Duquesne University School of Nursing: Programs, NCLEX & Requirements (2026)

Founded in 1937, Duquesne University School of Nursing describes holistic nursing as a hallmark and notes that it was among the first schools to offer the BSN nationally. Since 1997 the school has leaned heavily into online doctoral and graduate nursing education, while pre-licensure students remain anchored in Pittsburgh clinical sites.

Duquesne’s public undergraduate overview lists Traditional BSN, Second Degree BSN (this is Duquesne’s Accelerated BSN [ABSN] pathway for bachelor’s-prepared career changers), and the BME/BSN dual degree—not a separate RN-to-BSN track. Graduate students choose primarily online MSN, PMC, DNP (including nurse anesthesia), and PhD options. Always verify pathway details on Duquesne’s live catalog.

Reasons students choose Duquesne Nursing

Programs are grouped into Pittsburgh pre-licensure pathways and primarily online graduate offerings, matching Duquesne’s official nursing program menus.

Pre-licensure (on-campus)

Post-licensure & graduate

According to Pennsylvania’s 2024–2025 RN NCLEX five-year spreadsheet, the Duquesne University BSN row lists 90.97% first-time (252 of 277) for the Oct 1, 2024–Sep 30, 2025 testing year (leftmost column). Duquesne’s homepage still advertises a 96.43% first-time licensure rate for the BSN program (school-reported), and a May 16, 2024 release cited 97.15% for the cohort discussed there with 90.70% Pennsylvania and 86.73% national averages as stated in that article.

Separately, Duquesne states on its nursing homepage that three MSN nurse practitioner programs each achieved 100% first-time pass rates on their advanced practice licensure exams per the school’s wording (school-reported; confirm program titles, exam types, and cohort years with Duquesne before benchmarking).

Download Board workbooks from the Pennsylvania Department of State nursing education programs hub; PDF names change when new cycles publish.

Requirements for international students and internationally educated nurses vary by institution and state. Use the points below as a checklist; verify everything with Duquesne University School of Nursing and the Pennsylvania Board of Nursing.

Duquesne’s nursing pathways are split between centralized undergraduate admission for the traditional BSN and BME tracks, a dedicated Second Degree BSN process, and graduate admissions handled through nursing graduate admissions instructions. The Second Degree BSN is a fall-only cohort with a competitive applicant pool; graduate programs publish rolling term deadlines (see timeline). Duquesne’s public pages emphasize prerequisite completion, technical standards, and program-specific technology readiness rather than a single nationwide test rule—confirm testing (TEAS/HESI) requirements for your entry term directly with nursing admissions.

Application timeline

Admissions snapshot

Tuition figures below are copied directly from Duquesne’s 2025–2026 Undergraduate Catalog—Tuition and Fees table (updated July 13, 2026) and the School of Nursing graduate tuition grid. Duquesne is private, so there is no separate in-state undergraduate tuition band. Add mandatory fees, housing, meals, books, and clinical travel to estimate total cost of attendance.

Pittsburgh’s dual UPMC and Allegheny Health Network ecosystems historically absorb large numbers of new graduate nurses, but you should still validate employment outcomes using Duquesne disclosures rather than assumptions.

Duquesne works best for students who value a Spiritan-founded mission-driven campus, Pittsburgh’s healthcare scale, and—at the graduate level—well-structured online learning. It is less ideal for bargain-hunting in-state public tuition or fully online pre-licensure nursing.

Allegheny County hosts two competing integrated delivery networks—UPMC and Allegheny Health Network—plus community hospitals, behavioral health institutes, and the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. That density supports high-acuity specialty units that Duquesne highlights in testimonials (trauma, pediatrics, advanced subspecialty care).

School of Nursing offices and learning spaces are centered in Fisher Hall on Duquesne’s Bluff campus overlooking downtown Pittsburgh. Undergraduate students encounter high-fidelity sim labs, standardized patients, and immersion coursework before dispersing across the city for clinicals. Global-health electives include short-term programs in Rome, Dublin, and service trips such as Roatan. Graduate students mostly learn online but may attend intensives or skills weekends when their track requires. Student life blends Division I athletics, campus ministry rooted in Duquesne’s Catholic identity, and access to Pittsburgh’s cultural districts via short light-rail rides.

Contact & location

Campus location

Pittsburgh, PA

Address

600 Forbes Avenue, School of Nursing (Fisher Hall, 5th Floor), Pittsburgh, PA 15282, US

Telephone

412-396-6550 (School of Nursing main)

Undergraduate admissions

412-396-6539 · bostb@duq.edu (per Duquesne nursing undergraduate contact)

Website

duq.edu

Official links

Your “Next 7 Days” checklist

• Visit the official Duquesne School of Nursing site and download the graduate handbook or undergraduate technical standards PDF.
• Review the prerequisite course list in the school catalog and compare it to your transcripts.
• If required, register for the TEAS, HESI, or other entrance exam. Confirm on the admissions page which test and minimum scores apply for your target semester.
• Draft a list of questions for an admissions counselor or the nursing program advising office.
• Reach out to current nursing students or alumni (e.g. via LinkedIn) to ask about clinical experiences and satisfaction.
• Begin outlining your personal statement (graduate programs) or prepare interview talking points (pre-licensure applicants).
• Check the application deadline for your target term and set reminders.

About the author: Francesco Di Siena, RN, writes evidence-based nursing education guides for NurseOnShift.

Review: This page was reviewed by Araceli Collado, RN, for program-list accuracy, catalog tuition alignment, and Duquesne-reported NCLEX figures versus Pennsylvania Board of Nursing sourcing guidance.

Disclaimer: This page is for general reference only. It does not constitute professional, admissions, or financial advice. Requirements, deadlines, tuition, and policies change; always verify with the institution and the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.

Published: March 31, 2026 · Last reviewed: March 31, 2026 · Medical Review Process · Editorial Policy