NURSING PROGRAM

New academic program allows students to earn degrees in Fort Collins

By Allison Sylte | May 4, 2026

This fall, future nurses will start a new five-year academic program in Fort Collins that draws on the teaching expertise at both Colorado State University and CSU Pueblo to prepare registered nurses whose skills are urgently needed to fill a workforce shortage.

The program will allow students to gain knowledge from the top-ranked nursing program at CSU Pueblo while attending all their classes at CSU in Fort Collins.

Entering students may select new pre-nursing concentrations in three CSU majors to earn bachelor’s degrees: health and exercise science; human development and family studies; or nutrition science. In their second year of studies, students may then apply for the competitive 3+2 Direct Entry Nursing Program, in which they will complete their bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in nursing leadership within five years.

After graduation, students will take an exam to become certified registered nurses and will begin working directly with patients in a variety of health care settings.

Following two years working as registered nurses, their master’s degrees will qualify graduates to teach at nursing schools, where they will help develop future nurses and continue to combat the workforce shortage in this lifesaving profession.

Nursing students practice skills in a laboratory at CSU Pueblo, which has a top-ranked nursing program. CSU Pueblo will contribute to a new nursing program that grants bachelor’s and master’s degrees at CSU in Fort Collins. Photography: CSU Pueblo.

The program is significant considering an anticipated shortfall of 10,000 registered nurses in Colorado this year.

“This joint B.S. and M.S. degree program marks a groundbreaking achievement for the CSU System,” said Roze Hentschell, chief academic officer for the CSU System. “As the first collaborative academic program between two of our campuses, it reflects our shared commitment to innovation, workforce development, and student-centered solutions. By uniting institutional strengths, we are creating a seamless, affordable, and high-quality pathway for our students to receive the training to meet critical health care needs in Colorado and beyond.”