Nursing (BSN)
The School of Nursing offers an undergraduate program leading to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and graduate programs leading to the Master of Science in Nursing degree, the Doctor of Philosophy degree with a major in nursing, and the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. The undergraduate program is designed for students who wish to enter the profession of nursing. Students who have earned an associate’s degree in nursing and wish to obtain the baccalaureate degree may apply as transfer students. The master’s and doctoral degree programs are designed to prepare professionals for advanced nursing practice, leadership, and research in nursing.
Total Hours Required: 126
Plan of Study
The Plan of Study is a suggested four-year course sequence to support academic planning and serves as a helpful guide. Currently enrolled students should meet with their academic advisor to tailor their course selections and timelines to their individual goals and circumstances.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
| RHE 306 | Rhetoric and Writing | 3 |
| CH 301 | Principles of Chemistry I | 3 |
| SDS 302F | Foundations of Data Analysis | 3 |
| UGS 302 | First-Year Signature Course | 3 |
| Visual and Performing Arts (050) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| BIO 311C | Introductory Biology I | 3 |
| NTR 306 | Fundamentals of Nutrition | 3 |
| PSY 301 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| N 309 | Global Health | 3 |
| Humanities (040) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 3 | ||
| U.S. History (060) | 3 | |
| American and Texas Government (070) | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| MBS 326M | Introductory Medical Microbiology and Immunology | 3 |
| INB 446L | Human Microscopic and Gross Anatomy | 4 |
| HDF 313 | Child Development | 3 |
| & | ||
| HDF 113L | Child Development Laboratory | 1 |
| U.S. History (060) | 3 | |
| N 310 | Communication in Health Care Settings | 3 |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| N 320 | Introduction into Patient-Centered Nursing Care | 3 |
| N 224 | Health Assessment Skills | 2 |
| N 127P | Clinical Nursing Skills I (Practicum) | 1 |
| N 321 | Ethics of Health Care | 3 |
| INB 365S | Human Systems Physiology | 3 |
| INB 165U | Human Systems Physiology Laboratory | 1 |
| American and Texas Government (070) | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| N 356 | Mental Health Nursing across the Life Span | 3 |
| N 256P | Problems in Mental Health Nursing (Practicum) (Practicum) | 2 |
| N 325 | Adult Health Nursing I | 3 |
| N 325P | Adult Health Nursing I (Practicum) (Practicum) | 3 |
| N 264 | Nursing Research | 2 |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| N 244 | Perinatal Nursing Care | 2 |
| N 344P | Perinatal Nursing Care Practicum | 3 |
| N 255C | Adult Health Nursing IIA | 2 |
| N 157P | Clinical Nursing Skills II Practicum | 1 |
| N 223 | Genetics in Health Care | 2 |
| N 250 | Interprofessional Collaborative Practice | 2 |
| PHM 338 | Introduction to Pharmacology | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| N 266 | Nursing Care of Children and Their Families | 2 |
| N 366P | Nursing Care of Children and Their Families Practicum | 3 |
| N 255D | Adult Health Nursing IIB | 2 |
| N 355P | Adult Health Nursing II (Practicum) | 3 |
| N 354 | Spanish for Health Care Professionals | 3 |
| N 273 | Quality and Safety for Nursing Practice | 2 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| N 275 | Public Health Nursing | 2 |
| N 375P | Public Health Nursing Practicum | 3 |
| N 274 | Complex Nursing Care | 2 |
| N 377 | Leadership and Management of Nursing Care | 3 |
| N 277P | Clinical Care Management Practicum | 2 |
| N 279P | Capstone Preceptorship | 2 |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Total Hours | 126 | |
Requirements
All requirements are listed below, starting with the most specialized moving to the most general. Additional requirements may follow the table, so be sure to read the entire page. Some required courses listed below may also satisfy General Education requirements, including Core Curriculum.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Degree | ||
| CH 301 | Principles of Chemistry I | 3 |
| SDS 302F | Foundations of Data Analysis | 3 |
| BIO 311C | Introductory Biology I | 3 |
