In order to become a nurse, you must complete an approved nursing program and pass a the national licensing, the NCLEX-RN, in order to obtain a nursing license. Many colleges and universities offer a B.S. in nursing, typically consisting of a four year program.

Community and junior colleges offer two to three year programs for which they award an associate degree in nursing. Some hospitals also offer diploma programs, which are similar in scope to associates degree programs. Nursing school provides both classroom instruction and supervised clinical experience in health care facilities. In addition to nursing, coursework includes anatomy, psychology, chemistry and nutrition.

Many nurses who earn an associates degree later go back and earn their B.S. because many nursing specialties and administrative positions are only open to nurses who hold a B.S. Master’s degrees in nursing can usually be completed two years, and are required to become a clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife, or nurse practitioner. A handful of schools offer doctoral degrees in nursing, which are usually used to gain higher administrative positions.