The mission of CSM's nursing program is to educate future nursing professionals through exemplary academic programs and collaborative community partnerships.
The nursing programs strive to:
Foster lifelong learning, competence, and integrity in a diverse student population
Promote students’ commitment to the nursing profession and community
Provide opportunities for student learning through cutting edge technology and exceptional practical experiences
The college has been offering the Associate Degree in Nursing for 30+ years and the Practical Nursing Certificate for 40+ years. These courses are offered at the state-of-the-art Center for Health Sciences at the Regional Hughesville Campus.
During the nursing program, students participate in class activities, clinical experiences, and in-lab experiences. Program graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) or for the Practical Nurse (NCLEX-PN).
Notice: COVID-19 Vaccination Required for Clinical Placement
College of Southern Maryland's clinical partners have notified us that the COVID-19 vaccination is required for clinical placement. All Nursing and Health program students must comply with this requirement to receive a clinical assignment. Students who decline to be vaccinated will not be able to remain registered for the clinical courses and may need to withdraw from their respective nursing or health program. An individual is considered to be 'vaccinated' if they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 through the receipt of one dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine (or any subsequently authorized and approved single-dose vaccine); or both doses of a 2-dose mRNA vaccine, and any booster doses recommended by CDC/ACIP to maintain vaccination status. Once vaccination is complete, students should upload their documentation to the CastleBranch portal.
Programs of Study
The AS in Nursing degree program prepares graduates to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). The associate degree nurse is prepared to use the nursing process to provide nursing care that promotes the achievement of optimal health outcomes. Students learn the principles and practices of nursing through independent and Web-enhanced study, lectures, demonstrations, skills practice and simulation. They participate in clinical practice off campus in a variety of healthcare settings under the supervision of nursing instructors. Employment opportunities exist in acute care, long term care and a variety of community-based healthcare agencies.
The Practical Nursing certificate program prepares graduates to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN). The practical nurse (PN) is prepared to assist with the nursing process to provide nursing care that promotes the achievement of optimal health outcomes. Students learn the principles and practices of nursing through independent and web-enhanced study, lectures, demonstrations, skills practice, and simulation. They participate in clinical practice off campus in a variety of healthcare settings under the supervision of nursing instructors. Employment opportunities exist in long-term care and a variety of community-based health care agencies.
The RN Transition Pathway prepares students to enter the AS in Nursing degree program with advanced standing. This program is designed as a part time sequence for the working adult. Students have the option to accelerate their program completion, but must discuss their success plan with the Health Sciences Advisor, meet additional criteria, and receive approval of the Chair of Nursing.
As competitive admissions programs, students must apply for entrance into nursing programs.
The Associate Degree in Nursing (A.D.N.) program admits student both in the fall and spring semesters. The Practical Nursing (PN) program admits students for the fall semester only.
To review the qualifying entrance criteria, students are encouraged to obtain a copy of the Nursing Programs Admission Booklet. Students can complete NUR-1050 before being accepted into the program of their choice.
The Practical Nursing Certificate and Associate Degree nursing programs at the College of Southern Maryland Regional Hughesville Campus, located in Hughesville, Maryland are accredited by the: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta, GA 30326, 404-975-5000.
The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Practical Nursing Certificate and Associate Degree nursing programs is Continuing Accreditation from October 2016.
View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program on the ACEN website.
The Practical Nursing Certificate and Associate Degree nursing programs are also approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing.
Program Details
Admission Criteria (Technical Standards/Essential Functions): Student must be free of contagion and possess sufficient stamina and mental stability, with or without reasonable accommodations as may be required by law, to fulfill the requirements of the program and the customary requirements of the profession:
Work for 8 - 12 hours performing physical tasks requiring sufficient strength and motor coordination without jeopardy to patient and student safety as, for example, walking, sitting, bending, lifting, turning
Perform fine motor movements and be able to manipulate instruments and wide variety of equipment according to established procedure and standards of speed and accuracy.
Establish and work toward goals in a consistently responsible, realistic manner.
Have auditory ability sufficient to monitor and assess health needs. (For example: communicate verbally, in an effective manner, with patients and other personnel)
Have visual ability sufficient for observation and assessment necessary for patient care. (For example: use a microscope, read and process patient related information like patient charts and requisitions, visually assess patient response to interventions)
Graduates' Success on Licensure Exam
Graduates’ success on licensure exams is a significant benchmark for any nursing program. Graduates’ success is calculated by the number of graduates who are successful on passing the NCLEX-RN on their first attempt and reported by the graduating class.
CSM NCLEX-RN 1st Time Candidate Pass Rate
Graduating class
First-Time Examination Pass Rate
January 2024
95%
May 2023
98%
January 2023
83%
May 2022
83%
January 2022
79%
May 2021
91%
*Some takers from states outside of Maryland, may be absent from these results.
Graduate Employment in Nursing
CSM nursing graduates have the opportunity to provide feedback to the nursing program regarding employment 6-12 months after completion. Results are calculated from those graduates who choose to participate.
Employment in Nursing is calculated by the response to the following question: Are you currently employed as a Registered Nurse? Yes or No.
Some graduates do not seek employment immediately upon graduation due to changing life circumstances, relocation, and/or entering a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or Master in Science in Nursing (MSN) program upon completion of their Associate degree.
RN Job Placement Rates
Graduating Class
Job Placement Rate
January 2023
100%
May 2023
100%
January 2022
94% (16/17)
May 2022
100% (21/21)
January 2021*
No Data Reported
May 2021
95.65% (22/23)
*COVID-19
Program Completion
Program Completion is calculated at 100% stated program length (4 clinical semesters) for all students enrolled in initial nursing courses. The CSM ADN program offers flexible scheduling, and the majority of students choose to attend part time, thus extending their program completion time.
Aggregate ADN Program Completion Table
Cohorts Program Entry by Calendar Year
Program completion rate
Expected level of achievement met ELA = 35%*
2022- 2023
42%
Met
2021- 2022
46%
Met
2020-2021 *
40%
Met
*COVID-19
Graduates' Success on Licensure Exam
Graduates’ success on licensure exams is a significant benchmark for any nursing program. Graduates’ success is calculated by the Maryland Board of Nursing (MBON) and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) by the number of graduates who are successful on passing the NCLEX-PN on their first attempt.
Graduates' success on licensure exam (NCLEX-PN):
CSM NCLEX-PN 1st Time Candidate Pass Rate
Graduating Class
First-Time Examination Pass Rate
2023
100%
2022**
N/A (0/0)
2021
100%
*Fiscal Year runs July 1 - June 30, 2020-2024
**Program did not run during the FY 2022
*Pass rates reported by Maryland Board of Nursing (MBON) are calculated by the fiscal year (July 1 – June 30). Some takers from states outside of Maryland, may be absent from these results.
PN Job Placement
CSM nursing graduates have the opportunity to provide feedback to the nursing program 6-12 months after completion. Results are calculated from those graduates who choose to participate.
Employment in Nursing is calculated by the response to the following question: Are you currently employed as a Licensed Practical Nurse? Yes or No.
Some graduates do not seek employment immediately upon graduation due to changing life circumstances, relocation, and/or entering an Associate Degree in Nursing program.
Job Placement Rates - PN
PN Graduating Class by Fiscal Year
Job Placement Rate
2023
50%
2022
67%
2021*
N/A
*Program did not run
Program Completion
Program Completion is calculated at 100% stated program length (3 clinical semesters) for all students enrolled in initial nursing courses. The CSM PN program offers flexible scheduling and the majority of students choose to attend part time, thus extending their program completion time.
Aggregated PN Program Completion
Calendar Year by Graduating Class
Completion Rate
Summer 2023
100%
Summer 2022
100%
Summer 2021
N/A
Below is a table of estimated costs students in the nursing program will encounter over the course of four semesters. The information is intended for planning purposes as the costs and fees provided in the table are subject to change.
