Nursing

Major

Be on the front lines of patient care. Connect with patients so they can thrive. As a nursing major, you will learn the skills you need to be a leader in the medical field.

Request Information

Why Study Nursing?

Nurses are an essential part of our growing healthcare system. Their roles have evolved past bedside care. They now make medical decisions, advocate for patients, create health protocols, and more.

The complex and expensive U.S. healthcare system has created a need for even more excellent, compassionate health care providers. Nurses now provide in-home visits, long-term care, and telehealth appointments.

Become a nurse who cares for patients, helps prevents diseases and promotes healthy habits in our communities.

Why Study Nursing at Luther College?

Many healthcare facilities now require nurses to have a bachelor’s degree since there are demonstrated benefits of increased safety, decreased patient mortality, and shorter lengths of stay. Completing Luther’s nursing major will give you a clinical and competitive edge.

We believe learning happens both in and out of the classroom. From the first year of the program, you will train in regional hospitals and long-term care facilities. Our relationships with local clinics, the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, Nottingham National Health Service, and Roatan’s health clinics will allow you to experience nursing in a variety of national, international, rural, and urban settings.

Finally, our commitment to the liberal arts means our graduates are not only skilled nurses but leaders who help transform the face of modern health care. You will be an excellent nurse who knows how to work professionally, empathetically, and ethically.

Program Highlights

Hospital Partnerships

During your junior year, you’ll train at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic. The hospital and its affiliates, Rochester Methodist and Saint Marys, are in Rochester, Minnesota.

Summer Program in Nottingham

Take the opportunity to study nursing in Nottingham, England! Attend classes while working in clinical settings overseas. You’ll also get to go on excursions to nearby communities, local landmarks, and even a weekend trip to London.

State-of-the-Art Simulation Lab

Gain skills and confidence through our expanded and upgraded Nursing Simulation Center. Train on our new simulation manikins and experience what it will be like to work on a hospital floor.

What You’ll Learn

Your first year at Luther provides a foundation in the liberal arts and sciences. You will be assigned a faculty advisor to guide you through the curriculum.

Sophomore Year

Your nursing courses will emphasize health assessment and fundamental skills throughout the life span. You’ll study in a variety of settings, including hospitals and our on-campus clinical lab rooms. These learning experiences will help you develop communication and interpersonal skills.

Junior Year

As a third-year student, you will experience a concentrated study of nursing concepts by caring for children and adults with physical and emotional problems. The sites for this clinical experience are Rochester Methodist Hospital and Saint Marys Hospital, affiliates of the Mayo Clinic; the Federal Medical Center; and a variety of community-based healthcare agencies in Rochester, Minn.

Senior Year

Your senior year will provide final preparations for entry into professional nursing. Your courses focus on promoting health and preventing illness in childbearing families and in community groups. You will further develop leadership management and research skills through selected areas of nursing. You will once again experience on-campus clinics in a simulation-based course and have a preceptored internship experience in local clinics and hospitals.

Curriculum

Careers and Outcomes

As a graduate of Luther’s nursing program, you will be ready to work in a variety of healthcare settings. On average, 95% of our students find jobs within one year of graduation. In 2021, Luther nursing graduates achieved a 92.5% pass rate on the nursing licensing exam (NCLEX-RN).

Career Fields

  • Staff nurse in various types of specialty areas such as obstetrics, surgery, medicine, psychiatry, pediatrics
  • School nurse
  • Public health nurse
  • Industrial nurse
  • Army, Navy, Air Force nurse

Employers

  • Mayo Clinic
  • University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (Iowa City, IA)
  • Children’s Hospitals and Clinics (Twin Cities, MN)
  • University of Minnesota Hospital (Minneapolis, MN)
  • Mercy Medical Center (Des Moines, IA)

Your degree also provides a strong foundation for advanced nursing degrees. Those careers include:

  • Nurse anesthetist
  • Pediatric nurse practitioner
  • College/university professor
  • Family nurse practitioner
  • Nurse administrator
  • Psychiatric nurse practitioner
  • Case manager

Support for Luther Nurses

The Luther Student Nurses Association supports nursing students through fellowship and fun. It will help you navigate the nursing major while making friends in the process. They’re here to support you!

placeholder

Direct Entry Program for High School Students

High achieving high school students have the opportunity to be directly admitted into the Luther College Nursing major as first-year students.

Criteria

Direct Entry admission is competitive and meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.

  • Minimum unadjusted GPA of 3.3
  • Students need to meet one of the following criteria:
    • Minimum 25 composite on ACT or SAT CR & M combined score of 1210.
    • Minimum science reasoning score of 25 on the ACT or a minimum 570 Mathematics score on the SAT.

    — OR —

    • Minimum adjusted GPA of 3.65 for English, Math, and Science courses.

Complete the minimum high school course requirements of:

  • Four years of English
  • Three years of mathematics
  • Three years of social science
  • Two years of natural science (including one year of laboratory science)

Related Programs

Interested in browsing other areas?
Back to all programs