Pre-Nursing Curriculum Requirements (59 Hours)

A prospective nursing student must complete the following courses before being admitted into the BSN program:

University Requirement

• GSTD 1002 – Freshman Seminar

Nursing Science Core Courses (NSCCs)

A minimum 2.85 GPA is required in Nursing Science Core Courses (NSCCs). GPA for admission to the department will be calculated based on NSCCs completed at the time of application.

• BIOL 2063 – Anatomy and Physiology I and BIOL 2061 – Anatomy and Physiology I Lab
• BIOL 2073 – Anatomy and Physiology II and BIOL 2071 – Anatomy and Physiology II Lab
• BIOL 3613 – Microbiology for Nursing and Allied Health and BIOL 3611 – Microbiology for Nursing and Allied Health Lab
• MATH 1001 – Math for Allied Health
• NURS 2003 – Introduction to Professional Nursing
• Select 4 hours from the following:
  • BIOL 1043 – Introduction to Biology and BIOL 1041 – Introduction to Biology Lab
  • BIOL 1203 – Principles of Biology I and BIOL 1201 – Principles of Biology I Lab
• Select 4 hours from the following:
  • CHEM 1013 – College Chemistry I and CHEM 1011 – College Chemistry I Lab
  • CHEM 1023 – University Chemistry I and CHEM 1021 – University Chemistry I Lab
• Select 3-5 hours from the following:
  • MATH 1023 – College Algebra
  • MATH 1045 – Pre-Calculus Mathematics
  • MATH 1525 – Calculus I

Additional Nursing Curriculum Support Courses

• ENGL 1113 – Composition I
• ENGL 1123 – Composition II
• PSYC 2003 – General Psychology
• PHIL 2403 – Introduction to Philosophy and Ethics
• 3-hour foreign language course (SPAN 1073 – Spanish for Health Professions is recommended)
• Select 3 hours from the following:
  • HIST 1003 – World History I
  • HIST 1013 – World History II
• Select 3 hours from the following:
  • HIST 2013 – United States History I
  • HIST 2023 – United States History II
  • PSCI 2003 – American Government: National
• Select 3 hours from the following:
  • ART 1103 – Introduction to Game Development
  • ART 2013 – Art Appreciation
  • ENGL 2213 – World Literature I
  • ENGL 2223 – World Literature II
  • HUM 2003 – Film Appreciation
  • HUM 2103 – Social Media in Society
  • MUS 2003 – History of Rock Music
  • MUS 2013 – Music Appreciation
  • MUS 2023 – Music and Culture of Africa and its Diaspora
  • THEA 2003 – Theatre Appreciation

Other Requirements

• PSYC 3223 – Developmental Psychology
• Select 3 hours from the following:
  • MATH 3043 – Applied Probability and Statistics I
  • SOC 3183 – Statistics

Nursing Requirements (61 Hours)

• NURS 3083 – Foundations of Mental Health Nursing
• NURS 3093 – Techniques of Health Assessment
• NURS 3101 – Introduction to Pharmacology
• NURS 3103 – Gerontological Nursing
• NURS 3206 – Nursing Care I – Foundations
• NURS 3303 – Pathophysiology for Nurses
• NURS 3307 – Nursing Care II – Acute Care
• NURS 3403 – Research for Evidence-Based Practice
• NURS 3412 – Pharmacology II
• NURS 4092 – Contemporary Issues and Ethics in Nursing
• NURS 4121 – Pharmacology III
• NURS 4123 – Synthesis of Nursing Concepts
• NURS 4205 – Leadership and Management in Nursing Practice
• NURS 4214 – Nursing Care III: Pediatrics
• NURS 4224 – Nursing Care III: Community Health
• NURS 4234 – Nursing Care III: Maternal Newborn
• NURS 4307 – Nursing Care IV – Complex Care

Total Hours – 120

The baccalaureate program is approved by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is Continuing Accreditation.

View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at https://www.acenursing.org/acen-programs-05202024/southern-arkansas-university.

All interested parties (students, graduates, and other parties associated with the program) may contact ACEN to express any statement or concern at the following:

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, Georgia 30326
Telephone: 1-404-975-5000

To be considered for admission into the BSN degree program the student must:

