Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Baccalaureate nursing education is a combination of supporting sciences, nursing sciences and humanities. Freshmen admitted as declared nursing majors follow a carefully planned sequence of prerequisite study for the first two years. Nursing course work begins during the junior year.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing for the Registered Nurse

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing for the Registered Nurse (B.S. for the R.N.) is a program that provides advanced placement for the registered nurse student.

Registered nurses who begin the nursing major as juniors take courses designed to meet their learning needs on a full- or part-time basis. The first course, NURS 302, is a professional "bridge" course structured to provide self-directed learning. Faculty and staff provide individual academic advisement and career counseling. Some self-paced and self-directed learning experiences are available.

Information is available through the Nursing Department's Student Affairs Office on a 30-unit option for Licensed Vocational Nurses which enables them to take the R.N. licensure examination. This option, which is required by the State of California Board of Registered Nursing, does not lead to a degree.

Multiple Entry Option Curriculum

For students who know that they want an M.S., Nursing degree at the time of registration, the Multiple Entry Option program provides a flexible, accelerated pathway to a Master of Science in Nursing degree. By eliminating duplication and organizing the course work, generic bachelor students, second degree students and Associate Degree in Nursing students can progress easily and in a shorter period of time from a bachelor's degree to a Master of Science in Nursing degree. Detailed information is available from the department.

Admission Requirements

For entering freshmen, Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores are required. In addition to the regular USC freshman admission requirements, two years of high school science courses (including one year of chemistry with lab) must be completed. The department considers applicants who meet freshman university admissions standards.

The equivalent of USC freshman and sophomore course work must be completed prior to beginning the nursing sequence. This course work includes anatomy, physiology, chemistry, microbiology, statistics, sociology, psychology, developmental psychology, adult development and aging, two semesters of English composition and three general education courses. All required science courses must include laboratory work. A list of specific transferable courses may be obtained by contacting the Department of Nursing directly. Transfer students should have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher in college work to be competitive. USC students who wish to change their major to nursing should have a cumulative GPA of 2.5.

No applicant will be denied admission on the basis of race, religion, creed or disability provided functional health is sufficient to meet professional demands.

Registered nurses will be considered for junior class status if they are graduates of either a diploma or an associate degree program in nursing, hold licensure as a registered nurse in California and have 64 transferable units. Registered nurse applicants are eligible for the maximum number of transfer units allowed by the university. Transfer units may be used to meet the prerequisites, the general education requirements and the unit requirements for the degree. The nursing courses specific to the registered nurse degree requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing must be met at USC.

Unit and Grade Point Average Requirements

A total of 130 units is required for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Included in this total are 56 units in non-major course work and 74 units of professional nursing preparation.

A grade point average of 2.0 (A = 4.0) is required to complete the program. A grade of C (2.0) or higher is required in all nursing courses. A grade of C or higher is also required in the physical and behavioral sciences support courses which are part of the baccalaureate curriculum plan. These courses are anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry, psychology, sociology, and growth and development.

General Education Requirements		Units
COMP 101	Introduction to Expository Writing	4
COMP 102	Topics in Expository Writing	4

Foreign language	1 course
American Public Life	1 course
Western Culture I or II	1 course
Non-Western Cultures	1 course
The Arts or Literature 1 course
Empirical Approaches (PSYC 100, SOCI 200*)	2 courses

*Meets university-wide diversity requirement and empirical approaches requirement.

