BSN ADVST - BSN Advanced Standing (BSN)

RN to BSN (Post-RN) Admission Criteria

1. A completed application;

2. Completion of required prerequisite courses with a minimum grade of C in each course;

3. An associate degree or diploma in nursing from an accredited program (ACEN or CCNE), which included clinical practice courses in nursing;

4. A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale (Hours from all previously attempted undergraduate coursework are used in calculating the cumulative GPA);

5. Evidence of a current and unrestricted RN license to practice in the United States and licensure/privilege to practice in Mississippi;

6. New associate degree graduates must successfully complete the NCLEX-RN® examination and become licensed as a registered nurse (RN) by the end of their first semester of coursework at the School of Nursing; and,

7. Official transcripts from all schools attended;

8. For applicants who earned coursework/degrees from institutions outside the United States:

a.       Completion of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for graduates of foreign schools whose academic language was not English. The minimum required score is:

    ·         TOEFL-Internet Based Test (IBT): 79 or higher

     ·         TOEFL-Paper Based Test (PBT): 550 or higher

b.       Other documents required by UMMC and local, state, and federal authorities;

c.       Transcripts must be evaluated in a course-by-course report from World Education Services (WES) or the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS).

9. If an applicant has been dismissed from any nursing program, one year must pass from the date of dismissal to the date of eligibility to apply for any UMMC School of Nursing program.

RN to BSN Early Entry Pathway

Admission Requirements (Admissions only to the Jackson campus)

Entry into the RN to BSN EE Pathway is offered to ADN students through a competitive selection process. Applicants who wish to be considered for EE status must be enrolled in a participating community college and meet the following minimum requirements:

• A complete application;

• A minimum overall GPA of 2.0 on all college courses AND a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 on all nursing courses through the first semester of full-time study in the ADN program;

• A minimum grade of C in each prerequisite course;

• Approval of the Dean from ADN program attesting to the applicant’s current good standing and potential for success in the RN to BSN program.

Participating schools

Partnering institutions include Coahoma CC, East Central CC, East MS CC, Hinds CC, Holmes CC, Itawamba CC, Jones College, Meridian CC, Mississippi Delta CC, Mississippi Gulf Coast CC, Northwest MS CC, Pearl River CC, and Southwest MS CC

Progression and retention

In order to retain status as an RN to BSN EE student, the following conditions must be met. Failure to adhere to each of these conditions will result in dismissal from the RN to BSN EE Pathway:

• Must maintain continuous enrollment in the participating ADN program;

• All required nursing courses must be taken at the participating institution in the sequence defined by the curriculum;

• Must maintain an overall cumulative GPA of 2.0 AND an overall nursing GPA of 2.0 or higher;

• Must have a minimum grade of C in each required prerequisite course and nursing course.

Matriculation into the RN to BSN program

Upon completion of the ADN program and receiving the associate degree in nursing, students who meet the progression and retention criteria and have completed all prerequisite requirements will matriculate into the RN to BSN program. Official acceptance is contingent upon the successful completion of several UMMC requirements, including a background check. New ADN graduates must successfully complete the NCLEX-RN® examination and become licensed as an RN by the end of their first semester of RN to BSN coursework.

Application availability and deadline

There are three application cycles for the RN to BSN EE Pathway. Students are accepted after the first semester of their ADN program. The application deadlines are April 1, June 1, and November 15. ADN students may apply to the RN to BSN EE Pathway while enrolled in the first or second semester of the ADN program. An application may be submitted prior to the completion of the first semester of the ADN program, but will not be considered until a final transcript for that semester is submitted. Students enrolled in the final semester of the ADN program should apply directly to the RN to BSN program rather than EE.

PREREQUISITE COURSES

The lower division is comprised of the following courses, which are prerequisites for the upper division of the baccalaureate program. The 62 credit hours of prerequisite courses include: Natural Sciences and Mathematics: Science survey courses or courses for non-science majors are not acceptable for transfer credit. Anatomy and Physiology courses taken more than 10 years ago may not be accepted for transfer credit.

Required Courses

• Microbiology – One course with a laboratory (4 hours)

• Human Anatomy and Physiology – Two courses in sequence with labs, which include the study of structure and function of the human body (8 hours)

• College Algebra or higher level math (3 hours)

• Statistics – Must include an introduction to descriptive and inferential statistics, including measures of central tendency, variability, correlation, t tests, z tests, ANOVA, chi-square, hypothesis testing, p levels, and confidence intervals (3 hours)

  1. Statistics may be taken as a prerequisite prior to or during enrollment in the RN-BSN program. If Statistics is not taken prior to entry, applicants must have a minimum of 60 hours of transferable credit, including the other 59 hours listed here.

• General Psychology (3 hours)

• Introductory Sociology (3 hours)

• Human Growth and Development through the Life Cycle (3 hours):

  1. In a senior college, Developmental Psychology, to include development from infancy through old age; or

  2. In a junior or community college, Human Growth and Development, to include development from infancy through old age.

• English Composition (6 hours)

• Humanities and Fine Arts Electives (9) hours

• General Elective Courses: (20 hours)

Unacceptable Courses

None of the required courses listed, described, or recommended may be met by the following: courses in physical training, military science, or dogmatic religion; courses in mathematics or science designed for non-science majors; or course credit granted without college-level testing.

Suggested General Elective Courses

Suggested Courses for Humanities and Fine Arts Electives

Director of the RN-BSN Program
Jill Clayton, PhD, RN
Phone: 601-984-6200
Email: jclayton@umc.edu