Item
One-time Costs
Semester/Cost
Total Out of Pocket Expense for Program
Tuition for Nursing Classes only.
*Tuition is $140/credit hour, subject to change per institution
1st semester: 7 credits
2nd semester: 10 credits
3rd semester: 10 credits
4th semester: 8 credits
1st semester: $ 980
2nd semester: $ 1400
3rd semester: $ 1400
4th semester: $ 1120
$4900
Lab Fees
$200 for 1st semester
$400 for 2nd semester
$200 for 3rd semester
$400 for 4th semester
$120 Skills bag for 1st semester
$100 Skills bag for 2nd semester
$50 Skills bag for 3rd semester
$1272
Required textbooks and learning resources
$ 250 Course Point + online educational resource for 2 years
$200 DocuCare for 2 years
$500 for 1st semester $500 for 2nd semester $500 for 3rd semester $500 for 4th semester
$2450
Other required books/resources (after first semester)
Implementation of V-Simulations.
$200 for 2nd semester $100 for 3rd semester $100 for 4th semester
$400
Basic CPR
$85 every 2 years
$85
$85
Uniforms & Uniform accessories
$75/uniform
$175 required accessories (i.e., shoes, patches, name badge)
$50-300 stethoscope, bandage scissors, penlight
$550
Physical exam, including titers, vaccinations, and lab results
Dependent costs to meet necessary requirements
Health Insurance
Provided by student and varies dependent on
Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) Online Testing
$260 in 4th semester
$260
EXXAT document management system
$40 one-time fee Exxat One
$210 one-time fee for Exxat Prism
$36 annual fee
$322
Criminal background check, drug screening
$59 background fee/yr
$29 drug screening/yr
$176
NCLEX Licensure Exam
$187 for RN
$187 for PN
$187
Nursing Licensure fee
$200 for RN
$200 for PN
$200
Opportunities to Earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Traditionally, community college students have 3 transfer pathways to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing:
Traditional Nursing Transfer Programs
Students who do not want to take their clinical courses (the NUR courses) and want to work towards their Registered Nursing (RN) license at a four-year institution may want to pursue a "standard" nursing transfer pathway. These pathways are designed for students who do not have a previous nursing degree.
Students interested in this transfer option can take their non-nursing courses at the College of Southern Maryland.
These programs have different names at different institutions. For example, at various Maryland public colleges and universities these are called:
Often for these programs, students will need to be first admitted to their desired transfer destination. After the student is admitted to the institution, they traditionally will need to go through the process to petition for the Nursing program at that institution. Just because you are admitted to the college or university does not mean you are guaranteed admission into the Nursing program at that college or university.
Please note that if you are interested in one of these types of programs, it is important that you work with your desired transfer destination early in your college experience. Different programs will have different pre-requisite requirements. As well, colleges and universities have different timelines for petitioning for Nursing programs.
Associate-to-Bachelor's (ATB) Nursing Transfer Programs
Through Associate-to-Bachelor's programs and Dual Admission Nursing Pathway, students have the opportunity to work towards their Bachelor of Science in Nursing while pursuing their Associate of Science in Nursing at the College of Southern Maryland.
Take advantage of our Associate's to Bachelor's (ATB) in Nursing partnerships with Towson University (TU), Frostburg State University (FSU), Stevenson University Online (SUO), American Public University System (APUS), or our Dual Admission agreement with University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) and University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC).
Once a student has graduated from a community college with an Associate of Science in Nursing and successfully passed the NCLEX exam, they are eligible to receive their Registered Nursing (RN) license. Students possessing an unencumbered RN license are eligible to participate in an RN-to-BSN Program to earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
According to the Maryland Board of Nursing State-Wide Nursing Education Articulation Agreement, NUR courses do not transfer. However, Registered Nurses with an active unencumbered Maryland or compact RN license articulating to the baccalaureate level are awarded a minimum of 30 upper division nursing credits in the program they are entering.
