Bachelor of Science in Nursing

About the Program

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing is a traditional four-year direct entry undergraduate program. Expert faculty provide students with a grounding in mission and values and knowledge in the biological, physical and social sciences with a focus on experiential learning and reflection. Students have access to diverse health systems and community-based organizations around the Washington, DC, region. Students refine their clinical skills through laboratory and high-fidelity simulation in the O’Neill Family Foundation Clinical Simulation Center in St. Mary’s Hall.

A group of nursing staff, faculty and students stand together after the school's welcome picnic

In total, students will have 800+ clinical, lab, simulation and experiential hours. The program highlights critical clinical judgment, wellness and well-being, evidence-based practice, critical thinking, safety and quality, and diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Students are well prepared for the NCLEX-RN examination. Graduates are ready for career trajectories in clinical practice, scholarship and research.

During their education, students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing have the opportunity to learn in the state-of-the-art Verstandig Pavilion at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, which means they’ll work with the most advanced technologies available in a hospital environment. It’s a perfect match of high tech and high touch in the education of a Georgetown nurse.

Georgetown’s nursing programs have been recognized by the National League for Nursing as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education. Alumni of the BSN Program have gone on to diverse careers, prestigious graduate programs, and leadership roles in various sectors.

For Prospective BSN Program Applicants

School of Nursing Tour Registration

Register here to attend an in-person tour of the Georgetown University School of Nursing located in St. Mary’s Hall. You can also book a Blue and Gray campus tour to coincide with your visit.

Connect with the Program Team

Virtual Information Session Registration

Register below to attend a virtual information session featuring formal presentations by a School of Nursing faculty member and an academic dean, and an Office of Undergraduate Admissions admissions officer. Join us to learn about academic life and student experiences focused on providing nursing students with a grounding in clinical skills; knowledge in the biological, physical, and social sciences; and nursing theory.

Explore Our Other Entry to Nursing Programs

We offer three program options for those interested in starting a career in nursing.

Program Features

Student Experience

The Art of Care: Experiential Visual Thinking Activities

Students sit at tables in a classroom

Taught jointly by School of Nursing faculty and an art curator in Booth Classroom in Georgetown’s Lauinger Library as a part of NURS 4254 “Introduction to Healthcare Ethics,” this session enhances visual literacy and communication skills.

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DC Community Tour

Students stand next to a sculpture with a community tour guide

A bus tour of DC neighborhoods guided by a community member, offered as part of “Introduction to Health Care Ethics” and “Public Health Nursing” courses, exposes students to the social determinants of health as well as the environmental and political aspects that shape health.

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First Year Introduction to Clinical Practice

Nursing students in sterile coverings stand with their mentor nurses in the hospital

“Introduction to Professional Nursing,” the first nursing course in the major in fall of the first year, explores the role of nursing in health and health care and develops critical thinking and clinical judgment skills. Students pair with mentors in the Nursing Academy at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital, learn medical terminology and receive instruction on safety and quality, among many other topics in this beginning touch point in clinical practice.

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Lourdes Magis Immersion Program

the cathedral at Lourdes, France, during a candlelight procession

Students serve pilgrims from around the world who come to Lourdes, France, to participate in the religious ritual of bathing in the healing waters there. This experience is a balance between service, formation, sharing across various faith and practice traditions, small group reflection and prayer/spiritual practices, and development of community among participants. Read more about this annual service-learning program.

The MedStar Georgetown University Hospital Nursing Mentor Academy provides students with supportive mentoring relationships with experienced nurses, and the chance to observe patient care, professional communication and interdisciplinary collaboration in a hospital setting. The Nursing Academy experience helps students make connections between their academic coursework and clinical practice.

Student Reactions:

“This academy is such a great way to introduce nursing students to what their day to day will look like in the future, and it calmed my nerves about starting clinicals in the fall.”

“[My mentor] has been so kind, answering any questions about nursing that have come up, and I can’t thank her enough for all of the information she has provided me with.”

A group of students and guest speaker stand on either side of a screen

BSN students are encouraged to engage with peers who share their areas of interest within the nursing field:

  • Academic Council
  • Critical Care Interest Group
  • Legislative Action Special Interest Group
  • Pediatrics Special Interest Group
  • Quality and Safety Special Interest Group

Learn More About the BSN Special Interest Groups

What Our Students Say

Hear from students in the BSN Program at Georgetown’s School of Nursing.

