Knowing what university requirements are or getting to grips with them can be confusing at times, especially for those who don’t have any prior knowledge of them in the first place. Getting the right information on them might not be quite as straightforward as you think it should be.
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- Prerequisite Grade Point Average (GPA) for Nursing
- A combined minimum GPA of 3.0 is required
- A grade of ‘C’ or better is required in all prerequisites
- All prerequisite courses must be complete at the time of application
- Last 60 Grade Point Average (GPA)
- A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required – for all graded postsecondary coursework
- A Non-Nursing Bachelor-Level (or Higher) Degree
- Must be complete by May 17, 2021 (first day of summer term)
- Students may complete both the College of Nursing & GradApp Applications while the degree is in progress
- HESI Admissions Assessment Exam (HESI A2)
- Minimum score of 75 is required
- Required sections for 2021 cohort: Math, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Grammar
- Required sections for 2022 cohort and beyond: Math, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Biology
- Behavioral Interview
- Minimum score of 70% is required
Students applying for professional admission to the Master of Science for Entry to the Profession of Nursing (MEPN) program must first have taken a number of Prerequisite Courses.
- General Chemistry – lectures (2 semesters) and lab (1 lab minimum)
- Human Anatomy and Physiology – lectures (2 semesters) and labs (2 semesters)
- Microbiology – lecture (1 semester)
- Statistics (1 semester)
- Lifespan Development (1 semester)
- Nutrition (1 semester)
University Of Arizona Pre-Nursing Major
The pre-professional nursing major is designed for students who intend to apply for admission to our Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. Pre-nursing majors will receive extra support from the University of Arizona College of Nursing while they are enrolled in preparatory coursework. Students typically apply for admission to our upper-division BSN program at the end of their second year. While eligible students are encouraged to declare the pre-nursing major, any student who meets the admission requirements is eligible to apply to the BSN program.
The pre-nursing major is comprised of University of Arizona general education courses and prerequisite courses that will prepare students for upper-division nursing curriculum. In addition to courses, pre-nursing students will have access to a variety of resources as they prepare to apply to the BSN program.
Pre-Nursing Requirements for First-Year Students
Incoming first-year students are admitted to the pre-nursing major (via the UA Undergraduate Admissions Application) based on certain criteria. Due to COVID-19 related closures, the College of Nursing will suspend the use of test scores (ACT/SAT) for admissions considerations.
For the entering class of summer & fall 2023, the sole admissions criteria will be a 3.75 unweighted high school cumulative GPA
Pre-Nursing Requirements for Transfer Students
Transfer students are admitted to the major if they have an earned a 3.4 cumulative GPA on all transfer coursework. This would primarily benefit students who still have general education and prerequisite coursework to complete at the UA. It is not necessary to declare the pre-nursing major if a student is ready to apply for admission to the BSN program.
All students interested in the pre-nursing major must select a second choice major upon application to the UA. Incoming first-year students and transfer students who do not meet the eligibility requirements are placed into their second choice major. Eligibility is determined based on the Undergraduate Admissions Application and the criteria stated above. Students may still work towards admission to the BSN program while in another major at the UA.
Pre-Nursing Requirements for Current UA Students
Current UA students with a minimum 3.4 GPA based on 12 or more units taken at the UA.
Current UA students interested in declaring the pre-nursing major must attend an information session, after which, they will be reviewed for eligibility for the major by an advisor. The schedule for information sessions is available here
University Of Arizona BSN Program Prerequisites
Students applying for professional admission to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program must first have taken a number of Prerequisite Courses and have met General Education and University Foundation Requirements. All of these requirements will be achieved by students who complete our Pre-Professional Nursing Program
- First Year Composition Sequence
- One year General Chemistry (2 lectures and 1 lab) OR one semester Allied Health Chemistry (1 lecture and 1 lab; please contact an advisor regarding this option)
- One year Human Anatomy & Physiology (2 semesters including lectures and laboratories)
- One semester Introductory Biology (lecture only)
- One semester Microbiology (lecture only)
- One semester Statistics
- One semester Lifespan Development
- One semester Nutrition
All prerequisites must be completed with a grade of C or better. The minimum prerequisite GPA (calculated based on this list) for admission consideration is a 3.0. Descriptions of these courses can be found in the UA Academic Catalog.
Prerequisite Course Evaluation Procedure
In-State Coursework from Public Institutions
For courses taken at a public institution in Arizona (state university or community college), students may download the Arizona Course Equivalency Chart, which includes the exact courses that are acceptable for prerequisite transferability.
Out-of-State Coursework and In-State Private Institutions
Pre-established equivalencies can be searched and viewed on the University of Arizona’s Transfer Credit Guide. If a course does not appear in this guide students will need to submit a course equivalency request to the Office of Transfer Credit & Articulation.
General Education Requirements
- Building Connections (3 courses at 3 credits each)
- Exploring Perspectives Artist (1 course at 3 credits each)
- Exploring Perspectives Humanist (1 course at 3 credits)
The University of Arizona has additional degree requirements for General Education for Bachelor of Science candidates. Please refer to the UA Academic Catalog for specific details.
