Declaring the Major | Progressing in the Major
Description of the Major
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (B.S.N.) prepares undergraduate students to be professional nurses and leads to eligibility to take the National Certification and Licensure Exam (NCLEX) to become a registered nurse (R.N.). During your first two years of study, you will take foundational courses in biology, chemistry, math, nutrition, and psychology as well as a practicum course on nursing fundamentals. The third and fourth year curriculum consists of in-depth study in specialty areas of nursing and provides hands-on experience in a variety of health care settings. The JMU Nursing program is fully accredited by the Commission for Collegiate Nursing Education and approved by the Virginia Board of Nursing.
Degrees Offered
B.S.N.
Concentrations
None
Minors
None
Declaring the Major
New Freshmen and Transfer Students
Declare the nursing major when you register for orientation and complete a supplemental application which can be found on the Nursing Departmental website.
Currently Enrolled Major Changers
Complete a "Change or Declaration of Major” form and submit it to the Nursing department head in the Health and Human Services building, room 2124 and complete a supplemental application which can be found on the nursing department Web site.
Students are admitted to the major at Stage I or Stage II Admissions.
Stage I Admissions Candidates:
(Admission is competitive)
Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.2 and complete 25 credit hours of JMU (or approved equivalent) General Education and nursing prerequisite courses with a grade of "C" (Not "C-") or higher in each course. For JMU students this is approximately the end of the freshman year.
Stage II Admissions Candidates:
(Admission is competitive)
Usually occurs at the conclusion of the fall sophomore semester for admission to the nursing program the following year. Minimum requirements for enrollment to the program include:
1. Cumulative GPA of at least 2.70 or higher when selected for admission to the program and at the time of enrollment into the nursing program. Students with a GPA lower than 2.70 at completion of the semester prior to program entry will lose their admission to the program.
2. Completion of all prerequisite (or approved equivalent) courses with grade of "C-" or higher at the time of enrollment in the program.
3. Ability to meet the department's technical standards.
Any exceptions to these requirements are at the discretion of the BSN Coordinator and/or department head.
Progressing in the Major
You must apply and be fully admitted to the nursing program to progress in the major.
Stage I Admissions Candidates:
Completion of the following prerequisite courses with a grade of "C" (Not "C-") or higher:
- MATH 220 (Statistics)
- CHEM 120 (Chemistry)
- ONE of the following: BIO 270 (Physiology), BIO 280 (Microbiology), or BIO 290 (Anatomy)
Have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher.
Stage II Admissions Candidates:
Complete all pre-requisite courses with at least a grade of "C-" in each course at the time of enrollment in the program:
- MATH 220
- CHEM 120
- BIO 290
- BIO 270
- BIO 280
- NUTR 280
- GPSYC 160
- NSG 270
Have a cumulative GPA of 2.70 or higher when selected for admission to the program and at the time of enrollment into the nursing program.
