Nursing, B.S.N.

Admission and Progression in the Pre-nursing Curriculum

Admission and Progression in the Upper-division Nursing Curriculum

Nursing  
615-898-4803
Jenny Sauls, program director
Nursinginfo@mtsu.edu

The Nursing Program consists of four academic years. Students enter the program as pre-nursing majors and must complete the first three semesters of a pre-nursing curriculum consisting of General Education courses and nursing prerequisites. Students then apply for admission to the last five semesters which include 72 semester hours of upper-division nursing courses. When a student applies for admission to the last five semesters and is accepted and becomes enrolled, he/she is then classified as a Nursing major. The number of students accepted into the nursing courses is limited, making the application process competitive.

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are awarded the B.S.N. and become eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for Registered Nurse (RN) licensure.

Pre-nursing students enrolled in the University and pursuing the first three semesters of the curriculum should maintain a minimum 3.00 cumulative grade point average and are required to earn no less than a C (2.00) in most prerequisite courses. Pre-nursing students are expected to earn no less than a B (3.00) in all prerequisite Biology courses. Nursing clinicals may be offered in evening, night, or weekend shifts. Nursing students must commit to no less than 40 hours a week of time toward academics.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and resulting inaccessibility of the HESI Exam, the HESI requirement will be waived for Spring 2021 and Fall 2021 School of Nursing application cycles. The application deadline for these cycles are October 1, 2020 and February 1, 2021, respectively. Grade and GPA requirements are still the same.

Admission and Progression in the Pre-nursing Curriculum

1. Any student formally admitted to the University may pursue the pre-nursing curriculum.
2. Pre-nursing students are expected to seek advising from the academic advisor for nursing each semester to ensure the proper sequence for program completion.
3. Pre-nursing students seeking admission have three pathways:
   1. Freshman Admission as a High School Health Science Scholar
   2. Freshman Candidacy
   3. Academic Candidacy
4. Students not admitted as freshman are eligible to apply via Academic Candidacy.

Admission and Progression in the Upper-division Nursing Curriculum

All freshman admissions to the Nursing major meeting progression requirements will be admitted to upper-division nursing. All other students with a composite score of 7.75 or higher will be admitted. Students with less than 7.75 composite will be admitted pending space availability.

For further information about the composite score, see the BSN Program Admission, Progression, and Retention Policy.

Freshman High School Health Science Scholars

First-time freshmen who graduate from an approved High School Health Science Program and meet the following criteria are guaranteed admission. Applicants must

1. submit a letter of recommendation for admission to nursing from a high school health science teacher;
2. attain a high school GPA (per the TN Uniform Grading Policy) of 3.50 (GPA calculation used is the same as for the Hope Scholarship); and
3. achieve a minimum ACT score of 23 or SAT equivalent.

Freshman Candidacy

First-time freshmen who do not meet criteria for admission as High School Health Science Scholars but meet the following criteria are guaranteed admission. Applicants must

1. attain a high school GPA (per the TN Uniform Grading Policy) of 3.50 (GPA calculation used is the same as for the Hope Scholarship);
2. attain a minimum ACT score of 23 or SAT equivalent; and
3. earn a ‘B’ or better in all high school science courses to include chemistry and biology.

All Applicants

1. An online application must be on file in the School of Nursing by published application deadlines.
2. Transcript validation of all prerequisite courses must be on file in the MTSU Records Office by published application deadlines.
3. At least one biology grade must be posted by application deadline.
4. Applicants must have no grade less than a C (2.00) in any prerequisite and General Education course with the exception of Human Anatomy and Physiology I, Human Anatomy and Physiology II, and Microbiology in Disease which requires a B (3.00) by the end of Summer Term (for those entering in Fall Semester), or by the end of Fall Semester (for those entering in Spring Semester).
5. Scores from a standardized examination along with the inclusive (MTSU and transfer) college grade point average will be used to calculate a composite score and to rank candidates for progression to upper division. To be considered for admission to upper-division nursing, a minimum GPA of 3.00 and a minimum Entrance Exam composite score of 75 is required as well as a 75 minimum subscore on each of the following components of the HESI standardized entrance exam: a. Mathematics; b. Biology; c. Chemistry; d. Anatomy and Physiology.
6. Students will be asked to present evidence of physical and/or mental health prior to or at any time during their enrollment in the nursing courses. Students must be physically, emotionally, and cognitively able to meet the criteria required for clinical skills. Students must be able to perform clinical skills without physical or psychological threat to themselves or others. Students who have chronic health problems which are controlled and which do not put themselves or others in danger are eligible to be considered for admission.
7. Faculty reserves the right to determine each student’s eligibility to participate in clinical rotations based upon satisfactory preparation, meeting School of Nursing and clinical agency’s policies, and performance at a safe level of practice. If any of these are not satisfactory, faculty may give a student an unsatisfactory grade and ask a student to leave the clinical agency for the day.
8. Students with infectious diseases will not be permitted to participate in clinical experiences. Causes for clinical absences must be cleared with the instructor and reported to the clinical agency before the clinical experience is to begin. Unexcused absences will be counted as unsatisfactory clinical performance.
9. Students must attain a minimum grade of B (3.00) in all theory courses as well as a “pass” in each corresponding lab/clinical course.
10. Students will be dismissed from the Nursing major if they
    1. commit a breach of ethics or gross professional negligence, or
    2. use mind-altering drugs or alcohol when engaged in any nursing activity in or outside of class,
    3. fail to make a ‘B’ or better in all upper-division courses. One repeat is allowed.
    4. fail two or more courses in the same semester;
    5. fail to progress due to unsuccessful attainment of requirements. Students who fail to progress will be readmitted on a space-available basis. Only one readmission for failure to progress will be allowed.
    6. violate the student honor code.
11. If a student fails a nursing course at MTSU, he/she must repeat that course at MTSU.
12. Students from other nursing programs will not be admitted.
13. Students are allowed to withdraw from nursing courses one (1) time only.
14. A student may apply to the program a total of two (2) times.
15. The specific details regarding admission and progression are available online in the document BSN Program Admission, Progression, and Retention Policy..