BSN in Nursing
Degree Program Description
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) curriculum encompasses general, foundational, and professional studies within a liberal arts education. Nursing knowledge is developmental in nature; each course is designed to build on knowledge and skills acquired in previous nursing and non-nursing courses.
The BSN program is offered in three pathways:
- Traditional BSN: A traditional four-year degree for freshmen and transfer students
- Accelerated BSN: An accelerated program for non-Nursing post-baccalaureate students
- RN-BSN: An online program for graduates of Associate Degree in Nursing programs with RN licensure
Traditional BSN
Pre-Nursing
The traditional program accepts new students to the Pre-Nursing program in the fall, spring, and summer semesters. As students approach completion of the Pre-Nursing coursework, they must formally apply to the clinical major. Admission is based on a competitive, space-available basis through a systematic and holistic review of each applicant. Admission to the clinical major may occur in the fall or spring. More information about the clinical application process can be found on the School of Nursing website.
Clinical Nursing
Upon admission to the clinical major, students must earn 60 additional credit hours to complete the degree. A semester plan for students beginning in a fall semester is listed below. The curriculum includes instructional learning in the classroom, simulation center, and clinical sites.
Accelerated BSN
Non-Nursing post-baccalaureate students with a minimum GPA of 3.0 are eligible to apply for this fast-paced eighteen-month program. The curriculum includes instructional learning in the classroom, simulation center, and clinical sites. Like the Traditional program, students are admitted on a competitive, space-available basis. The online program application includes the following:
- To start clinical in the spring: Apply by September 15th
- To start clinical in the fall: Apply by January 31st
More information about the application, prerequisites and curriculum can be found on the School of Nursing website.
RN to BSN
This online program admits new students throughout the year to start courses in the fall, spring, or summer semesters. Minimum admission requirements include a 2.5 GPA and an unencumbered RN licensure or evidence of eligibility to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) during the first semester of enrollment. More information on program prerequisites, semester plans, and how to apply can be found on the School of Nursing website.
Research and Simulation Opportunities
The school offers a diverse range of research projects that provide care to healthy and ill people of all ages. The Simulation Center is where students practice technical skills and learn technical skills in a simulated clinical setting.
Major Program Requirements
The completion of all requirements for graduation is the responsibility of the student. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is granted to candidates who have satisfactorily completed all of the following requirements:
- Successful completion of all general education, prerequisite, and clinical nursing courses
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0
- No more than 30 credits through independent study or extension courses
- Minimum of 120 credit hours
- Completion of all University graduation requirements, including University general education requirements
Requirements for Traditional BSN
| Pre-Nursing Requirements | ||
| CHEM 1100 | Atoms and Molecules with Lab | 2-4 |
| or CHEM 1000 | Introductory Chemistry | |
| or CHEM 1400 & CHEM 1401 | College Chemistry I and College Chemistry I Laboratory | |
| MICROB 2800 | Microbiology for Nursing and Health Professions | 4 |
| or MICROB 3200 | Medical Microbiology and Immunology | |
| MATH 1050 | Quantitative Reasoning | 3 |
| or MATH 1100 | College Algebra | |
| STAT 1200 | Introductory Statistical Reasoning (MP) | 3 |
| or ESC_PS 4170 | Introduction to Applied Statistics | |
| HIST 1100 | Survey of American History to 1865 | 3 |
| or HIST 1100H | Survey of American History to 1865 - Honors | |
| or HIST 1200 | Survey of American History Since 1865 | |
| or HIST 1200H | Survey of American History Since 1865 - Honors | |
