The Associate Degree Nursing program prepares students with the knowledge and skills needed to work successfully as registered nurses (RN) and function with critical thinking, clinical judgment, and technical competence when providing care for patients. The program offers classroom discussion, independent learning projects, labs, and hands-on clinical experiences in area healthcare agencies. Our well-rounded curriculum features state-of-the-art technology, including adult, pediatric, and obstetric simulators. Students are eligible to take the licensing exam (NCLEX-RN) for Registered Nurses after completion of all 70 credits in the program.
  • Overview

  • Is This Program for You?

    Nurses must work well under pressure, and they typically enjoy math, science, communications, and problem solving. If you are independent, compassionate, and are committed to helping people, you may find nursing to be very rewarding.

    Students entering the Nursing program should:

    • Have good reading and comprehension skills.
    • Be in good physical and emotional health.
    • Be flexible, adaptable, and enjoy working with people.
    • Be self-confident, independent, and a self-directed learner.
    • Meet Wisconsin Caregiver Law requirements.

    Program Basics

    • Day, evening/weekend and online classes available.
    • Financial aid available to those that qualify.
    • August program start date; however, some classes available in January.
    • May take some courses immediately upon program acceptance.
    • Students must achieve a grade of a C or better in each course of the program curriculum to be eligible to progress.
    • Current Healthcare Provider CPR certification must be maintained throughout the program. (Courses must include CPR, and a hands-on exam must be taken.)
    • Sign off as qualified in Functional Abilities for Nursing after acceptance to the program and prior to first clinical.
    • Elective credits must be Associate Degree level courses and cannot be Fundamentals of Chemistry or Nursing Assistant.
  • LPN to RN Bridge

  • LPN to RN Bridge

    • Available to Wisconsin residents and those living in adjacent counties in Iowa and Illinois and Minnesota
    • The LPN entering into Associate Degree Nursing will have all first year coursework completed. Nursing Pharmacology must be completed within last 5 years or has to be repeated.
    • The LPN seeking progression track admission must submit a copy of current LPN licensure
    • The LPN must successfully complete the LPN to RN Bridge Course (normally in June) to enter second year coursework
    • Admissions process (same as for ADN but do not take HESI test for acceptance)
  • Curriculum & Costs

  • Cost of Attendance (COA) 23-24

    Cost of Attendance (COA) is a total of all the usual expenses of being a student. The COA sets the maximum amount of financial aid a student can receive.

    Category Amount
    Tuition and Fees $4,713
    Living Expenses (Housing and Food) $9,614
    Books and Supplies $2,061
    Personal Expenses $2,245
    Transportation $2,007
    Charger Tech 360 Fee $600
    Loan Fees $83
    Yearly Total (Living Away from Home) $21,323
    1 Semester Total (Living Away from Home) $10,662

    Based on Wisconsin Residents.

    Approximate school costs are for a full-time (12 credit) student over a semester span of 17 weeks.

    Fees are legislated by the Wisconsin Technical College System Board.

    These costs are estimates and are subject to change without notice.

  • Requirements

  • Admission and Program Requirements

    • Submit Application
    • Submit High School Transcripts, College Transcripts, and Test Scores to: Southwest Tech (email admissions@swtc.edu, or mail to Attn: Admissions, 1800 Bronson Blvd, Fennimore, WI 53809)
    • HESI Exam: schedule and pay for HESI by calling 608.822.2313 or by going to www.swtc.edu/community/testing-center/hesi​
    • Nursing Assistant: submit transcript showing successful completion of the Nursing Assistant course
    • Chemistry Coursework: submit transcripts showing two semesters of High School Chemistry with a 'C' or higher * OR * one semester of College Chemistry with a 'C' or higher
    • Schedule an Admissions Meeting - If you need assistance, call Student Services at 608.822.2354
    • Admissions Preference Policy

      Priority for program acceptance will be given in this order until January 1, 2024:

