Nursing Program

Pre-professional track

Nurses are the backbone of the healthcare workforce. Nurses promote health, prevent disease, and help patients navigate illnesses throughout diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. As a nurse, you'll develop and manage nursing care plans, guide and advise patients and their families, and help individuals and groups take steps to improve and maintain their health. The field has a wide range of career opportunities, ranging from entry-level practitioner to doctoral-level researcher.

Hamline’s pre-nursing advising program will make you a competitive applicant for nursing school. You can apply to graduate programs with confidence after completing our comprehensive coursework in the natural and social sciences, combined with research and internship experiences that enhance your teamwork and communication skills.

There's high demand for nurses in Minnesota, as well as the rest of the United States. Experts expect 194,500 registered nurse jobs to open each year over the next decade. As a nurse, you'll be an integral part of healthcare and approach patient care from a whole-person perspective, recognizing the many factors that contribute to a person's health and well-being.

Hamline physician assistant program alum Jordan Schiffler smiling

A good clinician is someone who approaches a patient's health from many angles. Hamline gave me the tools to understand the “why” of health care, as well as the opportunities to develop my leadership, communication, professionalism, and, most importantly, empathy.

Jordan Schiffler '17, biology, public health sciences; neonatal physician assistant at Envision Healthcare

Prerequisite coursework

Hamline University does not offer a degree program leading to nursing licensure. Students at Hamline who are interested in pursuing advanced nursing degrees should major in biology, public health, or exercise science for their undergraduate degree.

Nursing programs differ widely in their prerequisite coursework requirements. We advise students to check the requirements for the program of their choice prior to selecting their undergraduate course schedule.

Applying to nursing school

You must have a registered nurse (RN) license to practice nursing. After completing a bachelor’s degree at Hamline, you can take several paths to obtain an RN license:

  • Join an accelerated nursing program designed for people who already have a BA or BS in other areas. These programs last between 11 and 18 months.
  • Pursue a master's degree in nursing (MSN) through a graduate program designed for students who completed BA or BS degrees. These programs last three years and usually prepare students to earn a nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist license.

Most nursing programs require a minimum of 100 hours of health care experience in a place where you can see nurses at work before you can apply. They also often prioritize community service and leadership experience. Letters of recommendation, preferably from a nurse, are required.

Application resources

Contact information