Nursing School Admissions

Applicants of these programs must provide the following materials for admission:

• A completed application for admission; non-refundable application fee may apply
• Documentation of graduation from high school or college in the form of a valid high school diploma or college degree, transcripts, or other acceptable documentation
• A one-page typed personal statement (double-spaced, 12 pt. font)
• Updated immunization records, proof of current health insurance, and proof of current CPR certification (Online students may need these for experiential learning assignments.)*
• Documentation of graduation from an accredited ADN or RN diploma program and an active, unencumbered RN license (RN to BSN applicants only)

Please note the following guidelines for admission materials:

• It’s your responsibility to ensure that DCN receives all required documentation before the start of the program. All records received become the property of DCN.
• Any exceptions to documentation requirements must be cleared by the admissions committee. 
• All documents from other countries must also be translated into English and evaluated as equivalent to or higher than a U.S. high school diploma. 

All DCN program applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Be 18 years of age or older at the time they start their program of study
• Authorize DCN to conduct a background check and notify the college if there are any items on a background check that could create a barrier to clinical practice experience, placement, or licensure*
• Agree to and sign the Enrollment Agreement

*Note: Background checks and immunization records do not have to be included in the initial application package. Deadlines for these items will be discussed with an admissions advisor during the chosen applicants’ interviews.

Admission to the online MSN program is based on individual evaluation per the following minimum admissions requirements: 

• A completed application for admission; non-refundable application fee may apply
• A BSN from a CCNE-, ACEN-, or CNEA-accredited program
• A minimum undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
• A grade of “B” or better in all undergraduate nursing courses
• Three recommendations from individuals knowledgeable about the applicant’s academic, professional, and leadership potential
• Evidence of current unrestricted or unencumbered RN licensure (Applicants may be conditionally accepted pending licensure, which must be obtained prior to the end of the first quarter of study.)
• Submission of a one-page essay describing how master’s-level education in nursing will impact the applicant’s practice
• Updated immunization records, proof of current health insurance, and proof of current CPR certification (Online students may need these for experiential learning assignments.)*
• At least one year of clinical practice as an RN, two years preferred

All DCN program applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Be 18 years of age or older at the time they start their program of study
• Authorize DCN to conduct a background check and notify the college if there are any items on a background check that could create a barrier to clinical practice experience, placement, or licensure*
• Agree to and sign the Enrollment Agreement

*Note: Background checks and immunization records do not have to be included in the initial application package. Deadlines for these items will be discussed with an admissions advisor during the chosen applicants’ interviews.

Students who show promise for the program but don’t meet all admission criteria may be admitted on a probationary basis. Under the probationary status, students must attain a grade of “B” or better in the first 10 quarter credit hours of MSN coursework. Completing those courses with a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average removes the probationary status and entitles students to good academic standing.

Conditional admission may be granted to students who are awaiting receipt of admission materials — this includes first-quarter students awaiting a sit date for NCLEX testing. RN licensure must be obtained before the end of the first quarter of study. Unlicensed individuals will not be permitted to progress into the second quarter of the program.

The various clinical sites may have additional requirements that students must meet before being accepted into their clinical experiences. It’s the student’s responsibility to ensure they have appropriate documentation that will allow them to participate in the various clinical experiences. The following requirements must be met before clinical participation:

• A background check (due before the start of classes) that meets Colorado State Board of Nursing guidelines; this may need to be repeated at the request of a clinical facility
• Clear drug screen (due before the start of classes); this may need to be repeated at the request of a clinical facility 
• Completed Physical Exam form (due 5 weeks before the start of the quarter in which clinical rotations begin)
• Proof of current immunizations (due 5 weeks before the start of the quarter in which clinical rotations begin); required immunizations list may be obtained from the Admissions Department
• Proof of health insurance coverage (due 5 weeks before the start of the quarter in which clinical rotations begin) 
• Proof of current Healthcare Provider CPR certification (due 5 weeks before the start of the quarter in which clinical rotations begin)
• Proof of OSHA and HIPAA training (training provided in the program)

Note: Additional requirements may be required by a clinical site. Any additional requirements will be the student’s responsibility and at their expense.

Nursing program applicants should be physically and emotionally able to perform all the routine daily tasks a student nurse must complete in the clinical setting and do so safely and competently. Most often this includes, but is not limited to:

• The ability to stand for long periods
• Frequent, quick-paced walking
• Lifting and transferring patients
• Reacting swiftly to auditory signals
• Reacting to visual stimuli with color and depth perception
• Manual dexterity
• Ability to read, speak, write, and understand English proficiently
• Ability to make appropriate situational judgments and problem-solve

The student handbook has more detailed information on the essential functions of nursing practice and what’s expected of all nursing students to complete the program.

Credits earned at DCN are transferable only at the discretion of the receiving institution. DCN does not guarantee that its credits will transfer to any other institution. 

DCN generally does not accept nursing courses from another nursing program unless the transfer is related to the Colorado Nursing Articulation Model or other approved articulation agreements. Transfer requests will be reviewed by the dean of nursing education programs or their designee on a course-by-course basis. Applicants who have completed courses that are different from, but equivalent to, those required for admission should submit official transcripts and course descriptions for review.

Any nursing courses approved for transfer must have been completed within three years of application at a Colorado Board of Nursing-approved program. (Note: This requirement is not relevant to the RN to BSN or MSN programs.) 

DCN accepts transfer credits if they meet the following requirements:

• The previous institution was either accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, or the college determines that the postsecondary institution has equivalent accreditation standing as a foreign institution. 
• The content of the course is similar in scope. 
• The unit of credit is comparable. 
• A GPA of 2.0 or better and grades of “C” or above were earned for all listed prerequisite courses. 
• The listed prerequisites must be from an accredited U.S. institution. 

Microbiology and Anatomy & Physiology courses can’t have been completed more than seven years before the applicant’s DCN start date.

Guidelines:

• Transfer credits are recorded as hours earned toward the program without counting toward a student’s GPA.
• General education credits are transferred if they meet “general education” standards as defined by DCN.
• No transfer credits will be accepted after the first quarter.
• A minimum of 75% of the prelicensure DCN program courses must be taken at DCN.
• A minimum of 25% of the program courses in the RN to BSN program must be earned at DCN.
• Applicants who wish to transfer nursing courses with clinical or laboratory components, including Pharmacology, may be required to demonstrate clinical competency in the skills lab before the acceptance of these courses. Applicants should discuss the specific requirements with an admissions advisor.

Students who have received the required credit-granting scores (50 or higher) on College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams can earn college credit. This is a scaled score, equivalent to a grade of C in the corresponding course. CLEP examination credit is not given where it duplicates credit previously earned by the student or accepted for work completed elsewhere.

Credits may be awarded to current and former military personnel upon submitting documents from the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Department of Defense. Additional credit may be awarded to veterans who have attended military service schools. This credit is evaluated by the Office of Admissions according to suggested guidelines by the American Council of Education.

Denver College of Nursing accepts Advanced Placement (AP) credit only when it appears on a college transcript as “Transfer Credit Applied.” Students who have performed satisfactorily in special college-level courses while in high school, and have passed appropriate AP exams conducted by the College Entrance Examination Board with a score of 3 or higher, may have official scores submitted directly to the Office of Admissions for consideration for college credit. This office, in consultation with the appropriate department chair, determines the amount and nature of the credit and/or advanced placement granted. 

Students should contact www.collegeboard.com or 888-225-5427 to request official AP scores; the code for DCN is 7419. Documentation may be requested that verifies credit has been applied.