      1. Southwest Wisconsin Technical College District Residents (permanent address is in one of Southwest Tech’s 30 school districts the College serves) Southwest Tech District Information
      2. Non-District State Residents
      3. Out-of-State Residents

    Program Requirements

    Helpful Academic Background

    • Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics
    • Computers
    • Customer and Personal Service

    Program Fees

    • This program is eligible for Financial Aid.
    • Estimated cost for each semester can be found under the Curriculum tab. Please note that costs are approximate and are based on the current academic year.
    • Please discuss additional fee questions with the program advisor or instructor.
  • Outcomes

  • Program Outcomes

    At the completion of the program, students are expected to be able to:

    • Integrate professional nursing identity reflecting integrity, responsibility, and nursing
    • Communicate comprehensive information using multiple sources in nursing practice
    • Integrate theoretical knowledge to support decision making
    • Integrate the nursing process into patient care across diverse populations
    • Function as a healthcare team member to provide safe and effective care

    Program Learning Outcomes – By Year of Graduating Cohort

    Program Learning Outcome (1-4 Scale) 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022
    Professionalism 3.8 3.83 3.91
    Communication 3.85 3.86 3.78
    Integrating Theory into Practice 3.48 3.73 3.63
    Nursing Process 3.54 3.79 3.64
    Minimize Risk 3.54 3.84 3.83
    Leadership 3.56 3.73 N/A
    Use Technology to Support Decisions 3.75 3.92 N/A

    Percentage of Graduates Passing NCLEX-RN on First Attempt

    *Source – National Council State Boards of Nursing
    APR-MAR 2021 APR-MAR 2022 APR-MAR 2023
    Total Number of Graduates Tested 34 52 35
    Number Passing 27 42 33
    Percent Passing 79% 80.77% 94.29%

    Program Completion Rates at 100%

    Completion at 100% Time Rate by Year of Entry

    Program Completion Rates – Aggregated ELA 35%
    Year of Graduating Program in 100% Time Number of Students Accepted Number of Students Completing in 100% of Time % of Students Completing in 100% of Time
    2021 67 43 64.17%
    2020 68 20 29.4%
    Program Completion Rates – Full-Time Option ELA 35%
    Year of Graduating Program in 100% Time Number of Students Accepted Number of Students Completing in 100% of Time % of Students Completing in 100% of Time
    2021 47 35 74.4%
    2020 50 9 18%
    Program Completion Rates – Part-Time Option ELA 35%
    Year of Graduating Program in 100% Time Number of Students Accepted Number of Students Completing in 100% of Time % of Students Completing in 100% of Time
    2021 18 7 38.8%%
    2020 18 11 61.1%
    Program Completion Rates – LPN to ADN Bridge Option Part-Time ELA 35%
    Year of Graduating Program in 100% Time Number of Students Accepted Number of Students Completing in 100% of Time % of Students Completing in 100% of Time
    2021 2 1 50%
    2020 0 0 N/A
    Program Completion Rates – Pre-Core Full Time ELA 35%
    Year of Graduating Program in 100% Time Number of Students Accepted Number of Students Completing in 100% of Time % of Students Completing in 100% of Time
    2021 3 2 66.6%
    2020 18 2 11.1%
    Program Completion Rates – Pre-Core Part-Time ELA 35%
    Year of Graduating Program in 100% Time Number of Students Accepted Number of Students Completing in 100% of Time % of Students Completing in 100% of Time
    2021 2 2 100%
    2020 0 0 N/A