| or HIST 1400 | American History | |
| or POL_SC 1100 | American Government | |
| ENGLSH 1000 | Writing and Rhetoric | 3 |
| PSYCH 1000 | General Psychology | 3 |
| SOCIOL 1000 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| PHIL 1150 | Introductory Bioethics | 3 |
| or PHIL 2440 | Medical Ethics | |
| Humanities/Fine Arts | 6 | |
| PTH_AS 2201 & PTH_AS 2203 | Human Anatomy Lecture and Human Anatomy Laboratory | 5 |
| MPP 3202 | Elements of Physiology | 5 |
| NURSE 3200 | Pathophysiology | 4 |
| or NURSE 3200H | Pathophysiology - Honors | |
| NEP 2380 | Diet Therapy for Health Professionals | 3 |
| PSYCH 2410 | Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| or PSYCH 2410H | Developmental Psychology - Honors | |
| or H_D_FS 2400 | Principles of Human Development | |
| or H_D_FS 2400H | Principles of Human Development - Honors | |
| or H_D_FS 2400HW | Principles of Human Development - Honors/Writing Intensive | |
| or H_D_FS 2400W | Principles of Human Development - Writing Intensive | |
| NURSE 2200 | Foundations of Communication and Professionalism in Nursing | 3 |
| or NURSE 2200H | Foundations of Communication and Professionalism in Nursing - Honors | |
| Electives If needed to reach 60 credit requirement for clinical program application | 3 | |
| Clinical Nursing Requirements | ||
| NURSE 3000 | Health Care Resiliency | 1 |
| NURSE 3280 | Fundamentals of Nursing | 5 |
| NURSE 3300 | Pharmacology and Nursing Implications | 4 |
| NURSE 3370 | Health Assessment in Nursing | 4 |
| or NURSE 3370H | Health Assessment in Nursing - Honors | |
| NURSE 3470 | Mental Health Nursing | 5 |
| NURSE 3670 | Nursing of Adults I | 6 |
| NURSE 3800 | Gerontological Nursing Care | 3 |
| NURSE 3900 | Introduction to Research for Evidence Based Nursing Practice | 3 |
| or NURSE 3900H | Introduction to Research for Evidence Based Nursing Practice - Honors | |
| NURSE 4210 | Nursing Ethics | 3 |
| or NURSE 4210W | Nursing Ethics - Writing Intensive | |
| NURSE 4270 | Nursing of Children | 4 |
| or NURSE 4270H | Nursing of Children - Honors | |
| NURSE 4300 | Nursing Issues/Leadership and Management | 3 |
| or NURSE 4300H | Nursing Issues/Leadership and Management - Honors | |
| NURSE 4470 | Nursing of the Childbearing Family | 4 |
| NURSE 4770 | Nursing in Communities Clinical | 2 |
| NURSE 4870 | Nursing of Adults II | 7 |
| or NURSE 4870H | Nursing of Adults II Honors | |
| NURSE 4980 | Nursing in Communities | 3 |
| or NURSE 4980W | Nursing in Communities - Writing Intensive | |
| or NURSE 4980H | Nursing in Communities - Honors | |
| or NURSE 4980HW | Nursing in Communities - Honors/Writing Intensive | |
| Electives If needed to reach 120 credit degree requirement | 3 | |
Requirements for Accelerated BSN
| NURSE 3280 | Fundamentals of Nursing | 5 |
| NURSE 3300 | Pharmacology and Nursing Implications | 4 |
| NURSE 3370 | Health Assessment in Nursing | 4 |
| NURSE 3470 | Mental Health Nursing | 5 |
| NURSE 3670 | Nursing of Adults I | 6 |
| NURSE 3800 | Gerontological Nursing Care | 3 |
| NURSE 3900 | Introduction to Research for Evidence Based Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURSE 4210 | Nursing Ethics | 3 |
| NURSE 4270 | Nursing of Children | 4 |
| NURSE 4300 | Nursing Issues/Leadership and Management | 3 |
| NURSE 4470 | Nursing of the Childbearing Family | 4 |
| NURSE 4770 | Nursing in Communities Clinical | 2 |
| NURSE 4870 | Nursing of Adults II | 7 |
| NURSE 4980W | Nursing in Communities - Writing Intensive | 3 |
Requirements for RN to BSN
| NURSE 3080 | Introduction to Nursing Informatics | 3 |
| NURSE 4110 | Role Transitions | 3 |
| NURSE 4200 | Nursing Ethics and Law | 3 |
| NURSE 4380 | Health Assessment and Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NURSE 4400 | Nursing Leadership and Management | 3 |
| NURSE 4930 | Evidence-Based Nursing Practice and Quality Improvement | 4 |
| NURSE 4950W | Nursing Theory and Research - Writing Intensive | 3 |
| NURSE 4970W | Nursing in Communities - Writing Intensive | 4 |
Semester Plan
Below is a sample plan of study for the Traditional BSN. A student's actual plan may vary based on course choices where options are available. Semester plans for the RN-BSN and Accelerated BSN can be found on the School of Nursing website.
