Cornerstone University pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program is currently preparing for the initial accreditation process with the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). More information, including opportunity to submit questions about the process, is available here.
The nursing program at Cornerstone University opens doors to an incredible future. It will wholeheartedly prepare you to serve in health care settings around the world with both the compassion and knowledge you need to be the best in your field. By working with the latest medical simulation technology. By learning from faculty who are practicing nurses. By joining our dedicated community. You’ll be ready. Ready for the NCLEX-RN®. Ready to care for our community in any setting—from the emergency room to acute care, from hospice to medical missions or whatever else God has planned for you.
As a potential BSN student at Cornerstone, you will have opportunities to complete your clinicals at world-renowned health systems like Mercy Health and Spectrum Health. The hands-on training you receive both inside and outside the classroom prepares you to bring the love of Christ to those in need.
The nursing center, completed in 2020, is outfitted to look and feel like a real hospital. The facility houses eight artificial intelligence mannequins manufactured by CAE, a global leader in medical training technology. These mannequins respond to medical treatment and can be controlled by a faculty member during simulations.
This incredible technology bridges the gap between classroom training and nurse-to-patient relationships. When you interact with this immersive technology, you are as close as you can be to interacting with real human beings. Imagine drawing blood. Assisting a patient who is experiencing an adverse reaction to medication. And monitoring the vitals of a newborn. At CU, you can accomplish all of these things before you even step foot in a hospital.
Careers
The training and support you’ll receive at Cornerstone will prepare you to pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN®), after which you will become a Registered Nurse. RNs may take a number of different career tracks within the medical field. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted in 2020 the nursing field is expected to increase by seven percent over the next decade, faster than any other career field. Nurses are needed in all sorts of facilities around the world, such as labor and delivery wards, pediatric offices, nursing homes and more.
Clinicals
As a BSN student at Cornerstone, you will have the opportunity to complete your clinicals at a variety of hospitals in West Michigan, all well-known for their excellent care and nursing expertise. Cornerstone has partnered with several area hospitals where you can learn about real-world scenarios in facilities close to home.
Opportunities
Community Health Nursing
Mental Health Nursing
Pediatric and Maternal Health Nursing
Adult Health Nursing I
Adult Health Nursing II
Nursing Capstone Clinical
9344
Square-foot nursing facility that boasts some of the newest training technology.
100%
Of BSN graduates will be fully prepared to sit for the NCLEX-RN®.
12:1
Anticipated student-to-faculty ratio for lab-based courses.
Created to Care
Good patient care begins with good practice. Nursing students at Cornerstone are trained on artificial intelligence mannequins that respond in real time to treatment and give students the opportunity to prepare for real scenarios in emergency care, labor and delivery, acute care, long-term care and more.
Nursing Program Admission
The BSN admission process is designed to look at your college academic performance your personal and professional experience and aptitude for health and medicine.
New first-time freshmen and incoming transfer students interested in the BSN program should begin by applying to Cornerstone as a pre-nursing major through the university application.
Select new first-time freshmen may qualify for direct admission into the BSN program, which provides a guaranteed spot.
For more information about the BSN admission process, timeline and direct admission, read the FAQs below.
BSN Program Application Due Dates
Spring semester: Nov. 1 (nursing classes begin mid-January)
Fall semester: July 1 (nursing classes begin end of August)
1. What college GPA is required for the BSN program?
Candidates must have a 2.75 or higher cumulative college GPA.
2. When do I apply to the BSN program?
You should apply to the BSN program using the general BSN program application during the semester you are completing your nursing prerequisite courses. If you are an incoming high school senior who qualifies for direct admission you will need to apply during the fall semester of your senior year in high school.
3. I am a current Cornerstone freshman who wants to join the BSN program for the fall semester of my sophomore year. How do I get started?
Complete the BSN program application at the end of the first semester of your freshman year at Cornerstone. Applicants will be notified by the nursing division about interview days and times.
