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The School of Nursing
 
 

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program offers students a dynamic course of study that is both theoretical and practical. The program prepares graduates to work in a wide variety of clinical settings and provides the necessary foundation for masters and doctoral degrees in nursing. Graduates of the BSN program will be prepared to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Passing this examination is one of the requirements for licensure through the Board of Nurse Examiners for the State of Texas.

The BSN program consists of 66 prerequisite credit hours (Pre-Professional Sequence) and 61 upper-division credit hours (Professional Sequence). Students must be enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin with the pre-nursing major code in order to complete the final 11 credit hours of prerequisite courses. Students must then apply to the Professional Sequence (upper-division coursework). For more information on applying for admission to the University and the School of Nursing Professional Sequence, please visit the BSN Admissions.

Prerequisite Course Requirements (Pre-Professional Sequence)

The BSN program requires the completion of 66 prerequisite credit hours prior to beginning the upper-division Professional Sequence. Of these prerequisites, Pharmacology, Nursing Research, Communication in Health Care, and Ethics of Health Care (11 hours total) must be taken in residence at UT Austin and, with the exception of Pharmacology, enrollment is restricted to Pre-Nursing majors only.

Please note that these prerequisites are satisfied by specific pre-approved courses only. For more detailed information on these specific courses, including course numbers, please see the 2006-2008 BSN Degree Plan (PDF format). The 2008-2010 BSN Degree Plan (PDF format) is now available. If you are a new first semester freshman in 2008 you will follow the 2008-2010 BSN Degree Plan. If you are NOT a new freshman, please see a School of Nursing Advisor for an individualized degree plan.

Prerequisite courses for BSN prgram
Courses Credit Hours
Biology I 3
Microbiology 2
Anatomy & Physiology 8
Chemistry 3
Math 3
Nutrition 3
Pharmacology 3 - must be taken at UT Austin
English 6
Government 6
US History  6
Psychology 3
Growth & Development 3
Statistics 3
Fine Arts Elective  3
First-Year Signature Courses 3 - must be taken at UT Austin
Communication in Health Care 3 - must be taken at UT Austin
Ethics of Health Care 3 - must be taken at UT Austin
Nursing Research 2 - must be taken at UT Austin

Some of the BSN prerequisite course requirements may transfer into UT Austin from other institutions. For more information about transfer credits, and to get an idea of which courses may satisfy the BSN prerequisites, please visit the Office of Admissions Transferable Coursework page.

All transfer credit decisions are made by the Office of Admissions at the time of admission to the University.

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Upper-Division Course Requirements (Professional Sequence)

The BSN Professional Sequence consists of 61 upper-division credit hours.  Students who apply and are admitted to the Professional Sequence begin upper-division coursework in the Spring or Fall semester, and complete the sequence after four semesters of full-time enrollment in the Professional Sequence.  The Professional Sequence consists of the following courses:

Junior 1 Semester (J1):
Courses Credit Hours
Health Assessment Skills 2
Adult Health Nursing I 3
Adult Health Nursing I (Practicum) 3
Mental Health Nursing Across the Lifespan I 2
Clinical Nursing Skills I (Practicum) 1
Conceptual Bases of Aging 2
Spanish for Health Care Professionals 3

Junior 2 Semester (J2):
Courses Credit Hours
Adult Health Nursing II 4
Adult Health Nursing II (Practicum) 3
Mental Health NSG Across the Lifespan 3
Problems in Mental Health Nursing (Practicum)  3
Clinical Nursing Skills II (Practicum) 1

Senior 1 Semester (S1):
Courses Credit Hours
Nursing Care of Childbearing Families 2
Nursing Care of Childbearing Families (Practicum) 3
Nursing Care of Children and Families 2
Nursing Care of Children and Families (Practicum) 3
Leadership and Management of Nursing Care 3
Genetics in Health Care 3

Senior 2 Semester (S2):
Courses Credit Hours
Public Health Nursing  2
Public Health Nursing (Practicum) 3
Clinical Care Management (Practicum) 3
Synthesis of Nursing Knowledge 2
Capstone Preceptorship 2

Additional Requirements:
Courses Credit Hours
Specialized Topics in Nursing (Nursing Elective) 3
Foreign Language Requirement*  

*satisfied by 2 years in high school or 2 semesters in college of a single foreign language

For more detailed information about Professional Sequence courses, including course numbers, please see the BSN Degree Plan (PDF format).

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