The Department of Nursing develops graduates who:

1. Integrate personal spiritual beliefs and values that honor God into the practical ministry of nursing, treating others with mercy and dignity, and demonstrating holistic principles that impact professional practice decisions.
2. Integrate the foundational knowledge derived from a liberal arts education into nursing practice.
3. Practice with knowledge, skills, and attitudes to provide safe, evidence-based, patient-centered care to assist individuals, families, communities, and populations to continually progress toward fulfillment of their human capacities.
4. Demonstrate communication, teamwork, and collaboration among inter-professional healthcare disciplines to promote optimal patient outcomes.
5. Demonstrate appropriate uses of patient care technologies and information management.
6. Apply clinical reasoning and judgments in decision-making considering the complex environments for safe nursing practice.
7. Engage in quality improvement activities to improve patient outcomes.
8. As a nurse generalist, incorporate leadership, management, legal, and ethical guidelines while applying professional standards of nursing practice.

Admission Criteria for the Nursing Program:

Admission into upper division nursing is selective. Academic admission requirements for the Nursing major (upper-division courses) are as follows:

1. Applicants, if asked, will participate in a personal interview with at least one representative from the Department of Nursing.
2. All lower level NUR classes will be completed with a 2.0/C or better.
3. Applicants will have completed at least 58 credit hours of general education, Core, or nursing prerequisite courses outlined in the program of study for the freshman and sophomore years with a minimum GPA of 2.8 (based on a 4.0 scale) prior to beginning upper-division course work.
   1. at a minimum, the following courses (or the approved equivalent course) must be included: BBL 1013 ; BBL 1023 ; BIO 1124 ; BIO 2334 ;   BIO 2514 ; BIO 2524 ;  COR 1002 ; EGL 1013 ; EGL 1023 ; HST 2013 ; HST 2023 ;  ICS 2113 ; NUR 1022 ; NUR 2113 ; NUR 2134 ; either CHM 1014  or CHM 1124 ; either ED 2143  or PSY 2383 ; and one of BUS 2193 , MTH 1003 , MTH 2103 , or PSY 2383 .
   2. if additional courses within the program of study are completed, those hours will also be tabulated as part of the admission GPA.
4. Applicants will achieve a combined science GPA of 2.5 or better (based on a 4.0 scale) in the following courses, or their equivalents:
   BIO 1124 Cell Biology  (with Lab)
   CHM 1014 Fundamentals of Chemistry  (with Lab) or CHM 1124 General Chemistry I  (with Lab)
   BIO 2334 Fundamentals of Microbiology  (with Lab)
   BIO 2514 Anatomy and Physiology I  (with Lab) *
   BIO 2524 Anatomy and Physiology II  (with Lab) *
   * Must earn a grade of “2.7/B-” or higher in these designated courses.
5. Other criteria, such as but not limited to, grades earned in NUR prerequisite courses, number of repeat courses (if any), number and type of transfer credits, and the student’s comportment for professional nursing and service, will be considered only when there are more qualified applicants than student positions.
6. Students transferring from another nursing program must also provide a letter of good standing, indicating they are eligible to return to that program.

Graduation Requirements for the BSN:

1. Satisfactory completion of all required coursework with a minimum, cumulative GPA of 2.5 and all NUR courses must have a grade of 2.0/C or better.
2. Submission of a portfolio, including exemplars of work and progress, which demonstrate evidence of growth and development as a student nurse and readiness to enter professional practice.
3. Completion of a standardized exam (HESI NCLEX-RN Predictor) as outlined in the Guidebook for Nursing Students.
4. Evidence of meeting the eligibility requirements for the NCLEX-RN application and state board licensure processes.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree

Upper-division nursing requires admission following pre-professional study so graduation cannot be guaranteed to new freshmen.