| NTR 306 | Fundamentals of Nutrition | 3 |
| PSY 301 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| N 309 | Global Health | 3 |
| MBS 326M | Introductory Medical Microbiology and Immunology | 3 |
| INB 446L | Human Microscopic and Gross Anatomy | 4 |
| HDF 313 | Child Development | 3 |
| & | ||
| HDF 113L | Child Development Laboratory | 1 |
| N 310 | Communication in Health Care Settings | 3 |
| N 320 | Introduction into Patient-Centered Nursing Care | 3 |
| N 224 | Health Assessment Skills | 2 |
| N 127P | Clinical Nursing Skills I (Practicum) | 1 |
| N 321 | Ethics of Health Care | 3 |
| or N 321H | Ethics of Health Care: Honors | |
| INB 365S | Human Systems Physiology | 3 |
| INB 165U | Human Systems Physiology Laboratory | 1 |
| N 356 | Mental Health Nursing across the Life Span | 3 |
| N 256P | Problems in Mental Health Nursing (Practicum) | 2 |
| N 325 | Adult Health Nursing I | 3 |
| N 325P | Adult Health Nursing I (Practicum) | 3 |
| N 264 | Nursing Research | 2 |
| or N 264H | Nursing Research: Honors | |
| N 244 | Perinatal Nursing Care | 2 |
| N 344P | Perinatal Nursing Care Practicum | 3 |
| N 255C | Adult Health Nursing IIA | 2 |
| N 157P | Clinical Nursing Skills II Practicum | 1 |
| N 223 | Genetics in Health Care | 2 |
| N 250 | Interprofessional Collaborative Practice | 2 |
| PHM 338 | Introduction to Pharmacology | 3 |
| N 266 | Nursing Care of Children and Their Families | 2 |
| N 366P | Nursing Care of Children and Their Families Practicum | 3 |
| N 255D | Adult Health Nursing IIB | 2 |
| N 355P | Adult Health Nursing II (Practicum) | 3 |
| N 354 | Spanish for Health Care Professionals | 3 |
| N 273 | Quality and Safety for Nursing Practice | 2 |
| N 275 | Public Health Nursing | 2 |
| N 375P | Public Health Nursing Practicum | 3 |
| N 274 | Complex Nursing Care | 2 |
| N 377 | Leadership and Management of Nursing Care | 3 |
| or N 377H | Leadership and Management of Nursing Care: Honors | |
| N 277P | Clinical Care Management Practicum | 2 |
| N 279P | Capstone Preceptorship | 2 |
| Free electives: Additional coursework to reach total hours required. | 0 | |
| Subtotal | 102 | |
| General Education | ||
| Remaining Core Curriculum (42 hours total) | 24 | |
| Foreign Language other than English, Beginning Proficiency | ||
Spanish is recommended for fulfillment via college-level coursework. | ||
Nursing 354 may not be counted toward the foreign language requirement. | ||
Fulfillment via transfer credit, credit by examination, or extension or correspondence must be completed prior to the first semester of the student's senior year. | ||
| Subtotal | 24 | |
| College Requirements - Nursing | ||
| General University Requirements | ||
| Total Hours | 126 | |
Additional Requirements and Policy
In order to meet prerequisites, students must take most of the nursing courses in a specific sequence.
Special Requirements
Students in the School of Nursing must also fulfill the following requirements:
- All University students must have a grade point average of at least 2.00 to graduate. In the School of Nursing, students must also have a grade point average of at least 2.00 in the coursework used to fulfill the upper-division requirement.
- A candidate must complete the prescribed curriculum and must meet all other requirements of the School of Nursing.
- A student must supply the School of Nursing with transcripts of courses taken outside the school as the courses are completed.
Nursing Honors Program
The Nursing Honors Program is designed to enhance the educational experience of high-achieving undergraduate nursing majors by focusing on the development of scholarship. Students must apply to this competitive honors program when applying to the School of Nursing as freshman. Honors coursework begins in the sophomore year. Admission to the program requires approval of the Honors Program Committee.
Students in the program must complete N 321H, N 117H, N 264H, and N 377H. These courses provide students with enhanced mentorship experiences. Students must complete an honors project with a focus on research, ethics, or leadership. Students are also required to take N X37 Topics in Independent Study with their mentor with the focus on their honors project. The statement “Special Honors in Nursing” appears on the transcript of each student who completes the honors program.
