7 Accelerated Nursing Programs in West Virginia

This post will provide you with every detail you need in finding the best schools that offer accelerated nursing programs in West Virginia if you are looking to transition into a nursing career with an undergraduate degree in any discipline, or are a Registered Nurse who wants to climb the career ladder some more.

Located in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeastern regions of the United States, West Virginia is popularly known for its range of outdoor activities like hiking, skiing, mountain biking, etc. The state is also known as The Mountain State given by its rolling mountains, hills, and valleys.

It has been heard that the residents of West Virginia are the nicest people one can come across. They are known to have a strong sense of community and would go the extra mile to see that an outsider feels welcomed.

For international students who are wondering what West Virginia can offer them in terms of education, its top-notch quality education system, as well as fees that are very affordable, are some of the factors you should really be looking at.

Furthermore, The Mountain State prides itself in being one of the most picturesque states, offering a wide range of fun activities.

If you are considering enrolling in an accelerated nursing program in West Virginia, you are not making the wrong choice. You are in fact at the right place, and I urge you to read on as this post will guide you through the entire process.

WHAT’S SO HOT ABOUT NURSING ANYWAY?

You do not know?

Nursing is one of the most in-demand professions in the world today. As many there are falling sick and requiring medical care, there has never seemed to be enough supply of nurses who can step in and help. The job opportunities for nurses are in surplus, therefore there is no better time to hop on the field than now. This profession is for you if it is inherent in you to offer help to people

at all times. Have you ever seen a person down with sickness and had wished there was anything you could do to help them out of the situation? or to care for them so much that they don’t dwell on the negatives anymore?

Nursing is truthfully where you should belong.

There are tremendous opportunities open to everyone, and for graduates looking to transition with a degree in other fields, or even nurses who do not have Bachelors degrees yet, this is where accelerated nursing programs come in.

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ACCELERATED NURSING PROGRAMS IN WEST VIRGINIA

Accelerated nursing programs are programs designed for people who already have a bachelor’s degree in any other discipline. These programs allow one to use credits they earned as part of their current degree toward a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree and, if they wish, Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). BSN is the most common degree held by registered nurses (RN).

Accelerated nursing programs in West Virginia generally take 12-18 months to complete. This means you won’t have to go through the four-year route as you will go right into nursing courses proper. The program is super intensive and demanding and will require extra time and commitment from students, but you don’t need to worry if you have great time management skills, in two years’ time you sure will be done with the program.

Please note that this program doesn’t skip a thing. You will still complete all your nursing courses and the clinical portion of your degree. The only magical thing that happens is that your previous credits will be used to fill in for all non-nursing courses.

Accelerated programs group classes in quarters rather than semesters and programs are jam-packed such that students don’t get any breaks between course sessions, allowing them to earn their BSN degree quickly.

There are six universities offering accelerated nursing programs in West Virginia. Their requirements, cost, and other important information are also discussed.

Universities offering accelerated nursing programs in West Virginia are as follows:

  • West Virginia University  Accelerated Nursing Program
  • West Liberty University Accelerated Nursing Program
  • West Virginia Junior College Accelerated Nursing Program
  • Wheeling University Accelerated Nursing Program
  • Marshall University Accelerated Nursing Program
  • University of Charleston Accelerated Nursing Program
  • West Virginia Wesleyan College Accelerated Nursing Program

1. West Virginia University Accelerated Nursing Program:

West Virginia University is located along the Monongahela River in the city of Morgantown. The Institute has five campuses located in different parts of the state. The campuses are listed as follows:

  • Morgantown West Virginia University.
  • Beckley WVU Institute of Technology.
  • Keyser WVU Potomac State College.
  • Charleston WVU Health Sciences Center Charleston Division.
  • Martinsburg WVU Health Sciences Center Martinsburg Division.

WVU is one of the best institutions that offer accelerated nursing programs in West Virginia. Their Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Art to Bachelor of Science in Nursing(BSN) program is offered on their Morgantown campus.

This is a full-time program and throughout the academic and clinical experiences, students will be exposed to five core competencies that provide the framework for the BSN curriculum, these include Critical thinking, nursing interventions, professional role, caring, and communication. For more information regarding this, please refer to the institution’s Student Handbook.

This program will run intensively for 18 months, and upon completion, successful students will obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). They also become eligible to take the licensing examination for the registered professional nurse (RN). West Virginia University also provides an MSN program for graduates who wish to acquire a Master’s degree in Nursing.

