This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2025-2026 VCU Bulletin. Courses that expose students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning may be added and notification of additional program approvals may be received prior to finalization. General education program content is also subject to change. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
The School of Nursing offers the a traditional curriculum in the baccalaureate program as well as the online R.N.-B.S. completion. Successful completion of curricular requirements results in a Bachelor of Science degree. Note that the applicant is responsible for seeking advice from the School of Nursing on courses taken prior to admission.
Program goal
The goal of the VCU School of Nursing Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is to prepare students with foundational competencies as nurse generalists for entry into professional nursing practice.
Student learning outcomes
Upon completing this program, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate competence to practice person-centered care across the lifespan and across the continuum of healthcare systems
- Integrate theories and concepts from liberal education and related disciplines into nursing practice
- Exhibit professionalism that reflects the inherent values fundamental to nursing
- Display effective interprofessional teamwork skills
- Demonstrate professional nursing practice grounded in the application of current evidence
- Utilize information technologies and processes related to patient care delivery
- Show competence in leadership, quality improvement and patient safety to provide quality health care
- Apply health promotion and disease prevention competencies at the individual and population levels
Other information
Our international and non-native, English-speaking students bring different perspectives and new thinking to our nursing programs. To ensure that all incoming student are prepared for the school’s academic rigor, all international applicants and non-native, English speaking applicants without a degree from a U.S. high school, college or university must provide additional information with their applications according to the English language proficiency guidelines on the program admission tab.
Admission requirements
To be considered for admission to the School of Nursing, applicants must:
- Be eligible for readmission or be in good standing at the last college or university attended
- Submit a completed application with all required materials to the School of Nursing
- Have graduated from a diploma or associate degree program in nursing from a regionally accredited college or university
- Have an R.N. license from a U.S. state or territory by the time they start NURS 409 (Students that do not have their R.N. license by this time will not be allowed to progress in the program. Students who do not currently have an R.N. license in the U.S., consult with the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools and the Virginia Board of Nursing for steps needed to obtain a Virginia R.N. license.)
- Provide additional information with the application according to the English language proficiency guidelines for applicants who are international or non-native English speakers without a degree from a U.S. high school, college or university (additional information can be found on the VCU International Admissions website)
- Complete the following general education courses (with minimum grades of C-) at a regionally accredited college or university
- The following courses or their transfer equivalents (14 credit hours) must be completed prior to starting the nursing program:
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 205 | Basic Human Anatomy 1 | 4 |
| PHIS 206 & PHIZ 206 | Human Physiology and Human Physiology Laboratory 1 | 4 |
UNIV 111  Play course video for Introduction to Focused Inquiry: Investigation and Communication | Introduction to Focused Inquiry: Investigation and Communication | 3 |
| UNIV 112 Play course video for Focused Inquiry II | Focused Inquiry II | 3 |
| UNIV 200 | Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication | 3 |
Applicants attending colleges or universities which offer anatomy and physiology as a combined two-semester course must complete the entire course sequence prior to starting the nursing program. One semester of a combined anatomy and physiology course will not transfer, nor can one semester of a combined anatomy and physiology course be used in conjunction with a stand-alone anatomy or physiology course to fulfill this requirement.
- A minimum of 24 credit hours of the following required 37 credits must be completed prior to starting the nursing program. All general education courses must be completed prior to enrolling in NURS 488:
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 101 & BIOZ 101 | Biological Concepts and Biological Concepts Laboratory | 4 |
| or BIOL 151 & BIOZ 151 | Introduction to Biological Sciences I and Introduction to Biological Science Laboratory I | |
| BIOL 209 & BIOZ 209 | Medical Microbiology and Medical Microbiology Laboratory 1 | 4-5 |
| or BIOL 303 & BIOZ 303 | Microbiology and Microbiology Laboratory | |
| BIOL 217 | Principles of Nutrition 2 | 3 |
| PSYC 101 Play course video for Introduction to Psychology | Introduction to Psychology | 4 |
| PSYC 304 | Life Span Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| SOCY 101 Play course video for Introduction to Sociology | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| or ANTH 103 | Introduction to Anthropology | |
| STAT 208 | Statistical Thinking | 3 |
| or STAT 210 | Basic Practice of Statistics | |
| or STAT 212 | Concepts of Statistics | |
| Additional college-level course work 3 | 12-14 | |
Students may also successfully complete the microbiology NLN exam to satisfy this requirement
Students may also successfully complete the nutrition NLN exam to satisfy this requirement
Courses must be eligible for transfer to VCU. See the Transfer Center website for course equivalencies.
