The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program develops a student to become a professional nurse who is prepared to practice in many settings, across the lifespan, and with diverse populations, and whose practice is based upon nursing science and related arts and sciences. Graduates of the program are qualified for the role of a baccalaureate prepared generalist nurse as described by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN for licensure as a registered nurse.

Admission Requirements

Graduates from an accredited high school/secondary school with a record indicating high potential to succeed in nursing school will be considered for admission into this program. This includes:

  • Completion of the following high school coursework:
    • 4 units (20 credits) in English
    • 3 units (15 credits) in Mathematics
    • 3 units (15 credits) in Science, including 1 unit (5 credits) Biology w/Lab
    • 2 units (10 credits) in Social Studies/History
  • High school GPA of 3.0 or higher.

FDU Students Interested in Changing Major into the Nursing Program

Nursing curricula will begin in the fall semester of sophomore year for students who change their major to the nursing program. Students can apply/process the change of major form after meeting the following requirements:

  • Completion of all first-year courses in Sciences, Math, Writing, and University Core (see academic program plan below)
  • Cumulative GPA of 2.67 or higher
  • Repeat of any Science and Math course only once, and achievement of a grade of B-

NOTES

  • Science labs must have been taken in-person.
  • A 4-credit general chemistry or higher-level chemistry course, with in-person lab, and earned grade of B- or higher in both lecture and lab, can substitute for CHEM1107/1117.  Introduction to Chemistry is not a sufficient substitution.
  • Statistics course must include descriptive and inferential statistics. Introduction to Statistics is not a sufficient substitution. Course can be confirmed using NJTransfer against FDU benchmarks of PSYC2210, MATH2335/2337, or higher level.
  • Students must achieve a grade of C (74+) in all general education courses, electives, and major electives, to receive credit toward the BSN degree. Students who apply for change of major into the Nursing Program will not be deferred because of a lower grade in such courses (as long as other criteria are met) but will need to repeat the course to receive credit toward the degree.

Curriculum

BSN General Education Requirements* (43 credits)

  • Written & Oral Communication (9 credits) 
    • WRIT1002 Composition I: Rhetoric and Inquiry
    • WRIT1003 Composition II: Research and Argument
    • MEDT2005 Professional Communication
  • Information and Technological Literacy (3 credits) 
    • Select from GenEd options
  • Ethical Reasoning (3 credits) 
  • Global and Cultural Understanding (6 credits) 
  • Scientific and Quantitative Analysis (8 credits)
  • Social and Behavioral Analysis (6 credits)
    • Social Science: Select from GenEd options
    • Behavioral Science: Select from GenEd options 
  • Inquiry in the Arts & Humanities (6 credits)
    • Creative & Expressive Arts: Select from GenEd options
    • Humanities: Select from GenEd options
  • University Core (2 credits)
    • UNIV1001 Transitioning to University Life
    • UNIV1002 Preparing for Professional Life
  •  

BSN Major Requirements (68 credits)

Elective Requirements (9 credits)

  • Electives in the major (minimum 6 credits – select from NURS or MEDT courses)
  • Free electives (up to 3 credits)

Academic Program Plan:                              Four-Year Plan 

NURS didactic courses are routinely scheduled with weekly synchronous lecture or recitation sessions (including both Zoom and in-person synchronous sessions). Because of the volume of content in these courses, online accessibility to a recording is provided, where possible, so students can review the material.  Use of asynchronous attendance in lieu of asynchronous attendance, as a primary strategy, is not advised. Rather, asynchronous viewing is for students who have an occasional academic conflict or are ill. Optimal success is associated with synchronous attendance, when it is offered, in NURS/MEDT didactic courses.

**Accuplacer reading/writing scores and math assessment scores will determine which reading/writing and math courses first time, first year students will take.  Those with reading/writing placement scores below the standards must complete courses in prerequisite skills (e.g., WRIT 1000, WRIT 1001, READ 1000). Those with math placement scores below the standards must complete courses in prerequisite skills (e.g., MATH 0298, MATH 1100).  These courses are applied toward free electives or are non-credit-bearing.  This requirement applies to all first time, first year students, even if they have been accepted into the BSN Program Track. 

1st Semester (15 credits)

  • WRIT1002 Composition I: Rhetoric & Inquiry* (3 cr)
  • BIOL2203/BIOL2223 Human Anatomy and Physiology I + Lab* [must pass to progress] (4 cr)
  • CHEM1107/CHEM1117 Chemistry for Health Sciences + Lab [must pass to progress] (4 cr)
  • UNIV1001 Transitioning to University Life* (1 cr)
  • Social Science* OR Behavioral Science* OR Information and Technological Literacy*: Select from GenEd options (3 cr)

2nd Semester (16 credits)

  • WRIT1003 Composition II: Research & Argument* (3 cr)
  • BIOL2125/BIOL2126 Microbiology for Health Sciences & Lab [must pass to progress] (4 cr) 
  • BIOL2204/BIOL2224 Human Anatomy and Physiology II & Lab [must pass to progress] (4 cr)
  • Select from: MATH1105 College Algebra; OR MATH1107 Precalculus; OR MATH1201 Calculus I; OR MATH1203 Calculus I* [must pass to progress] (4 cr)
  • UNIV1002 Preparing for Professional Life* (1 cr)

3rd Semester (16 credits)

  • NURS2500/NURS2501 Foundations of Nursing I (3 cr)
  • Social Science* OR Behavioral Science* OR Information and Technological Literacy*: Select from GenEd options (3 cr)
  • NURS2550/NURS2551 Comprehensive Health Assessment (4 cr)
  • MEDT2210 Pathophysiology (3 cr)
  • UNIV2001 Cross-Cultural Perspectives* (3 cr)

