Academic Options
Dual Degree Programs
All Penn undergraduates are encouraged to cross traditional school boundaries, to study in a seamless academic environment. In addition to the joint degrees that are offered, students may avail themselves of the opportunity to pursue a dual degree with the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, or The Wharton School. Penn's coordinated dual-degree programs offer students the opportunity to pursue coordinated curricula jointly offered by two schools within the university. Students receive two degrees upon completion of the interdisciplinary coursework. Applicants should be aware that size limitations within these special programs result in more competitive admissions policies. Below is an example:
Honors Program
The Nursing Undergraduate Honors Program (NUHP) seeks to foster the development of the next generation of nurse achievers – scholars, leaders, and researchers – through intellectual rigor, academic excellence, and outstanding achievement.
Minors
Minors allow Nursing students to pursue a concentration of six courses in the School of Arts and Scienced or the School of Engineering and Applied Science while working toward the BSN degree. For example:
Research Opportunities
Penn's nursing faculty lead the country in many areas of nursing research. The School of Nursing ranks high among the nation's nursing schools in federally-funded grant money. Penn undergraduates have the unique opportunity to work with senior faculty members on their research and often publish with the faculty in leading health care journals. Students have also accompanied faculty to meetings and research sites in the United States and worldwide.
Submatriculation
Begin study in one of Penn's masters programs while still an undergraduate student. Nursing students interested in a specific area of graduate study in one of the School of Nursing's 19 MSN majors may begin graduate study while earning their undergraduate degree. By making application to the graduate major of choice as early as the junior year, students may begin taking master's level courses, earning credit toward both degrees.
Through the School of Nursing and the Penn Law School submatriculation program, qualified nursing undergraduates submatriculating into the University of Pennsylvania School of Law can complete their requirements for both the BSN and the Juris Doctor (JD) degrees in six years instead of the usual seven. Nursing students interested in the program are expected to take the LSAT examination and apply for admission to the Law School in their junior year. Admitted students begin taking courses in the Law School during their fourth year at Penn. A health care background combined with legal expertise is essential in health care litigation and malpractice suits that are commonplace today. For individuals who can see themselves filling these roles, the combination of Penn Nursing and Penn Law has no match.