The Hackensack Meridian Health School of Nursing & Wellness at Georgian Court is where you don't just study healthcare — you practice it. With programs in nursing, integrative health, exercise science, and social work, and a direct partnership with one of New Jersey's largest health networks, our students train alongside working professionals, in real clinical environments, from day one. And you'll do it all rooted in GCU's century-long tradition of Mercy values: dignity, compassion, and a relentless commitment to those who need it most.
3
Academic Departments
13
Average Class Size
CCNE
Accredited B.S.N. & Direct Entry M.S.N.
12:1
Student-to-Faculty Ratio
About the School
Healthcare isn't just science. It's connection. It's advocacy. It's knowing that behind every patient is a person — and every person deserves care that treats the whole of who they are.
That's the philosophy behind the Hackensack Meridian Health School of Nursing & Wellness. Our programs span clinical nursing, holistic and integrative health, exercise science, and social work — disciplines that, together, paint a complete picture of what it means to promote wellness in a community. Students collaborate across these fields, building the kind of interdisciplinary perspective that sets GCU graduates apart in a health care workforce that's increasingly asking for exactly that.
Our partnership with Hackensack Meridian Health means you have access to one of the most extensive clinical networks in New Jersey. The relationship isn't a footnote — it's built directly into our curriculum, our faculty, and the daily experience of being a student here.
Accreditation & Recognition
Nursing Programs
B.S.N. and Direct Entry M.S.N. accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE); approved by the New Jersey Board of Nursing
Social Work Programs
B.S.W. and M.S.W. accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE); M.S.W. graduates eligible for NJ Licensed Social Worker (LSW) examination
Georgian Court University
Regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Departments & Areas of Study
Department of Nursing
Nursing isn't just one of the most in-demand careers in the country — it's one of the most meaningful. GCU's nursing programs are built on a foundation of evidence-based practice, clinical judgment, and compassion, and conducted in partnership with Hackensack Meridian Health. Whether you're entering the field for the first time or advancing your practice, we have a pathway designed for where you are right now.
Our undergraduate B.S.N. program and our Direct Entry M.S.N. program are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and approved by the New Jersey Board of Nursing.
Majors:
Graduate Programs:
Department of Integrative Health & Exercise Science
The future of health care isn't just treating illness — it's building wellness. Our integrative health and exercise science programs prepare students to meet people where they are: in clinics, corporate wellness centers, schools, and communities. Whether you're drawn to the science of movement, the art of holistic healing, or coaching others toward healthier lives, this is where your career begins.
Students in exercise science can choose from pre-physical therapy and coaching concentrations, and our graduate program in Integrative Health is one of the most distinctive offerings in New Jersey — blending Eastern and Western approaches to health into a coherent, evidence-grounded framework.
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Minors:
Certificates:
Graduate Programs:
Department of Social Work & Gerontology
Social workers are advocates, changemakers, and lifelines. GCU's social work programs are grounded in a belief in the dignity and equality of every person — and they're designed to produce graduates who are ready to act on that belief. From direct client practice to policy, administration, and community leadership, our programs prepare you to meet the complexity of today's social challenges with skill, ethics, and purpose.
The B.S.W. program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates are eligible for state certification upon application to the New Jersey State Board of Social Work Examiners. Students who complete their B.S.W. with a 3.0 average in major courses are eligible for Advanced Standing into M.S.W. programs.
The M.S.W. uses an Advanced Generalist Practice model — equipping graduates to work across micro, mezzo, and macro levels of practice, with particular emphasis on vulnerable populations including women, older adults, and Latino and Hispanic immigrant communities.
Majors:
Minors:
Graduate Programs:
Fast-Track Your Future
You shouldn't have to wait to start changing lives. GCU's accelerated and advanced-entry programs let you reach your goals faster — without cutting corners on quality.
Already hold a bachelor's degree in another field? Our accelerated program puts you on the path to becoming a registered nurse without starting from scratch.
For non-nursing bachelor's degree holders who want to enter the profession at the graduate level — with a foundation built for advanced practice roles.
Undergraduate students can gain early admission to the M.A. in Integrative Health, earning both degrees in less time.
Learn Your Way
Our health and wellness programs meet you where your life is — with options for traditional students, working adults, and career-changers at every stage.
On Campus
State-of-the-art skills labs and classrooms in Hamilton Hall and the Medical Arts Building give students hands-on clinical preparation on GCU's 114-acre National Historic Landmark campus.
Online Learning at GCU
Flexible scheduling for graduate students and adult learners, without sacrificing the GCU experience.
Flexible Graduate Scheduling
Many graduate programs offer evening, hybrid, and online options designed for working adults.
Clinical Partnerships
Real-world training at clinical sites connected to the Hackensack Meridian Health network.
The HMH Advantage
When your school bears the name Hackensack Meridian Health, that partnership means something.
GCU's nursing programs are conducted in direct collaboration with the Hackensack Meridian Health network — giving our students access to clinical sites and working professionals across one of New Jersey's most comprehensive and expansive health systems. Your clinical education isn't a simulation of the real world. It is the real world.
That kind of access — combined with GCU's 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio and average class size of 13 — means you get the depth of a major health system and the personal mentorship of a smaller university. You won't get lost here. You'll get prepared.
The GCU Difference
At GCU, health sciences education is never just technical training. Our students graduate knowing the science — and knowing why it matters.
The Hackensack Meridian Health School of Nursing & Wellness is built around the idea that truly integrated healthcare requires more than clinical skill. It requires empathy. Cultural humility. An ability to see the whole person and advocate for the most vulnerable. Every program in this school — nursing, integrative health, exercise science, social work — is shaped by that vision.
What our students develop
Clinical competence grounded in evidence-based practice
Interdisciplinary perspective through collaboration across health and wellness programs
Cultural humility and client-centered care
A commitment to social and economic justice rooted in Mercy values
Professional readiness for licensure, certification, and career entry from day one
Undergraduate Admissions
Mercedes Hall
732-987-2700
[email protected]
Graduate Admissions
Mercedes Hall
732-987-2770
[email protected]
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