Professional Health Programs at Loras

Nursing

Loras College / Mercy College of Health Sciences

3+1 Nursing BA/BS+BSN

Mercy College of Health Sciences and Loras College have partnered to offer a new 3+1 program that provides an opportunity for students to earn two degrees in four years.

You will earn a bachelor’s degree (BA or BS) from Loras College and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) through an accelerated pathway from Mercy College of Health Sciences, without leaving the Dubuque area, in only four years.

  • All four years on the Loras College campus
  • Apply during your third year at Loras
  • Two degrees in four years: Loras BS/BA and Mercy College BSN
  • Sit for the licensing exam in only twelve months (three semesters: summer, fall, and spring)
  • Athletes are eligible for sports in years one through three, but not year four

Admission & Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the 3+1 program and be considered for admission to the Mercy College of Health Sciences Accelerated BSN program, Loras College students must:

    • Complete a minimum of 90 hours of college credit toward the Loras BA or BS degree

    • Complete all requirements for the Loras major and the Loras general education program

    • Earn a grade of C (not C-) or higher in the following college-level courses, and an extracted GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale from the following courses prior to starting the major:
      • Human Anatomy (with lab)
      • Human Physiology (with lab)
      • Microbiology (with lab)
      • English Composition I
      • General Psychology
      • College-level Math (3 credits)
      • Lower or upper-level Statistics (3 credits)
      • Lower or upper-level Nutrition (3 credits)

    • The Loras general education curriculum will fulfill the Mercy College Core Curriculum requirements, except for SVL 285 Servant Leadership, which are required prior to beginning the accelerated BSN.

    • Apply to the Mercy College of Health Sciences accelerated BSN program no later than November 1 for a May start on the Loras College campus.

    • Be admitted to the accelerated BSN program and complete Clinical Compliance requirements (background check, drug screening, and provide proof of immunizations, CPR provider certification, Iowa Mandatory Reporter training for adult and child, HIPPA, etc.) prior to the start of classes.

Prerequisites Courses for Nursing
  • Human Anatomy (with lab)
  • Human Physiology (with lab)
  • Microbiology (with lab)
  • English Composition I
  • General Psychology
  • College-level Math (3 credits)
  • Lower or upper-level Statistics (3 credits)
  • Lower or upper-level Nutrition (3 credits)

Transfer Student Eligibility

Transfer students are not excluded from the (BSN) pathway; however, you should work closely with your advisor to ensure all the requirements at met.

Feel free to contact our pre-health advisor if you have any questions.

Ulrike Schultz, MD, MPH
Pre-Health Advisor
ulrike.schultz@loras.edu
563.588.7255

 

Apply Today
Schedule a Campus Visit

How Does it Work?

Students participating in the 3+1 program take coursework for their BA or BS degree in the first three years of the program which includes the prerequisite courses needed to qualify for admission to the BSN program.

Students apply for admission to Mercy College’s accelerated BSN program in the third year and if accepted begin the nursing program at Loras in the summer following the third year of undergraduate coursework. Labs will be completed on Loras’ campus and many clinicals will be delivered just blocks away from Loras’ campus at MercyOne Dubuque, an affiliate of Mercy College.

Upon successful completion of the nursing requirements, you are eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN exam).

Additional Dual Degrees in Nursing

Through partnerships with other colleges, students at Loras College can pursue accelerated dual degree options leading to a nursing degree.

4+1 Allen nursing
3+2 NICC Nursing

Advising Matters

The Loras Pre-Health Advising Office is here to support our students in exploring health careers and preparing our students for a competitive health professional school application. Pre-health tracks are not majors, but a sequence of courses to help prepare students for the application to specific health professional graduate programs after earning a bachelor’s degree at Loras College.

You may choose a major in any field and take the required prerequisite courses for their desired health professional track. Our pre-health advisor and faculty advisors guide students on course sequencing and work with them to develop a plan of study for each student depending on their major and desired health professional pathway.

Additionally, we encourage and guide our students to work in the health care field, shadow health care professionals in a variety of settings, as well as help them find volunteer and leadership experiences during their time with us. This provides an opportunity for our students to confirm their calling, to develop into well-rounded health care professionals and leaders in the future and to develop a competitive health professional school application.

Loras staff and faculty have a decades-long record in preparing students for competitive health professional programs locally and nationally with acceptance rates that well exceed the national average. Our pre-health advisor is a member of the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (NAAHP) which provides guidance and resources to prepare student for health care careers.

Academic Guidance

  • Regular advising sessions with the pre-health advisor and faculty advisors
  • Pre-health information sessions and workshops (personal statement writing, mock interviews, application workshops)
  • Campus visits from local health science professionals and representatives from health professional programs
  • Opportunities to shadow or observe the health profession of choice
  • Resources and guidance on career choice, schools, and admissions requirements
  • Personal statement, interview, and admission test guidance

Get the right experience

We encourage and guide you to work in the healthcare field, shadow healthcare professionals in a variety of settings, and help you find volunteer and leadership experiences during your time with us.