A new cohort of students begins this program in January on the first day of the spring semester. applications are reviewed in September for the cohort that begins the following January.

Eligibility and Requirements

  • Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale on all college work attempted.
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for the pre-requisite courses.
  • Completion of each of the prerequisite courses with a grade of “C” or better, prior to enrollment.

For more details, you can visit the school website through the link provided below or fill out an information request form to ask your questions and someone from the school will get in touch with you.

Visit school site

2. West Liberty University Accelerated Nursing Program:

The next on school our list of institutions offering accelerated nursing programs in West Virginia is West Liberty University. West Liberty University (WLU), also known as Hilltoppers, is a public university located in West Liberty, West Virginia.

Named after the town in which it is located, West Liberty University is known to be the oldest higher institution in West Virginia. The institution offers more than 70 undergraduate majors plus graduate programs, including a master’s degree in education and an online MBA.

West Liberty University also has an accelerated BSN program for those with bachelor degrees who want to become nurses. This program is for graduates who have met prerequisite courses and want to study intensively with zero breaks.

The program begins in the Fall semester (late August) and runs for sixteen months (four semesters, including summer.)  The program includes courses on campus, clinical time in the simulation and skills labs, and clinical practice in area hospitals and health care agencies.

Program Requirements

The program requirements include a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, with an overall grade point average of at least a 3.0 on a 4 point system.
Completion of the following prerequisite courses: General Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology I and II, Microbiology, and Statistics.
Applicants are also required to write a personal essay on how the program will help them reach their goals. Finally, a short resume is to be submitted.

More details regarding this program are provided in the link below.

Visit school site

3. West Virginia Junior College Accelerated Nursing Program:

West Virginia Junior College is a privately owned college in Charleston, West Virginia. It has other campuses in Morgantown and Bridgeport.

In 2011, the school started offering online classes with the introduction of WVJC Online. WVJC Online is now offering an Accelerated Hybrid-Online Associate Degree in Nursing program to designated counties in West Virginia.

WVJC Online Nursing students can balance family, work, and college by taking nursing classes in an online format. Clinical practice and nursing skills laboratory training is conducted at local healthcare facilities and other facilities in the community.

Laboratory experiences are enhanced by a fully functioning Mobile Nursing Lab (MNL), complete with pediatric, obstetric, and geriatric training hi-fidelity simulators.

WVJC Online Nursing program is highly competitive and will only accept a limited number of nursing students each year.

Interested students should visit the school website to request more information.

Visit school site

4. Wheeling University:

Wheeling University is a private Roman Catholic university located in Wheeling, West Virginia. It was founded by the Society of Jesus as Wheeling College in 1954 and was a Jesuit institution until 2019.

If you are looking to enroll in any of the accelerated nursing programs in West Virginia, Wheeling University should definitely be on your list. Their accelerated nursing program is structured to allow those who hold a bachelor’s degree to complete WU’s nursing curriculum without repeating general education requirements. After completing the prerequisite courses, students enter the full-time nursing program in May and graduate the following December, just 18 months later.

It is important to note that the baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master’s degree program in nursing, and post-graduate APRN certificate program at Wheeling University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Prerequisite courses include:

  • Anatomy and Physiology I and II (6 credits)
  • Chemistry (3 credits)
  • General Psychology (3 credits)
  • Developmental Psychology (3 credits)
  • Microbiology/Epidemiology (2 credits)
  • Statistics (3 credits)

Eligibility & Requirements

  • A GPA of 3.0
  • A TEAS score of 68 or above
  • Successful completion of the program’s prerequisite courses listed above
  • Completion of a free application. Early application is recommended.
  • Requesting of official transcripts from all colleges or universities you have attended, having them sent electronically to grad@wju.edu or mailed directly to Wheeling University – GPS Admissions, 316 Washington Avenue, Wheeling, WV 26003
  • Having a score of at least 650 on the TOEFL exam for students whose native language is not English (otherwise exceptional applicants with a score of 550-600 may be accepted conditionally). International students must also have their transcripts from outside the US evaluated by WES or a comparable service.
  • Applying for federal student loans and grants by completing the FAFSA online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov if qualifying. School Code is #003831.

Cost of Program

The program is 66 credit hours, billed at $400 per credit. That comes to $26,400 for tuition for this program.

