The UMSL College of Nursing is committed to admitting a diverse group of students who will become nurse leaders responsive to the specific needs of the communities and populations we serve. We value diversity, intellectual discourse and rigor, caring, professionalism, mutual respect and support, innovation, collaboration, and transparency. Applicants will be selected using inclusive and balanced admission criteria that measure their potential in nursing practice, education, research, and scholarship. We measure our success by graduates who become lifelong learners and leaders in their communities and in the profession of nursing.
Applicants to the accelerated nursing clinical program will be holistically reviewed using criteria such as GPA, academic performance in required pre-nursing courses, a personal statement, an essay, extra-curricular activities, honors, award recognitions, leadership roles, and work/volunteer experiences.
Clinical Admission Criteria: Accelerated BSN
Clinical track spaces are limited and are awarded to qualified students on a competitive basis. Only students who submit the required clinical application by the appropriate deadline will be considered. Applicants must meet the following minimum criteria in order to be considered for clinical admission. Please note that meeting the following minimum criteria does not guarantee that a student will earn a clinical space in the Accelerated Option.
- Admission to the University by completing the UMSL Undergraduate Application
- Transcripts from all previous institutions
- A bachelor’s or graduate degree
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 (including all transferable courses)
- Grade of B- or higher within 5 years of clinical enrollment in the following courses: Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology I, Anatomy & Physiology II, Microbiology, Human Growth and Development.
- Grade of C- or higher in all prerequisite courses except in the case of the above-listed science courses
- Completion of the Accelerated BSN Program Supplemental Application
Note: Admission criteria are subject to change.
General Education Course Requirements
General Education Course Requirements for Students with a Bachelor’s Degree
Students must have a Bachelor’s Degree or a graduate degree to be admitted to the Accelerated BSN program. Students must also have completed the following courses with a grade of B- or higher within 5 years of clinical enrollment.
| BIOL 1131 | Human Physiology and Anatomy I | 4 |
| BIOL 1141 | Human Physiology and Anatomy II | 4 |
| BIOL 1162 | General Microbiology | 3 |
| CHEM 1052 | Chemistry for the Health Professions (MOTR CHEM 100) | 4 |
| MATH 1105 | Basic Probability and Statistics (or equivalent) | 3 |
| PSYCH 2268 | Lifespan Developmental Psychology (MOTR PSYC 200) | 3 |
Nursing Course Requirements
PRE-LICENSURE: Accelerated Option
| NURSE 3005 | Introduction to Professional Nursing | 3 |
| NURSE 3015 | Professional Nursing Concepts and Practice | 6 |
| NURSE 3035 | Health Assessment and Promotion | 3 |
| NURSE 3055 | Foundations of Nursing Pharmacotherapeutic Concepts | 3 |
| NURSE 3065 | Professional Nursing Adult and Elder Care I | 5 |
| NURSE 3075 | Professional Nursing Mental Health | 5 |
| NURSE 4015 | Professional Nursing Adult & Elder Care II | 5 |
| NURSE 4035 | Nursing Care of Children: Infancy to Adolescence | 4 |
| NURSE 4045 | Nursing Care of the Childbearing Patient-Family System | 4 |
| NURSE 4105 | Professional Nursing Leadership and Synthesis | 8 |
| NURSE 4125 | Community Nursing and Public Health | 5 |
| NURSE 4135 | Evidence-Based Practice: Integration of Research in Professional Nursing | 2 |
| Total Hours | 53 | |
All undergraduate nursing students must have access to transportation to their clinical practice experiences. Students must provide their own transportation to and from clinical agencies, which may be scheduled throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area, including Jefferson County and Illinois. Students who must use public transportation must inform their Program Director.
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (Pass/Fail) Grading
Undergraduate nursing majors may not take required prerequisite general education or nursing courses on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
Credit by Transfer Examination
Credit may be granted for selected general studies. Please contact an advisor for information.
Latin Honors Requirements
In accordance with the University's Latin Honors policy, candidates graduating from the College of Nursing in the 2020-2021 Academic Year must meet the following GPA qualifications:
| Summa Cum Laude | 3.966 | |
| Magna Cum Laude | 3.891 | |
| Cum Laude | 3.751 |
Learning Outcomes
- Integrate into practice theories and evidence-based concepts from nursing, the arts, sciences, and humanities to provide comprehensive nursing care in a variety of settings.
- Integrate clinical reasoning and problem solving in professional practice.
- Administer culturally competent, compassionate, holistic care to promote healthy outcomes for diverse individuals, families, communities, and populations during all life phases.
- Use evidence-based practices to promote health, manage illness, and prevent injury among individuals, families, communities, and populations.
- Utilize communication skills to enhance relationships with patients and families and collaboration among members of the health care team.
- Assume responsibility and accountability for decisions and actions based on professional intrapersonal values, ethical and legal obligations, standards of practice, social justice, and economics.
- Integrate principles of health education, management, leadership, quality care, and patient safety when organizing, coordinating, and engaging in professional practice.
- Demonstrate knowledge of health care policies and finance in a regulatory environment and their influence on health care access and quality.
- Exhibit motivation and self-direction in activities that contribute to lifelong personal, professional, and intellectual development.
- Utilize health care technology and information management systems to promote quality care and patient safety.
Sample Plan of Study
This plan assumes that a student has completed all prerequisites for admission.
Prerequisite courses: 62-63 credit hours
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
| N/A | N/A | NURSE 3120 | 7 | ||
| NURSE 3820 | 5 | ||||
| NURSE 3121 | 3 | ||||
| 0 | 0 | 15 | |||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
| NURSE 3341 | 1.5 | NURSE 3350 | 5 | NURSE 4520 | 2 |
| NURSE 3340 | 2.5 | NURSE 3360 | 5 | NURSE 4521 | 2 |
| NURSE 3331 | 3 | NURSE 3361 | 3 | NURSE 4530 | 4 |
| NURSE 3330 | 5 | NURSE 3351 | 3 | NURSE 4531 | 4 |
| NURSE 3804 | 3 | ||||
| 15 | 16 | 12 | |||
| Total Hours: 58 | |||||
PLEASE NOTE: This plan is an example of what an academic plan could look like for a typical student. Placement exam scores in math as well as the completion of coursework may change the plan. It should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor. All requirements are subject to change.