Plan ahead What is the most streamlined sequence for students interested in the 3+2 Dual Degree Nursing Program?
- Start as a first-year student in health and exercise science, human development and family studies, or nutrition science and select the Pre-Nursing Concentration. (Students who start at CSU in another major or Exploratory Studies should change their major to one of these three in the first year to ensure eligibility).
- To ensure eligibility, students must take all prerequisite classes by the end of the third semester (before applying to the 3+2 Program) and during the fourth semester (while awaiting admissions status).
- Apply to the 3+2 dual degree program in the fall of your second year. The application for the 3+2 Dual Degree Nursing Program opens every fall semester.
- Qualified candidates will be invited to participate in holistic interviews in January. Learn your admission status in late February.
- Complete prerequisites and B.S. required coursework during the spring, summer, and fall terms following application submission.
- Coursework in the Nursing program begins one year after admissions to the program.
- Complete all coursework in Fort Collins and earn both degrees after five years.
3+2 Dual Degree Nursing Program at CSU FAQs
How do I know if the 3+2 Dual Degree Nursing Program is right for me?
- You’ve always dreamed of being a nurse and know it’s the right career for you.
- You are a highly motivated, high-achieving student ready for a rigorous, concentrated educational path to nursing.
- You want to spend five years in Fort Collins, where you can delve into your interest area in one of three undergraduate majors (health and exercise science, human development and family studies, or nutrition science) and connect with world-class scientists at a Carnegie R1 research institute.
- You are a first-time first-year student. New first-year students transferring credits from high school or community college should check with academic advisors to understand how transfer credits will be applied to the required degree program coursework.
What situations are not ideal for the 3+2 Dual Degree Nursing Program at CSU?
The 3+2 Dual Degree Nursing Program is not recommended for students who are not first-time, first-year students, such as sophomores, juniors, seniors, and transfer students.
Why? The 3+2 program is a five-year program. Additional years to your anticipated graduation year may negatively impact financial aid eligibility.
What other options are available if I start at CSU but decide nursing is not for me?
Nursing isn’t for everyone, and the highly competitive, rigorous 3+2 Dual Degree Nursing Program isn’t either. That’s why CSU offers pre-nursing concentrations that are designed to get students started pursuing their interests in health and exercise science, human development and family studies, or nutrition science, to provide many other educational and career options to explore. Talk with your academic adviser and Health Professions Advisers to decide what’s best for you.
Students who don’t apply to the 3+2, aren’t accepted, or transfer into the pre-nursing concentrations can graduate with a B.S. that includes prerequisites for pursuing an accelerated B.S. in nursing at another institution. Learn more on CSU’s Health Professions Advising Nurse page.
Students who start with a pre-nursing concentration can also switch to other concentrations or majors and graduate from CSU with a degree that prepares them for many career and graduate education opportunities in healthcare and many other industries.
Does the 3+2 Dual Degree Nursing Program include a B.S.N. degree?
No. The undergraduate degrees associated with the 3+2 Dual Degree Program in Nursing at CSU are the B.S. in health and exercise science, B.S. in human development and family studies, and B.S. in nutrition science. The 3+2 Dual Degree Nursing Program pairs each of these undergraduate degrees with the Master of Science degree in nursing from CSU Pueblo, which will qualify graduates to take the NCLEX exam to become a Registered Nurse.
Can I earn a B.S.N. in Fort Collins?
No. CSU Pueblo’s School of Nursing branch campus site in Fort Collins does not offer a B.S.N., and Colorado State University does not offer any nursing degree programs — only the non-nursing bachelor’s degree programs in health and exercise science, human development and family studies, and nutrition science, which offer pre-nursing pathway concentrations that pair with CSU Pueblo’s 3+2 Dual Degree Nursing Program.
Students may pursue a B.S.N. and other CSU Pueblo School of Nursing degree options at the Pueblo campus and online. CSU’s Health Professions Advising Nurse page provides a list of accredited nursing programs in Colorado.
Can I complete the 3+2 Dual Degree Nursing Program with the HDFS or HES Accelerated Program?
No. The streamlined, sequential courses in the 3+2 Dual Degree Nursing Program are offered in specific semesters and cannot be accelerated.
If you are interested in a non-nursing B.S. without the M.S. in Nursing, talk to your advisor.
Can I participate in the Honors Program and the 3+2 Dual Degree Nursing Program?
No. The streamlined, sequential courses developed for the 3+2 Dual Degree Program in Nursing do not align with the current Honors Program requirements.
Can I study abroad and participate in the 3+2 Dual Degree Nursing Program?
Studying abroad may be a possibility during your first year before applying to the 3+2 Dual Degree Nursing Program.
For students admitted to the 3+2 Program, studying abroad is not possible with the streamlined curriculum. Talk to your advisor about your interest in studying abroad and how it fits with your educational and career goals.
Is the Pre-Nursing Concentration offered online?
No. The Pre-Nursing Pathway Concentration degree programs are offered only in person at the Fort Collins campus.