About the Program
Get you 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
Check out our FAQ, or see the curriculum plan for a complete list of required courses. Before applying to the professional nursing major, please keep in mind that students must:
- complete the pre-requisite courses, listed on the curriculum plan, and
- meet the technical standards and eligibility requirements.
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, however, please note that the application deadline for fall 2020 admission has been extended to June 30, 2020. Applications received after that date may be considered for the next program start of Spring 2021 upon request. Be sure to view the application checklist for application details.
Please contact an academic advisor before applying or registering for classes to ensure courses are completed in the appropriate sequence.
Students admitted to the professional nursing major must purchase a laptop computer that meets our computer requirement (unless you already have one) and complete the undergraduate nursing compliance requirements.
Housing Options in Rapid City
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSM&T) has on-campus housing available for nursing students. Check out the SDSM&T ResLife Office website to see what is available.
Student Outcomes
As a graduate of the program, you will have the knowledge to:
- Integrate theories and concepts from liberal education into nursing practice.
- Integrate effective leadership skills to improve the quality of health care.
- Incorporate evidence-based practice.
- Demonstrate proficiency in patient care technologies and informatics.
- 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.
- Improve population health through health promotion and disease prevention.
- Integrate behaviors that reflect nursing values and professional standards into practice.
- Provide patient-centered, quality care.