Pre-Nursing
The goal of the baccalaureate nursing program is to prepare nurses to function in a variety of settings: hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, convalescent centers, military installations, and public health institutions, such as health departments and home healthcare agencies. Graduates assess the degree of health or illness of individuals, plan, implement, evaluate, and supervise nursing care. Graduates of this program have collegial and independent relationships with other members of the healthcare team.
Prerequisite Coursework
The prerequisite coursework listed below prepares the student to apply to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program in the UIC College of Nursing. Completion of the pre-nursing curriculum does not guarantee admission to the College of Nursing. All prerequisite course work must be completed with a grade of C or higher.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| ENGL 160 | Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts | 3 |
| ENGL 161 | Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research | 3 |
| BIOS 350 | General Microbiology (or equivalent Comprehensive General Microbiology as determined by the College of Nursing) a | 3 |
| CHEM 115 | Comprehensive General and Organic Chemistry b,c | 5 |
| KN 230 | Anatomy and Physiology Lecture I a | 3 |
| KN 231 | Anatomy and Physiology Lecture II | 3 |
| KN 232 | Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory I | 2 |
| KN 233 | Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory II | 2 |
| NUEL 250 | Human Development Across the Life Span | 3 |
| or PSCH 320 | Developmental Psychology | |
| HN 196 | Nutrition b | 3 |
| STAT 101 | Introduction to Statistics d | 4 |
| or STAT 130 | Introduction to Statistics for the Life Sciences | |
| Exploring World Cultures course e | 3 | |
| Understanding the Creative Arts course e | 3 | |
| Understanding the Individual and Society course e,f | 3 | |
| Understanding the Past course e | 3 | |
| Understanding U.S. Society course e,f | 3 | |
| One 3-semester-hour, 200-level, upper-division course in the arts and sciences g | 3 | |
| LAS Electives (hours may vary) | 5 | |
| Total Hours | 57 | |
- a
BIOS 110 is a prerequisite for this course. Students who plan to complete the microbiology requirement at UIC will need to complete CHEM 130 and BIOS 110 as prerequisites for BIOS 350 until an alternate UIC Comprehensive General Microbiology course becomes available.
- b
CHEM 115 is approved for the Analyzing the Natural World (with lab) General Education category, and HN 196 is approved for the Analyzing the Natural World (no lab) General Education category.
- c
CHEM 115, CHEM 116, CHEM 122/CHEM 123 or equivalents as determined by College of Nursing are acceptable. Students may need to take additional LAS electives if fewer than 5 hours are earned in general chemistry
- d
STAT 101 or STAT 130 satisfies the Quantitative Reasoning requirement.
- e
Students should consult the General Education section of the catalog for a list of approved courses in this category.
- f
For the Understanding the Individual and Society requirement, PSCH 100 is recommended; for the Understanding U.S. Society requirement, SOC 100 is recommended.
- g
Students may choose a course from one of these categories: physical sciences, life sciences, mathematical sciences, social sciences, fine arts, performing arts, or humanities. This requirement may be completed after admission to the BSN program.
Applications to the BSN program are accepted for fall admission only. Students applying to the BSN program must meet the following minimum requirements at the time of application:
- 2.75/4.00 cumulative grade point average
- 2.50/4.00 natural science grade point average
- Completion of all pre-nursing course work with a grade of C or higher prior to enrollment. The four natural science courses (human anatomy and physiology I and II, microbiology, and general chemistry) must have been completed within seven years of enrollment. Two of the four natural science courses must be completed prior to the application deadline.
In addition, all students will be required to have a background check and drug test upon admission. If the results of either requirement indicate that a student would not be eligible for placement at the college’s practicum agencies, the student’s admission will be rescinded.
Applications are available in September. The standard application deadline is January 15; final application deadline is April 1. Students should see the program website for information regarding current application requirements.