Diversity Requirement

All students must pass one course from the list of courses approved to meet the standard diversity requirement. These courses carry the designation "m" for multiculturalism.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing Pre-Nursing Requirements

First Year, First Semester		Units
COMP 101	Introduction to Expository Writing	4
CHEM 105aL	General Chemistry	4
American Public Life		4
SOCI 200	Introduction to Sociology*	4

First Year, Second Semester		Units
COMP 102	Topics in Expository Writing	4
BISC 312Lx	Human Anatomy	4
Western Culture I or II		4
PSYC 100	Psychology and Human Behavior**	4

Second Year, First Semester		Units
BISC 310Lx	Principles of Human Microbiology	4
NURS 101	Gateway to Nursing: Historical and Theory Perspectives	4
NURS 201	Human Development: Health Issues Across the Life Span	4
Non-Western Cultures		4

Second Year, Second Semester		Units
Literature or the Arts		4
BISC 306Lx	Introductory Physiology	4
PSYC 274	Statistics I, or
PPMT 404	Statistics in Public Policy and Management	4
Foreign language		4

Total pre-nursing units (including 8 units of NURS course work): 64

*Meets university-wide diversity requirement and empirical approaches requirement.

**Meets empirical approaches requirement.

Nursing Major Requirements

Third Year, First Semester		Units
NURS 304	Medical-Surgical Nursing I	4
NURS 309	Health Assessment	3
NURS 314L	Medical-Surgical Nursing Practicum I	4
NURS 317L	Fundamental Clinical Nursing Skills	2
NURS 319L	Health Assessment Practicum	1
NURS 322	Foundation for Practice: Pathological, Nutritional and Pharmacologic Concepts	2
		____
		16

Third Year, Second Semester		Units
NURS 303	Nursing Care of Children and Families	3
NURS 305	Psychiatric Nursing	2
NURS 306	Nursing Care of Women and Newborn Infants	4
NURS 313L	Nursing Care of Children and Families Practicum	2
NURS 315L	Psychiatric Nursing Practicum	2
NURS 316L	Nursing Care of Women and Newborn Infants Practicum	2
NURS 323	Concepts for Practice I: Pathological, Nutritional and Pharmacologic Concepts	2
		____
		17

Fourth Year, First Semester		Units
NURS 324	Concepts for Practice II: Pathological, Nutritional and Pharmacologic Concepts	2
NURS 402	Community and Home Health Nursing	3
NURS 406	Medical-Surgical Nursing II	4
NURS 412L	Community and Home Health Nursing Practicum	4
NURS 416L	Medical-Surgical Nursing II Practicum	4
		____
		17

Fourth Year, Second Semester		Units
NURS 404	Advanced Medical-Surgical Nursing III	2
NURS 405	Professional Ethics, Nursing Leadership Management	3
NURS 414L	Advanced Medical-Surgical Practicum III	2
NURS 415L	Nursing Leadership and Management Practicum	3
NURS 461	Nursing Research	4
Nursing elective		2
		____
		16

Total upper-division nursing units: 66

Total units: 130

Bachelor of Science in Nursing for the Registered Nurse

Prerequisites		Units
PSYC 274	Statistics I, or
PPMT 404	Statistics in Public Policy and Management, or
SOCI 314	Sociological Statistics	4
GERO 220	Psychology of Development and Aging, or
PSYC 337L	Adult Development and Aging, or
NURS 201	Human Development: Health Issues Across the Life Span	4

General Education		Units
COMP 101	Introduction to Expository Writing	4
COMP 102	Topics in Expository Writing	4

American Public Life	1 course
Western Culture I or II	1 course
Non-Western Cultures	1 course
The Arts or Literature	1 course
Empirical Approaches	2 courses

Nursing Courses and Electives		Units
NURS 302	Nursing Science	3
NURS 309	Health Assessment	3
NURS 319L	Health Assessment Practicum	1
NURS 322	Foundation for Practice: Pathological, Nutritional and Pharmacologic Concepts, or
NURS 323	Concepts for Practice I: Pathological, Nutritional and Pharmacologic Concepts	2
NURS 324	Concepts for Practice II: Pathological, Nutritional and Pharmacologic Concepts	2
NURS 402	Community and Home Health Nursing	3
NURS 405	Professional Ethics, Nursing Leadership Management	3
NURS 412L	Community and Home Health Nursing Practicum	4
NURS 415L	Nursing Leadership and Management Practicum	3
NURS 461	Nursing Research	4

Total nursing units: 28

Total units: 130

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