The programs listed below have transfer agreements with the College of Southern Maryland:
Students must graduate from CSM with an Associate of Science in Nursing and hold a current active, unencumbered RN license in order to be eligible for this program.
This is an online program.
Students must earn a grade of "C" or better in each course for which the student desires to transfer credits.
CSM graduates receive:
Application fee waiver.
Transcript evaluation fee waived if partnership is mentioned.
Students must graduate from CSM with an Associate of Science in Nursing with a 2.0 GPA or higher and hold an active RN license in order to be eligible for this program.
This is an online program.
Students should apply no sooner than the last two semesters of the Associate of Science in Nursing program.
All pre-requisite course work must be completed with a grade of C or higher.
Students must graduate from CSM with an Associate of Science in Nursing with a 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher and hold an active RN license in order to be eligible for this program.
All pre-requisite course work must be completed with a grade of C or higher.
Students who meet the required criteria are guaranteed admission. As well, GW will provide scholarships to 3 CSM students who are admitted under this agreement each year.
Hold an earned diploma or associate degree in nursing from an accredited nursing program (ACEN, CCNE, and CNEA) OR state Board of Nursing approved program that prepares students for the NCLEX-RN exam
Have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 on the degree awarding transcript OR a cumulative GPA between 2.0 and 2.49 on the degree awarding transcript with a minimum of nine (9) credit hours earned subsequent to the diploma or associate degree with at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA.
Students who do not hold a nursing license and have graduated from a nursing program within three months may be admitted if they meet all other admission requirements. Evidence of licensure must be provided within three months from date of admission.
If you are an RN to BSN student interested in the Accelerated RN to MSN, contact an SNHU admission counselor or your SNHU academic advisor for more information as admission into the RN to MSN program is contingent upon a 3.5 GPA and dean approval.
Nursing students are required to maintain a B- or better in core major courses.
Students may transfer up to 90 credits if previous credits earned meet SNHU Online degree requirements and academic standards for transfer.
Students must take at least 30 credits (10 classes) at SNHU Online to be awarded a bachelor’s degree.
Students must graduate from CSM with an Associate of Science in Nursing with a 2.8 cumulative GPA or higher and hold an active RN license in order to be eligible for this program.
This is an online program.
All Associate of Science in Nursing course work must be completed with a grade of C or higher.
Students must complete the SUNY Online Transfer Application and electronic Supplemental Information Form.
Students must graduate from CSM with an Associate of Science in Nursing with a 2.5 GPA or higher and hold an active RN license in order to be eligible for this program.
Students can not have matriculated at another institution of higher education after graduating from CSM.
Students must hold a current, active RN license in the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia.
All pre-requisite course work must be completed with a grade of C or higher.
Trinity Washington University will offer students an application fee waiver for those students who apply online.
Students must graduate from CSM with an Associate of Science in Nursing and hold an active RN license in order to be eligible for this program.
This is an online program.
Associate of Science in Nursing graduates from CSM will need to take 30 credits at YCP.
Graduates from the Associate of Science in Nursing will not be required to take Chemsitry as long as they have an active RN license and an Associate of Science in Nursing.
Please note that the Bachelor of Science in Nursing requires 120 credits, so students may need to take some general education credits to complete the requirements at YCP.
Some specific courses that transfer from CSM to YCP include:
CSM's SOC-1010 transfers as YCP's SOCI-100.
CSM's MTH-1015 transfers as YCP's BEH-260.
CSM's HEA-1755 transfers as YCP's PHL-346.
Through this partnership, YCP will offer a preferred tuition rate to graduates from CSM who are admitted to the program at a rate of $9,900 for the 10 core nursing curriculum courses (a rate of $330/credit hour). The preferred tuition rate will also be extended to family members of those graduates who hold a valid nursing license and are admitted to the RN to BSN program.
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