1. Be admitted to SAU with regular or conditional admission status and maintain a 2.00 GPA at SAU.
2. Transfer students currently enrolled in other universities at the time of application will be considered for admission into the nursing program if the following documents are on file in the SAU Office of Admissions: completed SAU application form; valid ACT or SAT scores (if available); completed high school transcript or GED scores; college transcripts through the previous semester; and required immunization records. International students must contact the International Student Services Office. Admission to the University does not mean automatic admission to the Department of Nursing.
3. Recognize that priority ranking will be given to SAU students and any student who have successfully completed all non-nursing support courses for the degree (pre-licensure track only).
4. Have a minimum 2.85 GPA* in Nursing Science Core Courses (NSCCs) (pre-licensure track only).
5. The GPA for admission to the department will be calculated based on NSCCs completed at the time of admission (pre-licensure track only).
6. NSCCs and courses applying towards the BSN degree must be completed with a C or better. Students with Ds or Fs in these courses will not be admitted (Pre-licensure track only).
7. GPA will be calculated to include all NSCC courses ever taken. Admission is denied for the applicant with more than three attempts at obtaining a passing grade in a NSCC course (pre-licensure track only).
8. Complete a HESI standardized preadmission examination administered through the Office of Testing. This exam is for diagnostic purposes and must be taken at SAU. HESI Admission Assessment (HESI A2) pre-admission examination scores must be 75% or greater. The reported score does not round up to 75%. There is a maximum of three (3) attempts per calendar year to this preadmission exam.
9. Have proof of the following infectious disease immunizations and screenings or serological evidence of immunity:
   • Influenza vaccine during current flu season
   • Rubeola (Measles)
   • Mumps, Rubella (MMR) – 2 vaccine doses or positive titer.
   • Tetanus, Diphtheria, (Tdap) within the past 10 years
   • Initial Mantoux tuberculin skin test (TST) must be 2 step; subsequent year(s) is/are 1 step TST; or clear chest X-ray
   • Varicella vaccine or positive titer or medically documented history of disease
   • Hepatitis-B – 2-,3-, or 4-dose series OR positive titer
     • 2-dose series only applies when 2 doses of Heplisav-B* are used at least 4 weeks apart
     • 3-dose series Engerix-B, PreHevbrio*, or Recombivax HB at 0, 1, 6 months [minimum intervals: dose 1 to dose 2: 4 weeks / dose 2 to dose 3: 8 weeks / dose 1 to dose 3: 16 weeks]
     • 3-dose series HepA-HepB (Twinrix at 0, 1, 6 months [minimum intervals: dose 1 to dose 2: 4 weeks / dose 2 to dose 3: 5 months])
     • 4-dose series HepA-HepB (Twinrix) accelerated schedule of 3 doses at 0, 7, and 21-30 days, followed by a booster dose at 12 months
   • COVID-19 vaccination card or exemption document
10. To comply with mandates from clinical agencies utilized by the SAU Department of Nursing, students enrolled in all nursing programs are required at the time of conditional acceptance or acceptance into the program and yearly thereafter to have a criminal background checks, driving history record check, child maltreatment check, and urine drug screening in order to remain enrolled in any nursing course. All screenings are conducted at the expense of the individual student. More information and pricing are available on the nursing website at www.saumag.edu/nursing.
11. Dependent upon clinical site availability to the nursing program, understand travel will be required to clinical sites in Southwest Arkansas, Central Arkansas, or East Texas (Pre-licensure only).
12. Realize if an injury occurs in the clinical setting, the student is responsible for all applicable cost related to the injury. Students are strongly encouraged to obtain health insurance.
13. Submit a completed Department of Nursing BSN Program application according to the deadlines posted on the nursing website.
14. Applications to the BSN Program may be obtained, completed, and submitted electronically during the open application cycle via the Department of Nursing website at web.saumag.edu/nursing/bsn-program-application. Please attach an electronic copy of the following:
    1. Completed BSN Program application
    2. Unofficial college transcripts
    3. HESI Admission Assessment (HESI A2) with critical thinking pre-admission examination
    4. Other pertinent information that may be needed for consideration regarding admission to the BSN Program.

Any exceptions to these requirements must be approved by the Nursing Department Chair and Dean of the College of Science and Engineering.

A particularly strong GPA or HESI A2 score may, at the discretion of the Department Chair, compensate for a deficiency in another area.

COVID-19 Vaccinations

Southern Arkansas University and the Department of Nursing do not require students to be vaccinated for COVID-19 or report their COVID-19 vaccination status. However, clinical agencies may request information regarding COVID-19 vaccination status for any student and/or faculty assigned to the agency. Additionally, some clinical agencies are requiring students to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 in order to complete clinical rotations at their agency. Clinical agencies that require COVID-19 vaccinations will be noted prior to the start of the semester, although agencies may change their policies at any time during the semester. Students who choose or are assigned to clinical agencies that require COVID-19 vaccinations are required to submit vaccine documentation to the Department of Nursing. All students who have received the COVID-19 vaccine or an exemption/waiver must submit documentation to the Department of Nursing.

Southern Arkansas University and the Department of Nursing cannot guarantee a student’s placement and acceptance at a chosen or assigned clinical agency. Please note that refusal to comply with all of the vaccination requirements may limit site placement and could impede progression through your program of study.