Admission
Admission to the Professional Sequence in Nursing
Application to the School of Nursing is made concurrently when applying to the University. Acceptance into the School of Nursing is based on (1) the strength of the student's academic background; (2) participation in extracurricular and work activities, especially related to community service and health care; and (3) the quality of the essay.
Transfer Admission
Internal Transfer
The University of Texas at Austin students currently enrolled in other departments who want to change majors to nursing are encouraged to attend a School of Nursing Internal Transfer Information Session. To be considered for change of major admission, the student must have completed CH X01 Principles of Chemistry I, SDS X02F Foundations of Data Analysis, and BIO X11C Introductory Biology I. Additionally, students should be on schedule to graduate within four years and have a University grade point average of 3.00. Internal transfer requests may be very competitive, and admission is offered only on a space-available basis. Interested students should consult The University of Texas at Austin policy for Transfer from One Division to Another within the General Information Catalog, as well as the School of Nursing website for current details about the transfer process and available information sessions.
External Transfer
All students who wish to transfer to the University from another institution must apply to the University Office of Admissions as described in the General Information Catalog. Transfer students must meet the same requirements as University students seeking admission to the School of Nursing and select nursing as their first choice major. To be considered for transfer admission to the School of Nursing, students must have completed 24 semester hours of transferable coursework and are advised to attend an information session. Transfer admission to the School of Nursing is competitive. Transfer applications are competitively reviewed, and admission is offered on a space-available basis. Since space is limited, applicants are strongly encouraged to indicate a second choice of major in case they are not admitted to the School of Nursing.
A student who wishes to transfer into the upper-division nursing coursework from another nursing school after starting nursing clinical or lab work must make an appointment with the School of Nursing, Office of Student Services for academic advising and transcript review. Students from other nursing schools must consult an advisor in the School of Nursing before applying for admission to the University. In addition to meeting the regular University admission requirements, the student must apply for admission to the School of Nursing. He or she must submit an official transcript from each institution attended, letters of recommendation from faculty members at the previous nursing school, and course information for all completed nursing courses. Requests to transfer into upper division at the School of Nursing are approved on a limited, space-available basis.
Transfer students must meet the same requirements as University students seeking admission to the professional sequence; however, they are considered for admission to the School of Nursing only if they are admitted to the University.
Accreditation
The baccalaureate program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and the Texas Board of Nursing.
Licensure as a Professional Nurse
Upon graduation from the BSN program, students seeking licensure as a registered nurse must register to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for licensure as a registered nurse. To ensure eligibility, the Texas Board of Nursing will rerun the criminal background check that was conducted prior to beginning the nursing program. In addition, students must meet all of the eligibility requirements for licensure as indicated by the Texas Board of Nursing. To determine eligibility, students should consult the Texas Board of Nursing website. Students with questions or concerns are encouraged to contact the Board of Nursing directly prior to enrollment in the nursing program and consult with the Assistant Dean for Student Services at the School of Nursing.
Objectives of the Bachelor’s Degree Program
The graduate of the baccalaureate program in nursing is expected to
- Demonstrate critical thinking to integrate knowledge from nursing, biological and behavioral sciences, and the humanities in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating nursing care.
- Apply critical thinking and clinical judgment within a problem solving process to safely meet the health care needs of individuals, families, aggregates, populations, and communities in a variety of settings.
- Exhibit personal responsibility and accountability for practicing nursing according to professional, ethical, and legal practice standards (e.g., Texas Nurse Practice Act, Texas Occupation Code).
- Participate in the delivery of health care through inter-professional collaboration, delegation, coordination, case management, and consultation.
- Participate in nursing and inter-professional efforts to improve the delivery of high quality, safe and culturally sensitive health care to diverse individuals, families, aggregates, populations, and communities.
- Demonstrate core professional values to complement continued personal and professional growth.
- Critically appraise and apply research findings to demonstrate evidence-based nursing practice.
- Analyze health policy and its effects on diverse individuals, families, aggregates, populations, communities, and health agencies.
- Integrate information and health care technology in nursing practice, administration, education, and research.
- Utilize leadership skills to advance the profession of nursing and promote continuous improvement of the health care delivery system.