Prerequisites for second degree students
- Applicants who have completed a previous baccalaureate degree at a regionally accredited college or university are required to complete only the following prerequisites prior to enrollment in NURS 488:
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 205 | Basic Human Anatomy | 4 |
| BIOL 217 | Principles of Nutrition | 3 |
| BIOL 209 & BIOZ 209 | Medical Microbiology and Medical Microbiology Laboratory | 4-5 |
| or BIOL 303 & BIOZ 303 | Microbiology and Microbiology Laboratory | |
| PHIS 206 & PHIZ 206 | Human Physiology and Human Physiology Laboratory | 4 |
| PSYC 304 | Life Span Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| STAT 208 | Statistical Thinking | 3 |
| or STAT 210 | Basic Practice of Statistics | |
| or STAT 212 | Concepts of Statistics | |
Requirements for co-enrolled students
To be considered for admission to the School of Nursing, applicants must:
- Be eligible for readmission or be in good standing at the last college or university attended
- Submit a completed application with all required materials to the School of Nursing
- Earn a minimum grade of C- in all required nursing classes at Reynolds, Brightpoint, Southside Virginia or Rappahannock Community College
- Provide proof of associate degree and an R.N. license from a U.S. state or territory by the time they begin NURS 409 (students that do not have their associate degree and R.N. license by that time will not be allowed to progress in the program)
- Complete the following general education courses (with minimum grades of C-) at a regionally accredited college or university
- The following courses or their transfer equivalents (14 credit hours) must be completed prior to starting the nursing program:
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 205 | Basic Human Anatomy 1 | 4 |
| PHIS 206 & PHIZ 206 | Human Physiology and Human Physiology Laboratory 1 | 4 |
| UNIV 111 Play course video for Introduction to Focused Inquiry: Investigation and Communication | Introduction to Focused Inquiry: Investigation and Communication | 3 |
| UNIV 112 Play course video for Focused Inquiry II | Focused Inquiry II | 3 |
| UNIV 200 | Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication | 3 |
Applicants attending colleges or universities which offer anatomy and physiology as a combined two-semester course must complete the entire course sequence prior to starting the nursing program. One semester of a combined anatomy and physiology course will not transfer, nor can one semester of a combined anatomy and physiology course be used in conjunction with a stand-alone anatomy or physiology course to fulfill this requirement
- A minimum of 24 credit hours of the following required 37 credits must be completed prior to starting the nursing program. All general education courses must be completed prior to enrolling in NURS 488:
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 101 & BIOZ 101 | Biological Concepts and Biological Concepts Laboratory | 4 |
| or BIOL 151 & BIOZ 151 | Introduction to Biological Sciences I and Introduction to Biological Science Laboratory I | |
| BIOL 209 & BIOZ 209 | Medical Microbiology and Medical Microbiology Laboratory 1 | 4-5 |
| or BIOL 303 & BIOZ 303 | Microbiology and Microbiology Laboratory | |
| BIOL 217 | Principles of Nutrition 2 | 3 |
| PSYC 101 Play course video for Introduction to Psychology | Introduction to Psychology | 4 |
| PSYC 304 | Life Span Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| SOCY 101 Play course video for Introduction to Sociology | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| or ANTH 103 | Introduction to Anthropology | |
| STAT 208 | Statistical Thinking | 3 |
| or STAT 210 | Basic Practice of Statistics | |
| or STAT 212 | Concepts of Statistics | |
| Additional college-level course work 3 | 12-14 | |
Students may also successfully complete the microbiology NLN exam to satisfy this requirement
Students may also successfully complete the nutrition NLN exam to satisfy this requirement
Courses must be eligible for transfer to VCU. See the Transfer Center website for course equivalencies.
Prerequisites for second degree students
- Applicants who have completed a previous baccalaureate degree at a regionally accredited college or university are required to complete only the following prerequisites prior to enrollment inNURS 488:
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 205 | Basic Human Anatomy | 4 |
| BIOL 217 | Principles of Nutrition | 3 |
| BIOL 209 & BIOZ 209 | Medical Microbiology and Medical Microbiology Laboratory | 4-5 |
| or BIOL 303 & BIOZ 303 | Microbiology and Microbiology Laboratory | |
| PHIS 206 & PHIZ 206 | Human Physiology and Human Physiology Laboratory | 4 |
| PSYC 304 | Life Span Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| STAT 208 | Statistical Thinking | 3 |
| or STAT 210 | Basic Practice of Statistics | |
| or STAT 212 | Concepts of Statistics | |
Degree requirements for Nursing, Bachelor of Science (B.S.), R.N-B.S. completion program
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major requirements | ||
| • Major core requirements | ||
| NURS 301 | Nursing Informatics | 3 |
| NURS 307 | Professional Nursing Role Development I | 3 |
| NURS 308 | Professional Nursing Role Development II | 3 |
| NURS 403 | Evidence-Based Practice in Health Care | 3 |
| NURS 408 | Ethics, Law and Public Policy: Application to Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS 411 | Population Health: Application to Nursing Practice | 5 |
| NURS 414 | Interprofessional Collaborative Practice | 3 |
| NURS 462 | Advanced Pathophysiological Concepts: Application to Patient Care | 3 |
| NURS 478 | Leadership and Management in Health Care | 3 |
| NURS 488 | Integrated Concepts of Professional Nursing Practice | 3 |
| Ancillary requirements | ||
| Credits required for admission and for program corequisites | 50 | |
| Upper-division proficiency credits awarded after successful completion of NURS 308 | 39 | |
| Total Hours | 121 | |
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 121.
Students who complete the requirements for this degree will receive a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
What follows is a sample plan that meets the prescribed requirements within a four-year course of study at VCU. Please contact your adviser before beginning course work toward a degree.
Credits required for admission and for program corequisites: 50
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 301 | Nursing Informatics | 3 |
| NURS 307 | Professional Nursing Role Development I | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 6 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| NURS 308 | Professional Nursing Role Development II | 3 |
| NURS 403 | Evidence-Based Practice in Health Care | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 6 | |
| Semester 3 | ||
| NURS 411 | Population Health: Application to Nursing Practice | 5 |
| Term Hours: | 5 | |
| Semester 4 | ||
| NURS 408 | Ethics, Law and Public Policy: Application to Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS 462 | Advanced Pathophysiological Concepts: Application to Patient Care | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 6 | |
| Semester 5 | ||
| NURS 414 | Interprofessional Collaborative Practice | 3 |
| NURS 478 | Leadership and Management in Health Care | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 6 | |
| Semester 6 | ||
| NURS 488 | Integrated Concepts of Professional Nursing Practice | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 3 | |
| Total Hours: | 32 | |
Upper-division proficiency credits awarded after successful completion of NURS 308: 39
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 121.