About the Program
Get your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) in the Black Hills of South Dakota by receiving SDSU's high-quality nursing education in Rapid City. The standard B.S.N. program, which we also offer at our Brookings main campus and our Sioux Falls site, is a four-year nursing program.
At the Rapid City site, pre-nursing students apply to the professional nursing major in the fall or spring semester, once all pre-requisite courses are completed or in progress. The professional nursing major coursework can be completed in five semesters (or two and one half years).
Students take coursework and participate in lecture, on-campus labs and clinical rotations in Rapid City and surrounding communities. Classes meet at the Monument Health Sciences Building in Rapid City. Do you already have a bachelor's degree? Check out our new 12-month accelerated program.
Our students in Rapid City can opt to take their pre-requisite courses at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Black Hills State University (BHSU) in Spearfish or at BHSU in Rapid City. Students can also take pre-requisite courses in Brookings and apply to the professional nursing major at our Rapid City site. No matter where students take their pre-requisites courses, they apply for admission to SDSU and receive their nursing degree from SDSU.
Main Information
- Admission Requirements
Before applying to the professional nursing major, please keep in mind that students must:
- Apply for general admission to the university (if you are not already an SDSU student).
- Complete the pre-requisite courses, listed on the curriculum plan.
- Meet the technical standards and eligibility requirements.
Please contact an academic advisor before applying or registering for classes to ensure courses are completed in the appropriate sequence.
- Application Deadlines
The application to the standard B.S.N. program in Rapid City is available on the application page, about a month prior to the application deadline. The application deadline for fall admission is January 25. The application deadline for spring admission is September 25. Check out the application checklist for more details about the process.
- Tuition & Financial Aid
Tuition Information
Price per credit Est. curriculum cost
South Dakota Residents $407 $44,309
South Dakota Advantage
(IA, NE, ND, CO, MT, WY)$407
$44,309
Non-Resident $523
$58,211
Minnesota Reciprocity
$419
$45,803
» Estimated cost is based on 2019-2020 BOR tuition/fees.
» Additional costs will be incurred throughout the B.S.N. program, including but not limited to textbooks.
Financial Aid
SDSU is committed to helping students find the resources available to help pay for college — our Office of Financial Aid is here for you.
- Technology & Compliance Requirements
Students admitted to the professional nursing major must:
- Purchase a laptop computer that meets our computer requirement (unless you already have one).
- Complete the undergraduate nursing compliance requirements.
Ready to take the next step?
Student Learning Outcomes
As a graduate of the program, you will have the knowledge to:
- Integrate theories and concepts from liberal education into nursing practice. (Cross-curricular Skill: Critical and Creative Thinking)
- Integrate effective leadership skills to improve the quality of health care. (Cross-curricular Skill: Teamwork; Diversity, Inclusion and Equity)
- Incorporate evidence-based practice. (Cross-curricular Skill: Inquiry and Analysis; Critical and Creative Thinking)
- Demonstrate proficiency in patient care technologies and informatics. (Cross-curricular Skill: Information Literacy)
- Evaluate the implications of health policy and health care delivery systems on the professional nursing practice environment.
- Integrate effective interprofessional communication and collaboration into professional nursing practice. (Cross-curricular Skill: Teamwork)
- Integrate behaviors that reflect nursing values and professional standards into practice. (Cross-curricular Skill: Ethical Reasoning; Diversity, Inclusion and Equity)
- Provide patient-centered, quality care. (Cross-curricular Skill: Diversity, Inclusion and Equity)
- Improve population health through health promotion and disease prevention.