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 Nursing (BON) for the State of Texas.
The framework for baccalaureate nursing curriculum is delineated in the AACN’s Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (PDF format). These Essentials include the outcomes expected of BSN graduates. For further information, see the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) website.
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)
- Upper-Division Course Requirements (Professional Sequence)
- Internal Transfer Information for Current UT Students
- Undergraduate Nursing Honors Program
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.
| 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.
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:
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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).
Undergraduate Nursing Honors Program
The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing is pleased to announce it will be accepting applications for the new the Undergraduate Nursing Honors Program. The Undergraduate Nursing Honors Program is designed to enhance the educational experience of high achieving undergraduate nursing majors by focusing on the development of scholarship. Students whose official cumulative GPAs are 3.45 or above are eligible to apply to this competitive honors program which will begin in their sophomore year.
Admission to the Nursing Honors Program requires acceptance by the Honors Program Committee. Acceptance into the honors program will confer automatic acceptance into the professional sequence of nursing, contingent upon maintaining competitive overall and science grade point averages.
Requirements for the Nursing Honors Program are:
- Completion of honor’s sections of Introduction to Nursing Scholarship (N117H), Nursing Research (N264H), Ethics of Health Care (N311H), and Leadership and Management of Nursing Care (N377H); and
- Completion of an honor's project prior to graduation with a focus in research, ethics, or leadership.
- Completion of honor’s project paper and presentation.
Applications are available on the School of Nursing web site. Students whose official cumulative GPA is less than 3.45 will not have their applications reviewed. For questions about the Honor’s Program, please email Dr. Gayle Timmerman, Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs or call her at 471-9087.
Deadline for applications is the FIRST Monday after Spring break.
See the PDF files below to learn more about the Undergraduate Nursing Honors Program:
- Honors Application
- Instructions for Providing the Writing Sample
- Pathway to Undergraduate Nursing Honors
- Guidelines for Undergraduate Nursing Honors Project
- Undergraduate Nursing Honors Project
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Last Updated: May 1, 2009
© 2006 School of Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin