*PLEASE NOTE THAT UCSB DOES NOT CURRENTLY OFFER A NURSING PROGRAM. This page is intended for current UCSB students interested in completing their prerequisite courses here before transferring to a nursing school elsewhere.
Download Nursing School Admissions Guide as a printable PDF
Check out the Pathways to Nursing PDF guide!
SO YOU WANT TO BE A NURSE?
Nursing as a professional discipline is concerned with human responses to actual and potential health problems. Current research in nursing is focused on human responses to acute
and chronic health problems, health promotion, health maintenance, and nursing interventions.
There are several levels of educational choices for nurses, including the Licensed Vocational Nurse (L.V.N.), the Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.), and the Registered Nurse (R.N., often obtained through a bachelor’s degree)., Entry-Level Master’s in Nursing programs. In addition, nurses can earn advanced degrees in their field, such as the Master’s of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) and/or a doctoral degree in nursing.
If you hope to obtain a B.S.N, you may follow one of two routes: complete the pre-nursing requirements in preparation for transferring to a bachelor’s program in nursing at another school or complete a bachelor’s degree at UCSB and apply to an accelerated B.S.N. program or Entry-Level Master’s in Nursing (ELM). Accelerated B.S.N. and ELM programs allow students to earn the degree in 12-18 months, and are designed for students who have a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing discipline.
In the nursing field, it is possible to specialize in a particular clinical area—especially at the graduate level. An M.S.N., for example, might choose to specialize in nurse anesthesia, community health nursing, gerontological nursing, medical-surgical nursing, psychiatric mental health nursing, or nurse midwifery. Alternatively, a nurse could specialize according to age group (e.g. child health nursing or nursing of the adult) or according to functional area (e.g. teaching or administration). Programs that prepare generalists are also available.
PREREQUISITES: THESE ARE GENERAL PREREQUISITE COURSES THAT MANY ACCELERATED BSN PROGRAMS REQUIRE FOR ADMISSION; HOWEVER, COURSE REQUIREMENTS OFTEN VARY FROM ONE SCHOOL TO THE NEXT. ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE OTHER COURSES THAT ARE NOT REQUIRED BUT ARE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. WE ENCOURAGE ALL STUDENTS TO VISIT THE WEBSITES OF THE PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS YOU PLAN TO APPLY TO IN ORDER TO FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH EACH SCHOOL'S ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESS. IF YOU ARE STILL UNSURE WHETHER COURSES YOU'VE TAKEN WILL SATISFY A PARTICULAR SCHOOL'S REQUIREMENTS, PLEASE REACH OUT DIRECTLY TO THE SCHOOL.
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Math/Statistics |
PStat 5A or 5LS or PSY 10B |
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Chemistry (Full Year/3 Quarters) |
CHEM 1A (3 units)/1AL (2 units): General Chem. And Gen. Chem. Lab CHEM 1B (3 units)/1BL (2 units): General Chem. And Gen. Chem. Lab CHEM 1C (3 units)/1CL (2 units): General Chem. And Gen. Chem. Lab |
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Organic Chemistry (At least 2 quarters) |
CHM 109A (4 units): Organic Chemistry CHEM 6AL (3 units): Organic Chemistry Lab (May be taken with 109A.) CHEM 109B (4 units): Organic Chemistry |
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Biochemistry (1 Quarter) |
MCDB 108A (4 units). General Biochemistry (MCDB 1A, and EEMB 2 and MCDB 1B; and Chemistry 1A-B-C; and Chemistry 109A-B-C (Chem 109C may be taken concurrently). Completion of all listed prerequisites with a grade of C or better.); Non-MCDB majors may take MCDB 110 (Chem 1A-B-C and 109A-B, with grades of C or better, are prereqs.) |
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Microbiology w/lab (1 course) |
MCDB 131/131L (MCDB 101A and either Chemistry 109A-B-C or Chemistry 109A-B and MCDB 110 are prerequisites for MCDB 131.) Alternatively, students could take Microbiology (BMS 157 at SBCC). Note: Many but not all schools require a microbio lab, and MCDB 131L can be a very difficult course for non-Microbiology majors to enroll in at UCSB. Students will often take the course and the lab at a community college. If enrolling at SBCC while also enrolled at UCSB during fall, winter, or spring quarters, meet with a Letters and Science advisor to discuss petitioning for concurrent enrollment prior to the start of the SBCC courses. |
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Human Anatomy & Human Physiology (1 course each, w/Labs) |
*Taken at SBCC—BMS 107 and BMS 108 |
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Social/Behavioral Sciences & Humanities (2 Courses) |
Introduction to Psychology (or a General Psychology course) PSY 1 *Some programs may require additional psychology courses such as Human Growth and Development (Lifespan) and Abnormal Psychology. |
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English/Writing (Full Year/3 Quarters) |
*Typically any courses in the Writing, English, and possibly Comparative Lit. depts. |
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Possible Additional Coursework |
An introductory Biology sequence, Physics, Nutrition, Medical Terminology, Public Speaking, Spanish |
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If you intend to apply to a nursing program, you should pursue clinical work or volunteer experience. This will help you demonstrate your commitment to nursing—and allow you to see firsthand if the profession fits your needs and aptitudes. In addition to clinical experience, general community service can strengthen your nursing school application. For more information about internships and volunteer opportunities, please visit the Clinical Experience page. |
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EXAM AND GPA:
The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS): The GRE is a standardized examination that consists of four multiple-choice sections that cover basic mathematics and reading comprehension skills. The GRE is designed to measure general academic ability. It is required by some schools for admission into their graduate programs. Typically, students take the GRE about one calendar year prior to their intended date of matriculation to a graduate program. Programs that require the GRE for applicants will likely post minimum and/or competitive scores for the exam on their websites, so please check the programs you are interested in applying to in order to help determine your likelihood of acceptance. The TEAS is an examination that some BSN programs require applicants take. As with the GRE, check with the programs you hope to apply to in order to determine their specific requirements for admission.
Grade Point Average (GPA): All required coursework should be completed with a grade of “C” (2.00) or better to fulfill the requirement. A “C-minus” or lower is not acceptable. Some programs only allow applicants to retake a science course 1 time in order to earn a better grade, so it is especially important to utilize resources such as office hours, CLAS workshops, and advising services as soon as you begin to feel that you are struggling academically.
Transcript Review and Grade Trends: Admission committees conisder a number of factors incluidng and beyond the final grades earned in courses. For example, admission committees will review and consider the number of courses/units taken each quarter, whether courses were taken P/NP, retaken, and were withdrawn from, resulting in a W on the official transcript. To learn more about what your official transcripts communicate to admissions committees, please review the AAMC's Anatomy of an Applicant Guide. (A link to the guide can be found in the first paragraph in the Current Students section of our website.)
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
American Association of Colleges of Nursing Click Here
GRE Information Click Here
Information on different types of entry-level nursing degrees (CNA, LVN/LPN, ADN, BSN) Click Here
NursingCAS Click Here
Nurse.com Click Here
NurseJournal.org Click Here
Student Loan Forgiveness for Nurses Click Here
List of All Accelerated BSN Programs by State Click Here