BROOKINGS — South Dakota State University's College of Nursing is now accepting applicants for its new online bachelor of science in nursing program.

The program is designed to provide rural and place-bound students with the opportunity to pursue a nursing career while addressing the critical nursing shortages across South Dakota, Associate Dean for Academic Programs Heidi Mennenga said.

Both the South Dakota Board of Regents and the South Dakota Board of Nursing have granted SDSU approval for the program, which is set to launch in spring 2026 with a goal of admitting 16 students in the first cohort.

“The SDSU College of Nursing is committed to finding solutions to meet the critical nursing workforce needs of the rural and underserved areas of South Dakota. We are confident that this is an important milestone to provide training to aspiring nurses in their home communities,” SDSU College of Nursing Dean Mary Anne Krogh said.

This online option is available only to students who reside in South Dakota.

Through this innovative program, students will complete much of their education in their home communities, which eliminates the need to relocate and maximizes flexibility while still adhering to the same rigorous standards and curriculum as SDSU’s traditional B.S.N. program.

“Regardless of the nursing program, whether it’s standard, accelerated or online, it’s all the same curriculum,” Mennenga said. “Students take the same theory courses, they do the same number of clinical hours, the same simulations and meet the same outcomes.”

Online B.S.N. students will attend online theory classes via Zoom, supplemented by immersive laboratory and simulation sessions at one of the SDSU College of Nursing sites in Brookings, Sioux Falls or Rapid City. They will also complete a blend of traditional and precepted clinical experiences, primarily in their home communities and contingent on available partnerships.

Prerequisite coursework (about three semesters worth) needed before enrolling in SDSU’s 20-month online B.S.N. program may also be completed online, all via SDSU or another regental institution.

Outreach to recruit new clinical partners throughout the state is ongoing, expanding SDSU’s already extensive network.

Clinical partners who team up with SDSU for the B.S.N. online program will provide a B.S.N.-prepared registered nurse preceptor to guide the student during their precepted acute care clinical experiences. The experience is likely to benefit the health care entity in more ways than one.

Prospective students who are interested in the online B.S.N. program are encouraged to reach out to Mennenga at heidi.mennenga@sdstate.edu or 605-688-6924 or professional adviser Abby Exner at abby.exner@sdstate.edu or 320-241-5301.