The University of South Florida St. Petersburg welcomed 60 students into its first traditional four-year nursing degree program this fall. High school graduates can now enroll straight into the Freshman Nursing Pathway and work toward a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. No other degree is required first.
Each year, the program will provide up to 70 upper-division nursing seats. In the first two years students tackle general education courses and prerequisites. Then comes clinical training.
According to the St. Pete Catalyst, this addition grows a program that’s been running at the St. Petersburg campus since 2019, though it used to serve students who already had bachelor’s degrees. The new pathway opens another door — students can start fresh instead of waiting until after they’ve earned a previous degree…