4+1 Nursing BA/BS+BSN

Allen College

Earn a bachelor’s degree from Loras and an accelerated bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) from Allen College in Waterloo, Iowa.

Upon successful completion of the nursing requirements, you are eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN exam).

Apply Today
Schedule a Campus Visit

How does it work?

Loras College and Allen College have embarked on an affiliation where by if a Loras student completes all the pre-requisite coursework at a 3.0 level and are certified as a nurse’s aide, an automatic seat is reserved at Allen College for entrance into their accelerated 15-month BSN program.

4+1 Requirements

Complete any bachelor’s degree along with the following prerequisite courses with a 3.0 or greater GPA.

Tuition & Fees
Students will pay Loras College tuition and fees for all the years that they are enrolled at Loras. Students will pay Allen College tuition and fees for all the years that they are enrolled at Allen.

Financial Aid

Students accepted to Loras College are awarded a financial aid package based on your high school achievements, your family’s financial need, and any additional scholarships you haves earned. While your financial need may change based on the annual FAFSA results, all merit-based aid from the college will remain intact from year to year (taking into account the parameters of individual scholarship awards).

Transfer Student Eligibility

Transfer students are not excluded from the program; however, you should work closely with your admission representative to verify your transfer credits.

Feel free to contact our pre-health advisor if you have any questions.

Ulrike Schultz, MD, MPH
Pre-Health Advisor
ulrike.schultz@loras.edu
563.588.7255

 

3+2 Nursing BA/BS+ADN

Northeast Iowa Community College

Students at Loras College can begin their academic journey as part of the 3+2 Nursing Program. In addition to earning either a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish or a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Loras College, you’ll receive a nursing degree from Northeast Iowa Community College in five years.

Students complete their nursing coursework at the NICC nearby Peosta campus in their fourth and fifth years of the program, and will complete their clinical rotations in the Dubuque area.

Apply Today
Schedule a Campus Visit

How does it work?

Loras students will complete coursework in general education and their academic major during the first three years at Loras. Also during this time period, students must successfully complete coursework in anatomy and physiology, nutrition, a May term course that qualifies you to take the Certified Nursing Assistant exam, followed by an online dosage calculation course to prepare them to take the Health Education Systems Incorporated (HESI) nursing admission exam.

Upon successful completion of the fifth year, students are awarded their bachelor of arts degree from Loras College, their associate’s degree in nursing from NICC, and will be eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX).

Requirements

Spanish 210 & Nursing Degree (5-year plan)

Spanish 270 & Nursing Degree (5-year plan)

Kinesiology & Nursing Degree (5-year plan)

Tuition & Fees
Students will pay Loras College tuition and fees for all five years that they are enrolled in the program. Loras College will pay students’ tuition and fees to NICC. Prior to completion of the HESI exam, students will incur an additional expense for the May Term CNA course (approximately $700) and the online Dosage Calculation course (approximately $200).

Students wanting to take coursework during the summer to lighten their load during the academic year, may do so at their own expense.

 

Financial Aid

Students accepted to Loras College are awarded a financial aid package based on your high school achievements, your family’s financial need, and any additional scholarships you haves earned. While your financial need may change based on the annual FAFSA results, all merit-based aid from the college will remain intact from year to year (taking into account the parameters of individual scholarship awards)*.

In addition, students entering year five of the program will receive a $6,000 nursing scholarship to support your tuition and fees. Financial aid awards are not able to exceed the cost of tuition.

*Students receiving the Iowa Tuition Grant are capped at eight 8 semesters for this award. Students receiving tuition remission and tuition exchange are capped at 8 semesters for their award. Students receiving full tuition scholarships are capped at 8 semesters for their award.

Transfer Student Eligibility

Transfer students are not excluded from the program; however, you should work closely with your admission representative to verify your transfer credits.

Feel free to contact our pre-health advisor if you have any questions.

Ulrike Schultz, MD, MPH
Pre-Health Advisor
ulrike.schultz@loras.edu
563.588.7255

 

Transcript Information

Students participating in the 3+2 Loras/NICC Dual Degree Nursing program are full-time students enrolled at Loras College for all five years. Coursework taken on the NICC campus will be transcripted by Loras College and NICC.

Semester coursework between the two institutions must be equal to 12 credits or more to insure full-time status. Students must register and complete the equivalent of 12 credits or risk retroactive adjustments to their student aid. Students will be cross-registered for their NICC nursing coursework through the Loras Registrar’s Office.

NICC courses will be transcripted as a Loras course, with final grades reported and calculated into the Loras GPA. Cross-registered courses require that students follow the policies and procedures associated with the institution administering the coursework (NICC).

Straight Talk from a Duhawk

Loras prepares you for the future by providing hands-on learning opportunities early and throughout your time at Loras, which helps students know what to look forward to after graduation.

— Kirsten (’25)

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