4th Semester (15 credits)

  • NURS2600/NURS2601 Foundations of Nursing II (3 cr)
  • NURS2007 Pharmacotherapeutics (3 cr)
  • UNIV2002 Global Issues* (3 cr)
  • Creative & Expressive Arts* OR Humanities*: Select from GenEd options (3 cr)
  • Social Science* OR Behavioral Science* OR Information and Technological Literacy*: Select from GenEd options (3 cr) 

5th Semester (16 credits)

  • NURS3500/NURS3501 Nursing Management of Adults I (5 cr)
  • NURS3550/NURS3551 Nursing Management of Psychosocial Problems (5 cr)
  • MEDT2005 Professional Communication* (3 cr)
  • Creative & Expressive Arts: Select from GenEd options* OR Humanities: Select from GenEd options* (3 cr)

6th Semester (16 credits)

  • NURS3600/NURS3601 Nursing Management of Women, Newborn, and Families (5 cr)
  • NURS3650/NURS3651 Nursing Management of Children & Families (5 cr)
  • MEDT2217 Information Systems and Applications in Healthcare (3 cr)
  • Major Elective (3 cr)

7th Semester (12 credits)

  • MEDT3204 Social Determinants of Health (3 cr)
  • STATISTICS: Select either MATH1133 Applied Statistics OR PSYC2210 Psychological Statistics (3 cr)
  • MEDT4430 Utilization of Healthcare Research (3 cr)
  • Major Elective (3 cr)

8th Semester (14 credits)

  • NURS4600/NURS4601 Nursing Management of Adults II (5 cr)
  • NURS4460 Prep for Success (3 cr)
  • MEDT1130 Bioethics* (3 cr)
  • Elective (3 cr)                                                                                                 

Academic Program Plan:                                Three-Year “Accelerated” Plan

There is a growing interest among traditional four-year program students to complete the BSN degree requirements in a shorter period of time. The purpose of this “accelerated” plan is to establish a program pathway for high-achieving students to complete the Nursing BSN program in three years.  BSN students who seek to enter the three-year accelerated pathway should inquire with their CAASS advisor during the Spring Priority Registration Period of their freshman year. Students CANNOT be approved to enter this pathway until freshman Fall grades are posted.  In addition, students are required to consult with a financial aid counselor to discuss the impact of the three-year accelerated plan on their financial package before beginning the spring semester. 

Requirements for Entering the Three-Year “Accelerated” Program Plan:

  • Successful completion of all first semester BSN program courses.
  • Acknowledgement of the financial implications of the accelerated program plan.
  • Acknowledgement that the need to repeat a course while on the accelerated program pathway will require return to a traditional program pathway.

1st Semester (15 credits, Fall 1) – SAME AS 4-YEAR PATHWAY

  • WRIT1002 Composition I: Rhetoric & Inquiry* (3 cr)
  • BIOL2203/BIOL2223 Human Anatomy and Physiology I + Lab* (4 cr)
  • CHEM1107/CHEM1117 Chemistry for Health Sciences + Lab (4 cr)
  • UNIV1001 Transitioning to University Life* (1 cr)
  • Information and Technological Literacy*: Select from GenEd options (3 cr)

2nd Semester (15 credits, Spring 1)

3rd Semester (10 credits, Summer 1)

  • BIOL2125/BIOL2126 Microbiology for Health Sciences & Lab [must pass to progress] (4 cr) 
  • Social Science* OR Behavioral Science*: Select from GenEd options (3 cr)
  • UNIV2001 Cross-Cultural Perspectives* (3 cr)

4th Semester (16 credits, Fall 2)

5th Semester (15 credits, Spring 2)

  • NURS2600/NURS2601 Foundations of Nursing II (3 cr)
  • STATISTICS: Select either MATH1133 Applied Statistics OR PSYC2210 Psychological Statistics (3 cr)
  • MEDT4430 Utilization of Healthcare Research (3 cr)
  • MEDT1130 Bioethics* (3 cr)
  • Major Elective (3 cr)

6th Semester (9 credits, Summer 2)

  • Social Science* OR Behavioral Science*: Select from GenEd options (3 cr) 
  • Creative & Expressive Arts: Select from GenEd options* OR Humanities: Select from GenEd options* (3 cr)
  • Major Elective (3 cr)

7th Semester (16 credits, Fall 3)

  • MEDT3204 Social Determinants of Health (3 cr)
  • NURS3500/NURS3501 Nursing Management of Adults I (5 cr)
  • NURS3550/NURS3551 Nursing Management of Psychosocial Problems (5 cr)
  • Creative & Expressive Arts* OR Humanities*: Select from GenEd options (3 cr)

8th Semester (16 credits, Spring 3)

  • NURS3600/NURS3601 Nursing Management of Women, Newborn, and Families (5 cr)
  • NURS3650/NURS3651 Nursing Management of Children & Families (5 cr)
  • MEDT2217 Information Systems and Applications in Healthcare (3 cr)
  • Elective (3 cr)       

9th Semester (8 credits, Summer 3)

 

To Apply for the BSN Program:

Apply for undergraduate nursing programs at https://fdu.elluciancrmrecruit.com/Apply/Account/Login

 
Contact Information
Dr. Sylvia Cabassa (Director, Entry-Level Nursing Program)
scabassa@fdu.edu
(201) 692-2880