    Program Completion Rates at 150%

    Completion at 150% Time Rate by Year of Entry

    Program Completion Rates – Aggregated ELA 50%
    Year of Graduating Program in 150% Time Number of Students Accepted Number of Students Completing in 150% of Time % of Students Completing in 150% of Time
    2020 66 33 50%
    2019 69 31 44.9%
    2018 66 35 53.03%
    Program Completion Rates – Full-Time Option ELA 50%
    Year of Graduating Program in 150% Time Number of Students Accepted Number of Students Completing in 150% of Time % of Students Completing in 150% of Time
    2020 39 16 41%
    2019 23 21 47.7%
    2018 38 18 47.4%
    Program Completion Rates – Part-Time Option ELA 50%
    Year of Graduating Program in 150% Time Number of Students Accepted Number of Students Completing in 150% of Time % of Students Completing in 150% of Time
    2020 22 14 63.6%
    2019 23 8 34.8%
    2018 22 13 59.1%
    Program Completion Rates – LPN to ADN Bridge Option Full-Time ELA 50%
    Year of Graduating Program in 150% Time Number of Students Accepted Number of Students Completing in 150% of Time % of Students Completing in 150% of Time
    2020 4 2 50%
    2019 2 2 100%
    2018 5 4 80%
    Program Completion Rates – LPN to ADN Bridge Option Part-Time ELA 50%
    Year of Graduating Program in 150% Time Number of Students Accepted Number of Students Completing in 150% of Time % of Students Completing in 150% of Time
    2020 1 1 100%
    2019 0 0 N/A
    2018 1 0 0%

    Employment Outcomes – By Year of Graduating Cohort

    Year of Graduation 2021 2020
    Number Graduated 54 33
    Number Responded 32 23
    Number Available for Employment (Employed & Seeking) 31 23
    Number Employed in Related Field 28 23
    % Available and employed in Related Field 100% 100%

    Professional Licensure Disclosure

    Southwest Tech’s Associate Degree Nursing (A.D.N.) program is designed to prepare students to sit for the National Council State Boards of Nursing Examination (NCLEX-RN) in Wisconsin. If you plan to pursue licensure in a state other than Wisconsin, please review state educational requirements for that state.

    Licensure Information

    The Nursing – Associate Degree program is designed to lead to a license for Registered Nurse in Wisconsin. More licensure information can be found on the Program Accreditations and Licensure page.

  • Career Opportunities

  • Opportunities include working in:

    • Hospitals
    • Physicians' clinics
    • Nursing homes
    • Extended care facilities
    • Home health care
    • Hospice
    • Wellness centers

    Southwest Tech's Career Connections Center offers Services to assist students looking for job placement.

  • Transfers

  • Articulation with UW Collaborative Nursing Degree Program and other private BSN completion programs are available.

  • Prior Learning

  • Credit for Prior Learning

    Experience Pays! You've Been There... You've Done That... Let's See If You Can Get Credit For It!

    Credit for prior learning gives you opportunities to earn credit for college-level knowledge that you have already acquired. This may be the result of work or volunteer experiences, certifications, apprenticeships, military training, extensive self-instruction, or professional development. Credit for Prior Learning affords you the opportunity to accelerate the completion of your educational goals.

    For more information on Credit for Prior Learning see our Credit for Prior Learning page.

    At any time, you may Request Credit for Prior Learning.

    Nursing - Associate Degree Courses that may have Credit for Prior Learning options:

    Course # Course Title
    Challenge Exam
    (Demonstration)
    Challenge Exam
    (Standard)
    CLEP
    Credential
    Portfolio
    10-543-101Nursing FundamentalsYes
    LPN License*
    10-543-102Nursing SkillsYes
    LPN License*
    10-543-104Nursing Intro Clinical PracticeYes
    LPN License*
    10-543-105Nursing Health AlterationsYes
    LPN License*
    10-543-106Nursing Health PromotionYes
    LPN License*
    10-543-107Nursing Clinical Care Across the LifespanYes
    LPN License*
    10-543-108Intro to Clinical Care ManagementYes
    LPN License*
    10-801-195Written CommunicationYes
    College Composition CLEP test would also be accepted for credit. However, the challenge exam is the preferred method.
    10-801-196Oral/Interpersonal CommunicationYes
    10-809-188Developmental PsychologyYes
    CLEP Test - Human Growth and Development
    10-809-196Intro to SociologyYes
    10-809-198Intro to PsychologyYes
    CLEP Test - Introduction to Psychology
  • Accreditation