Pre-Nursing
The Pre-Professional nursing major is designed for students who intend to apply for admissions to our Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program.
In a traditional 4-year college experience, students complete the prerequisites as well as the University's general education requirements during their freshman and sophomore years. During these first two years, students can declare a Pre-Nursing major to follow a designated degree plan that prepares students to apply to our upper-division BSN program.
Transfer students and current UA students who have completed the prerequisite coursework are also encouraged select the Pre-Nursing major.
Declaring the Pre-Nursing major is not required to apply to the BSN program and does not guarantee admissions.
Admission to the BSN professional program is competitive. Applicants are required to meet the prerequisites listed on the BSN Admissions
Freshmen
Freshmen can declare a Pre-Nursing major (see below) to receive additional support while they prepare to apply to either the BSN or BSN-IH professional programs. As a Pre-Nursing major, students complete the prerequisite coursework of the BSN program as well as the general education and foundation requirements of the University.
Change of Major
Current UA students who are interested in nursing can apply to the BSN professional program provided that they meet the prerequisites of the program. If admitted, the student changes their major to Nursing and completes the program over the course of two years.
Transfer
Transfer students are generally assumed to have completed most or all of prerequisite coursework of the BSN program as well as the University's general education and foundation requirements. With these criteria met, transfer students can apply directly to either the BSN or BSN-IH professional programs.
Incoming first-year students are admitted to the pre-nursing major (via the UA Undergraduate Admissions Application) based on certain criteria. Due to COVID-19 related closures, the College of Nursing will suspend the use of test scores (ACT/SAT) for admissions considerations.
For the entering class of Fall 2024, the sole admissions criteria will be a 3.5 unweighted high school cumulative GPA.
Transfer students are admitted to the major if they have an earned a 3.4 cumulative GPA on all transfer coursework. This would primarily benefit students who still have general education and prerequisite coursework to complete at the UA. It is not necessary to declare the pre-nursing major if a student is ready to apply for admission to the BSN program.
All students interested in the pre-nursing major must select a second choice major upon application to the UA. Incoming first-year students and transfer students who do not meet the eligibility requirements are placed into their second choice major. Eligibility is determined based on the Undergraduate Admissions Application and the criteria stated above. Students may still work towards admission to the BSN program while in another major at the UA.
Current UA students with a minimum 3.4 GPA based on 12 or more units taken at the UA.
Current UA students interested in declaring the pre-nursing major must attend an information session, after which, they will be reviewed for eligibility for the major by an advisor. The schedule for information sessions is available here.
Students unable to declare the Pre-Professional Nursing major are encouraged to identify and declare a complementary major. Common complementary majors include: Public Health, Nutrition, Family Studies and Human Development, Physiology, Psychology, or Care, Health and Society.