Nursing, major, pre-licensure BSN

Owned by Laura Lehman (Deactivated)
Last updated: May 31, 2022 by Barbara Byer (Deactivated)
3 min read

Undergraduate Director: Laura Yoder
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Semester Hours: 57 + prerequisite courses

Admission Requirements: Any student admitted to the university may declare a nursing major. Nursing requires a strong background in the natural sciences, mathematics, and the social sciences. Nurses work with complex concepts and ever-changing technologies.

Admission to the clinical sequence (Level 1) of the program for all traditional tracks is contingent upon the following:

  • being at least 18 years of age.

  • having completed 58 semester hours prior to beginning Level 1 unless completing a semester cross-cultural while in the clinical level.

  • obtaining a C or above in all prerequisite courses.

  • not repeating more than two prerequisite courses.

  • maintaining a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8 or above at the time of application to the clinical level.

  • Kaplan nursing entrance exam prior to application to the clinical level with overall score >50th percentile and Science subscore >50th percentile. 

Students entering EMU directly after high school graduation with significant college credit must complete a minimum of one full-time semester at EMU prior to entering the clinical level (Level 1). These students may apply for Level 1 prior to entering EMU if they have met all admission criteria.

Admission to Level 1 is subject to approval by the nursing department's admissions committee. A separate application for Level 1 is required. Applications for fall semester are due by February 15. Applications for spring semester are due by June 15.

Prerequisites for the nursing major: 

  • BIOCH 152 Human Biochemistry (2)

  • BIOL 112 Human Anatomy and Physiology I (3) 

  • BIOL 122 Human Anatomy and Physiology II (3) 

  • BIOL 145 Nutrition Fundamentals (2)

  • BIOL 205 Introduction to Microbiology (3) 

  • CHEM 105 Chemistry for the Life Sciences (2) (or any college level chemistry course including AP and dual enrollment credit accepted by EMU)

  • PSYC 202 Developmental Psychology (3) 

  • SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology (3) OR other selected sociology, social work, or PXD courses

  • Any statistics course (2-3) 

Nursing Required Courses for Traditional Pre-licensure & Traditional Second-Degree (57 SH):

  • NURS 301 Holistic Health Inquiry (3) 

  • NURS 302 Pathophysiology and Pharmacology for Nursing (4)

  • NURS 303 Foundations of Professional Nursing (4) 

  • NURS 304 Fundamentals Practicum (3) 

  • NURS 310 A Conceptual Framework of Nursing (2) 

  • NURS 320 Adult Health Practicum I (3) 

  • NURS 322 Nursing Care of the Adult I (3) 

  • NURS 323 Psychosocial Nursing (3) 

  • NURS 325 Nursing Care of Children (3) 

  • NURS 326 Nursing and the Beginning Family (3) 

  • NURS 420 Adult Health Practicum II (3) 

  • NURS 422 Nursing Care of the Adult II (3) 

  • NURS 426 Nursing and the Family in the Community (3) 

  • NURS 427 Professional Issues in Nursing (1) 

  • NURS 429 Leadership Practicum (3) 

  • NURS 432 Community Health (3) 

  • NURS 433 Evidence Based Practice for Nursing (2) 

  • NURS 436 Population Health Colloquium (2) 

  • NURS 438 Critical Care Nursing (3) 

  • NURS 440 Transition to Practice (3) 

Registered Nurse Options
Registered nurse options include the traditional daytime program, accelerated hybrid (Lancaster only), or online. 11 SH in sciences of the human organism are required for either program. These may include but are not limited to anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry (inorganic, organic, or biochemistry), nutrition, genetics, immunology, advanced (mammalian) physiology, pathophysiology, neuro-immunology, and pharmacology. The RN to BSN director or program director can approve additional courses. In addition, at least one psychology and one sociology course is required. RN students must be licensed to practice nursing in the United States.