Biology and Nursing (Dual-degree Program)

A cooperative program between Mount St. Mary’s University and a partnering nursing institution is available to students who seek to pursue a career in nursing and who also want a solid liberal arts education. Pursuing a dual-degree program will allow a student to earn undergraduate degrees both from Mount St. Mary's University and the partnering institution.

There are two phases to the dual-degree program. Phase 1 is completed at Mount St. Mary's University and consists of completion of the Mount Veritas curriculum; BIOL 110, 111, 208, 298, 299, 300, 410; CHEM 101 and 102; MATH 105; PSYCH 100, 206 and 207; SOC 100. Students who satisfy these requirements at the Mount with: 1) grades of a B or above in BIOL 298, 299, 300; 2) a grade point average of at least a 3.0 in all science courses and other nursing prerequisites; and 3) a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 overall, will have priority for admission to a dual-degree program. Completion of phase 1 at Mount St. Mary's University typically takes 3 years.

Phase 2 consists of nursing-specific coursework and is completed at a partnering institution. Upon successful completion of the first year of coursework at the partnering institution, credits are transferred to Mount St. Mary's to complete the student's MSMU B.S. degree. Students then continue remaining requirements of the partnering institution resulting in a B.S. degree in Nursing. Mount St. Mary's currently has a dual-degree nursing partnership with Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia.

Shenandoah University

Shenandoah University offers a traditional 5 semester nursing curriculum. Shenandoah University has guaranteed 10 seats each year to MSMU pursuing this track. In addition to the pre-requisite courses above, students choosing to pursue studies at the Shenandoah University must also take a 1-credit medical terminology course and must sit for the TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) exam. Upon successful completion of SU coursework, the student received a B.S. degree in nursing and is qualified to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) to obtain licensure as a registered nurse.