Excellent science program combined with practical experience!
Wittenberg provides an excellent liberal arts foundation and outstanding professional opportunities for our students. While Wittenberg does not have its own school of nursing, we offer cooperative programs with two nationally ranked nursing schools—Johns Hopkins University and Case Western Reserve University.
As a student interested in nursing, you can choose several different educational paths. A registered nurse with a bachelor of science in nursing typically cares for patients on the floor in a hospital or takes your vitals in the physician’s office. Their training is broad, allowing them to move easily between different departments in a hospital (e.g., emergency room, surgery, neonatal intensive care).
If you choose to gain graduate school training, you will likely pursue a nurse practitioner program. A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse with advanced academic and clinical experience, which allows for diagnosis and management of most common illnesses, either independently or as part of a health care team. Most nurse practitioners have earned a master of science in nursing (some have a doctorate) and may prescribe medications in most states.
Nurse practitioners focus primarily on health maintenance, disease prevention, counseling and patient education.
They can specialize in neonatology, midwifery, pediatrics, school health, family and adult health, women’s health, mental health, home care, geriatrics or acute care. The advanced nursing degrees also qualify you for a career in forensic nursing, health systems management, public health nursing, or for work as a clinical nurse specialist.
The current demand for nurses is overwhelming, providing both career choices and job security.
During the first three years, students complete Wittenberg’s general education program and a significant number of courses in biology, in addition to the required courses for the cooperative program. Wittenberg students are given preferential consideration in the application process, although admission to these programs is not guaranteed.
Johns Hopkins University:
Wittenberg is the only college in Ohio to have two cooperative programs with the Johns Hopkins University School
of Nursing (3+2 and 3+1 programs), which has been ranked in the top five programs in the country for many years.
During the fall of their junior year, interested students apply directly to the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. To apply, they must have completed the required courses and have a minimum grade point average of 3.0. At Johns Hopkins, our students pursue a bachelor of science in nursing (B.S.N.) and then have the option to pursue a master of science in nursing (M.S.N.). After completing the first year at Johns Hopkins, students in the 3-2 program receive their bachelor of arts (B.A.) from Wittenberg and then receive their B.S.N. at the end of the second year. The 3-1 program is an accelerated program in which students receive their B.A. from Wittenberg and B.S.N. from Johns Hopkins at the end of their first year at Johns Hopkins.
Clinical training is conducted at many sites in the Baltimore metropolitan area, including the Johns Hopkins Hospital, which has been rated the #1 hospital for many consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report.
Case Western Reserve University:
Wittenberg has a 3-4 program with Case Western Reserve University’s Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, which consistently ranks in the top 10 nursing schools in the country.
Students apply to Case during their junior year. After the first two years at Case, students must pass the national licensing exam for nursing (NLEXRN). Upon completing four years of nursing courses at Case, students receive their doctor of nursing (N.D.). An interesting feature of this program is the required research component, involving six to twelve months of clinical research. Students use their research findings to complete their doctoral thesis.
Wittenberg offers all courses required for admission to both cooperative programs in nursing, as well as other health profession schools. Those interested in one of the cooperative programs are required to take one year of general biology, one year of general chemistry, and one semester of human anatomy and physiology. Each program requires additional courses in other academic areas. Please visit www.wittenberg.edu/nursing for more specific information.
Our pre-health advisers work closely with each pre-health student and conduct annual advising sessions to discuss academic performance, extracurricular activities and healthrelated experiences.
Wittenberg offers a free MCAT/DAT/OAT/PCAT review program run by our students with the help of faculty in the science departments, and the KAPLAN MCAT review course for a fee.
We will strongly encourage you to gain practical, hands-on experience in your field of interest, not only because most nursing schools prefer this, but also because it helps you identify a career path. Community Mercy Health Partners in Springfield provides formal internship opportunities in our local hospital system, and additional healthcare practitioners have formally agreed to mentor our junior and senior students in their private practice.
Although admission to health professional schools is very competitive, Wittenberg students have enjoyed a high placement rate. In the last 10 years, our graduates have been accepted to the following nursing programs:
Pre-Health Professions Club:
Members are focused on attaining advanced degrees in a health field. They take field trips to academic conferences, bring in a variety of health care specialists to speak about their professions, organize first-aid and CPR certification classes, and educate others about health-related issues. Students administer full-length practice MCATs and enlist faculty to conduct review sessions for the MCAT, OAT, DAT and PCAT.
