Program Overview
College of Natural and Health Sciences
Contact: Melissa LM Henry, Ph.D., Director
Location: Gunter 3080
Telephone: 970.351.2293
Website: www.unco.edu/nhs/nursing
Advising Information:
Students must consult with their assigned major advisor each semester prior to registering.
To find your advisor, log into ursa.unco.edu; go to 'Student' tab and click 'View Student Information' link. If no advisor is listed, contact the major program for advisor information.
The program consists of three parts:
- Liberal Arts Curriculum (LAC) Credits
- Required Major Credits
- University Wide Credits
Program Description:
Nursing is an independent professional discipline requiring critical inquiry and discriminating judgment to assist individuals, families and communities to attain and maintain health. Qualified students are prepared as professional nurses and receive a foundation for graduate study in nursing.
The undergraduate program in nursing at UNC is a nine semester program leading to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing major plan of study consists of a 4 semester ‘pre-clinical’ and 5 semester ‘clinical’ course sequence. Progression to the clinical portion of the nursing major requires formal admission after a professional application and selection process.
Pre-clinical Phase: The pre-clinical portion of the nursing major plan of study consists of 4 semesters of prerequisite and general education courses which provide the liberal arts and science foundation for the clinical nursing major.
Students interested in nursing are designated as pre-clinical nursing students (Exploring: Nursing) if they meet the general admission requirements of the University. Formal application is made to and obtained from UNC’s Office of Admissions.
Students enrolled in the pre-clinical portion of the nursing major will receive academic advisement from a pre-nursing professional advisor in coordination with a nursing faculty advisor.
All students in the pre-clinical nursing (Exploring: Nursing) designation will be required to declare a degree-granting major, other than nursing, after completion of 30 credit hours if they are not accepted into the clinical portion of the nursing major. Credits used to calculate earned hours include all applied transfer credit, college credit earned in high school, and UNC credit hours. A No-Major Hold will be applied to student's account upon completion of 30 credits, which will be removed upon completion of the required major declaration. Students will not be able to register for future courses until the No-Major Hold is removed.
Clinical Phase: The clinical portion of the nursing major consists of 5 semesters of nursing clinical and supporting theoretical courses. The clinical courses start during the 5th semester of the overall major, after completion of 4 semesters of prerequisite and general education courses and formal admission to the clinical portion of the major.
The designation of pre-clinical nursing (Exploring: Nursing) does not assure admission to the clinical portion of the nursing major. A separate application and acceptance process is required for the student to enter clinical nursing courses. Forms for applying to the clinical program and information about application procedures are obtained at the School of Nursing.
The number of students admitted to the clinical portion of the nursing major is determined by available resources. Available resources may also limit possibilities for readmission for those students who withdraw for any reason.
All students entering the clinical portion of the nursing major must be certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for the adult and child/infant (health professional) as evidenced by current CPR card. This certification must be maintained while in the program. CPR courses are available outside the School of Nursing.
Progression: Students in the clinical portion of the nursing major must earn a minimum grade of "C" or better (C- is not acceptable) or satisfactory in all required nursing courses for progression to the next semester in the clinical portion of the nursing major. The nursing program faculty reserves the right to require the withdrawal from the nursing program of any student who, in their professional judgment, fails to satisfy the requirements of professionalism, and/or performance. A student receiving a grade less than “C” in a nursing course will be readmitted to that course on a space-available basis only.
Policies: School of Nursing policies are published in the Undergraduate Student Handbook.
Missed or Repeated Courses: Students who must repeat a clinical nursing course or who fail to enroll or complete a course on their scheduled rotation will be readmitted for clinical courses on a space-available basis only. Courses may not be offered every semester.
Successive Enrollment: A student who does not enroll for required nursing courses for two successive semesters during the clinical portion of the nursing major and has not made prior arrangements with the SON Assistant Director of Undergraduate Programs will no longer be considered a clinical nursing major.
Graduation and Licensure: The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree will be granted by the Board of Trustees upon recommendation of the faculty of the School of Nursing to those students who have successfully completed the prescribed curriculum.
