Concordia College, Moorhead

Concordia College provides two primary pathways into the nursing profession, both characterized by small class sizes and high faculty engagement. The traditional BSN is a four-year program that admits a cohort of 32–36 students annually; students typically apply in the spring of their freshman year for a junior-year clinical start. For career changers, Concordia offers a 12-month Accelerated BSN (ABSN), an intensive January-to-December track for those who already hold a non-nursing bachelor's degree. The curriculum is deeply rooted in the liberal arts, emphasizing "One Health"—the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health—alongside core competencies in critical care, mental health, and public health.

The program's technological heart is the Heimarck College of Health Professions, a state-of-the-art facility completed in 2023. This center features four specialized simulation labs equipped with high-fidelity manikins, one-way observation windows for faculty feedback, and a dedicated home health lab to simulate community-based care. Students begin their clinical journey with a unique appointment ceremony and proceed to complete over 500 to 600 clinical hours. These rotations take place at elite regional partners, including Sanford Health, Essentia Health, and the Fargo VA Health Care System. This immersion is highly effective; in February 2026, the college announced that every single student in the 2025 traditional and accelerated cohorts passed the NCLEX-RN on their first attempt.

Compared to other programs in the Red River Valley, Concordia stands out for its Interdisciplinary Case Studies, where nursing students collaborate with social work, nutrition, and exercise science majors to solve complex patient scenarios. The program also offers "Global Learning" opportunities, allowing students to explore healthcare systems overseas. Admission is competitive, with Early Admission offered to select high school seniors with strong math and science backgrounds, while traditional applicants are evaluated on a 3.0 minimum prerequisite GPA and professional engagement.