School of Health Sciences and Wellness Nursing Degree

The numbers 1+2+1 represent the general structure of a student’s academic journey through the program:

“1” = Your first year is primarily spent taking courses through UWSP, building your foundation in science and general education. Some students may take anatomy and physiology courses through a partner institution, depending on availability.

“+2” = During years two and three, you are dually enrolled with a technical college, completing your associate degree in nursing (ADN). You’ll still take at least one UWSP course each semester and remain fully connected to UWSP. 38 nursing credits are completed at the technical college partner for the ADN.

“+1” = Your final year is spent completing your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) through UWSP, with flexible online or Zoom-based courses.

Technically, the timeline is closer to “1.5 + 2 + 0.5,” but “1+2+1” is a simpler way to describe the flow—and it sticks! Refer to the Sample Graduation Plan for Pre-Nursing 1+2+1 Program for a better understanding of the course flow and structure.

Not exactly. Students are UWSP students from start to finish. Typically, on a traditional path, during semesters 4-7, they are dually enrolled with a technical college while continuing UWSP coursework. They take at least one UWSP course online each semester during this time. Clinicals are coordinated through the technical college as part of the ADN portion of the program. Students remain eligible for UWSP housing, athletics, financial aid, and student life throughout the entire program. Transfer students or students who changed their major to nursing may have a different path.

This is up to every individual student. Traditional students with no prior college credits can follow our standard four-year plan. Students are generally able to complete everything in 4 years if they are successful at their first attempts at every class. Some students choose to go part-time due to being a non-traditional student, transferring from other schools, already having a bachelor’s degree in a different field, or changing their major to nursing. Transfer students or students who changed their major to nursing may have a different path. New students with many dual enrollment or AP courses may possibly graduate early. Contact the UWSP nursing advisor in the School of Health Sciences and Wellness Student Success Center for a customized graduation plan if necessary.

Yes! Students remain eligible for athletics, student organizations and campus housing throughout the program. Even during dual enrollment, credits taken at the technical college count toward full-time enrollment for athletic eligibility and student engagement.

Yes. All financial aid and military benefits are handled through UWSP, even during dual enrollment. The credits taken at the technical college are included in the total credit load used to determine financial aid eligibility. The process is called a consortium agreement.

Students may choose from:

• Mid-State Technical College (MSTC)
  • Campuses in Stevens Point, Wisconsin Rapids, Marshfield, Adams
• Northcentral Technical College (NTC)
  • Wausau Campus only
• Nicolet College
  • Rhinelander Campus only
  • Includes a rural Northwoods experience with housing at UWSP Treehaven, located between Tomahawk and Rhinelander, during the 4-semester ADN portion of the program.

UWSP has not had a waitlist in the past 6 years, and students have consistently been placed in their first or second choice ADN program if eligible. However, waitlists cannot be guaranteed in the future. The UWSP nursing program works closely with partners to maintain seat availability for our students and negotiate for more openings when needed.

Generally, students get their first choice and have always at least received their second choice, although not guaranteed. This depends on factors such as UWSP GPA, number of UWSP credits, and number of students wanting to attend a specific technical college partner.

Students save significantly because a typical student in semesters 4–7—the four semesters of the ADN portion—is primarily billed by the technical college partner, where tuition is nearly half the cost of traditional UWSP tuition. During this time, students typically take one UWSP course per semester billed by UWSP at their tuition rate.

In total, at least 38 of the 120 credits required for graduation are billed by the technical college partner. 38 is the number of ADN credits you will earn at the technical college partner.

Applications are fully hosted by UWSP. To apply, students generally need the following courses:

• General Chemistry
• General Anatomy and Physiology
• Advanced Anatomy and Physiology
• Human Growth and Development or Developmental Psychology
• Nursing Assistant (CNA) course
• Statistics course
• Minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA

Generally, these courses must be completed with a “C” or better; or be in progress for the current semester in which they are applying; or registered for the following semester. Requirements may vary slightly between partner colleges—please refer to the application checklist (PDF) for full details.

There is no strict deadline, but timing matters if you want to stay on track for a four-year graduation.

