Overview
Is this program for you?
The Second Degree Option is for you if you hope to begin a career in nursing and have already earned a bachelor’s degree in another field. This intensive pre-licensure program is offered in a cohort format (all cohorts start in the fall semester) and requires sixteen months to complete. Students take 14–17 credits per semester for a total of 60 credits.
At the completion of their course work, graduates will be able to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) and begin new careers in professional nursing.
A few things to know before you apply:
- Because the Second Degree option is a full-time, academically rigorous program, we recommend that students forgo outside employment for the duration of the program. Our most successful students are able to focus exclusively on their studies for the entire sixteen months.
- Students who have been dismissed from a Penn State or other nursing program should contact the appropriate campus contact. Individual student circumstances will determine program eligibility and how we can best support student success in nursing education.
- The Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing requires state and federal criminal background checks of all Nursing students prior to their sophomore year. A criminal record may restrict clinical site availability, delay progress in the program, and/or delay the licensing exam. Students may not sit for the NCLEX if they have a felony conviction within the past ten years.
- Nursing students must be up-to-date with vaccinations (including COVID and flu) in order to participate in the clinical experience.
- Regardless of campus location, clinical experiences occur at clinical facilities within a 50-mile radius of campus.
- All transportation and expenses related to clinical experiences are the responsibility of the student. Students must purchase Penn State Nursing scrubs and other uniform attire; carry professional liability insurance; complete an annual health examination, obtain criminal background and child abuse history clearances and submit to drug testing; maintain American Heart Association Healthcare Provider CPR certification; and adhere to any additional requirements of the clinical facilities.
Information Sessions
The application cycle for fall 2026 is expected to open on August 1, 2025. Learn more at a virtual Information Session!
- Thursday, 7/10/25, 8-9:15am
- Monday, 8/18/25, 12-1:15pm
- Tuesday, 9/16/25, 6-7:15pm
- Wednesday, 10/15/25, 8-9:15am
- Thursday, 11/20/25, 12-1:15 p.m.
To join an information session, reach out to the contacts listed below!
Locations
The Second Degree program is offered at the following two campuses:
Penn State Altoona
Contact: Ryan Constanzo
Penn State Harrisburg
Contact: Ronda Stump
Penn State Behrend
Contact: Kim Strieff, Jenn Zeanchock
Both campuses share the same four-semester curriculum. Students must remain at the campus to which they are accepted. Changes of campus are not permitted.
Admissions
Students who have completed all prerequisite course work with:
- a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher
- have or will be graduated from an accredited baccalaureate program by the end of spring semester following application
may be considered for an immediate or contingent offer with rolling admission notification throughout the cycle. Application review begins with a completed application and receipt of all transcripts. Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.24 and lower will be reviewed in January with mid-February notification to applicants. Both rolling and January reviews of applications are conducted on a space-available basis.
College-level courses in Psychology, Sociology, and Algebra, although not required for an offer to the major, will support a student’s success in the program.
The Second Degree Program does not permit students to defer their admission. In the event that you are not able to start classes in your admitted cohort, we hope you will reapply for the following year.
Prerequisite Requirements
Applicants must have successfully (with a grade of “C” or higher) completed the following college-level prerequisite courses by the end of the upcoming spring semester. Prerequisite coursework may be the Penn State course equivalents listed below, or course equivalents at another accredited institution.
- Anatomy & Physiology I (PSU BIOL 161 & 162 OR BIOL 129, 4 credits)
- Anatomy & Physiology II (PSU BIOL 163 & 164 OR BIOL 141 & 142, 4 credits)
- Lifespan Development or Developmental Psychology (PSU HD FS 129 OR PSYCH 212, 3 credits)
- Introductory Chemistry with lab (PSU CHEM 101 OR CHEM 110 & 111 OR CHEM 130, 3-4 credits)
- Introductory Nutrition (PSU NUTR 251, 3 credits)
- Elementary Statistics or Introduction to Biostatistics (PSU STAT 200 OR 250, 3–4 credits)
- Microbiology with lab (PSU MICRB 106 & 107, 3–4 credits)
Prerequisite courses may be taken at any Penn State campus or other colleges and universities. If you are unsure whether a course from another college will transfer, please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office or one of the advisers listed in the Contacts below.
Application and Offer Timeline
All application materials must be received by December 1. We have a large applicant pool each year, and incomplete applications or late submissions will not be considered. Applications are not considered complete until Penn State has received transcripts from all Higher Education institutions attended. Students who do not provide the required information by the deadline may reapply for a future cohort.
