Learn to think critically and apply the nursing process when caring for patients of all ages in a variety of settings.

At a Glance

  • Flexibility
    Full Time
  • Delivery Options
    On Campus
  • Degree
    BS

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Deliver Passionate, Patient-Centered Care

A nursing student prepares a syringe at the UMass Lowell Nursing Simulation Lab.

The B.S. in Nursing program at UMass Lowell provides students with the knowledge, skills and hands-on experience to deliver passionate, patient-centered care. Learn how to apply ethical principles and legal requirements in the delivery of care, develop therapeutic relationships with individuals and groups and promote health in diverse populations. 

From Interprofessional Education (IPE) activities, you'll learn how to work in teams with students from different disciplines such as dietetics, public health, exercise physiology, physical therapy and pharmacy.

During the senior year, you'll experience a semester of immersion in the nursing specialty area of your choice, working one-on-one with an expert nurse preceptor. 

Upon successful completion of the program, you will be eligible to sit for the Board of Registration in Nursing’s NCLEX examination for licensure as a registered nurse (RN).

High First-Time Pass Rate on NECLEX Exam

Our 2022 graduates had a 91 percent board licensure pass rate on their first try, exceeding the national average of 80 percent.

Nursing Career Options

UMass Lowell’s nursing graduates are in high demand, with 86 percent landing jobs or being accepted into graduate programs within six months of graduation.

Two nursing students smile as they work at laptops in the UMass Lowell Nursing Simulation Lab.

The clinical aspects of the nursing program are developed, coordinated and supervised by the nursing faculty and are provided in collaboration with members of our community agencies. 

Student clinical placements and places of employment may include:

  • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
  • Boston Children’s Hospital
  • Brigham and Women’s Hospital
  • Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital
  • Greater Lawrence Family Health Service
  • Holy Family Hospital
  • Lahey Hospital and Medical Center
  • Lawrence General Hospital
  • Lowell Community Health Center
  • Lowell General Hospital
  • Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
  • Massachusetts General Hospital
  • Tewksbury Hospital
  • UMass Memorial Medical Center
  • VNA of Greater Lowell Winchester Hospital

Courses You'll Take

Check out our degree pathways—a suggested four-year schedule of courses—for a possible pathway toward your B.S. in Nursing.

Visit the Academic Catalog for all degree pathways, including those from prior enrollment years.

The Baccalaureate Program prepares nurse generalists who:

  1. Develop therapeutic relationships with individuals, families, groups and communities
  2. Demonstrate competence in the implementation of standards of practice
  3. Apply ethical principles and legal requirements in the delivery of care to individuals, families, groups and communities 
  4. Collaborate with individuals, families, groups, communities and health care professionals in the delivery of care
  5. Utilize theories and research findings in practice
  6. Promote health in diverse populations
  7. Participate in efforts to influence health care policy
  8. Assume responsibility for learning and professional career development

Graduates of the Baccalaureate Program are prepared to:

  1. Pass the NCLEX - RN licensure exam
  2. Sustain employment in the practice of nursing
  3. Participate in nursing continuing education programs
  4. Obtain nursing practice and/or specialty certifications
  5. Obtain advanced certificates and/or degrees
  6. Become members of professional organizations
  7. Participate on committees in health care agencies
  8. Present papers and posters related to nursing practice
  9. Engage in research utilization and evidenced-based practice

Why Study Nursing at UMass Lowell?

A student uses a stethoscope to examine a child mannequin in the UMass Lowell Nursing Simulation Lab.

Advanced Nursing Laboratories

Build your confidence and experience before going into a care setting through our state-of-the-art facilities, which include: 

  • Simulation laboratories with observation rooms
  • Demonstration hospital wing and true-to-life exam rooms
  • “Smart” technology for presentations
  • Mentoring, tutoring and open lab hours to help you succeed
Nursing student wearing blue scrubs holds tubes near a patient bed in a UMass Lowell demonstration hospital wing

Hands-On Experience

Gain hands-on experience through our collaborative relationships with more than 250 clinical agencies, including:

  • Acute care hospitals (major teaching, community-based, medical centers)
  • Long-term care settings
  • Assisted living facilities
  • Primary care practices
  • School health settings
  • Visiting nurse and home care agencies
  • Occupational health setting
  • Child care and adult day health settings
Nursing student sits at an outdoor table

Fun Outside the Classroom

Put your learning into practice. Check out some of the fun ways UML students come together.

Nursing student wearing blue scrubs sits at a table in a UMass Lowell classroom

Bachelor’s-to-Master's Program

Get on the fast track to an advanced degree with our combined B.S/M.S. program. 
  • Available to juniors and seniors with a grade point average of 3.500 or better
  • Offers a continuous, coordinated sequence of courses
  • Reduced credit-hour requirements can save you time and money

Meet Our Alumni and Students

Matthew Fowler wearing scrubs and a stethoscope in a nursing simulation lab at UMass Lowell
Matthew Fowler '18
Nursing

After Matthew Fowler's mother underwent heart surgery, he observed the nurses, who worked with both intelligence and kindness. The experience inspired him to choose nursing as his career.

My experience here at UML has been nothing but positive. The nursing professors are unbelievable.
Read More About Matthew Fowler 
Coral Gonzalez poses for a photo with Oprah Winfrey and five other students who won Oprah Winfrey Scholarships in 2018
Coral Gonzalez '21
Nursing

Coral Gonzalez set her sights on becoming a nurse after she was hospitalized in middle school. The Honors College student won one of the first Oprah Winfrey Scholarships to help her succeed.

I like that the campus is spread out, so you can go on walks. It’s not in the middle of the city, it’s not in the middle of nowhere, it’s not too close to home, but not so far that I can’t see family and friends. It was the perfect fit.
Read More About Coral Gonzalez 
Amina Mohammed speaks at Youth Poet Laurete Ceremony at Mechanics Hall, Worcester
Amina Mohammed '24
Nursing

Amina Mohammed is the first Youth Poet Laureate of Worcester and a first-year nursing major who loves helping people, especially children.

My passion is to help people. That’s what brings joy to my heart.
Read More About Amina Mohammed 
Meredith Ritze, a registered nurse, pictured at Lowell General Hospital with a patient.
Meredith Ritze '20
Family Health Nursing (NP)

After 12 years working as a registered nurse at Lowell General Hospital, Meredith Ritze developed specialized skills caring for people who struggle with urology issues. She applied to UMass Lowell to become a nurse practitioner to further her career.

I think science and art fuse in nursing because you need compassion, care and the desire to make improvements to the problems you confront.
Read More About Meredith Ritze 

Accredited Program and Approved by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

The UMass Lowell nursing program is approved by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing and accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.