Follow the link below to start your application.

Visit school site

5. Marshall University Accelerated Nursing Program

Another school that offers accelerated nursing programs in West Virginia is Marshall University. Named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States, Marshall University is a research university located in Huntington, West Virginia. It has campuses in South Charleston, Point Pleasant, Teays Valley, and Beckley.

Marshall University offers an online RN to BSN program for graduates of accredited Diploma or Associate Degree Nursing programs. This will allow students to study from home and at their own pace.

To start your application, follow the link provided below to visit the school website. There you will find more information about this program such as eligibility and tuition cost, as well as general admission requirements.

Visit school site

6. University of Charleston Accelerated Nursing Program:

The University of Charleston is a private non-profit university that has its main campus in Charleston, West Virginia. The university also has other campuses located in Beckley, West Virginia, known as UC-Beckley.

The University of Charleston provides students with the opportunity to advance their nursing careers with their online RN-BSN program. The program may be completed in one calendar year (three academic semesters).

The University of Charleston is one of the most suitable schools for accelerated nursing programs in West Virginia, and their program curriculum focuses on current standards and evidence-based practices, so one can develop skills that are truly marketable and valuable.

Applicants must be a registered professional nurse (RN) with a current, unencumbered, or active temporary license, have a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 or better and submit an application to the RN-BSN program along with a copy of all college transcripts.

The program delves deep into core nursing courses and students are required to commit to a full-time intensive study. Graduation from the RN-BSN program requires completion of all course work with a grade of “C” or better.

Eligibility & Requirements

  • You must submit all official college or university transcripts demonstrating a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher
  • A Grade of “C” or higher in all Foundational, Health Sciences, and Nursing courses is required.
  • Nursing and Foundational (general education) courses through a regionally accredited institution by validation or articulation
  • Graduate from a regionally accredited college or university
  • Current, unencumbered license or valid temporary license as a Registered Professional Nurse (RN) in the U.S. or a jurisdiction that is an associate member of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
  • Complete and submit an RN – BSN Program application and required documents to the University of Charleston
    Health Sciences Department, Suite 400
    ATTN: Suzanne Summers
    2300 MacCorkle Avenue, SE
    Charleston, West Virginia 25304

Other important details such as program costs are provided on the school website.

Visit school site

7. West Virginia Wesleyan College Accelerated Nursing Program:

West Virginia Wesleyan College is a private college in Buckhannon, West Virginia.

Unlike other institutions offering accelerated nursing programs in West Virginia, West Virginia Wesleyan College offers an accelerated pathway for RN to MSN, which prepares advanced practice nurses in one of two concentrations: Family Nurse Practitioner or Nursing Leadership.

This program is designed in response to the AACN position statement on degree completion for Registered Nurses, and builds baccalaureate nursing content into the front-end of the program, providing a bridge to graduate study.

Students will complete 20 credit hours of Bridge coursework (Year 0) and then matriculate into the MSN coursework appropriate to their chosen concentration of study. Depending on the area of study, students will complete between 35 to 47 MSN credit hours of coursework.  Coursework will be offered using online and hybrid learning methods.

Eligibility and Requirement

Each Applicant will

  • Be a graduate of an accredited ADN program.
  • Possess an unencumbered RN license.
  • Have a GPA of 3.0 or higher in all previous college work
  •  Provide a personal statement of goals & objectives
  •  Provide official transcripts for all collegiate coursework
  • Submit a current resume or curriculum vitae
  •  Submit three letters of professional reference, one of which is from a current supervisor or faculty member (employment or school-related).
  • Submit proof of RN license
  • Demonstrate proficiency in English if a non-native English speaker by submitting scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

As a result of changes in higher education, West Virginia Wesleyan University is unable to accept students to their online/hybrid programs from the following states:

  • Alabama
  • California
  • Louisiana
  • New York
  • Tennessee
  • Washington

More admission details are provided on the school website. This includes the admission period, program duration, and cost.

Visit school site

In conclusion, there are tons of other schools offering nursing programs, however, this post focuses on only the schools that offer accelerated nursing programs in West Virginia. feel free to shoot your shots at any of the schools listed on this post. Hopefully, you find your name on the admission list of your dream school and bag that Bachelor of Science degree in nursing, and/or Master of Science degree in nursing, as the case may be.

Good luck.

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