Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program

At Central Michigan University, we offer three different pathways for you to earn your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.

Two nursing students posing in a hallway
Our nursing pathways are designed to help you reach your future goals — while fitting into your current life.

 

Each pathway is comprehensive, exploring current health topics and techniques in classrooms and clinical settings, and built upon these foundational principles: 

Mission

The mission of the BSN is to create a culture of excellence that promotes the personal and professional growth of students to become nursing leaders through systems thinking, research, and service.

The BSN recognizes the unique characteristics and needs of our diverse, primarily rural setting, preparing graduates to provide nursing care to individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations in a variety of settings.

Program graduates demonstrate competence in clinical judgment, collaborate as members and leaders of interprofessional healthcare teams, and utilize evidence-based interventions to manage illness; promote, maintain, and restore health across the lifespan.

Goals

  1. Provide graduates with a strong foundation in nursing leadership, evidence-based practice, systems thinking, and population health to meet the demands of health care employers.
  2. Build upon a foundation of the arts, sciences, and humanities and professional nursing education that provide a base for our graduates' eligibility for graduate degree education to prepare for advanced nursing practice roles.
  3. Implement innovative and accessible models of nursing education to meet the personal and professional needs of an increasingly diverse student body.
  4. Recruit and retain qualified and diverse students committed to academic excellence, professional development, and lifelong learning.
  5. Recruit and retain qualified faculty who contribute to the university, the profession, and service and scholarly endeavors.

Student learning outcomes

By the end of the BSN Degree, the graduate will:

  1. Integrate knowledge from the liberal arts, sciences, and nursing courses to provide culturally competent nursing care for diverse populations.
  2. Demonstrate nursing leadership principles to plan and implement patient safety and quality improvement initiatives within the context of a dynamic complex health care system and interprofessional care.
  3. Apply concepts of global health to plan appropriate culturally safe care and health promotion for vulnerable populations.
  4. Utilize best current evidence and systems thinking to improve nursing and health care practices for groups or populations.
  5. Incorporate concepts of interprofessional collaborations and communication, health policy, finance, and regulatory environments as leaders in nursing practice.

Nursing pathways

A male nursing student places a stethoscope on the back of a medical dummy while a female nursing student assists.

Traditional BSN program

The traditional BSN nursing major is designed for students entering the nursing profession aiming to obtain their BSN degree. This program prepares you to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination-RN (NCLEX-RN) to become a Registered Nurse (RN).

Full Program Overview

A patient sits on a doctor's office table while two health care providers talk to her.

RN-to-BSN program

The online RN-to-BSN degree completion program is designed for working RNs or students who have recently graduated with their associate's degree and are preparing to take the NCLEX-RN.

Full Program Overview

Nursing student in clinical setting for CMU Mid Michigan College JNEP

Joint Nursing Education Pathway (JNEP) program

The CMU-Mid Michigan College Joint Nursing Education Pathway (JNEP) Program is designed as a partnership with the Mid Michigan College associate degree nursing (ADN) program and CMU’s RN-to-BSN program. 
Full Program Overview

CMU BSN Accreditation Visit November 5-7, 2025

Central Michigan University Division of Nursing will host an accreditation visit by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) from November 5 - 7, 2025.

This visit aims to seek CCNE ongoing accreditation for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. As part of the accreditation process, CCNE invites constituents and stakeholders to submit third-party comments related to the program's qualifications for accreditation. Stakeholders may include, but are not limited to, faculty teaching, students enrolled in the programs, alumni, and other interested parties.

In accordance with CCNE requirements, all third-party comments must be written in English and submitted no later than 21 days (by October 15th) before the scheduled visit.

Please submit your comments at thirdpartycomments@ccneaccreditation.org

Or, if you prefer, your comments can be sent by mail to:

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
ATTN: Third-Party Comments
655 K Street NW
Suite 750
Washington, DC 20001

Comments are shared only with the CCNE evaluation team appointed to review the CMU BSN program. Your feedback is valued and appreciated. Thank you for your support in this process.