In order to ensure that a student is appropriately equipped to successfully engage in nursing classes, the following courses are prerequisites for the first three nursing classes (NUR 221, NUR 241, NUR 242).
SOC 111 – Intro to Sociology
PSY 111 – General Psychology
MAT 108 – College Mathematics
ENG 212 – Writing in Culture
COM 112 – Communication in Culture
BIO 151 – General Biology
BIO 241 – Anatomy & Physiology I
BIO 242 – Anatomy & Physiology II
4. I am an incoming transfer student who wants to join Cornerstone’s BSN program. How do I get started?
Apply to Cornerstone with the university application. Once admitted to Cornerstone, you can apply with the BSN program application. Applicants will be notified by the nursing division about interview days and times.
During your interview day, you will take a Kaplan test after completing your interview.
5. I am an incoming transfer student. How will my credits transfer into Cornerstone?
We accept the transfer of any pre-requisite or core curriculum courses. We do not accept the transfer of any nursing (NUR) courses.
In order to receive credits towards the BSN degree, the prerequisites/corequisites that are required to have been completed in the last 5 years, with a minimum grade of 2.0 (C) from the date of starting into nursing classes:
BIO 241 – Anatomy & Physiology I
BIO 242 – Anatomy & Physiology II
CHM 110 – General, Organic, Biochemistry
BIO 352 – Microbiology
SCI 345 – Global Health & Epidemiology
SOC 111 – Intro to Sociology
PSY 111 – Intro to Psychology
Students who meet the requirements will receive an interview.
Please note: Pathophysiology is a course-specific to Cornerstone’s nursing program (NUR 353: Pathophysiology) and must be completed at Cornerstone.
6. Does Cornerstone offer guaranteed BSN program admission/direct admission?
Yes! Direct BSN program admission is available for qualified new first-time freshmen. Direct admission provides select new first-time freshmen a guaranteed spot in the BSN program with nursing classes beginning the first or second semester of your sophomore year.
7. What are the requirements for direct admission?
Direct admission is available to new first-time freshmen only. Students must have a 3.5 or higher high school GPA and must be admitted to Cornerstone by Dec. 1. Select students will be invited to attend a required in-person interview.
Direct admission application due date: Dec. 1.
8. How many direct admission spots are available each year?
Up to 50% of the yearly seats will be available for students who meet the requirements for direct admission.
9. I am a new first-time freshman who plans to attend Cornerstone but I do not qualify for direct admission. Can I still apply to the BSN program?
Yes! It is most common for BSN program students to have joined the program their sophomore year at Cornerstone or as a new transfer student. You can apply to the BSN program at the end of the first semester of your freshman year at Cornerstone.
10. When will I be notified whether I have been admitted into the BSN program?
Approximately two to four weeks after the completion of your interview you will be notified via email.
11. What if I apply to the BSN program but am not admitted?
You are still welcome at Cornerstone! Pre-nursing majors who do not receive approval into the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program can obtain an Associate of Science in health services degree or should talk with an academic advisor about the possibility of changing majors.
12. I have been admitted into the BSN program. How do I sign up for my nursing classes?
Once admitted into the BSN program, you will work with your academic advisor to register for nursing courses.
Direct admission recipients (new first-time freshmen) should submit ACT or SAT scores to place into the required first-semester English and math courses. Test scores are as follows:
The Cornerstone University Nursing Division exists to prepare students to serve Christ and their community through learning that focuses on the continual improvement of health.
Nursing Division Vision
The Nursing Division aspires to educate future nurses in an academically excellent, technologically advanced environment, who are competent and confident in their ability to meet the health care needs of a dynamic global society and a diverse patient population in a caring, holistic and Christ-focused manner.
Nursing Division Values and Goals
The following values are embedded throughout our policies, programs and student body:
Jesus Matters: The Nursing Division values a spiritually rich environment facilitated by staff, faculty and students that desire to follow and serve God, fostering an ability to create a foundation on which each student’s personal vocation of nursing can develop.
