1. Howard University – College Of Nursing And Allied Health Sciences
   The College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences at Howard University has the best HBCU nursing program. In true HBCU spirit, the school focuses on educating diverse populations and individuals from under-represented groups. Howard offers three Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) paths for undergraduates. The school offers a traditional BSN, an LPN-BSN program, and an RN-BNS program for nurses already holding a current license. Howard’s graduate nursing program offers a Master of Science Nursing (MSN) program with two tracks. Students can choose from a traditional Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) track or an online Nurse Educator (NE) track. In addition to offering multiple programs, the school lives its motto of Truth and Service by teaching community service and encouraging research.

Howard University generates the most African American post-graduate recipients of any university in the country. It is widely considered the most comprehensive HBCU in the nation, with more than 120-degree programs. The private HBCU established in 1867 sits on a four-hundred-acre campus in the heart of the nation’s capital – Washington DC. The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) has accredited Howard University’s nursing program.

Program Accreditation: CCNE
Cost: $$$$$

2. North Carolina A&T State University – School Of Nursing
   The School of Nursing at North Carolina A&T State University has one of the best HBCUs nursing schools in North Carolina and the US. Through its College of Health and Human Sciences School of Nursing, NCA&T has a BSN with three different completion paths. There is a traditional BSN for first-year students, an Accelerated BSN path (ABSN) for students earning a nursing degree as a second bachelor’s degree, and an RN-BSN for registered nurses.

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is an HBCU established in 1891. The school is a member of the University of North Carolina’s multi-campus public university system. With a campus in the city of Greensboro, NC, A&T enrolls around 15,000 “Aggies” every year. The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) accredits the A&T nursing program.

Program Accreditation: ACEN
Cost: $$$$$

3. Florida A&M University – School Of Nursing
   The School Of Nursing at Florida A&M University is home to one of the top HBCU nursing schools in the country. Florida A&M is the state’s first black nursing school and offers undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate nursing degrees. There are also accelerated degree programs for Registered Nurses with an unencumbered license. The FAMU’s School of Nursing prepares students to enter the nursing workforce in various clinical settings. Florida A&M is competitive. The school admits only fifty students each semester to the nursing program.

Florida A&M University was founded in 1887 and is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund. A portion of the FAMU campus is a part of the US National Register of Historic Places. The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) accredits the Florida A&M nursing programs.

Program Accreditation: ACEN
Cost: $$$$$

4. Alcorn State University – Cora S. Balmat School Of Nursing
   The Cora S. Balmat School of Nursing at Alcorn State University is one of the top HBCU nursing schools in the country. Alcorn offers degrees from the associate’s level to the doctoral level. The Undergraduate Programs include an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Alcorn’s graduate-level nursing programs include a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).

Alcorn State’s main campus is in Lorman, Mississippi, about eighty miles south of the Mississippi state capital Jackson. The Nursing School campus is in Natchez, Mississippi. Alcorn University was founded in 1871 is the oldest public historically black land-grant institution in the United States. The university is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and recognized nationally for its programs in liberal arts, agricultural research, technology, music, and nursing. Alcorn State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. The nursing programs are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

Program Accreditation: ACEN
Cost: $$$$$

5. Fayetteville State University – School Of Nursing
   The School of Nursing at Fayetteville State University has one of the best HBCU nursing schools in the US. The school boasts a 100% NCLEX Pass rate for the last three semesters! The UNC-FSU nursing school offers a traditional BSN, an RN-BSN, and an online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in Patient Safety and Quality. FSU is the first school in NC to offer a graduate degree pathway with this focus. Another unique partnership offered by the school is Veterans in the Community (VACOM). The program is a collaborative partnership between veterans, the School of Nursing, and Community Partners. Fayetteville is home to Fort Bragg, one of the largest military installations in the world. True to the school’s motto – Deeds not Words – many FSU programs are veteran-friendly. The VACOM program recruits veterans into the undergraduate nursing program and trains them to work with veteran patient populations.

Fayetteville State University (FSU) is the second oldest university in the North Carolina University System. The public institution was established in 1867 in Fayetteville, NC, and offers over sixty degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. FSU is an HBCU and a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education accredits the nursing programs at Fayetteville State University.

Program Accreditation: CCNE
Cost: $$$$$

6. Prairie View A&M University – College Of Nursing
   With programs at the undergraduate and graduate level, the Prairie View A&M University College of Nursing is one of the best HBCU nursing schools in the nation. Students can complete the Prairie View traditional BSN in four and a half years. Graduates enter many different clinical settings or continue and earn a graduate degree. Nurses currently licensed have the option of earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) through an online completion path. Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) or practical nurses can choose the LVN-BSN program. Registered Nurses can complete the online RN-BSN program. Graduate nursing degrees offered at Prairie View include the Master of Science Degree with one of three concentrations. Students can choose a Family Nurse Practitioner path, a Nurse Education path, or a Nurse Administration path. In addition, the school offers a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program.

Prairie View A&M University was established in 1876 and is the second-oldest higher learning institute in Texas. Prairie View is located northwest of Houston and is considered a historically black university (HBCU). The school is a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. The nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Program Accreditation: CCNE
Cost: $$$$$

7. Winston-Salem State University – School Of Health Sciences
   Another one of the top HBCU nursing schools is Winston-Salem State University. The WSSU nursing program offers comprehensive nursing education experience rooted in HBCU nursing traditions through its School of Health Sciences. The Winston Salem State undergraduate nursing degrees include a traditional and accelerated BSN. In addition, there are three programs for students with health care experience to earn a BSN. These advanced standing paths are the LPN-BSN, RN-BSN, and Paramedic-BSN programs. With working nurses and paramedics in mind, these paths offer medical workers a convenient and affordable path toward career advancement. Winston Salem State also has two graduate certificate programs – the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Certificate and the online Advanced Nurse Educator (ANE) Certificate. In addition, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree program is available with a BSN-DNP path or an MSN-DNP path.

