Feature Story
Southern Virginia University Takes First Step Toward Nursing Pathway with New Pre-Nursing Curriculum
President Aaron Hale and the President’s Council have announced that Southern Virginia University will launch a new pre-nursing curriculum beginning in Fall 2026, marking the first phase of a broader effort to create a nursing pathway for students interested in one of the nation’s most in-demand professions.
The new offering comes in response to years of interest from students who wanted to pursue nursing as a part of the SVU community.
“We’ve had many prospective and current students want to pursue nursing, but decide to attend other schools because we didn’t have a nursing program or even a path towards preparing them for nursing,” said Interim Provost Samuel Hirt. “This is a way to fulfill a student desire that we’ve felt and seen over the years.”
The new curriculum will prepare students to apply for competitive nursing programs, including the Registered Nurse (RN) program at nearby Mountain Gateway Community College (MGCC), as well as positioning them for admission to nursing schools across the country.
Additionally, SVU is working with MGCC to explore a formal relationship that would allow students to complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and benefit from the strengths of both institutions.
“Our intention is to have a program here at SVU in collaboration with Mountain Gateway Community College for students to begin nursing classes in the fall of 2027,” Hirt said.
The pre-nursing curriculum represents an important step toward expanding opportunities for students while helping address the growing need for healthcare professionals. Every course in the program also counts toward SVU’s core credit electives, ensuring students continue to make meaningful progress toward graduation even if they choose a different academic path.
While the curriculum is aligned with MGCC requirements, university leaders emphasize that students will receive the academic preparation and support necessary to pursue nursing opportunities nationwide.
“Even if a student chooses a different program, we are going to ensure they are prepared for nursing school,” Hirt added. “We have the classes and the support system in place to make them competitive applicants for any nursing school.”
The following courses will be offered at SVU in the 2026-27 school year and are prerequisites for the developing nursing program: SVU 101: Knight Academy, WRI 120: College Composition, BIO 228: Human Anatomy, FHD 250: Child and Adolescent Development, and CHE 275R: Pharmacology.
Students interested in pursuing the nursing pathway will also need to complete additional admission requirements, including a GPA of 2.5 or higher, passing the TEAS test, obtaining CPR certification, and completing a background check.
“We feel that there will be significant interest in this program and that applications for fall 2027 will be competitive,” said Hirt. “Students who are interested should reach out to their advisor or the registrar and make sure they enroll for the right classes.”
For more information about the pre-nursing curriculum and future nursing pathway opportunities, reach out to Interim Provost Samuel Hirt at samuel.hirt@svu.edu.