Bachelor of Science in Nursing

From the University of Minnesota School of Nursing

Preparing students to become Registered Nurses

• Program Overview
• Program Information
• Faculty
• Admissions
• Financial Aid

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is a full-time, day school program that prepares students for the contemporary health care environment. Graduates are qualified to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) and earn certification as public health nurses. The BSN program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

The four-year program is available at two locations: the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and the University of Minnesota Rochester. It includes 1) one year of prerequisite courses and 2) three years of sequenced nursing coursework.

The curriculum focuses on basic science and nursing practice, complemented by courses in psychology, humanities, nutrition, and leadership. Students benefit from web-based resources, clinical simulations, interprofessional experiences, and research opportunities.

Students do clinical rotations at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview, ranked within the top 45 hospitals in the nation, and at the internationally acclaimed Mayo Clinic in Rochester.
Other clinical sites include:

• Local hospitals
• Long-term care facilities
• Hospice
• Public health departments
• Human service agencies
• Clinics
• Child care centers

In addition, a Clinical Immersion Experience during the senior year allows students to develop leadership skills and make the transition into full-time clinical practice.

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Information Sessions

We offer group information sessions on a regular basis to answer your questions about the nursing program. During the session, we talk about the nursing major, prerequisite courses, transfer coursework, and application process.

For details of sessions held in Rochester, please visit the Information Sessions page.

To register for Twin Cities sessions, please visit http://www.healthcareers.umn.edu/hcc/events/home.html#nursing.

Program Information

• Twin Cities Curriculum Guide
• Rochester Curriculum Guide
• Liberal Education Requirements

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Faculty

The School of Nursing has 77 faculty members with expertise in a wide array of topics.  As a research institution, the School of Nursing offers knowledge of the latest technology and theoretic advances in nursing.  Faculty are located in Rochester and on the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus.  For more information on faculty, please use the following link:  http://www.nursing.umn.edu/FacultyStaffandPreceptors/home.html .

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Admissions

Getting Started On Your Nursing Degree
We're excited that you're considering nursing as your career choice! This section of the website will assist you through the first steps in pursuing your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree.
The nursing program is a four-year baccalaureate degree with a nursing major, called the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.). The four years consist of one year of prerequisite nursing courses and three years of sequenced nursing coursework. Students may complete the prerequisite courses through another school or college within or outside of the University system, and then transfer to the School of Nursing for their final three years.
The nursing major is available at both the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus and the University of Minnesota Rochester campus. Click here to find out more information about the Two Campus Locations.

Application Deadline:  February 1

Prerequisites
Applicants for the Twin Cities Campus must complete the first five prerequisites listed below. Rochester applicants must additionally complete Anatomy and Physiology I. Courses marked with an * must be completed within 10 years of starting the program in September.

We do not publish a transfer guide as course numbers and titles change frequently. Prerequisite coursework will be accepted if it transfers to the University of Minnesota, it meets the minimum credit requirements listed below, has the same or similar course title, and meets the timeline requirements. See eligibility requirements for more information on prerequisites. To verify if a class transfers to the University of Minnesota, contact the Office of Admissions at 612.625.2008 or use the online course transfer system at www.uselectmn.org.

• General Chemistry or Principles of Chemistry (minimum 3 credits)
  Courses designed to prepare students for college-level chemistry or survey courses are not adequate. Choose a course that is a college-level general chemistry course and covers concepts such as measurements in chemistry; ionic and molecular compounds; chemical reactions and chemical equilibrium; gases, liquids, solids, and solutions; acids and bases.
  Appropriate courses at the U of M-Twin Cities: CHEM 1015* and CHEM 1017, CHEM 1021 (preferred) 
  Appropriate courses at Rochester Community and Technical College: CHEM 1117, CHEM 1127
  *Note: Students must complete both CHEM 1015 and CHEM 1017 in order to fill the U of M Physical Science Liberal Education requirement.

• Freshman Writing (minimum 3 credits)
  Covers critical reading, writing, and thinking. Appropriate courses will include practice writing expected in a college career, such as summaries, essays, academic arguments, bibliographies, and papers built on research.
  Appropriate courses at the U of M-Twin Cities: WRIT 1301, WRIT 1401
  Appropriate courses at Rochester Community and Technical College: ENG 1117, ENG 1127

• Lifespan Development or Human Growth & Development (minimum 3 credits)
  This is a developmental psychology course and must cover the entire human lifespan (infancy through older adult). Two separate courses may be used to fill this requirement.
  Appropriate courses at the U of M-Twin Cities: NURS 2001, NURS 3690 & 3691 (web-based independent learning courses), PSTL 2283W. 
  Appropriate course at Rochester Community and Technical College: PSY 2626.

• Human Nutrition (minimum 2 credits—3 credits preferred)
  A nutrition course that addresses topics such as essential nutrients needed from the diet; major functions of nutrients; digestion, absorption, and metabolism of nutrients; scientific method and nutrition; food safety issues.
  Appropriate course at the U of M-Twin Cities: FSCN 1112.
  Appropriate course at Rochester Community and Technical College: NUTR 1211.

