Citizens School of Nursing

Citizens School of Nursing provides hands-on clinical experience in medical-surgical, critical care, oncology, mental health, emergency, and pediatric nursing. We proudly prepare the next generation of nurses for a rewarding, successful career in health care.

A nursing student being overseen by a nurse instructor in a simulated nursery
Watch a tour of our nursing school on YouTube
*Scroll to see video disclaimer

At Citizens School of Nursing, you’ll gain experience in assessing, planning, and administering patient care. Nearby AHN Allegheny Valley Hospital serves as a primary clinical setting for the Citizens School of Nursing.

Prospective students

Take advantage of a 22-month program — with a slower pace than some accelerated programs, but still half the time of a traditional four-year school. Or, enroll in the nights-and-weekends, part-time program that allows you to progress at a slower pace and finish in 32 months. No matter the program you choose, you’ll enjoy smaller class sizes and one-on-one attention from experienced faculty who are dedicated to your success.

Application Deadlines

Full Time Program RN (22 Months)
Deadline: May 1, 2025
Classes begin August 18, 2025

Part Time Program RN (32 Months)
Deadline: October 1, 2024
Classes begin January 2, 2025

Full Time Program LPN-RN
Deadline: October 1, 2024
Classes begin January 6, 2025

Part Time Program LPN-RN
Deadline: May 1, 2025
Classes begin August 18, 2025

Information sessions

Choosing the best nursing school for your unique needs isn’t easy. We encourage you to attend one of our upcoming information sessions to tour the school, meet students and faculty, and have all of your questions answered.

Financial aid

Many of our students take advantage of a wide variety of available financial aid programs. We have dedicated staff who can assist you in finding and applying for financial aid as well as creating a sound financial plan to pay for the program.

Outcomes

Graduates of Citizens School of Nursing regularly achieve above-average first-time NCLEX pass rates and first-year job placements.

Faculty

Our faculty are regularly praised by current and former students for their dedication to the nursing profession along with their willingness to make time on an individual basis to help students fully understand difficult skills and principles.

Current students

We encourage our current students to regularly visit the student portal to stay up to date on schedules, events, grades, and other materials. You can also access the most current version of the Student Handbook.

Alumni

Need a copy of your transcript? No problem.

Accreditation

The diploma nursing program at Citizens School of Nursing, located in Tarentum, Pennsylvania, is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the diploma nursing program is Continuing Accreditation.

For more information about ACEN accreditation, or concerns regarding the nursing program please contact:

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, Georgia 30326

(404) 975-5000
Fax: (404) 975-5020

View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program by using the ACEN Program Search.

Public notice of upcoming accreditation visit by the ACEN

Approval

The diploma nursing program at Citizens School of Nursing is approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.*

Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing
P.O. Box 2649
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649

(717) 783-7142
ST-NURSE@pa.gov

For concerns regarding the nursing program, please visit: Students Complaints (pa.gov).

Professional Licensure Notice

In earning your professional RN diploma from Citizens School of Nursing, you will meet all the necessary requirements to take the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX-RN) and become eligible for licensure as a registered nurse (RN) in the state of Pennsylvania.

Visit nursinglicensure.org for specific state requirements.

Testimonials

“Citizens is a great school for nursing students of any background. My graduating class had a variety of different students with different backgrounds including CNAs, EMTs, Flight Paramedics, and LPNS. But there were also students like me, straight out of high school with no experience in the medical field. The staff at CSON always made me feel comfortable asking for help, whether it be in clinical or studying for exams.” 

— Katrina, CSON Class of 2020

“I realized that pursuing a career as a nurse would allow me to fulfill my passion for giving back to others. Nurses do not have time to judge people or situations. We must invest most of our time being supportive, changing lives, saving lives, and comforting others. That is what I love most about nursing. I am extremely passionate about providing quality care to patients. The most important aspect of nursing is to build trust by being honest, showing compassion, and helping the individual.”

— Sylvie, CSON Class of 2021

“I chose a career in nursing because it offers a challenging and rewarding work environment where I will be able to push myself to be the best and to give the best possible care for my patients.”

Morgan, CSON Class of 2021

Contact us

The Citizens School of Nursing building is located at the Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills Mall in Tarentum, near Macy’s.

Citizens School of Nursing
539 Pittsburgh Mills Circle
Tarentum, PA 15084
GET DIRECTIONS

(412) 330-4766

csonadmissions@ahn.org

The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing is a registered trademark of The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. and is used with permission. 

*

By accessing this video, I understand that I am leaving the AHN website and I will be re-directed to an external website operated by a third party platform provider. I acknowledge that the platform provider may collect personal information about me, and about the video that I view, on their platform and may use and disclose this information in accordance with its privacy policy. I agree that Allegheny Health Network is not responsible for the data collection and use practices of this third party.