This historically black college (HBCU) was established in 1892 and currently enrolls over 5,000 students. The university’s 117-acre urban campus is in the city of Winston-Salem, NC. WSSU is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Winston-Salem State University has accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC). In addition, the nursing programs have accreditation from the Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Program Accreditation: CCNE
Cost: $$$$$

8. Coppin State University – Fuld School Of Nursing
   The Fuld School of Nursing at Coppin State University is one of the nation’s top HBCU nursing colleges. Coppin State offers undergraduate and graduate-level nursing degrees. In addition, the school offers multiple paths to a BSN, a master’s degree, graduate certificate programs, and doctoral degrees in nursing. The nursing curriculum places emphasizes preparing nurses to provide high-quality care to vulnerable and underserved urban communities.

Coppin State sits on a fifty-two-acre campus in Charm City, Maryland. This culturally rich HBCU university was established in 1900 and is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. The school is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. In addition, the nursing programs have accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Program Accreditation: CCNE
Cost: $$$$$

9. Kentucky State University – School Of Nursing And Health Sciences
   The School of Nursing and Health Sciences at Kentucky State University School has one of the top HBCU nursing colleges. The school offers several nursing degree options. These include ACEN-accredited Associate of Applied Sciences in Nursing, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), an RN-BSN in Nursing, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Furthermore, students can attend the Kentucky State RN-BSN and BSN-DNP programs entirely online.

Kentucky State University is a public institution founded in 1886 with an annual enrollment of approximately 2,300 students. The HBCU has an 882-acre campus in Frankfort that includes 311 acres for agricultural research and 306 acres devoted to environmental education. The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) has accredited KSU’s nursing programs. However, KSU is not just home to one of the best HBCU nursing schools. It is also home to the Biosecurity Research Institute.

Program Accreditation: ACEN
Cost: $$$$$

10. Bowie State University – Department Of Nursing/College Of Professional Studies
    The Department of Nursing at Bowie State University is one of the top HBCU nursing schools in the nation. Nursing Students prepare for the in-demand nursing career, gaining practical experience in BSU’s cutting-edge simulation lab and Traditional nursing programs generally three years long. At the same time, students in one of the best HBCU accelerated nursing programs finish in approximately 18 months—internships in various nursing-related fields. In addition, the degree prepares graduates to address patient care as it evolves through a lifespan.

Bowie State University is a Thurgood Marshall College Fund member and the state’s oldest historically black university (HBCU) founded in 1865. The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) has accredited the Bowie State School of Nursing.

Program Accreditation: ACEN

Bowie State University Nursing

Whatever attracts you to a helping field, Bowie State’s nursing program is designed to develop students like you into professionals prepared to fill one of the country’s most critical and in-demand careers. You’ll gain hands-on experience in our state-of-the-art nursing simulation lab within a new learning center and internships in award-winning facilities to graduate with the knowledge to be an exceptional nurse and an asset to the entire field.

Changes to RN-BSN and Accelerated Offerings

In an effort to assure the highest quality programs for our students, the Department of Nursing is taking steps to enhance the RN-BSN and Accelerated tracks in the undergraduate program. No applications will be accepted for these programs for the fall 2020 or spring 2021 sessions. We welcome students to apply to the traditional nursing track to obtain a BSN degree. Students currently enrolled in the RN-BSN and Accelerated tracks will continue to completion of their degrees. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact the Nursing Department at 301-860-3201.

Nursing Application Deadlines

Undergraduate Program

Traditional Undergraduate Nursing Program Option

• Applications open: September 15, 2021
• Deadline to apply: October 15, 2021 

Learn about the application process for our undergradute nursing program.

Graduate Program

• Applications open: January 25, 2021
• Deadline to apply: April 1, 2021

For almost 30 years, Bowie State has cultivated naturally caring people into dynamic nursing professionals. The Bachelor of Science program, one of the most respected in the region, features a state-of-the-art simulation laboratory and community-based clinical placements to prepare students to deliver the best in client care. You’ll think critically, master new technologies, develop leadership skills and work collaboratively as part of a health care team to meet the needs of global communities, from your own neighborhood to developing regions abroad. Graduate with the education and skills necessary to begin a career providing exceptional service to those in need.

• What You’ll Learn
• Career Paths
• Special Opportunities

What sets us apart from other programs: our passion for increasing the number of qualified people of color in the nursing field. We believe well-rounded students make the best nurses and our liberal arts-based curriculum, infused with content from the social sciences, arts, humanities and computer science as well as health and science, opens up possibilities and opportunities in a broad range of careers. As a nursing major, your end-of-program student learning outcomes (EPSLOs) will be the ability to:

• Implement the nursing process and caring behaviors with individuals, families, and communities.
• Utilize critical thinking and clinical reasoning to promote optimal wellness with individuals, families and communities.
• Utilize communication, technology, and inter-professional collaboration to provide safe and effective nursing care.
• Integrate culturally congruent care concepts for clients across the lifespan.
• Utilize evidence-based findings for clinical decision-making in nursing practice.
• Apply health policies, and legal and ethical concepts in nursing practice into clinical nursing practice while adhering to legal and ethical principles.
• Demonstrate the ability to address the changing health care needs of diverse populations representing the global community.

The baccalaureate nursing program prepares students to become generalists practicing within the ethical and legal framework of professional nursing. Your education will equip you to not only meet the changing health care needs of diverse populations, but it will also prepare you to be a leader.