University Of Arizona Nursing Admissions
It is your responsibility to verify all required documentation is received by the appropriate deadlines. Please contact the Office of Student & Academic Affairs in the College of Nursing to update any changes in your information. Incomplete applications will not be considered for admission.
Prerequisite Grade Point Average (GPA) for Nursing
- A combined minimum GPA of 3.0 is required
- A grade of ‘C’ or better is required in all prerequisites
- Two courses may be in-progress at the time of application
Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA)
- A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for all graded postsecondary coursework
HESI A2 Registration Instructions and FAQ
- Minimum score of 75 is required
- Required Sections: Math, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Biology
- Testing locations depending on COVID, please click hyperlink above for up-to-date details.
Behavioral Interview
- Minimum score of 70% is required
Admission to the University of Arizona – Undergraduate Admissions
- As an applicant, you do not need to be admitted to the university as an undergraduate degree-seeking student prior to applying to the BSN program. However, applicants selected for admission (if not currently a university student) will need to complete the Undergraduate Admission application prior to enrolling in the Nursing program.
- Students are recommended to apply as a Pre-Professional Nursing student.
Nursing Competitive Admission Process
- Applications for each cycle open approximately two months before the deadline. Students must apply through NursingCAS.
HESI Admissions Assessment
Your highest score earned for the combined four sections taken in a single attempt will be utilized. The test must be taken by the date of application and any scores are valid for one year. For more information, see the HESI hyperlink above under “Evaluation of Application”
GPA Calculations
All attempts at courses you take are calculated into cumulative GPA calculations unless they are removed through an official grade replacement process. For Prerequisite GPA calculation, we utilize the highest grade earned. All courses must be from regionally accredited institutions of higher education.
In-Progress Coursework
You are allowed two prerequisite courses to be in-progress at the time of the application deadline. All courses in-progress at the time of application must be completed with a grade of ‘C’ or better and students must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA in both cumulative and prerequisite areas. Courses must be complete and official transcripts must be available showing course completion by June 1 (for fall start), January 1 (for spring start), March 30 (for summer start) if offered admission. If you are repeating a course at the time of application, you cannot report it as in-progress; you must use the previously earned grade until a new grade is earned.
Interviews
A virtual behavioral interview is required as part of the NursingCAS application. Applicants must be complete their interview in order to fully submit their application.
Holistic Experiences (optional)
- Healthcare Experience
- Licensed healthcare experience (CNA, EMT, etc.)
- Family caregiver
- Direct patient care
- Service
- Military
- Peace Corps
- Scholarship
- Graduate with honors (Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, etc.)
- Honors College student
- Health related project or internship
- Volunteer
- Community
- Education
- Hospital/Clinic Volunteer
- Leadership
- Sports
- Clubs
- Residence Life
- Student Government
- Greek Organizations
- SI Leader
- Preceptor
- Employment
Letters of recommendation or personal statements are not necessary for holistic admission but random audits will be performed on the experiences reported. The College of Nursing will collect the information from transcripts, employers, and short statements included in the application.
Transfer Courses and Evaluations
When transferring from another institution, you must have semester equivalent coursework from a regionally accredited institution of higher education. In addition, there are a few parameters to consider regarding transfer credit evaluations:
- To view applicable transfer courses, please visit the University of Arizona’s Transfer Credit Guide. If a course does not appear in this guide, students will need to submit a course equivalency request to the Office of Transfer Credit & Articulation.
In addition, there are a few parameters to consider regarding transfer credit evaluations:
- Courses more than 10 years old are difficult to evaluate – please reach out to a nursing advisor about the course(s) specifically to examine eligibility for application use.
- A full syllabus, dated within 2-3 years of when you took the course, is necessary for evaluation. International syllabi must also be translated.
- Both the College of Nursing and the larger UA Articulation office cannot waive or override the need for a course equivalency evaluation.
- Please review the nursing prerequisite page for your program to review additional requirements for prerequisite coursework.
Quarter System Courses
If you attended an institution on the quarter system, you will need to multiply the quarter hours by .667 to convert to semester hours.
- 5 Quarter Hours = 3.33 Semester Hours – acceptable for any 4 Semester Hour course
- 4 Quarter Hours = 2.66 Semester Hours – acceptable for any 3 Semester Hour course
Prior Nursing Program Disclosure
If you have attended, but not graduated, from another nursing professional program a letter from the Nursing program administration must be included in the application. This includes attendance at any associates, nursing assistant, licensed profession nursing, bachelor’s or master’s pre-licensure programs. The letter must include all of the following information: institution, program name/type, dates of attendance, reason for non-completion and a statement indicating if there were any behavioral or clinical safe practice concerns.
- International Admission
When applying to the university as an international student, you will need to review the admission requirements and obtain admission through International Admissions. - International Coursework Evaluation
Coursework taken outside the United States must be evaluated and translated by a NACES member. Please see the International Admissions page for additional details. As the course evaluation process can take additional time, we recommend you begin the evaluation process and secure international transcripts as early as possible.
