A New Path Into Nursing at Tulane Amid Growing Workforce Demand

For Tulane undergraduates interested in nursing, a new major offers a way to pursue the profession while remaining part of the broader Newcomb-Tulane College experience.

Developed by the Tulane School of Medicine Program of Nursing, the major allows students to complete the NTC core curriculum alongside required nursing prerequisites before advancing into the professional Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Throughout the program, students maintain access to Tulane-based financial aid, housing, campus life and co-curricular opportunities.

The 120-credit degree includes the Newcomb-Tulane core curriculum, nursing prerequisites and a four-semester professional nursing program. Coursework combines online instruction with in-person laboratory, simulation and clinical experiences across the New Orleans area. Students complete more than 800 hours of supervised clinical practice before graduating prepared to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses.

Because the nursing program is housed within the School of Medicine, students also participate in experiences rarely available at the undergraduate level, including cadaver labs, standardized patient encounters, interprofessional simulations with medical students and clinical experiences through student-run clinics.

The program is designed to preserve flexibility before students enter the four-semester professional nursing sequence. With careful academic planning, students may pursue additional majors, minors, electives or study abroad opportunities.

Students also receive coordinated advising throughout their academic journey. Newcomb-Tulane College advisers guide them through core requirements and nursing prerequisites, while a dedicated nursing academic adviser supports students once they enter the major.

The new major comes as Louisiana — and the nation — faces a nursing shortage amid growing healthcare demand and continued staffing challenges. For students who already see nursing in their future, it creates a direct route from the traditional Tulane undergraduate experience to intensive clinical preparation for the profession.