RN licensure is obtained by passing the national licensure exam which students arrange to take some weeks after graduation.
Health Policies: Within the academic year preceding the first clinical course, the student must have met the University's requirements regarding immunizations. Upon admission to the clinical portion of the major, students are responsible to obtain necessary health clearances and/or immunizations as required. Yearly PPD, influenza vaccination and completion of OSHA/HIPAA compliance testing are required.
Criminal Background Check and Drug Screen: To comply with clinical agency requirements, all students are required to submit evidence that a criminal background check and drug screen have been completed upon admission to the clinical portion of the major.
School Nurse Provisional Licensure: Graduates seeking School Nurse Licensure should contact the Teacher Education and Certification Unit of The Colorado Department of Education at 201 E. Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado 80203 for an application packet.
Clinical Practice: Student practica are offered in agencies according to available resources. All placements require transportation and may necessitate commuting from the Greeley area. Students are responsible for their own transportation to all clinical practicum.
Program Admission Requirements:
Pre-clinical nursing (Exploring: Nursing) Admission:
Students interested in nursing are designated as pre-clinical nursing students (Exploring: Nursing) if they meet the general admission requirements of the University.
Admission to the Clinical Nursing Major
There are 2 opportunities to gain admission in the clinical portion of the nursing major. If a student is accepted during the early admission process and meet progression criteria, they do not need to apply for admission a second time.
Early ‘Bears’ Admission
Early admission to the nursing program is for students enrolled at UNC who have completed a minimum of 20 credits at UNC and meet specific admission criteria. These students would be required to complete the remaining prerequisite and general education requirements, in addition to performance on a standardized exam, before progression to the clinical portion of the nursing major.
Eligibility
- Minimum of 20 earned UNC credits (excluding college credit earned in high school or advanced placement (AP) credit)
- Minimum of 15 credits of general education or prerequisite courses still in progress.
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 on 4.0 scale
- Completion of a minimum of 4, and a maximum of 6, prerequisite courses or course equivalents with a grade of ‘C’ or higher (‘C-’ is not acceptable). All prerequisite courses or equivalents must be completed within 10 years of application, except PSY 230, STAT 150, and ENG 123.
- Demonstration of English Proficiency
Eligible applicants will be selected to the clinical portion of the nursing major based on an admission GPA (calculated using the most recent 30 non-remedial/non-technical college level credits and grades in prerequisite courses) and other admission criteria (e.g. statement of intent, letters of recommendation, program entrance examination). Admission criteria is subject to change. Specific admission criteria can be found on the School of Nursing website.
Students admitted to the clinical nursing major through early ‘Bears’ admission will be required to maintain a minimum of a “C” (“C-“ is unacceptable) in all remaining prerequisite courses, a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and meet required benchmarks on the program entrance exam before progression and full admission to the clinical portion of the nursing major. If the progression requirements are not met during the expected timeframe to enter the clinical courses, the student’s admission to the clinical major will be rescinded.
Open Admission
Open admission to the clinical portion of the nursing major will occur before the start of the clinical nursing major coursework. The number of seats available for ‘open’ admission will be limited.
Eligibility
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3 on 4.0 scale
- Completion of a minimum of 6 prerequisite courses or course equivalents with a grade of ‘C’ or higher (‘C-‘is not acceptable). All prerequisite courses or equivalents must be completed within 10 years of application, except PSY 230, STAT 150, and ENG 123. Up to 4 prerequisite courses may be in-progress at the time of application.
- Demonstration of English Proficiency
Eligible applicants will be selected to the clinical portion of the nursing major based on an admission GPA (calculated using the most recent 45 non-remedial/non-technical college level credits and grades in prerequisite courses) and other admission criteria (e. g. statement of intent, letters of recommendation, program entrance examination). Students who have taken credits/coursework at UNC will be given priority for admission. Specific admission criteria is subject to change. Specific admission criteria can be found on the School of Nursing website.
Students admitted to the clinical nursing major through open admission will be required to maintain a minimum of a “C” (“C-“ is unacceptable) in all in-progress prerequisite courses before progression and full admission to the clinical nursing major.