Sarah Bryant in Navy uniform


“The School of Nursing had a huge emphasis on [the Jesuit value of] cura personalis. Remembering the little things makes me aware that I’m treating a whole person.”
— Sarah Bryant, MIDN 1/C, USNR (N’23)

Read About Sarah’s Experience in NROTC

BSN Scholarship 

Three nursing students stand with their research poster

All students participate in a cumulative scholarship project in their senior year; some students apply to the Honors Program to complete this experience. Senior scholarship is focused on evidence-based exploration of a clinically relevant topic of their choice. Students are mentored by faculty and present their work in a poster presentation to the school. 

2023: “Pulse Oximetry: What Does Race Have to Do With It?” by Naomi Eluojierior, Aiman Khan and Mariah Sheppard

2022: “Instruments to Identify Substance Use Among Adolescents in the Emergency Department” by Noelle Fimbres and Katherine Zarate

2021: “Therapeutic Hypothermia After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest” by Olivia Florek, Alexandra Gladding and Karly Ward

2020: “The Failures of Perinatal Care within the Incarcerated Pregnant Population, as Examined through the Use of Physical Restraints” by Charlotte Scarborough and Morgan Robinson

2019: “A Nursing Care Bundle to Promote the Acquisition of Oral Feeding Skills in Premature Infants” by Gillian Goree and Emily Varua

2018: “Revisiting U.S. Recommendations for Breastfeeding by the HIV-Positive Mother” by  Rachel Panther and Grace Wenzel

2017: “Barriers to and Facilitators of Nurses’ Use of Non-Pharmacological Pain Management Methods in Post-Operative Patients” by Molly Abate and Moira Redmond

2016: “The Role of Critical Care Nurses in Preventing Hospital-Acquired Anemia” by Michelle Larson and Sarah Eng

2014: “Getting People to Understand that it’s Something Worth Wanting to Do: How Nursing’s Public Image Affects Student Recruitment” by Caitlin Carpenter

Sydney Blackston

BSN Student Conducting Research As Global Health Institute Student Fellow

BSN student Sydney Blackston has had opportunities from Georgetown University’s Global Health Institute to assist with ongoing faculty research and conduct research of her own.

Learn More About Sydney’s Work with GHI

BSN Honors Program

This three-semester Honors Program allows students in the undergraduate nursing major with academic potential to be challenged at the highest level. Through scholarly inquiry, participants in the Nursing Honors Program address a contemporary issue related to clinical nursing practice.

Program Admissions

Application Deadlines

Early Action – November 1, 2024

Regular Decision – January 10, 2025

Transfer – March 1, 2025

Questions can be directed to bsnadmissions@georgetown.edu.

Sarah Vittone

Georgetown’s BSN program prepares students to be confident, capable nurses by providing academic and clinical learning experiences personalized to fit their interests, guided by Jesuit values.

Sarah Vittone, DBe, MSN, MA, RN, Program Director, Associate Professor of Nursing

For Current Students

Schedule a meeting with your academic dean, see a degree progression plan, or view more resources for current School of Nursing students, including academic calendars.

2023

BSN Excellence in Clinical Practice Award:
Alyssa Marino

Loyola Award:
Madeline Prassas

BSN Leadership and Advocacy Award:
Margarita Sokolenko

Rose Ann McGarrity Service Award:
Taylor Crockett

Marianne Cardillo Lyons Cura Personalis Award:
Kimberly Jolie

Sr. Helen Scarry Social Justice Award:
Mariah Sheppard

Tropaia Award for Outstanding Student in Bachelors of Science in Nursing 2023:
Karina Han

Dean’s Award:
Lisa Rehder

Program Faculty

Intima Alrimawi
Associate Professor

Michael Clarke
Assistant Professor

Diane Davis
Associate Professor, Susan H. Mayer Professor of Health Equity

Rebecca Ellis
Assistant Professor

Roxanne Mirabal-Beltran
Assistant Professor

Anissa Nahabedian
Assistant Professor

Jeremy Sabatino
Instructor

Stacey Steves
Instructor

Sarah Vittone
Associate Professor, Senior Director for Pre-Licensure Programs and Undergraduate Education

Edilma Yearwood
Associate Professor, Interim Director, PhD in Nursing Program

Program News