• If you’re an incoming freshman starting in the fall and plan to follow the sample graduation plan, it’s recommended to apply at the end of your second semester, while enrolled in General Anatomy and Physiology at the technical college.
• Transfer students or those bringing in dual enrollment/AP credits should meet with the UWSP nursing advisor in the School of Health Sciences and Wellness Student Success Center to create a customized graduation plan and determine the best time to apply.
• Students who are required to take MATH 90 based on placement testing will likely apply in their fourth semester and graduate in approximately 4.5 years, with an added semester.

Application cycles:

• To start the ADN program in a fall semester, apply in December of the previous year (about 9 months in advance).
• To start in a spring semester, apply in May of the previous year (about 9 months in advance).

While a 2.5 GPA is the minimum for admission, nursing courses at the technical college are rigorous and follow a higher grading scale—any grade below 80% is considered failing and must be repeated. A 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher is more closely aligned with the academic expectations of the program.

No. There are no entrance exams (like the HESI), no essays and no letters of recommendation required. The application is based on academic information only.

No. Once a student begins the ADN portion of the program with a technical college partner, they must complete the program with that same institution.

If they wish to change partners (e.g., from MSTC to NTC), they would need to withdraw from the 1+2+1 program and apply to the new technical college as a transfer student.

Transferring nursing courses between institutions can be complex and is not guaranteed. Curriculum differences and clinical placement requirements often make switching mid-program difficult.

Clinical placements are typically within 5-45 minutes of the UWSP campus. The first term of the ADN will have a long-term care facility component. Locations include:

Mid-State Technical College

• Wisconsin Rapids
  • Aspirus Wisconsin Rapids Hospital
  • MSTC Healthcare Simulation Center
  • long-term care facilities
• Stevens Point
  • Aspirus Stevens Point Hospital
  • long-term care facilities
• Marshfield
  • Marshfield Medical Center
  • long-term care facilities
• Adams (occasionally 1st semester clinical only of ADN)
  • long-term care facilities

Northcentral Technical College

• Wausau area
  • Aspirus Hospitals
  • NTC Healthcare Simulation Center
  • long-term care facilities 

Nicolet College – rural health experience option

• Rhinelander area

Students do not always get to choose their clinical site. Placement depends on availability at the time of registration, especially for MSTC, which serves multiple city locations. Technical colleges can change clinical partners as needed. When students attend MSTC, they do not get assigned a “home campus” so classes and clinical sites will vary in location.

Who coordinates clinicals?

Clinicals typically begin in semester 4 (spring of sophomore year) and are coordinated through the technical college as part of the ADN portion of the program. Students will have clinical rotations for all four ADN terms!

A final clinical through UWSP is done typically after the summer of semester 8, through NURS 455 – Concepts in Nursing Practice, which is a capstone project that you will be required to complete with your employer as a working nurse. Students can still walk for graduation in May, prior to completion of this final clinical course the following summer.

Refer to the Sample Graduation Plan for Pre-Nursing 1+2+1 Program for a better understanding of the clinical flow and structure.

• Typically, after semester 7—or after term 4 of the ADN—students are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN to become Registered Nurses (RNs).
• Optional Certification: After semester 5—or after term 2 of the ADN—students may take the NCLEX-PN to become Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs). This can be a great way to gain experience and earn higher part-time pay while finishing their degree.

Becoming an LPN mid-program is a unique benefit of the 1+2+1 model—something not typically available in traditional four-year BSN programs!

What are the NCLEX pass rates?

Since students take the NCLEX exams as part of their ADN program, UWSP does not report NCLEX pass rates. A simple Google search for “NCLEX pass rates WI” will lead you to the most recent data, including the 2024 NCLEX Pass Rate Report (PDF) from the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services.

Note: While NCLEX pass rates can be a helpful indicator of program quality, they should be interpreted with care. Rates can vary year to year based on cohort size, student preparation, and other factors. A single year’s data may not reflect the overall strength or supportiveness of a program.

Yes. BSN-level courses are offered:

• 100% online (asynchronous)
• Live via Zoom (synchronous) with a choice to attend either Wednesday mornings or Thursday evenings. Your choice! Missed classes are recorded.