• General Psychology (minimum 3 credits)
  Scientific study of human behavior. Problems, methods, findings of modern psychology.
  Appropriate courses at the U of M-Twin Cities: PSY 1001, PSTL 1281.
  Appropriate course at Rochester Community and Technical College: PSY 2618.

• Anatomy and Physiology I (minimum 3 credits)*--Rochester Applicants Only
  This course must be the first part of a two-part sequence. Part one should cover cell structure and function, tissues, chemistry as it relates to biological sciences, the integumentary, the musculoskeletal systems and the cardiovascular and lymphatic systems.
  No equivalent course at the U of MN-Twin Cities
  Appropriate course at Rochester Community and Technical College: BIO 1217

NOTE: Bio 1009—General Biology is not a prerequisite for admission into the BSN program; however, it is a prerequisite to some classes within the BSN curriculum (Anat 3001, Phsl 3051 and VBS 2032). If you have not completed Anatomy, Physiology, and Microbiology at the time of application to the BSN program, you will need to complete a General Biology course prior to the start of the program in September.

How to Apply and Notification Timeline
Applicants must apply to the University of Minnesota School of Nursing in a competitive, two-part process.

1. A School of Nursing Application must be completed and submitted to the School of Nursing; it is available online at www.nursing.umn.edu (after August 15, 2009).

2. If you have never been enrolled in any campus or college at the University of Minnesota, applicants must submit an Undergraduate Application in addition to the School of Nursing application. The Undergraduate Application is available through the Office of Admissions http://admissions.tc.umn.edu/apply).
Note: Students who are or have been enrolled in the College of Continuing Education as non-degree seeking students must also fill out an Undergraduate Application.

OR

3. If you are a current or former University of Minnesota student, applicants must submit a Change of College Form in addition to the School of Nursing application. The Change of College Form is available at http://onestop.umn.edu/forms/index.html.
Note: See above statement regarding enrollment in the College of Continuing Education.

The application deadline for fall 2010 is February 1, 2010. Applications are considered complete only when all materials have been received by both the University of Minnesota and the School of Nursing. All materials must meet the February 1, 2010 deadline. All applicants will be notified whether or not they have been admitted to the program in early April.

Visit the School of Nursing
Attend a BSN Information Session to find out more about the nursing major and about how to get started working on your degree. The dates and times of the BSN Information Sessions are available both in Rochester and in the Twin Cities. 

Eligibility Requirements
Below are preliminary requirements applicants must fulfill to apply to the nursing major. For updates on the eligibility requirements, please check the School of Nursing website:  http://www.nursing.umn.edu.

Prerequisite Courses
To be considered, applicants must, at the time of application:

1. Have completed or have in progress a minimum of 4 of the 5 college-level/college credit prerequisites listed in the application with the ability to complete all 5 prerequisites (6 prerequisites for Rochester applicants) before entering the program in September.
2. Have a minimum of 1 biological or physical science course completed at time of application for an A-F grade.  Biological or physical science courses are defined as biology, chemistry, and anatomy & physiology I (for Rochester applicants only). Anatomy and Physiology I must have been taken within the 10 years prior to fall 2010.
3. At least 4 of the prerequisite courses completed or in progress must be taken for an A-F grade (1 can be pass/fail).
4. All prerequisite courses completed with a grade of C- or better.

GPA Requirements
To be considered, applicants must, at the time of application:

1. Have a minimum cumulative college GPA of 2.8 (based on a 4.0 scale)
2. Have a minimum cumulative prerequisite GPA of 2.8 (based on a 4.0 scale) with at least 4 courses – completed or in progress – taken for a letter grade.
3. Applicants with fewer than 26 college semester credits completed at the time of application will also be evaluated on the following:
   • Preferred minimum high school GPA of 3.2 (based on a 4.0 scale).
   • Preferred minimum ACT score of 25 or SAT score of 1150.

English Requirement
You are required to demonstrate English language proficiency if: (1) English is not your native language; and (2) you have lived in the US fewer than 8 years at the time of enrollment in the School of Nursing (by the first day of fall semester). Test scores must be submitted to the Office of Admissions at the time of application.

Minimum scores in the following exams are required to demonstrate English language proficiency:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of at least 240 on the computerized version, 95 on the web version (iBT), or 586 on the paper version OR A Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB) score of 85.

To register for the TOEFL exam, please go to www.ets.org/toefl. This internet-based exam is now given 1-2 times per month. The University of Minnesota Counseling and Consulting Services offers the MELAB exam. Please visit their website at www.uccs.umn.edu for MELAB registration and deadline dates. 

Petitioning a Course
The School of Nursing accepts petitions regarding prerequisite coursework.  The petition form is located on the School of Nursing web site along with instructions:
http://www.nursing.umn.edu/BSN/SubmittingaPetition/index.htm.

You do not need to petition a course if you took it at an accredited school, it meets the minimum credit requirements, has the same or similar course title, and meets the timeline requirements. It takes 4-6 weeks for a petition to be processed, reviewed, and a decision made. Notification will be mailed to you at the address provided on the petition form.

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Financial Aid

For information on financial aid, contact:

Office of Student Finance
University of Minnesota
265 Fraser Hall
106 Pleasant Street S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Telephone: 612-624-1111; toll-free: 800-400-8636
E-mail: helpingu@umn.edu
Web site: http://onestop.umn.edu/finances