Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)Nursing Program Curriculum
At Houston Christian University’s Linda Dunham School of Nursing, students discover more than just a nursing program – they find a nurturing community dedicated to developing skilled, compassionate healthcare professionals who serve with Christ-like love. The BSN program creates an environment where academic excellence meets spiritual growth, preparing nurses who touch lives with both professional expertise and genuine care.
A Transformative Nursing Education in Houston
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at HCU stands among the premier nursing schools in Houston, TX, offering a comprehensive curriculum that interweaves rigorous academic preparation with hands-on clinical experience. This distinguished program holds full approval from the Texas Board of Nursing, ensuring students receive an education that meets the highest professional standards.
Clinical Excellence in the Heart of Houston’s Medical Community
Students in HCU’s Houston nursing program experience clinical rotations throughout the renowned Texas Medical Center and various community health settings. These invaluable partnerships include:
- Memorial Hermann Hospital, where students engage in intensive care nursing and witness groundbreaking trauma care
- Texas Children’s Hospital, offering specialized pediatric care experiences
- Houston Methodist Hospital, providing diverse specialty rotations
- Harris Health System, exposing students to comprehensive public health services
The program’s strategic location near Houston’s premier healthcare facilities creates unparalleled opportunities for hands-on learning and professional growth.
Nurturing Future Nurse Leaders
At the heart of HCU’s nursing program lies a transformative curriculum that nurtures both professional excellence and spiritual development. Through intentional mentorship and Christ-centered education, students develop into healthcare leaders who minister to patients with extraordinary skill and deep compassion.
The program’s distinctive approach encompasses:
- Personalized Learning Communities: Small class sizes foster meaningful connections between students and faculty, creating an environment where every future nurse receives individual attention and guidance. This intimate setting allows for deep discussions, shared prayer, and authentic relationships that support both academic and spiritual growth.
- Advanced Simulation Experience: In the state-of-the-art Clinical Learning Center, students practice critical skills in a supportive environment that builds confidence and competence. High-fidelity patient simulators and realistic scenarios prepare students to provide compassionate care with technical precision.
- Mentorship That Transforms: Experienced nursing faculty walk alongside students as mentors and guides, sharing not only their clinical expertise but also their dedication to faith-integrated nursing practice. These meaningful relationships often extend beyond graduation, creating a lasting network of support and encouragement.
- Evidence-Based Practice with Heart: Students learn to blend the latest nursing research and best practices with genuine compassion, developing the discernment to deliver care that addresses both physical needs and spiritual well-being.
- Holistic Educational Foundation: A rich liberal arts curriculum combined with advanced nursing science creates well-rounded healthcare professionals who think critically, communicate effectively, and understand the human experience in all its complexity.
- Spiritual Formation Journey: Through chapel services, prayer groups, and faith-integrated coursework, students develop a deeper understanding of nursing as a sacred calling. Regular opportunities for reflection and spiritual growth help shape servants’ hearts ready to minister through healthcare.
Degree Plan
Career Paths That Transform Lives
Graduates of HCU’s nursing program emerge as compassionate healers ready to make a meaningful difference in countless lives. Their preparation opens doors to diverse opportunities where they can shine Christ’s light through excellent care:
- Critical Care and Emergency Services: Serve as a beacon of hope and skilled care in intensive care units and emergency departments, providing crucial support during patients’ most vulnerable moments. These high-acuity settings allow nurses to demonstrate both technical expertise and spiritual strength.
- Maternal and Pediatric Nursing: Minister to new mothers and children with tender care, supporting families through life’s most precious and challenging moments. This specialty allows nurses to witness miracles while providing essential education and emotional support.
- Community Health Outreach: Extend healing beyond hospital walls through school nursing, home health care, and public health initiatives. These roles create opportunities to build lasting relationships and address healthcare disparities with Christ-like compassion.
- Mental Health Ministry: Offer hope and healing to those facing mental health challenges, combining professional therapeutic skills with spiritual sensitivity to support the whole person’s journey toward wellness.
- Healthcare Innovation: Shape the future of nursing through research initiatives and nursing informatics, developing new ways to enhance patient care while maintaining the human touch that makes nursing unique.