Degree Requirements — 120 Credits
1. Liberal Arts Curriculum — 31 Credits
To complete the degree in 120 credits as outlined, the program recommends the below LAC courses that also count toward the 105 required major credits.
Any additional coursework completed outside of the recommended list below may extend the length of the program of study.
Written Communication — 6 credits
ENG 123 is recommended to fulfill Intermediate Writing Course requirement and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements.
See Written Communication courses
Mathematics — 3 credits
STAT 150 is recommended to fulfill Mathematics requirement and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements.
See Mathematics courses
Arts and Humanities, History, Social & Behavioral Sciences, U.S. Multicultural Studies [MS], and International Studies [IS] — 15 credits
To complete the LAC in the minimum number of credits, be sure to choose at least one course with an IS designation and one course with an MS designation.
PSY 230 is recommended to fulfill Social and Behavioral Sciences requirement as it will fulfill both LAC and major requirements.
See Arts & Humanities, History, and Social & Behavioral Sciences courses
Natural and Physical Sciences — 7 credits
BIO 110, CHEM 281, CHEM 281L, and FND 250 are recommended to fulfill Natural and Physical Sciences requirement and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements.
Note: Additional Chemistry courses may be recommended depending on previous chemistry experience or test scores.
See Natural & Physical Sciences courses
See Liberal Arts Curriculum
2. Required Major — 105 credits
Take all of the following courses:
| BIO 110 | Biology: Atoms to CellsLAS1LASL | 4 |
| BIO 245 | Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology | 4 |
| BIO 246 | Advanced Human Anatomy and Physiology | 3 |
| BIO 251 | Allied Health Microbiology | 4 |
| CHEM 281 | Fundamentals of BiochemistryLAS1 | 3 |
| CHEM 281L | Fundamentals of Biochemistry LaboratoryLAS1LASL | 1 |
| ENG 123 | Writing and Research MethodsLAW2 | 3 |
| FND 250 | Principles of NutritionLAS1 | 3 |
| PSY 230 | Lifespan DevelopmentLAB3 | 3 |
| STAT 150 | Introduction to Statistical AnalysisLAX1 | 3 |
| NURS 326 | Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NURS 310 | Foundations of Nursing I | 3 |
| NURS 313 | Health Assessment Theory and Laboratory | 3 |
| NURS 323 | Clinical Practice: Fundamental Nursing Concepts and Care | 5 |
| NURS 327 | Pharmacology in Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS 340 | Foundations of Nursing II | 2 |
| NURS 374 | Clinical Practice: Alterations in Adult Heath | 6 |
| NURS 375 | Alterations in Adult Health Theory I | 4 |
| NURS 376 | Alterations in Adult Health Theory II | 3 |
| NURS 380 | Research and Evidence Based Practice | 3 |
| NURS 404 | Clinical Practice of Public Health Nursing: Population-Based Practice | 3 |
| NURS 405 | Theory and Principles of Public Health Nursing: Population-Based Practice | 3 |
| NURS 414 | Clinical Practice: Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 415 | Theory of Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 420 | Clinical Practice: Childbearing Families | 3 |
| NURS 421 | Clinical Practice: Pediatric Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 425 | Childbearing Families Theory | 3 |
| NURS 426 | Pediatric Nursing Theory | 3 |
| NURS 440 | Current Issues in Health Care | 2 |
| NURS 444 | Clinical Practice: Advanced Acute Care | 3 |
| NURS 445 | Advanced Nursing Concepts and Care | 2 |
| NURS 446 | Clinical Practice Capstone | 5 |
| NURS 480 | Professionalism in Practice: Leadership and Management | 3 |
BIO 110, BIO 245, BIO 246, BIO 251, CHEM 281, CHEM 281L, ENG 123, FND 250, NURS 326, PSY 230, STAT 150 are prerequisite courses required prior to admission to the Clinical Phase of the Nursing Program.
3. University Wide Credits — 0 credits*
*Note: Students must apply the recommended courses to both the liberal arts curriculum requirements and the major requirements to complete this degree program in 120 credit hours. This degree does not require university wide electives.