Semester Plan-BSN Traditional
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CHEM 1100, 1000, or 1320 | 3 | PTH_AS 2201 & PTH_AS 2203 | 5 |
| MICROB 2800 | 4 | ENGLSH 1000 or 1000H | 3 |
| HIST 1100, 1100H, 1200, 1200H, or POL_SC 1100 | 3 | PSYCH 1000 or 1000H | 3 |
| SOCIOL 1000 or 1000H | 3 | PHIL 1150 or 2440 | 3 |
| MATH 1050 or 1100 | 3 | ||
| 16 | 14 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| MPP 3202 | 5 | NURSE 3200 or 3200H | 4 |
| PSYCH 2410, 2410H, H_D_FS 2400, or H_D_FS 2400W | 3-4 | NEP 2380 | 3 |
| NURSE 2200 or 2200H | 3 | STAT 1200 or ESC_PS 4170 | 3 |
| Humanities/Fine Art Course | 3 | Humanities/Fine Arts Course | 3 |
| ElectiveIf needed to reach 60 credits | 3 | ||
| 14-15 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| NURSE 3280 | 5 | NURSE 3470 | 5 |
| NURSE 3300 | 4 | NURSE 3670 | 6 |
| NURSE 3370 | 4 | NURSE 3800 | 3 |
| NURSE 3900 | 3 | ||
| NURSE 3000 | 1 | ||
| 14 | 17 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| NURSE 4210 or 4210W | 3 | NURSE 4770 | 2 |
| NURSE 4270 | 4 | NURSE 4870 or 4870H | 7 |
| NURSE 4300 | 3 | NURSE 4980 | 3 |
| NURSE 4470 | 4 | ElectiveIf needed to reach 120 credit degree requirement | 3 |
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits: 120-121 | |||
NOTE: Curriculum subject to change.
Degree Audit
The degree audit is an automated report reflecting a student’s academic progress toward the completion of a degree.
MU students can request a degree audit by logging in to myDegreePlanner. Students may also access myDegreePlanner via myZou, in the Student Center, click on the Academic Progress Tile, then select Request Degree Audit. The audit automatically pulls in the student’s MU course work, transfer courses and courses in progress. This is available to current students, admitted students, and those who last attended less than three terms ago.
Past MU students can request a degree audit by contacting the Academic Advising Unit of the division in which they were last enrolled at MU. For contact information, go to https://advising.missouri.edu/contact/.
Prospective students, can access a preliminary MU degree audit via https://www.transferology.com. Information on the college credits already earned will have to be manually entered before it can be evaluated against current degree requirements.
For additional details on degree audits, go to https://registrar.missouri.edu/degrees-audits/degree-audits/.
Major and Career Exploration
The University of Missouri has many resources to assist you in exploring majors and career possibilities. For guidance, visit the Majors and Careers website or view specific resources below.
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If you are considering a change of major or are exploring multiple majors, schedule an appointment with an advisor in the Discovery Center by calling (573)884-9700 or through MU Connect Discovery Center service in you success network.
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If you have decided on a major, visit an academic advisor in the School or College that you are interested in to discuss the process of declaring the major.
- If you would like to learn more about your career interests, abilities, values and talents, visit the MU Career Center. No Appointment is necessary to explore career options with one of our staff members.
- If you would like information about MU majors and degree programs, visit:
- the Degrees, Majors (Degree Programs), Emphasis Areas, Minors and Certificates page in the catalog,
- the MU Majors website.
For additional major and career exploration resources, visit Major & Career Exploration in the catalog.