www.ndsu.edu/healthprofessions/
The core mission of the College is to prepare students to become competent, caring, ethical professionals and citizens committed to lifelong learning.
The College of Health Professions (CHP) has been a center of excellence at North Dakota State University (NDSU) for more than 100 years. The College, a major academic unit of North Dakota State University, serves the state, region, and nation through its programs in pharmacy, nursing, allied sciences, and public health providing education, research, patient care, and public service.
Through its mission, the NDSU College of CHP advances health care through research and scholarship and prepares students to become competent, caring, ethical, professionals and citizens, committed to lifelong learning. In addition, through its people and programs the College places an emphasis and value on people; quality; professionalism and ethics; knowledge, teaching, and learning; research and scholarship; patient-focused care; and interprofessional education. The College of Health Professions is currently the largest health professions training program in North Dakota.
Departments
The College is composed of four academic units involving six health professions disciplines: (1) the NDSU School of Pharmacy which has two departments including pharmacy practice and pharmaceutical sciences which are the founding members of the College (established in 1902); (2) the School of Nursing which jointed the College in 1969 as an associate degree program, 1986 as a baccalaureate degree program, 2005 with a doctor of nursing practice, and 2014 with NDSU Nursing at Sanford Health site in Bismarck; (3) the Department of Allied Sciences (Medical Laboratory Science, Respiratory Care, and Radiologic Sciences with three unique specializations including radiography, echocardiography, and diagnostic sonography) joined the College in 2006; and (4) the Department of Public Health which joined the College in 2012.
Degree Programs
The College of Health Professions offers undergraduate academic programs in Pharmacy, Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science, Respiratory Care, and Radiologic Sciences. Admission requirements, curricula and degree titles differ for the programs.
The Pharmacy curriculum consists of a four-year professional program leading to the Pharm.D. degree. Graduates are qualified to apply for licensure as pharmacists. In addition, Pharm.D./M.B.A., Pharm.D./MPH, and Pharm.D./Ph.D degree options of study are available. Graduate programs leading to Master of Public Health (MPH) and a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences also are available.
NDSU’s School of Nursing offers three tracks that lead to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree and one that leads to a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). The Pre-Licensure BSN track, both at NDSU Fargo campus and NDSU Nursing at Sanford Health in Bismarck, is a four-year course of study. The LPN to BSN track is a two year course of study designed for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) to obtain a BSN degree. Upon successful completion of the Pre-Licensure BSN and LPN to BSN programs, graduates are eligible to take the national licensing examination (NCLEX) to become a registered nurse (RN). The RN to BSN track is a part-time, five semester course of study designed for Registered Nurses (RNs) to obtain a BSN degree. A graduate program leading to a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in the specialty area of Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) is a full-time three year course of study.
Plans of study leading to a four-year Bachelor of Science degree, major in Medical Laboratory Science (MLS), Respiratory Care (RC) or Radiologic Sciences (RS) include two to three years of academic course work on campus and a professional-level internship in an affiliated, hospital-based program. Required internships are 11-12 months in length for MLS, 15 months for RC, and two years for RS. Graduates are eligible to write national certifying examinations in their respective discipline.
Academic Preparation
All students must complete all required courses with a grade of 'C' or above and maintain a semester GPA of 2.00 or above for each semester in the College. A student who fails to meet this standard for two successive or three non-successive semesters may be suspended from enrollment in the College of Health Professions.
The faculty of the college reserves the right to terminate the enrollment of any student at any time if, in the opinion of the faculty, the student demonstrates that he or she is unsuited for a professional health career and its inherent responsibilities and obligations. Circumstances that may lead to student termination will include, but not be limited to, academic misconduct, violation of campus, state or federal statutes or regulations.
Admission
Selection committees will evaluate applicants for admission to the college professional programs and internships. NDSU coursework and transfer credits with grades of 'D' are not accepted for program requirements. Please contact the department for specific admission requirements.
Pharmacy
Additional high school preparation for the Pharmacy major is recommended. Prospective Pharmacy majors should present strong preparation in mathematics, physical/biological sciences, and in communication skills.
Admission to the program is competitive. Evaluations will be based on academic achievement, college records, state residency, Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) scores, and other pertinent information. In addition, students must comply with criminal background and student conduct requirements. A personal visit, which includes an interview and test are a part of the evaluation process. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 in college course work is required for evaluation for admission, with completion of virtually all required prerequisite courses by the end of spring term prior to beginning the professional program. (All core pre-pharmacy course work, which is indicated by an asterisk, must be completed by the end of the fall term prior to application deadline.) Actual admission GPA is generally much higher than 3.00. Information on application for admission to the professional program can be found on the School of Pharmacy website.
Nursing
Nursing admission requirements vary by educational track. Admission is based on academic achievement along with other required application materials. Please visit the School of Nursing website for specific information including: deadlines, prerequisite requirements, and application materials.
Medical Laboratory Science
NDSU maintains affiliation agreements with seven hospital-based medical laboratory science programs that provide the required professional-level internship. Pre-MLS students who have completed all academic courses on campus by start of the internship and meet residency credit and GPA requirements may be eligible to apply for the internships. Admission into the internship is selective and based upon academic achievement, references, related experience, compliance with essential functions, and an interview. In addition, student applicants must also comply with criminal background and student conduct requirements. Internship application occurs annually in early fall. Applications information is available from the Department of Allied Sciences. It is highly recommended that interested students meet with the MLS advisor for internship admission information at least one year prior to anticipated internship application.
Radiologic Sciences
Three specialized professional-level internships are available to NDSU RS majors: radiography, diagnostic medical sonography, and echocardiography. NDSU maintains affiliations with hospital-based radiologic technology programs that provide the internships in radiography. The echocardiography and diagnostic medical sonography internships are offered through an affiliation with Sanford Medical Center, Fargo, N.D. Pre-RS students who have completed the prerequisite courses on campus and meet residency credit and GPA requirements established by affiliated hospital programs may be eligible to apply for the two-year internship. Admission into the internship is competitive and based upon academic achievement, references, related experience, ability to meet program-designated technical standards, and an interview. In addition, students must comply with criminal background and student conduct requirements. Internship application occurs annually in the fall. Application information is available from the Department of Allied Sciences. It is highly recommended that interested students meet with their RS adviser for internship admission information at least one year prior to anticipated internship application.
Respiratory Care
The professional-level respiratory care internship is offered through an affiliation with Sanford Medical Center, Fargo, N.D. Pre-RC students eligible for internship application will have completed all prerequisite courses by the start of the internship with a grade of 'C' or better, met the residency credit requirement, and the minimum cumulative and "core" course GPA of 2.50. Application deadline is March 1. Admission into the internship is selective and based upon successful completion of all internship prerequisites, GPA, references, interview, related experience, and ability to meet program-designated technical standards. In addition, students must comply with criminal background and student conduct requirements. Applications for the internship are available from the Department of Allied Sciences. It is highly recommended that interested students meet with the RC advisor for internship admissions information at least one year prior to anticipated internship application.