Nursing Transfer Applicants

The Nursing Program at Westfield State is a 4 year, full-time Nursing Program.  Students transferring into the Nursing Program should expect that it will take a minimum of three years in order to complete the Nursing Program at Westfield (regardless of the number of credits previously attained).

All courses for the Nursing Program are offered during the day, Monday through Friday, on campus; there are no evening or weekend courses offered.  Clinical rotations mostly occur during the week, but there may be weekend and evenings placements made.  Students are not able to request placements; all clinical placements are assigned by the Nursing Department.

The number of spots open each year for Transfer students (including internal transfers) is dependent on the space available within the program.

Students must have completed a minimum of 45 transferrable credits (including currently enrolled courses) prior to enrolling at the University.

Students are only able to enroll in the Fall semester (Spring semester entry is not allowed).  Students will be entered into the Sophomore cohort, based on space available.

Applicants must have completed all of the prerequisite nursing courses from a regionally accredited college to be considered for entry into the Nursing program:

General Courses

• English Composition
• Introduction to Psychology
• Introduction to Sociology

Science Courses

• Human Anatomy & Physiology I (equivalent to our BIOL 0237)
• Human Anatomy & Physiology II (equivalent to our BIOL 0239)
• Chemistry (must be equivalent to WSU Chemistry for Life Sciences)
• Microbiology or Medical Microbiology with lab (equivalent to our BIOL 0209 or 0223)

Science courses must have been completed within the past five (5) years. 

Students must have completed all four (4) of the science courses, or a minimum of two (2) of the science courses, and be currently enrolled in the other course in order to be considered for admission. Courses must be completed by June 30th  preceding Fall enrollment, with notification of successful completion by July 15.

Veteran and Military Policy for Nursing:

The nursing program will only accept transfer of credits into the major for non-nursing courses only. Military credits will be accepted as free electives.

Please see veteran and military services transfer for a description of veteran and military transfer credits. The nursing program will waive the requirement for professional development hours.

The application deadline for the Nursing Program is February 1st.  All materials must be received by February 1st – no exceptions!

Students must have completed a minimum of 45 transferrable credits (including currently enrolled courses) prior to enrolling at the University.  All students will apply through the Part-Time/Evening Division

Admission Criteria

Students must meet all criteria in order to be considered for admission to the Nursing program:

• Cumulative GPA of 3.3 (calculated by the Admission Office) or higher
  • Any Nursing prerequisite course must be completed with a grade of C or better.
• Students have completed the 4 science prerequisite courses listed above with a grade of C or better, OR
  • Students have completed at least 3 of the 4 science prerequisite courses listed above with a C grade or better AND
  • Are in progress on the additional course (must earn C or better upon completion of the course.
• High School Transcript or GED
• Personal Statement

Students who are currently working in a healthcare setting may submit a Healthcare Employment Experience form to be considered as part of their application.

PLEASE NOTE: Meeting the minimum criteria does not guarantee admission to the Nursing Program.  Applicants are reviewed in a holistic approach, and entry is based on space available, as well as the likelihood of success within the program.

A maximum of 90 credits will be accepted in transfer from any four-year college, or 79 credits from any community college.  Students applying as a Second Bachelor’s candidate will work directly with the Continuing Education Office to ensure their credits are properly aligned.

Prior to enrolling in the program, students will need to submit the following items:

• Immunization Records
• CORI

Students who fail to submit full immunization records or successfully complete a CORI will not be allowed to enroll in the Nursing Program.

Colleges of Distinction, an esteemed organization celebrating colleges and universities that provide exceptional undergraduate experiences, has honored Westfield State University for its outstanding programming in the field of Nursing.

As a recognized College of Distinction, Westfield State has already earned acclaim for its commitment to well-rounded education. This latest recognition specifically highlights the institution's excellence in nursing education, emphasizing its effectiveness in preparing students for the demands of the field.