Chicago is one of the greatest cities in the United States, and is known for its culture as well as its fine educational institutions. Students in Chicago who are seeking a career change into nursing have many great options from which to choose. Colleges and universities throughout Chicago offer working professionals and those seeking a return to school the chance to become nurses by completing accelerated degree programs. Accelerated nursing programs in Chicago allow students who have already completed a bachelor’s degree in another field of study to become nurses in as little as 15-24 months. The amount of time it will take to complete a degree will depend upon a number of factors, such as how much transfer credit is granted and how many prerequisite classes have already been completed.
Accelerated nursing programs in Chicago are offered by Loyola University, Concordia University and DePaul University, among others. All of these schools allow students to earn Bachelor of Science degrees in Nursing within two years by completing a combination of classroom and clinical work. Transfer credit is granted for general education classes previously completed and for science classes recently taken. These can include Anatomy and Physiology, Human Nutrition and Medical Terminology.
Online colleges also offer accelerated programs of study in nursing. These are popular with students who are working full-time and need a flexible class schedule. They are also popular with mothers returning to school and needing to schedule classes around caring for families. Some of the best online schools offering nursing degrees include Kaplan University, University of Phoenix and Capella University. All of these schools offer Bachelor’s degrees, with some offering Master’s and Doctoral degrees as well. Degrees can be completed in 12-18 months depending upon transfer credit, and financial aid is available in the form of federal grants, loans and scholarships.