- Advanced Practice Nursing: Continue the journey of growth through graduate studies, preparing for expanded roles such as nurse practitioner, nurse educator, or nursing administrator. These advanced positions multiply the impact of Christ-centered care through leadership and education.
Embracing Your Calling: Life After Graduation
Building Careers That Transform Lives
At Houston Christian University’s Linda Dunham School of Nursing, we prepare graduates for meaningful careers that blend professional excellence with compassionate care. Our BSN program builds strong foundations for rewarding opportunities in healthcare, where skilled hands and caring hearts come together to make a genuine difference.
Career Preparation and Growth
Healthcare organizations actively seek HCU nursing graduates, recognizing their exceptional preparation and heartfelt commitment to patient care. Our program opens doors to fulfilling careers with competitive compensation, including:
- Hospital Care Teams
- Critical care units supporting patients and families through challenging times
- Labor and delivery departments welcoming new life into the world
- Pediatric units providing gentle care to young patients
- Surgical departments supporting patients through healing journeys
- Community Health Impact
- Home healthcare bringing professional care into familiar spaces
- Hospice teams providing compassionate end-of-life support
- School nursing fostering healthy learning environments
- Public health initiatives strengthening community wellness
Professional Development and Advanced Opportunities
The BSN program creates pathways for continuous growth and advancement. Many graduates choose to expand their impact through:
- Advanced practice nursing roles (MSN)
- Healthcare leadership and administration
- Specialized certifications in areas of passion
Why Employers Choose HCU Nurses
Our graduates stand out in the healthcare community for their:
- Comprehensive clinical preparation and hands-on experience
- Strong critical thinking and decision-making abilities
- Deep commitment to patient-centered care
- Professional integrity and ethical practice
- Ability to connect meaningfully with patients and families
- Leadership skills and collaborative spirit
Through partnerships with leading healthcare institutions, evidence-based training, and dedicated mentorship, we ensure our graduates are ready to thrive in their nursing careers while making a lasting difference in the lives of others.
A Community of Care and Support
The nursing program at Houston Christian University fosters deep connections among students, faculty, and healthcare partners. Through shared experiences in clinical rotations, classroom learning, and spiritual formation, students develop lasting relationships that support their professional journey.
Work-study opportunities at partner hospitals offer select students hands-on experience while earning scholarship support, creating a seamless blend of practical learning and financial assistance.
Program Requirements and Excellence
The BSN degree requires completion of 121 semester hours, including:
- Liberal arts core curriculum
- Nursing prerequisites in sciences and psychology
- Professional nursing courses
- Clinical rotations and practicums
Students graduate not only with technical proficiency but also with a deep understanding of nursing as a calling to serve others with compassion and excellence.
Next Steps in Your Nursing Journey
Join a community of future nurses who share your passion for compassionate healthcare at one of the most respected nursing schools in Houston, Texas. The BSN program at Houston Christian University welcomes dedicated individuals ready to embrace the calling of nursing with both professional excellence and spiritual purpose.
- Review the steps to becoming a nurse and applying to our Houston Nursing program
- Review HCU’s Admission Requirements for Prospective Nursing Students
- Submit your application to join the Nursing BSN program
- Contact our Pre-Nursing advisors at nursing@HC.edu if you have any questions.
Accreditation
Texas Board of Nursing
333 Guadalupe #3-460
Austin, TX 78701
Telephone: (512) 305-7400
Website: www.bon.texas.gov
What are people saying about HCU’s nursing program
“Upon graduating from HCU, I felt very well-prepared to enter into the career of nursing. HCU gave me a firm foundation of knowledge, as well as the skills needed for clinical practice. HCU also pressed upon me the importance of ethics in nursing as well as increasing my spiritual foundation.”
Shawnaka Holland, BSN ’02
Respiratory Care Unit Nurse
Texas Children’s Hospital
“As a Heart Transplant Coordinator for The Methodist Hospital, I believe the strong clinical skills learned through HCU’s nursing program provided a solid background which helped me transition smoothly into this specialty area. My patients are often faced with many psychosocial and emotional stressors in this process, and HCU helped me develop a compassionate approach to treating the whole patient.”
Susan Zylicz BSN ’93, RN, CCTC
Cardiac Transplant Coordinator
The Methodist Hospital
Multi-Organ Transplant Center