OpenFieldSDSU Nursing Rapid City · Rapid City, South Dakota, United States
The South Dakota State University (SDSU) College of Nursing West River Center in Rapid City is a premier regional healthcare education and clinical simulation hub. Serving western South Dakota, the Black Hills, and neighboring Native American tribal nations, it prepares registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and nursing leaders dedicated to rural and indigenous healthcare excellence.
Operating in collaboration with Monument Health Rapid City Hospital and regional Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities, the Rapid City site features modern high-fidelity simulation labs, standardized patient suites, and telemedicine training modules. It offers accelerated BSN tracks, Master of Science in Nursing programs, and clinical Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees.
Undergraduate BSN applicants must complete prerequisite natural and behavioral science coursework with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and acceptable TEAS examination scores. Graduate DNP and MSN programs require an active, unencumbered RN license, clinical nursing practice experience, professional references, and a clinical practice goal statement.
Practice-focused terminal doctorate preparing advanced practice registered nurses to deliver primary care in rural clinics, tribal health facilities, and regional healthcare centers throughout the Great Plains.
Specialized clinical doctorate training psychiatric nurse practitioners to diagnose, prescribe psychopharmacology, and deliver psychotherapy across lifespan populations with high rural behavioral health needs.
Intensive 12-month accelerated bachelor's degree for individuals holding a non-nursing bachelor's degree, delivering 800+ hours of clinical practicums and high-fidelity simulation in Rapid City.
Online and hybrid master's program preparing nurse leaders in health informatics, healthcare finance, clinical quality improvement, and organizational systems leadership.
Targeted certification equipping master's- and doctorally-prepared nurses with advanced pedagogies, clinical evaluation methods, and virtual simulation design to address acute nursing faculty shortages.
Clinical and translational research fellowship studying diabetes management protocols, maternal-infant health interventions, and telehealth efficacy in remote West River South Dakota communities.
Dean & Professor of Nursing
College of Nursing
Dr. Krogh is a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology, leading statewide nursing expansion, rural health disparities research, and evidence-...
View researcher profile ↗Associate Professor & Director of Graduate Nursing Programs
Department of Graduate Nursing
Dr. Arends is a practicing family nurse practitioner and certified nurse educator researching rural primary care access, advanced practice nursing regulatory po...
View researcher profile ↗Associate Dean for Academic Programs & Simulation Researcher
College of Nursing
Dr. Mennenga is an internationally recognized scholar on team-based learning (TBL) in nursing pedagogy, developing validated assessment tools for psychometric e...
View researcher profile ↗OpenField is an independent research platform not officially affiliated with South Dakota State University College of Nursing - Rapid City. Information reflects public documentation reviewed on 2026-10-16. Students must verify application deadlines, fee structures, and prerequisite details directly with official university admissions departments before applying.
Updated 2026-10-16 · Editorial policy · Submit corrections