Academics Matters: The Nursing Division values rigorous academic excellence, provided by faculty who are experts in their field and dedicated to continual learning, in order to provide an education that is student centered, pursues clinical excellence and critical thinking through experiential learning, self-reflection, integration of evidence-based practice and the development of leadership skills.
Resources Matter: The Nursing Division values a learning environment that is richly resourced through interprofessional collaboration on campus and in the community as well as through access to state of the art technology that facilitates a meaningful educational experience.
Community Matters: The Nursing Division values diversity, equity and inclusion in our learning environment, curriculum and faculty and student activities. We desire to provide learning opportunities that develop cultural competence that will enable our students to engage in global citizenship.
Equitable Health Care Matters: The Nursing Division values nursing education that will prepare students in the pursuit of equitable health care for all patients through advocacy and competent, compassionate and patient-centered care delivery models.
Program Learning Outcomes
Nursing students at Cornerstone University are cultivated as resolute followers of Christ, globally aware citizens and innovative thinkers. After completing your Bachelor of Science in Nursing, you are fully equipped to take the NCLEX, which certifies you to become a registered nurse or pursue graduate education.
The nursing program reflects our commitment to developing students’ knowledge, skills and attitudes in five distinct yet interconnected areas and across four spheres of care: 1) wellness and disease prevention; 2) chronic disease management; 3) regenerative and restorative care; and 4) hospice and palliative care. As a result, CU students who graduate from the nursing program are proficient in eight concepts: 1) clinical judgement; 2) communication; 3) compassionate care; 4) diversity, equity and inclusion; 5) ethics; 6) evidence-based practice; 7) health policy; and 8) social determinants of health.
Specialized Knowledge
Nursing students will demonstrate knowledge of the nature and function of the profession
Knowledge for Nursing Practice: Students will be able to integrate, translate and apply established and evolving disciplinary nursing knowledge and ways of knowing, as well as knowledge from other disciplines.
Person-Centered Care: Students will be able to provide holistic and just care.
Population Health: Students will be able to identify ways to support and improve population health outcomes.
Scholarship for Nursing Practice: Students will be able to generate, synthesize, translate, apply and disseminate knowledge to improve health and transform health care.
Applied Knowledge and Collaborative Learning
Nursing students will be able to analyze health within its unique nursing context.
Quality and Safety: Students will employ principles of safety and quality in nursing and health care.
Interprofessional Partnerships: Students will be able to collaborate across professions to positively impact health care.
Systems-Based Practice: Students will be able to respond to and lead within complex health care systems.
Informatics and Health Care Technologies: Students will be able to apply informatics to manage and improve health care services.
Professionalism: Students will be able to exhibit professional behavior and identity.
Personal, Professional and Leadership Development: Students will be able to demonstrate a commitment to personal and professional development and leadership.
Intellectual Skills
Nursing students will demonstrate their ability to integrate both traditional and non-traditional cognitive skills, including analytical inquiry, information literacy, quantitative fluency, and communicative fluency, both within and supporting to the discipline of nursing.
Civic and Global Engagement
Nursing students will demonstrate intercultural competence in addressing health related, civic, social, environmental and economic issues.
Biblical Worldview Integration
Nursing students will be able to articulate a Christ-centered worldview and its personal, professional, and communal embodiment through Christian virtues.
Accreditation
Cornerstone is in the process of pursuing accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Full CCNE accreditation is anticipated in 2023. The accreditation process does not affect your ability to take the NCLEX-RN® or get a job as a nurse. Most graduate programs do require CCNE accreditation, but most also require two years of practice as a nurse.
More information, including an opportunity to submit questions about the process, is available here.
Nursing is part of my purpose for being here. It’s important as a follower of Christ, and it’s important to me to follow that calling.
Riley Fogg (’24)
Faculty
Faculty in Cornerstone’s Nursing Division have decades of experience in nursing areas such as cardiac step-down, labor and delivery, emergency and more.
Interested in a career in engineering, science, technology or medicine? Explore some of the other program options we have available in the Kinesiology, Science, Engineering & Mathematics Division.