with no overlap.
Psychology: Psychology is a social science and is acceptable.
TEAS Exam: All nursing applicants must complete the ATI TEAS Exam.
Transportation: Students need reliable transportation to attend their randomly assigned clinical days.
Clinical Requirements: Students must meet credentialing requirements to attend clinical. Very few agencies allow exemptions, and they are not guaranteed. Exemptions are made solely by the agency, not the Wellstar School of Nursing.
Holds: Holds are often related to incomplete health requirements.

Nursing Concentration Pathways

Since KSU's Nursing program is a gated program with a limited seat cap and you are not a Nursing major until formally accepted, students must pursue a complimentary educational pathway that integrates with the nursing prerequisites. KSU has designed three pathways in Human Services, Integrated Health Sciences, and Public Health. All coursework in these pathways meets Financial Aid requirements. Students pursuing nursing must select one of these degree pathways until they are formally admitted into the Nursing program. Once admitted into Nursing, the student's major will be changed to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Prior to this time, students interested in pursuing a BSN degree are encouraged to declare a major from one of the following Nursing-concentration (-N) pathways as identified by SCRAPPY (A System for Completion, Retention and Academic Professional Pathways): Human Services (HS-N), Integrated Health Science (IHS-N), or Public Health (PH-N). All coursework in these pathways meets Financial Aid requirements.

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Upon the completion of the nursing admission criteria, students are encouraged to apply to the Nursing major. Students achieving admission will then enter the Nursing Major. Students not achieving acceptance can continue with their selected major (minus the Nursing Concentration). You are welcome to apply again to the Nursing program or pivot to a different degree offered by the University.

Graduate Nursing Programs

Kennesaw State University (WellStar) offers graduate-level, online nursing programs designed for working professionals. The online classes are recorded and archived, allowing students to access lecture material at their convenience.

Graduate Nursing Program Overview

The graduate nursing programs at KSU focus on transformational leadership and are designed to prepare graduates for leadership positions in various healthcare agencies. Content areas align with competencies of the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) and include ethics, business skills, conflict management, health policy, and communication. Graduates are prepared to apply for certification in nursing management and leadership through the American Nurses Credentialing Center or AONE.

Online Graduate Nursing Degree Program Quick Stats

Enrollment: 38
Tuition Per Credit: \$393
Application Deadline: Rolling

Admissions & Enrollment

Average undergraduate GPA: 3.5
Entrants providing undergraduate GPA: 100%
Standardized test policy: GRE not used in admissions
Letters of recommendation: 2 Letters of recommendation from professional contacts
Nursing-related work experience requirement: No
Nursing-related undergraduate degree requirement: Yes, always
Nursing-related undergraduate course work requirement: Yes, always
TOEFL iBT Test required for international students: Yes
Minimum TOEFL iBT Test score required: 80
IELTS required for international students: Yes
Minimum IELTS score required: 6.5
Academic factors: Undergraduate institution Important, Undergraduate GPA Important, Undergraduate field of study Important, Recommendation(s) Important, Standardized test scores Not Considered
Non-academic factors: Application essay Not Considered, Work experience Not Considered, Character/personal qualities Not Considered, First-generation college student Not Considered, Alumni/alumnae relations Not Considered, Geographical residence Not Considered, Applicant's interest level Not Considered

Distinguishing Characteristics

Graduate program(s): Master of Science in Nursing - Nursing Leadership: Nursing Administration & Transformational Leadership
Online grad programs CCNE accredited: Yes
Online grad programs ACEN accredited: N/A
Online grad programs NLN CNEA accredited: N/A
Program Offerings: Online master's in nursing degree programs 1
Concentrations with highest demand: Nursing Administration/Leadership
Concentrations offered: Nursing Administration/Leadership
More specialized departments/concentrations offered: Course Offerings
Credit-granting courses: 15
Faculty: Instructional faculty who teach courses accessible online 10 full-time; 2 part-time
Instructional faculty with Ph.D.: Small percentage of over-all grade for the exams used in the courses.
Standardized copyright policy for course materials: Yes

Financial Aid Information

Financial aid director: Karen Ruehlman
Part-time tuition (per credit, in-state): \$393
Part-time tuition (per credit, out-of-state): \$393
Full-time tuition (per credit, in-state): \$393
Full-time tuition (per credit, out-of-state): \$393
Total program cost (full-time, in-state): \$15,720
Total program cost (part-time, in-state): \$15,720
Total program cost (full-time, out-of-state): \$15,720
Total program cost (part-time, out-of-state): \$15,720
Veterans pay in-state tuition: Yes
Same tuition is charged for all online programs: Yes
Sponsorships Employer sponsored new students: N/A
Financial Aid Availability: College-funded aid (fellowships, assistantships, grants or scholarships) available Yes
International students eligible for college-funded aid: N/A
Yellow Ribbon Program member: No
Average debt of 2024-2025 graduates who borrowed: \$41,474
Proportion of 2024-2025 graduates with debt: 17%

Career Outcomes

Program is rated extremely high by students due to the practical application of the course work, low cost and experienced faculty.

Specific Graduate Programs

Master of Science in Nursing - Nursing Leadership: Nursing Administration & Transformational Leadership

This program focuses on transformational leadership, aligning with the competencies of the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE). The curriculum includes ethics, business skills, conflict management, health policy, and communication.

Nursing Education

KSU also offers programs in nursing education. Most courses in nursing education are hybrid. Students receive a copy of the schedule in their admissions packet. A specific opportunity available to nursing education students is the Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP).

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Practicum Hours:

A total of 360 practicum hours are required.
NURS 7881 is offered in the summer and requires 90 hours.
semester brings NURS 7882, which requires 135 hours.
Yes, if an appropriately prepared preceptor is available.

General Information for All Nursing Programs

Financial Aid

KSU students are unable to declare Nursing as their major until they apply to and achieve acceptance into the Nursing program. All coursework in these pathways meets Financial Aid requirements.

Additional Considerations

Full-time vs. Part-time: Both full-time and part-time plans are available for graduate programs. The full-time student completes coursework in four semesters, while the part-time option spreads coursework over seven semesters. It may not always be possible to work full time while enrolled. Working full-time while being a full-time graduate student is challenging. deal depends on how flexible your work schedule is.
Online vs. Hybrid: The graduate program is primarily asynchronous. There is no requirement to come to campus. Most of our courses in nursing education are hybrid.
Application Deadlines: The admissions deadline for graduate programs is rolling. Applications open in the fall. The Priority Deadline is January 15. deadline is April 28.

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