The nursing program prepares graduates to take the National Council Licensing Examination
in Nursing for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), a required credential for nursing practice.
The curriculum integrates MCLA’s strong liberal arts foundation such as humanities,
natural and social sciences with theoretical and clinical courses in professional
nursing guided by the Quality and Safety Education in Nursing (QSEN) Core Competencies. The program also provides a strong foundation to successfully
pursue graduate study in advanced nursing practice roles.
Accepted students begin the MCLA BSN Nursing Program in the fall of their 2nd year at MCLA.
Applying to MCLA: Students entering MCLA, wishing to complete the BSN Nursing program are encouraged to declare as a Pre-Nursing Major, however, students that declare into other majors, or enter as undeclared may still apply into the BSN, as long as they meet the requirements for entry, and apply to progress into the BSN Nursing program by the posted deadline.
Admission to MCLA’s Pre-Nursing Program will adhere to MCLA general admission practices MCLA Undergraduate Admission Standards including submission of high school completion transcripts. Students accepted into the Pre-Nursing Program will be admitted into the BSN as a Pre-Nursing Major.
Application Priority Deadline June 15.
Progression into the BSN Nursing Major: Students must successfully complete the following courses by the end of the spring semester with a final grade of C or higher to be eligible for entry to the BSN Nursing Major.
Students must apply for entry into the BSN Nursing Major, by the Spring semester deadline. Admission to the BSN is based on:
1) the highest overall grade point average (GPA) of all applications received.
2) a personal statement.
3) a letter of recommendation from an academic or professional reference.
Acceptance into the BSN Nursing Major is limited, with chances increased by earning grades higher than the minimum in the 4 required courses (BIOL 150, CHEM 150, BIOL 342, and MATH 232).
MCLA BSN Program’s mission is to prepare baccalaureate nurses who will enhance the health status of rural underserved communities through excellence in nursing education and practice. The program is rooted in MCLA’s strong liberal arts foundation of the humanities, the arts, and the natural and social sciences. We are dedicated to the College’s mission of excellence in learning and teaching, innovative scholarship, intellectual creativity, public service, applied knowledge, and active responsible citizenship.
Our vision is that MCLA BSN Program will be an exemplary baccalaureate nursing program offered in a public liberal arts environment that is nationally recognized for improving healthcare in rural underserved communities experiencing health disparities.
BSN Program 4-year Curriculum Plan: The nursing program integrates MCLA’s strong liberal arts foundation of humanities, natural and social sciences through pre-requisite and co-requisite coursework. Through a variety of clinical course work MCLA BSN students will have the opportunity to care for individuals who come from a wide range of socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. Clinical practice experiences are infused throughout the curriculum starting in the sophomore year and throughout the junior and senior years.
A sample 4-year plan showing a possible sequence of courses.
MCLA Nursing is an excellent choice if you're looking for a career with many options, good income potential, and the chance to make a real difference in people's lives. Whether giving comfort, compassion, and hope to patients in physical and emotional pain or celebrating with patients when they receive good news, nurses make a lasting, positive impact on their patients’ lives.
If you feel that you are best suited to work with children, pediatrics may be your calling. Maybe you feel like you can make a difference by working with the elderly, then geriatrics may be the field for you. You may hope to work in a hospital setting, a physician’s office, or a school environment, there’s plenty of variety to be found in nursing. Whatever your career goals, an MCLA BSN is an ideal place to start.
The Essential Performance Standards for Nursing Majors are the basic cognitive, psychomotor and affective activities that are essential to successful completion of the BSN degree. Reviewing the essential performances can assist students interested in the nursing program to make an informed decision regarding choice of career.
The Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing (BORN) establishes policies (based
on MGL c.112, ss74, 74A and 76 and Board regulations at 244 CMR 8.00) for initial
licensure as a registered nurse in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. One of the criteria
for application for licensure involves the determination of “good moral character.”
Failure to meet this criterion could delay or prevent licensure. Please refer to the
Mass.gov website: www.mass.gov/dph/boards/rn for complete information. It is the student’s responsibility to seek legal guidance
with any concerns about meeting these criteria.
Nursing students must be certified in CPR at the Healthcare Provider Level (American Heart Association or American Red Cross) before starting their sophomore spring clinical coursework. Students may obtain CPR Certification outside of the college, and provide a record to the program administrator, or they may take PHED 120: Emergency Medical Response (1cr.), which is offered annually.
For more information regarding the Pre-Nursing admission process, please contact: Dr. Justin Golub (413) 662-5153 OR MCLA Admissions Department (413) 662-5410.
For Nursing Program-specific information, please contact:
Dr. Elizabeth Fiscella, APRN, GCNS, CNE
Associate Dean of Nursing
Elizabeth.Fiscella@mcla.edu
(413) 662-5591
MCLA has been granted Initial Approval status through the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing for the operation of its Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree Program
Board of Registration in Nursing
239 Causeway Street, Suite 500, 5th Floor
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 973-0900
www.mass.gov/dph/boards/rn
