Nursing Major (BS in Nursing Degree)
Why Earn Your Bachelor’s in Nursing?
In Iona University’s Bachelor of Science (BS) in Nursing program, you immerse yourself in a robust health care education that instills strong clinical skills and knowledge, as well as passion and a deep commitment to providing quality, patient-centered care.
As a nursing major, you enter directly into the nursing program as a first-year student and pursue a traditional four-year nursing degree. You become prepared to take the NCLEX exam and confidently launch your RN career through:
- hands-on clinical training beginning the third year in the program;
- a broad range of nursing classes combined with real-world practical applications;
- faculty mentorship and an uplifting learning community.
Why Become a Nursing Major at Iona?
Get Personalized Instruction in Small Class Sizes
With small class sizes of 25:1, you gain more personalized attention from our distinguished faculty, who share their valuable insight as experienced nursing educators and practitioners. For your hands-on practicums, we intentionally maintain small clinical groups, ranging from 4:1 to 7:1, depending on the clinical partnership and specialty. This also allows you to forge deeper relationships with your peers and preceptors and facilitates a more thorough learning experience built upon mentorship.
Receive Top-Tier Instruction in Our CCNE-Accredited Program
As nursing education and the healthcare career field evolve, it’s important to ensure you invest in a degree program that offers the best quality and most up-to-date training and instruction possible. The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Iona University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).
Iona’s baccalaureate degree program in nursing is also accredited by the New York Department of Education.
With these accreditations, you can trust that Iona provides a comprehensive nursing education that meets and exceeds industry standards to prepare you for the fast-paced and ever-changing world of medicine.
Strengthen Clinical Skills in the Kelly Center
Iona University’s partnership with NewYork-Presbyterian opens up new learning opportunities, such as working and studying in the cutting-edge Kelly Center for Health Sciences, that deepen your understanding of the nursing profession and practice. Learn in a hospital-like setting and practice in state-of-the-art assessment labs to develop sound clinical skills and build familiarity working with medical equipment and providing patient care.
Contact Us
Victoria Porter
Nursing Admissions Specialist
NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences
As part of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, nursing students will develop the skills and experience needed for tomorrow’s workforce.
Students have the opportunity to do clinicals and rotations at NewYork-Presbyterian, ranked one of the top hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report 2024-25. Iona students are also considered for full-time positions within the NewYork-Presbyterian network upon graduation.
Align your education with your career goals at the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences and earn a degree of tremendous value for your future.
The nursing program not only taught me the technical skills I needed, but it also gave me the compassion and empathy to truly care for my patients.
-Maria Morano ’24
Read More about Maria
What You'll Learn
Iona’s BS in Nursing degree program strives to provide a holistic nursing education that equips you with well-developed clinical competencies and expertise, strong organizational skills and the ability to connect and collaborate with colleagues and patients from all backgrounds.
Our program ensures you become proficient in the following:
- Clinical skills that allow you to treat patients, administer medication, perform tests and procedures, complete nursing interventions and more;
- Technical skills to prepare you to use medical and lab equipment;
- Organizational skills to help you coordinate and manage care for patients and work collaboratively with other members of the health care team;
- Interpersonal skills that enable you to develop relationships with your patients and health care team members and advocate for best practices and safe care;
- Clinical judgment and ethical decision-making skills, which empower you to assess situations and determine a course of action accurately;
- Leadership skills as you become a professional nurse and accept opportunities to take on more responsibility.
Review Iona’s learning outcomes for the BS in Nursing program.
BS in Nursing Program Highlights
NewYork-Presbyterian Partnership
Put your new clinical skills into practice by participating in clinical practicums and internships throughout your bachelor’s in nursing program. With Iona’s convenient location just 30 minutes from New York City and our partnership with the world-renowned NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital system, you gain valuable nursing experience in some of the top health care facilities in the country.
Facilities include: NYP Westchester, NYP Allen Hospital, NYP Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, NYP Westchester Behavioral Health Center, United Hebrew of New Rochelle, Westchester Visiting Nurses Service, The Osborn and more.
Clinical rotations specialties include: medical-surgical adult health, maternity/women's health, pediatrics, behavioral health, geriatrics and community/public health.
Engage in Collaborative Learning Through Interprofessional Education (IPE) Field Opportunities
Iona’s Interprofessional Education (IPE) initiatives create engaging, collaborative learning opportunities for you and other students in health care-related majors to learn from and with one another. As a nursing major, IPE can help you become a well-rounded practitioner, engage in advanced interprofessional research and take part in competency-based field opportunities.
Study Nursing Abroad
Dive into Iona’s immersive study abroad programs and explore global health care systems and professions firsthand. While in Iona’s nursing program, you can participate in two different study abroad opportunities — either a global clinical immersion in Ghana or a short-term credit-bearing program in Ireland. These programs promote your commitment to diversity and social justice, intellectual curiosity and your understanding of the nursing profession domestically and internationally.
