In 1944, College Misericordia started its baccalaureate nursing program in affiliation with the Mercy Hospital School of Nursing, Wilkes-Barre. Students studied for three years at Mercy Hospital School of Nursing and for two years at College Misericordia in general arts and sciences courses. Students graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Education (BSNE). In 1949, the first eight graduates of this combined program with Mercy Hospital School of Nursing received the degree of Bachelor of Science and became Registered Nurses.

In 1960, the Nursing Department established the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). This program was different, as it no longer offered nursing education courses, and instead offered the entire curriculum needed to be a registered nurse, including both liberal arts courses and nursing clinical courses. In 1965, the first BSN class graduated.