The Nursing Program prepares the student to be a registered nurse: a skilled healthcare professional that promotes restoration of health and well-being. The Nursing Program at Southside College of Health Sciences (SCHS) provides individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide nursing care to individuals and groups of individuals throughout the lifespan in a variety of settings.
An Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Nursing will be awarded to students who enter the Nursing Program and who successfully complete 69 credit hours of coursework. This includes 24 general education credits and 45 nursing credits. The AAS Nursing degree is a terminal degree. This means that it is the highest academic degree needed to secure employment in the field. The AAS Nursing degree does not guarantee full assimilation into a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. Additional credits, outside of the AAS, may be required to meet the admission criteria of the receiving institution.
Following graduation from the Nursing Program and verification by the SCHS Nursing Program that education requirements have been met, students are eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination – Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN©). Graduates who meet board requirements and pass the exam will be conferred the legal title of Registered Nurse (RN) from the Virginia Board of Nursing. Should a graduate be unsuccessful on the NCLEX-RN©, he or she will have the opportunity to repeat the exam at varying intervals. Employment opportunities include hospitals, long term care facilities, industry, community agencies and physician’s offices.
ADMISSION DEADLINES
January Admission – Apply by September 1
March Admission – Apply by November 1
May Admission – Apply by February 1
August Admission – Apply by April 1
October Admission – Apply by June 1
**Guaranteed Admission: Applicants with a bachelor's degree from an approved VA college (listed below), or with an Associate degree from Richard Bland College or any VA Community College and a 2.5 GPA with a "B" in the required prerequisite courses will have guaranteed admission based on space availability.
Christopher Newport University, College of William and Mary, George Mason University, James Madison University, John Tyler Community College, Longwood University, Mary Washington University, Old Dominion University, Radford University, Randolph-Macon College, Reynolds Community College, Richard Bland College, Southside Virginia Community College, University of Richmond, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia State University, and Virginia Union University.
Click here to learn more about careers in registered nursing.
Click here to see the curriculum for student admitted Fall 2022 and prior.
Click here for a PDF of the New Curriculum for students beginning Fall 2023
Each course must be completed prior to the next term. All courses listed above must be successfully completed prior to graduation.
As part of its mission, the Nursing Program is dedicated to providing resources that create opportunities for success. Incorporating the most current educational technologies for instruction is part of the mission of Southside College of Health Sciences.
southside college of health sciences nURSING PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS DATA
The information below represents program effectiveness data through AY 2021-2022 for the Nursing Program at Southside College of Health Sciences.
Graduation rates
| Entry Year | 150% Cohort Completion Rate |
| 2020-21 | 86% |
| 2019-20 | 80% |
| 2018-19 | 82% |
| 2017-18 | 81% |
2016-17 | 60% |
Graduation rates in the tables above are defined as follows (all semester counts exclude summer): 150% graduation rate is graduation within 1.5 times normal time. For example, if it normally takes 5 semesters to graduate, 150% graduation is graduation within 8 (5 x 1.5) semesters.
Retention and placement
| Academic Year | Retention 1 | Job Placement2 |
| 2022-23 | 99% | 88% |
| 2021-22 | 92% | 86% |
| 2020-21 | 84% | 76% |
| 2019-20 | 89% | 80% |
| 2018-19 | 85% | 100% |
- Retention is defined as the percent of students who are retained in the program during the identified academic year. This rate is calculated by the enrollment (as of June 30) plus graduates divided by beginning enrollment (as of July 1) plus new starts and readmits.
- Placement is defined as the percent of graduates (who graduated between July 1 and June 30) who are placed in the related field of study by September 15th of the year following graduation. This rate is calculated by taking the total number of graduates placed divided by the total number of graduates minus number of graduates unavailable for placement due to medical issues, active-duty military service or continuing education.
NCLEX-RN first-TIME PASS RATES
| Year | Percentage of students passing the NCLEX-RN on first attempt |
| 2023 | 88.10% |
| 2022 | 80.00% |
| 2021 | 78.26% |
| 2020 | 95.65% |
| 2019 | 96.30% |
Source: Virginia Board of Nursing
The NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination - Registered Nurse) is a computerized test to assess the entry level practice of a nursing candidate. Passing the examination allows the candidate to be licensed as a registered nurse.
Accreditation
Southside College of Health Sciences Nursing program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing until Spring 2026.
Learn more about ACEN Accreditation at:
The Accreditation Commission for Education In Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road, NE
Ste 1400
Atlanta, GA 30326
Phone: 404.975.5000
Fax: 404.975.5020
https://www.acenursing.org/
Nursing Disclosures
Southside College of Health Sciences Associate degree in Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse Program Length: 72 weeks
Students Graduating on Time
68% of Title IV students complete the program within 72 weeks
Program Costs*
$15,120 for tuition and fees
$1,000 - $1,500 for textbooks
Other Costs
Screening fee: $80
Compliance Website fee : $135 (approximate)
Nursing legislative fee: $45
*The amounts shown above include costs for the entire program, assuming normal time to completion. Note that this information is subject to change.
Students Borrowing Money
The typical graduate leaves with $2,520 in debt
The typical monthly loan payment is $26 per month in student loans with an interest rate of 4.45%.
Graduates Who Got Jobs
89% of program graduates got jobs according to the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools job placement rate
Program graduates are employed in the following fields:
Licensure Requirements
Program meets licensure requirements in:
- Virginia
Disclosures
In adherence to federal requirements for disclosures regarding Professional Licensure programs under 34 §C.F.R. 668.43, effective July 1, 2020, please click here to view a table that discloses whether Southside College of Health Sciences’ (SCHS) Nursing Program curriculum satisfies a state (including District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) professional board’s requirements to be eligible for licensure.
Last Updated: 12/6/2024
These disclosures are required by the U.S. Department of Education
For more information on course offerings and professional credentials, please call 804-765-5800.
