Program Information
Undergraduate Nursing Program Outcomes
Graduates of the Mercy University Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing will be expected to demonstrate the following program outcomes:
- Integrate concepts from liberal arts and sciences as the basis for nursing education and the practice of professional nursing
- Demonstrate leadership strategies that promote quality improvement, client safety, and organizational effectiveness that promotes health
- Evaluate the levels of evidence that guide evidence based on practice in professional nursing
- Explore ethical management of data, information, knowledge, and technology to facilitate professional nursing care
- Investigate healthcare policies and practices, finances, costs, and regulations that influence professional nursing and the general population while promoting advocacy and social justice particularly for the vulnerable
- Examine the implications of interprofessional communication and collaboration in improving health outcomes
- Examine the impact of clinical prevention on health promotion and disease prevention on population health
- Integrate the core values characteristic of professional nursing
- Integrate and apply knowledge, skills, and attitudes that lead to the improvement in health outcomes while recognizing the diversity of culture, spirituality, ethnicity, socio-economic status, gender, and sexual orientation of all clients
Admission Criteria-4 Year Traditional Program
Acceptance into the 4-year Traditional Nursing program requires the following:
Minimum High School GPA of 85%
- High School Science and Math grades 80 or higher taken in 9th-11th grades
- Math- three years, including algebra
- Science-three years, including biology and chemistry
- English-average grade of 78 or higher taken in 9th-11th grades (minimum two english classes required)
- High School Transcript
- Personal Statement (200-500 word statement about why you want to become a nurse)
Application deadline for the Fall semester is February 1st. Applications received after February 1st will be considered only if there is available space. Students applying for acceptance to the 4-year Traditional program are able to apply with the Mercy University Undergraduate Application or the Common Application.
Progression Criteria
Once accepted as a B.S. Nursing major, students are required to achieve a C+ or better in all nursing (NURS) courses and the following prerequisite courses:BIOL 130 , BIOL 130A , BIOL 131 , BIOL 131A , CHEM 139 , CHEM 140A , BIOL 265 , BIOL 265A , PSYN 233 and MATH 116 .
Students must maintain an overall 2.0 GPA in general education courses and a 2.33 GPA for Nursing courses.
Students are permitted to repeat one prerequisite course and one NURS course. Students may withdraw from one NURS course only once while in the program.
Clinical Requirements
All students must complete the following before starting clinical. Copies of these documents/clearances must be submitted electronically to the Clinical Placement Coordinator by the specified due date for facility onboarding requirements.
No one is allowed to begin clinical without the following:
- Current CPR for Health Care Personnel from American Heart Association
- COVID vaccination and Booster
- Immunization titers - MMR, Hepatitis B (antibody and antigen), Varicella
- Hepatitis C antibody test
- Annual Flu vaccine
- TdAP/TD vaccination
- Annual health assessment form (physical examination)
- Annual N-95 mask fitting
- TB Blood Test or PPD (chest x-ray for a positive PPD)
- *Criminal background check - Depending on agency requirements
- *Drug screen - Depending on agency requirements
- *Fingerprints - Depending on agency requirements
- Any other agency requirements
Organization of the Program
This program has been designed for the full-time student. All nursing and requisite science courses are offered at the Dobbs Ferry campus only.
General education requirements may also be taken at the Bronx and Manhattan campuses. Upon successful completion of the program, students will have met the educational requirements to take the NCLEX-RN licensure examination.
Program Dismissal Review
The School of Nursing strongly supports the progression of all students and works with students at risk to co-create an action plan that supports the students’ continuation in the nursing program. In cases which a student has been dismissed from the Traditional Nursing Program, the student may request a dismissal review when they believe that extenuating circumstances affected their academic performance in the program. The student must follow the School Dismissal Review Policy found in the nursing student handbook.
Complaints That Fall Outside the Realm of Due Process
The School of Nursing is committed to meeting its mission as it relates to serving our students, potential students, staff, faculty, adjunct faculty, clinical faculty and the public consumer of nursing services. To that end, we are committed to ensuring that exceptional complaints for which there is no established University, School or program policy or procedure are considered and resolved in a timely, fair, consistent and equitable manner.
Procedure: Complaint to the Program: Complaints should be addressed to the Dean through the online form located here .
If the Dean is the subject of the complaint, the complaint should be addressed to the Provost.
Program Policies
Readmission Program Policies
- The reentry policy applies to students with Mercy University nursing credits who seek to reenter the Mercy University nursing program.
- The admission policy applies to students dismissed from other nursing programs.
- Reentry or admission is only offered once. If a student is dismissed a second time from the nursing program, they may not reapply.
- Readmission to the nursing program is not guaranteed.
- Applicants with a history of past violations of the Mercy University code of student conduct that may jeopardize patient safety, or the reputation of the School of Nursing may be disqualified.
Re-entry Policy: Mercy University Students
A student academically dismissed from the nursing program at Mercy University may apply for reentry. The student seeking re-entry must initiate the process within two semesters of leaving the nursing program.
Students must meet all the current admission criteria to be considered for re-entry to the nursing program.
Admission policy: Nursing transfer students
A student dismissed from another nursing program for academic reasons may apply for admission to the nursing program at Mercy University. Applicants must meet the current admission requirements at Mercy University.
Nursing courses must be a grade of C+ or higher to transfer. The program will accept up to 6 credits in transfer for the courses listed below (courses must be taken within the last 5 years).
- Nursing Research
- Informatics
- Health Policy
Students dismissed from another nursing program will need to submit additional information, see below.
Where to apply
Students seeking re-entry will need to apply directly to the nursing program by emailing the School of Nursing email at schoolofnursing@mercy.edu.
Students seeking admission as a nursing transfer student will need to apply to the Office of Admissions.
Admission Requirements
Students seeking reentry or admission as a transfer nursing student must submit additional information.
The applicant must:
- Submit a personal statement addressed to the Readmission Committee requesting re-entry or admission to the nursing program for a specific semester and year. The Readmission committee is composed of nursing faculty, an admissions counselor, and a PACT advisor. The personal statement should contain all the following information:
- Detailed explanation of the factors that contributed to the nursing program dismissal.
- Discussion of your academic readiness to resume the nursing program.
- Outline of your plans to achieve academic success.
- Submit two letters of recommendation supporting admission to the program. If the applicant was dismissed from a nursing program that was not Mercy University, one letter of recommendation must be from the program from which you were dismissed. The letter should address the reason for dismissal.
Nursing Course Transfer
Mercy University will accept some nursing course(s) taken at accredited nursing programs and accredited colleges or universities. To evaluate courses, students must submit applicable course syllabi and have a grade of C+ or higher in the transfer course. The School of Nursing will only accept up to six transfer credits for the courses listed below. Courses taken must be within 5 years of starting the program and must be weighted at 3 credits or more.
- Nursing Research
- Informatics
- Health Policy
School of Nursing Withdrawal Policy
Students may withdraw from one Nursing (NURS) course as per the Student handbook.
• Students must withdraw during the designated nursing withdrawal period.
• A student may withdraw from a NURS course only once throughout the nursing program.
• Students are required to withdraw from all components associated with a NURS course [i.e., didactic, clinical and/or lab]. The withdrawal from all components associated with an NURS course will be considered a total of one withdrawal.
