10 Best Accredited BSN Programs in South Carolina – 2024

Written By: Editorial Staff @ NursingProcess.org

Registered nurses with Bachelor’s of Nursing Science degrees are hot properties in South Carolina. Employers are competing to hire graduates of BSN programs in South Carolina, and these nurses earn $75,680 a year on average. Nursing schools in the Palmetto State with BSN programs go out of their way to accommodate students by offering online as well as traditional campus learning options that students can enroll in full-time or part-time. There’s no time like the present to embark upon a career as a BSN-prepared RN in South Carolina. Find out about the 10 best BSN programs in South Carolina for 2024 by reading the information below.

RECOMMENDED ONLINE RN TO BSN PROGRAMS

WHAT ARE THE BEST BSN PROGRAMS IN SOUTH CAROLINA (ONLINE & CAMPUS)?

Based on our Ranking Methodology, the following are the 10 best BSN programs in South Carolina (Online & Campus).

1) University of South Carolina - Columbia, Columbia

The University of South Carolina in Columbia offers training in a variety of nursing specialties as well as numerous opportunities to collaborate with colleagues in related health care fields such as medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy and public health. The school maintains a 10:1 student/teacher ratio and uses a high-tech simulation lab to impart basic nursing skills. Small wonder that this school has received acclaim from prestigious research agencies like the National Health Institute.

Freshman admission into the nursing major does not automatically guarantee admission into upper division classes. You will have to maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA in basic biology, chemistry, English, psychology, statistics and nursing classes to continue on the baccalaureate degree track. In addition to classroom education, you’ll be given the opportunity for clinical rotations and externships at state-of-the-art hospital facilities in Columbia and the surrounding area. Students can choose to earn their baccalaureate degrees in either three and a half or four years.

2) Lander University, Greenwood

If you think the role nurses play in preventing illnesses is just as important as the role they play in providing care for those who are ill, then Lander’s School of Nursing may be the program for you. Lander bases its nursing curriculum on the innovative Neuman Systems Model, which is a holistic approach to health care that’s based on helping patients manage the unique stressors that affect their health. The university is located in the northwest part of South Carolina in an area that was once famous for its textile mills.

Admission into the BSN program takes place at the beginning of the sophomore year. In order to qualify for admission, you will have to focus on mathematics, anatomy, chemistry and general education coursework during your freshman year. Clinical experiences at medical, surgical, maternal-child and mental health wards in local hospitals begin during the junior year. Students who show exceptional promise may be invited to participate in the nursing school’s honors program, which provides opportunities for specialized research and publication.

3) Clemson University, Clemson

Clemson University is located in the picturesque community of Clemson in South Carolina with which it shares a name. While students may apply to the four-year nursing program at the beginning of their freshman year, they’re required to maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher to progress to junior-level classes. While most nursing students don't start learning specific clinical skills until their third year, Clemson students start clinical labs as freshmen. These labs take place in a state-of-the-art simulated hospital-like environment and feature high-tech equipment such as virtual reality IV simulators and high-fidelity human patient simulators.

Once students have demonstrated proficiency in simulated hospital-like environments, they advance to clinical rotations in a range of real-life settings that include medical centers, regional hospitals and community hospitals. Clemson encourages mentorship by maintaining a student/faculty ratio of 8:1. Clemson nursing students really appreciate their alma mater: On end-of-program exit surveys, more than 95 percent of matriculating students note that they are “very satisfied” with the education they received.

4) Anderson University, Anderson

Anderson University understands that one of the great things about nursing is that there are so many specialties within the larger profession. The Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Anderson University focuses on imparting clinical and managements skills that will serve the aspiring nurse in good stead whether he or she goes on to work on a pediatric, surgical, adult, geriatric or critical care floor. The university is located in the metropolis of Anderson, which has been nicknamed, “The Friendliest City in South Carolina.”

The University is affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention, so nursing is taught from a Christian perspective. You’ll have to apply to the BSN program by February 15 of your fourth quarter. The university will not admit you into this program without a background check and a clean urine test. In order to participate in your clinical rotations, you will have to carry professional liability insurance.