Successful applicants will receive either a full or conditional offer. Conditional offers automatically become full offers in May after successful prerequisite completion, provided students maintain a competitive GPA and graduate from their bachelor’s degree program on time.
| Rolling Admission | Standard Review | |
|---|---|---|
| Application Window | August 1–December 1 | August 1–December 1 |
| Cumulative GPA | 3.25 and higher | 3.24 and below |
| Notified of Admission Decision | Rolling notifications August 1 through December 1 | Mid-February or earlier |
| Course Status | Full/Immediate Offer: All prerequisite courses complete at time of application. Conditional/Contingent Offer: All prerequisite courses scheduled for fall or completed before end of spring semester of upcoming year. | Full/Immediate Offer: All prerequisite courses complete by end of fall semester. Conditional/Contingent Offer: All prerequisite courses completed by end of spring semester of upcoming year. |
| Additional Criteria | Full/Immediate Offer: Complete your fall courses with a “C” or higher and maintain your competitive GPA Conditional/Contingent Offer: Complete your fall and spring courses with a “C” or higher and maintain your competitive GPA | Full/Immediate Offer: Complete your fall courses with a “C” or higher and maintain your competitive GPA Conditional/Contingent Offer: Complete your fall and spring courses with a “C” or higher and maintain your competitive GPA |
How to Apply
The steps to apply to the Second Degree program depend upon a prospective student’s educational background. See the headings below to determine which steps you should follow.
Previous Penn State Students and Fall Penn State Graduates
If you previously attended Penn State as an undergraduate student, you must:
1. Submit an Undergraduate Re-enrollment Form to the Registrar’s office at the campus to which are you applying. Re-enrollment forms will be accepted from August 1 through December 1.
2. Submit the Second Degree Nursing Program Application between August 1 and December 1 (see: Application and Offer Timeline).
3. Send official transcripts for any non-Penn State course work that was not previously submitted to Undergraduate Admissions.
4. If you are taking classes in the upcoming spring semester, email a copy of your spring schedule (or an unofficial transcript showing scheduled coursework) to the Nursing contact at your preferred location no later than the third week of December.
Penn State Spring Graduates
If you are a Penn State student who will graduate in the spring term before you wish to start the Second Degree program, you must:
- Submit the Second Degree Nursing Program Application after submitting your intent to graduate in January (see: Application and Offer Timeline).
- Send official transcripts for any non-Penn State course work that was not previously submitted to Undergraduate Admissions.
- If you are taking classes in the upcoming spring semester, email a copy of your spring schedule (or an unofficial transcript showing scheduled coursework) to the Nursing contact at your preferred location no later than the third week of December.
- File your Intent to Graduate on LionPATH as soon as you may do so.
- After filing your Intent to Graduate in January, submit the Undergraduate Re-enrollment Form to the Registrar’s office at the campus to which are you applying.
Never Attended Penn State (Transfer or Advanced Standing Applicants)
An advanced standing applicant or transfer applicant is one who never attended Penn State as an undergraduate degree-seeking student. Between August 1 and December 1, transfer (advanced standing) applicants must:
- Complete the Undergraduate Admissions online application and pay the processing fee.
- Submit the Second Degree Nursing Program Application.
- Submit all materials (including official college and study abroad transcripts and AP or CLEP scores) directly to Undergraduate Admissions. Items must be received by December 1. Offer timelines may extend beyond mid-February, as Admissions must review your transcripts before they are shared with the Nese College of Nursing.
- If you are taking classes in the upcoming spring semester, email a copy of your spring schedule (or an unofficial transcript showing scheduled coursework) to the Nursing contact at your preferred location no later than the third week of December.
Undergraduate Admissions will calculate your cumulative GPA based on all undergraduate course work from all postsecondary institutions.
International Applicants
International transcripts may be reviewed only by Undergraduate Admissions staff at University Park. This process takes a significant amount of time; applying by early September is encouraged. In some cases, applicants may need to apply for a future cohort. To have your international transcript reviewed, you must:
- File an application and submit an official transcript to Undergraduate Admissions, who will review your transcripts and add transfer credits.
- Submit the Second Degree Nursing Program Application between August 1 and December 1. Offer timelines may extend beyond mid-February, as your transcripts may take longer for Admissions to review once received.
- Notify the Nursing program office at your preferred location that your transcripts are ready to be reviewed for the required Second Degree Program prerequisites. The Admissions Office will provide the Nursing contact with your cumulative GPA for review.
- If you are taking classes in the upcoming spring semester, email a copy of your spring schedule (or an unofficial transcript showing scheduled coursework) to the Nursing contact at your preferred location no later than the third week of December.