Career Outlook for Registered Nurses
To keep up with rapid changes and demands in the medical field, health care facilities depend on registered nurses, their expert clinical skills and their dedication to delivering exceptional patient care.
Regarding the employment outlook for registered nurses, the high demand for RNs is reflected in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) employment estimates. The BLS projects RNs’ employment to grow by six percent during the next decade, which translates to more than 190,000 new nursing positions each year.
Additionally, RNs have the opportunity to make a steady income, earning a median annual wage of $77,600. However, their annual income can extend up to $120,250 based on the type of health care facility, education and professional experience and state of employment, along with other factors.
The purpose of Iona’s nursing program centers on educating students and preparing them to secure their nursing licensure so they can pursue nursing roles in all sorts of health care settings, including:
- Home-Based Health Services
- Hospice Centers
- Hospitals
- Mental Health Centers
- Nursing Homes
- Private Practices
- Public and Community Health
- Schools and Camps
Nursing Major Admission Requirements
For nursing program applications, a comprehensive evaluation approach is employed. Historically, competitive candidates possessed an average SAT score of 1180, an ACT score of 24, and a cumulative high school GPA of 3.6. It should be noted that applicants have the option to apply without standardized test scores.
Applicants are expected to have an academic foundation in Mathematics and Science subjects, such as Algebra II, Biology, and Chemistry. It is strongly recommended that candidates have completed high school courses in Biology and/or Chemistry with laboratory components. Applicants are advised to have a broad and solid academic preparation, ideally encompassing three years of English, History/Social Science. Competitive candidates are often those who have fulfilled a rigorous four-year academic program in high school, placing a particular emphasis on Mathematics and Science disciplines.
To create an easy pathway to their nursing career, we offer first-year students direct entry into the bachelor’s in nursing program. During their application process, applicants must submit:
- Common Application
- High school transcripts
- One letter of recommendation from a counselor, teacher or other individual
For more information about the BS in Nursing program, contact Victoria Porter at vporter@iona.edu. Or, review Iona’s Freshman Admissions page to learn more.
Transfer Students
Tuition and Financial Aid Opportunities
If you enroll at Iona as a full-time undergraduate student, your tuition costs $45,060 per year with additional fees and expenses, depending on whether you live on campus or commute.
Ninety-nine percent of first-year undergraduate students receive Iona scholarships or grant aid. Iona’s Student Financial Services (SFS) supports you through navigating the financial aid process by answering all your questions and connecting you to scholarships and grants.
Learn more about Iona’s cost and financial aid offerings. Or, connect with our SFS staff to learn more or set up an appointment.
Everyone here is supportive and wants to see us become the best nurses we can be. I have grown so much as an aspiring nurse and academically as a student.
Bryanna Palamara '24, Nursing Major
Student Nurses' Association
Gain nursing experience beyond the classroom by joining the Student Nurses' Association (SNA)-Iona chapter. Iona’s SNA chapter fosters a collaborative environment where you can grow with and mentor other nursing majors as you transition through the didactic and clinical curriculum and build the professional skills necessary to become an RN.
In alignment with Iona’s core value of service-learning, SNA members also sponsor and participate in campus-wide community events, including Narcan training, the annual Thanksgiving Basket Drive and the School of Health Sciences Health Fair.
Additionally, Iona University is an official constituent of the National Student Nurses' Association, Inc (NSNA).® Many of our members have received national recognition in the NSNA Leadership Honor Society.
Follow us on Instagram @iona_sna to see our SNA chapter in action.
Mission Statement & Goals
Mission Statement
To provide high quality, accessible educational experiences that challenge and empower students to become nurse leaders working at the forefront of health care. We are committed to preparing students who are liberally educated, clinically competent, and will be compassionate, empathetic and ethical professionals. Iona’s nursing program, consistent with Iona University’s mission, will provide an educational environment that embraces intellectual inquiry, commitment to excellence, service to others, and respect for the unique perspectives and experiences of the individual.
The Department of Nursing's Goals are to:
- Prepare competent nurses who are morally reflective and critical thinking professionals who are contributing, collaborative members of the healthcare team.
- Promote excellence, innovation, and creativity in teaching, scholarship, and practice.
- Engage in service to the community and profession of nursing.
- Generate and disseminate knowledge through scholarly inquiry and research that advances nursing science.
Take the Next Step: Apply to Iona University’s Nursing Program
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Iona University equips you with high-quality instruction, clinical training and mentorship that supports your growth as a nurse and expedites your career readiness.
Ready to get started? Apply to Iona University today!
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Let us show you around, answer your questions and give you a feel of our tight-knit community.
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