North Carolina Central University Department of Nursing

A historic Black nursing program in the Research Triangle

North Carolina Central University in Durham is the nation's first public liberal arts institution founded for Black Americans, and its Department of Nursing has been part of campus since 1948. The department opened with a certificate in public health nursing, then in 1961 launched an RN to BSN pathway that made NCCU one of the earliest universities anywhere to offer a baccalaureate in nursing to associate-degree and diploma nurses. The generic (traditional) BSN admitted its first class in fall 1969 and earned full accreditation in 1970, a status the department has maintained continuously since.

Accreditation and licensure outcomes

The BSN programs are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and approved by the North Carolina Board of Nursing. The most recent ACEN Board of Commissioners action lists the baccalaureate program as continuing accreditation with conditions, meaning the program remains accredited while ACEN monitors specific standards. NCCU publishes its own annual NCLEX-RN performance on the nursing accreditation page: 94 percent in 2024, 94 percent in 2023, and 71 percent in 2022. The Accelerated BSN cohort that finished in December 2024 reported a 100 percent first-time NCLEX pass. Program completion rates over the same window were 68 percent (2024), 69 percent (2023), and 84 percent (2022).

Programs offered

• Traditional BSN, first-degree seeking, four-year baccalaureate
• Accelerated BSN (Accelerated Option), for students who already hold a non-nursing bachelor's degree
• RN to BSN, for licensed RNs completing the baccalaureate

Each track lives inside the College of Health and Sciences. The traditional and accelerated tracks both prepare graduates to sit for the NCLEX-RN.

Admissions in plain English

Nursing admission at NCCU is a two-step process. Prospective students apply to the university through NCCU Undergraduate Admissions first, then apply separately to the nursing program through Nursing Student Services. The Traditional BSN deadline is December 15 for a Summer (May) start. Decisions go out by email on a rolling basis from February through May.

The published thresholds for the Traditional BSN are a minimum 3.2 cumulative GPA, a minimum 3.2 math and science GPA, a minimum TEAS score of 70, and grades of C or higher in ten prerequisite courses spanning college algebra, biology, chemistry, microbiology, nutrition, psychology, and statistics. Applicants must demonstrate English fluency in speaking, reading, and writing and must be physically able to meet nursing practice demands.

Cost

NCCU's 2025-2026 estimated undergraduate tuition and fees are about $6,699 for North Carolina residents and about $19,735 for non-residents. The estimated full cost of attendance for a student living on campus is roughly $28,065 in-state and $41,101 out-of-state. Nursing students should plan for additional program costs the department lists publicly, including the TEAS exam (about $71), uniforms, books, background check, drug screening, CPR certification, and professional liability insurance. North Carolina residents who qualify for the NC Promise tuition program at other UNC System schools should note that NCCU is not an NC Promise campus, but its already low resident tuition compares favorably with private and out-of-state options.

Clinical partners and where you train

NCCU nursing students rotate through some of the strongest health systems in the Southeast. The department's listed clinical partners include Duke University Health System, UNC Health, UNC REX Healthcare, and WakeMed. Clinical sites can sit up to roughly an hour from campus, which is typical for a Triangle-based program and gives students experience across academic medical centers, community hospitals, and outpatient settings. The department also operates a community-based mobile health clinic experience that pushes students into Durham neighborhoods directly.

Why this matters for Black students

NCCU is a public HBCU. That means the nursing classroom you walk into is built around Black students rather than around Black students being the exception. Faculty include the department chair, Dr. Yolanda M. VanRiel, who has spoken publicly about closing the licensure gap and pushing pass rates upward through tutoring, remediation staff, a test-taking strategies consultant, diagnostic exams, and simulation. Durham itself is a city with a deep Black professional and medical history (Black Wall Street, the historic Hayti district, North Carolina Mutual Life), and the Triangle hosts a dense network of Black clinicians at Duke, UNC, WakeMed, and the VA. For a Black student weighing a BSN, NCCU offers an HBCU community, affordable resident tuition, and clinical placements inside two of the top academic health systems in the South.

How to get in touch

• Department of Nursing main line: 919-530-7232
• Nursing Student Services email: nursing@nccu.edu
• NCCU Undergraduate Admissions: 919-530-6100
• TEAS coordinator: Jason Haskins, 919-530-6387