5) University of South Carolina - Aiken, Aiken

The School of Nursing at the University of South Carolina Aiken is a highly competitive program that accepts between 40 and 56 students every year. The School is located in Aiken, which is a city in the western part of the state that got its start as a railroad hub.

USC Aiken offers a four-year degree that’s divided into two segments. During your freshman and sophomore years, you’ll be expected to complete general education requirements and introductory nursing coursework. In order to be admitted into the upper division program, you will have to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher, write an essay and present two college-level academic references.

USC Aiken admits aspiring nurses into its upper level program twice a year. The deadline for applying to the semester that begins in January is October 1, and the deadline for applying to the semester that begins in August is March 1.

6) Bob Jones University, Greenville

The BSN program at Bob Jones differs from programs at many other universities in that nursing clinicals are spread out over three years instead of being compressed into two. This is in order to help students perfect top-notch hands-on skills. Bob Jones is a Christian University, and Bible study and daily chapel attendance are required of all students. The University is located in Greenville, which is one of the fastest-growing urban areas in South Carolina.

Students may petition to be accepted into the BSN program during their freshman year so that they can get a head start on the required clinical rotations. In order to qualify for admission, you will need to maintain a 2.5 GPA and pass the National League for Nursing Pre-Admission Examination for RN, which tests your abilities in math, science and English.

7) Charleston Southern University, Charleston

Charleston Southern University lies on the outskirts of historic Charleston. Its BSN program is committed to instructing aspiring nurses how to integrate Christian values into their professional practice. This doesn’t mean its academic requirements are anything less than rigorous, however. Admission into this College of Nursing is highly competitive, and preference is given to students who complete prerequisite math, science and English classes with a 3.0 GPA or higher.

Once you’re admitted into the program, you’ll have the option of pursuing your studies on either a full-time or part-time basis. This makes CSU an attractive option for anyone who has family or work obligations as well as the desire to become an RN. In order to graduate, you’ll be required to take 67 credits of general education classes and 61 credits through of nursing classes.

8) University of South Carolina - Upstate, Spartanburg

The Mary Black School of Nursing at University of South Carolina Upstate accepts 112 students out of the 200 to 300 students who apply every year. USC Upstate is situated in the bustling northern city of Spartanburg, and the School enjoys a reputation as one of the leading nursing programs in the Southeast associated with a major metropolitan area.

You’ll take general education courses as well as specific classes in anatomy, physiology and microbiology during your first two years at the university. You’ll need to apply to the four-year nursing baccalaureate track by the end of your third semester. The School of Nursing maintains more rigorous academic standards than the rest of USC Upstate and does not recognize grade forgiveness. Before you can be accepted into the BSN program, you will have to undergo a criminal background check and a drug screening.

9) Francis Marion University, Florence

Francis Marion University is located just east of Florence, South Carolina, which is one of the coastal plains’ most vibrant centers for business, culture and health care. The nursing baccalaureate degree at Francis Marion University is divided into two parts. During your freshman and sophomore years at the university, you’ll be expected to complete 59 semester hours of classwork, which will include general education requirements as well as specific science prerequisites. Admissions into the upper division program are competitive, and preference is given to students who maintain a 3.0 GPA.

You can apply to the upper division program twice a year: by March 1 for admission the following fall and by October 1 for admission the following spring. Upon admission into the upper division degree program, you’ll complete an additional 61 semester hours of nursing coursework, and you’ll spend approximately 500 hours doing clinical rotations at the many hospitals, clinics and other health care facilities in the region.

10) University of South Carolina - Beaufort, Bluffton

The University of South Carolina Beaufort is the fastest-growing campus in the University of South Carolina system. Nursing classes take place at the University’s newly constructed campus in Bluffton. While you can be accepted into the nursing program as a freshman, you will be expected to maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher if you wish to complete your baccalaureate degree.

The nursing school’s administration understands the importance of personalizing the educational experience so that it meets each student’s highly individualized needs and goals. BSN curriculum emphasizes assessment skills, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, the coordination of care and sensitivity to cultural diversity. Students are encouraged to develop close relationships with their instructors whom the school hopes the students will come to view as mentors. USCB’s BSN program is proud of the fact that it never uses teaching assistants. Classroom lectures are augmented with time spent learning skills in simulated environments as well as with clinical rotations through community hospitals and clinics.


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