- Degree Requirements
You are strongly recommended to have all University Foundation and General Education requirements completed before starting the professional program to ensure timely completion of the program. - Clinical Compliance
Students admitted to the College of Nursing BSN pathways (Conventional or Integrative Health) will be required to complete and maintain Clinical Compliance requirements throughout the program.
University Foundation Requirements
- English Composition (1-2 semesters, depending on placement)
- Math – College Algebra or higher math course
- Second Language – student must demonstrate second semester proficiency by either:
- The completion of two semesters of the same second language OR
- A proctored proficiency exam, testing at second-semester level
Student Responsibility
The College of Nursing expects all students to act responsibly in their academic performance. As a competitive program, the college holds its students to the highest academic standards. Students are responsible for the academic information that is shared with them during Orientation, that is sent out via email, that is listed on this website, and that is shared with them through other outlets. Students are also expected to act with academic integrity in the classroom and beyond.
Registration Dates and Deadlines
The College of Nursing adheres to the registration dates and deadlines as determined by the Registrar’s Office each semester. Students are expected to be aware of their class schedules and the posted dates and deadlines. Effective Fall 2014, students are able to withdraw from courses through the tenth week of the semester. Beyond this posted deadline, the College of Nursing does not support late registration requests, except in the most extreme situations. Please contact your Academic Advisor for more information.
Late Withdrawal Requests
There is no formal petition process for late change or late withdrawal requests. If you feel that you have extenuating circumstances, please speak with your Academic Advisor. Academic advising services are offered in College of Nursing room 112.
Academic Probation and Disqualification
Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 to be in Academic Good Standing at the University. Students who fall below 2.0 will be on Academic Probation, and must raise their cumulative GPA to at least 2.0 by the end of the very next semester in order to continue as a student in the College of Nursing. Students who do not achieve a 2.0 Cumulative GPA by the end of the very next semester will be removed from the College of Nursing and may also face University Academic Disqualification.
Students on Academic Probation are expected to participate in the UA Wildcat Track program. Students who do not participate in the Wildcat Track program as part of their academic probation may not be eligible to continue in the pre-nursing major.
Petitions
The College of Nursing supports and adheres to the University policies as set forth in the Academic Catalog. If a student believes that they deserve redress or exception to a university policy, they can explore a University General Petition. To discuss the General Petition requirements and initiate the process, students should contact their College of Nursing academic advisors.
Top Nursing Schools in Arizona
Each school has its own benefits and drawbacks. So, depending on what your short and long term nursing goals are, one school can easily seem better than the rest. So, it’s best to compare each school to determine the best fit for your needs. Several of the schools on the list do not offer traditional BSN degrees but have exception ADN offerings or RN to BSN programs.
With that in mind, we consider these to be the best schools in Arizona, ranked in no particular order:
1. Northern Arizona University
Annual In-State Tuition: $11,024| NCLEX Pass Rate: 94.34%
Traditional: Yes
Online: Yes
Accelerated: Yes
Bridge: Yes
Before applying to Northern Arizona University’s BSN program, it’s important to know that this is a four and a half year program, meaning nine semesters of study. However, NAU allows nursing students to study via one of their four programs located across the northern part of Arizona. Even with such versatility, NAU still boasts an impressive NCLEX pass rate for graduates of the program. Maybe that extra semester is a good thing!
NAU also offers a variety of other BSN options unique to its nursing program including,
- American Indian Program: Admits 10 students each fall semester. It is dedicated to giving priority to Native American students who are members of federally recognized tribes.
- Concurrent Enrollment Program: For students pursuing an associate’s degree in nursing
- Mid-AAS: Work on your BSN degree while mid-way through your associates RN licensure
2. Arizona College of Nursing
Annual Tuition: $13,200 | NCLEX Pass Rate: 91.95%
Traditional: Yes
Online: No
Accelerated: No
Bridge: Yes
Arizona College has multiple locations across multiple states (8 in fact!), but nursing students will likely study at their Tempe location. The highlight of Arizona College’s BSN program is that it’s accelerated and should be finished in just three years. After finishing, Arizona College says students will be more than prepared for the NCLEX (and they have a good pass rate for recent grads). Considering the abbreviated program, the price for this school can be much lower than expected, and you can start your nursing career even sooner.
Arizona College’s tuition rates are not affected by student residency. Programs can also be found in Florida, Missouri, Nevada, Texas, Utah, and Virgina.
3. Arizona State University
Annual In-State Tuition: $12,698 | NCLEX Pass Rate: 88.39%
Traditional: Yes
Online: Yes
Accelerated: No
Bridge: Yes
Arizona State University has a national reputation as a party school and football powerhouse, but the sizable public school also has a local reputation for being an excellent place to earn an education. Nursing students will have four different options to earn their BSN, although most will probably choose the traditional four-year program. The nursing program also features a 45,000-square-foot nationally accredited state-of-the-art simulation center where students will get to practice their nursing skills. In terms of cost and success, this could easily be the best school for current Arizona residents. Also, students will get to enjoy Tempe in their free time. Not bad!
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