At NYSCAS, you'll train to become a registered nurse through hands-on practice in newly upgraded labs and get practical experience through clinical rotations at New York City hospitals.
When you graduate with your Associate in Applied Science in Nursing (AAS in Nursing), commonly known as an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), you're likely to be among the more than 90% of NYSCAS nursing students who pass the RN licensing exam on their first try.
With your associate degree, you'll be prepared to work as an RN in hospitals, medical offices, specialty clinics, nursing homes, home care agencies, public health departments, and more.
Registered nurses can make upwards of $90,000 a year (BLS.gov). RNs who practice in New York City earn about $110,000 a year—one of the highest salaries available with an associate's degree.
Choose Your Schedule
Day program
Complete your associate's degree in five semesters (just over 2 years):
- Weekday classes and clinical rotations.
- Summers off.
Evening/weekend program
Finish your degree in about 15 months while maintaining daytime commitments:
- Classes and rotations in the evenings and on Sundays.
- Year-round studies (short breaks between semesters).
- One of few NYC nursing programs with this schedule option, this program is highly competitive.
Both paths prepare you for NCLEX-RN, the nursing licensure exam. You'll also gain key skills in patient care, clinical decision-making, and healthcare technology.
What You'll Learn (and When You'll Learn It)
NYSCAS nursing students benefit from caring professors, small class sizes, advanced simulation labs, and mentorship during clinical rotations.
Your nursing education builds across five semesters:
- First semester: Build science knowledge through anatomy, physiology, and chemistry while developing communication skills.
- Middle semesters: Learn the art and science of nursing, medication administration, and patient care while beginning hospital rotations.
- Final semesters: Advance to complex care scenarios, mental health nursing, and maternal-child care while preparing for professional practice.
Clinical Placements That Launches Your Career
You'll begin clinical rotations in your first semester and complete extensive hands-on training throughout the program. In most semesters, you'll log at least 120 hours of clinical experience between direct patient care and dedicated practice time in the skills laboratory and simulation laboratory.
In your final semester, you'll complete a seven-week clinical immersion experience. This intensive rotation mimics full-time nursing practice. It's designed to help you transition from student to professional nurse — and to give you confidence as you enter the workforce.
Student Spotlight: Hailey's Olympic Experience Offered the Resilience Necessary for a Nursing Career
Before coming to NYSCAS, Hailey competed in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics as a pairs figure skater for Israel. Her skating career taught her focus, discipline, and how to recover from setbacks. Now, she's relying on those same traits to help her master the skills to become an ER or surgical nurse.
"As a nurse, you need to always remain focused," she says. "When I was skating professionally, the margin of error is so slim that if you lose your focus for even one second you could fall."
Hailey chose NYSCAS because she could continue to teach skating while pursuing her nursing degree. "As a nurse, I’m sure that I will encounter challenging patients and situations," she says. "As long as I'm patient, optimistic and focused, I'm confident that I'll be able to deal with whatever comes my way."
“ I quickly came to the realization that Touro would be the perfect option to help me achieve my professional goals due to its flexible course schedule. Touro also provides the ideal smaller class sizes to meet my individual needs. ”
- Hailey Kops, NYSCAS nursing student and Olympic figure skater
Partnership Opportunity: Free Tuition Through VNS Health
NYSCAS has a partnership with a longstanding New York City health services agency, VNS Health, to offer free nursing education in exchange for a two-year work commitment after graduation.
This opportunity allows you to:
- Get your entire degree paid for.
- Line up a job before you graduate.
- Seamlessly launch your career in home, mental health, and community health programs across New York City.
The program is open to both current VNS Health employees and to new students who are willing to commit to working at the agency. Interested? Contact us for details.
Advancing Your Nursing Career
NYSCAS offers the entry level associate’s degree needed to become a registered nurse. After earning your RN license, if you’d like to continue your education, other schools in the Touro network offer the next steps.
Touro University School of Health Sciences (NY) nursing programs:
- RN to BSN: This two-year bachelor's degree track is for licensed nurses (RN) — like graduates of NYSCAS' ADN program — who want to earn a bachelor's and further their nursing career. BSN credentials also may command a higher salary.
- DNP: Advanced practice nursing degrees are for those who want to become nurse-leaders or specialize in fields like critical care, pediatrics, or oncology. Touro's Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree program has a focus on family medicine. Graduates are prepared to sit for the family nurse practitioner (FNP) certificate exam.
Other Touro nursing programs:
- Touro University Nevada: Multiple degree programs designed to help nurses take the next career step. Choose from bachelor’s (RN-BSN), master’s (MSN-FNP) and doctoral (DNP in leadership) programs as well as a post-MSN track for FNP certification.
- Touro University California: Accelerated, hybrid degree programs for working nurses looking to advance in their careers. Offerings include MSN, FNP and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner.
Accreditation
The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Nursing program is fully accredited by the New York State Board of Regents, one of the U.S. Department of Education's recognized specialty accreditors of nursing programs. Graduates of this program may sit for the NCLEX exam (National Council Licensure Examination) and qualify to become a Registered Nurses (RN).
Ready to Start Your Nursing Education?
Apply today for a chance to join our next class! NYSCAS accepts applications on a rolling basis until all seats are filled.
Priority deadlines:
- March 1 for September start.
- July 1 for January start.
To apply, you'll need:
- High school average of 85% or college GPA of 2.75.
- Passing score on the nursing entrance exam.
- Two recommendation letters.
See all nursing admissions requirements or request info.
Don't wait to begin your nursing career — you could be in our state-of-the-art simulation lab in just a few months!
