3-Year Track FAQs

You've got questions, we've got answers! Learn more about our optional three-year degree in nursing.

What type of student is eligible to apply for the three-year program?
Students applying to Jewell during their senior year of high school as a first-year student are eligible. Students who have finished high school but who have less than 12 hours of college-level credit awarded since high school graduation may also apply to the three-year Bachelor of Science – Nursing program by indicating this intent on the Application for Admission and Scholarship at www.jewell.edu/apply.

Are special qualifications required to apply?
The requirements for admission consideration are the same as for the four-year Bachelor of Science – Nursing major at William Jewell College.

What behaviors and/or achievements are important precursors to success in the three-year program?
Students who have been successful in taking dual-credit courses on the college level during their high school career may see a reduction in their credit count during some semesters at Jewell, which may have several benefits to the student in managing a curriculum that is necessarily faster-paced than its four-year counterpart. Gaining experience taking classes on the college level during high school provides very valuable experience and training for the rhythms and expectations of college-level coursework.

How does the program work with regard to college credits?
The minimum number of college credit hours required to earn the Bachelor of Science – Nursing degree at William Jewell College is 124. The curriculum for the three-year program as designed by the Department of Nursing contains all 124 credits. College credit hours can be achieved at William Jewell College, by transfer of credit from dual-credit coursework completed successfully during high school, or from attending other colleges during the student’s tenure at William Jewell College. Any courses taken at other schools after matriculation at Jewell should be approved in advance by the student’s nursing advisor and the Office of the Registrar.

How do students manage to fit all the credits into their semester schedules?
Three-year students typically attend classes during Fall, Spring, and Summer terms. It may be possible to work directly with an advisor at Jewell to eliminate some summer coursework, but as a general rule, students will include at least one summer term in their course planning.

What’s different about this experience academically?
While the program’s required qualifications are no more selective than any other traditional major at Jewell, in order to be successful, students planning to attend in this manner should prepare for a higher level of academic engagement, including requesting tutoring (provided at no additional expense in most cases at Jewell) when needed, meeting with professors, spending time on homework outside of class, and spending time (possibly into evening hours) in the Nursing Arts Laboratory.

What type of dual-credit classes are recommended to be taken to prepare for this program?
To prepare specifically for important nursing proficiency, college-level courses such as College Algebra, Composition and Reading, and Introductory Psychology are suggested. If, prior to earning a high school diploma, a student succeeds in passing a college-level course that can substitute for a course at William Jewell College, AND that equivalent course is specifically listed in the nursing curriculum, the result will be that the student would not likely be advised to repeat the corresponding course at Jewell and more flexibility in the nursing curriculum is gained. Questions about the transferability of a dual-credit course to William Jewell College should be addressed to one’s admission counselor at the college.

Why do you keep saying “suggested curriculum”?
The Department of Nursing at William Jewell College is highly dedicated to ensuring that every student, including a student attending the three-year nursing program, is able to sensibly adjust course scheduling wherever possible to allow for a richly rewarding student experience to include NCAA Athletics, life-changing experiences through the Journey Grant program, and participation in talent areas such as Music, Debate, Theatre, and Journalism. Working in close coordination with the student’s nursing advisor (a member of the Department of Nursing faculty, as opposed to a “staff” or “administrative” advisor) is absolutely crucial to the success of these ventures. Through experience, we have found that flexibility in curriculum not only sets us apart as a program of nursing education, it empowers nursing students at Jewell to achieve their unique college experience. William Jewell College’s student nurses are able to participate in any number of extracurricular, athletic, and social ventures by employing good time management and communication skills.

What’s the “bigger picture” with this three-year program?
It is important to recognize that this experience may not follow that of a “typical” college experience. This program was designed to respond to students’ requests to graduate in three years. We offer this program in recognition of the healthcare industry’s need for well-qualified nurse leaders that a) come equipped with sharpened critical thinking skills, and b) have achieved the market’s preferred entry-level education without sacrificing the quality of education, all in a shorter amount of time. Many educational outlets have responded to this need by responding solely with prioritizing online resources (and in some instances, isolating the student experience to “online-only” course delivery methods) at the expense of hands-on, interpersonal, experiential knowledge delivery. Our program integrates the same number of on-ground clinical experiences as a four-year student, a rich level of participation with simulation and the Nursing Arts Laboratory environment, and close interactions with dedicated faculty members, enabled by a small-campus environment.