This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2024-2025 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 goals
Students will achieve an advanced beginner level of nursing competence by demonstrating:
I. Effective therapeutic nursing practice
II. Nursing judgment
III. A spirit of inquiry
IV. Professional identity
Student learning outcomes
The graduate is a knowledgeable professional nurse who will demonstrate:
- Integration of theories and concepts from liberal education into nursing practice (III)
- Knowledge, skills and attitudes in leadership, quality improvement and patient safety to provide high quality health care (I, II, IV)
- Professional nursing practice grounded in the translation of current evidence (I, II, III)
- Knowledge of skills in information literacy, management and patient care technology (III)
- Knowledge of health care, financial and regulatory policies that influence the nature and functioning of the health care system (I, II)
- Effective communication and collaboration skills with the interprofessional team to deliver high quality and safe patient care (I, II, IV)
- Health promotion and disease prevention at the individual and population level necessary to improve population health (I, II)
- Professionalism that reflects the inherent values of altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity and social justice fundamental to nursing (IV)
- Competence to practice with patients, including individuals, families, groups, communities and populations across the lifespan and across the continuum of health care environments that respects the variations of care, the increased complexity and the use of health care resources inherent in caring for patients (I, II, III, IV)
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.
While an unrestricted R.N. license from a U.S. state or territory is not required for admission to the Ph.D. program, if a student plans to engage in research activities that require licensure, the student will need to obtain a license. The student will work with the faculty adviser to determine if a license is needed or to consider alternative methods for conducting the research. Students can consult with CGFNS International and the Virginia or relevant state or territory board of nursing for the steps needed to obtain an R.N. license.
A background check and drug screen are not required for admission but may be required by an agency/site in which the student is conducting research.
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:
a. 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 Focused Inquiry I | Focused Inquiry I | 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 enrolling in the School of Nursing. 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. If taking stand-alone anatomy and physiology courses, human or comparative anatomy and human or animal physiology are accepted.
b. 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 (must be taken prior to NURS 403) | 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.
If the applicant has a bachelor’s degree in another discipline, the general education requirements for the R.N.-B.S. completion program will be met with the previous baccalaureate degree, with the exception of the following courses that must be completed prior to enrollment in NURS 488: anatomy, physiology, microbiology, nutrition, statistics and developmental psychology.
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 Focused Inquiry I | Focused Inquiry I | 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 enrolling in the School of Nursing. 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. If taking stand-alone anatomy and physiology courses, human or comparative anatomy and human or animal physiology are accepted.
-
- 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 (must be taken prior to NURS 403) | 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.
If the applicant has a bachelor’s degree in another discipline, the general education requirements for the R.N.-B.S. completion program will be met with the previous baccalaureate degree, with the exception of the following courses that must be completed prior to enrollment in NURS 488: anatomy, physiology, microbiology, nutrition, statistics and developmental psychology.
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 | Foundations of Professional Nursing I | 3 |
| NURS 308 | Foundation of Professional Nursing II | 3 |
| NURS 309 | Population Health | 3 |
| NURS 403 | Evidence-based Practice in Health Care | 3 |
| NURS 406 | Interprofessional Collaborative Practice | 2 |
| NURS 408 | Ethics, Law and Public Policy: Application to Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS 409 | Population Health: Application to Nursing Practice | 2 |
| NURS 462 | Advanced Pathophysiological Concepts: Application to Patient Care | 3 |
| NURS 477 | Leadership and Management in Health Care | 4 |
| NURS 488 | Clinical and Management Decision-making | 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 for program admission and program corequisites: 50
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 301 | Nursing Informatics | 3 |
| NURS 307 | Foundations of Professional Nursing I | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 6 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| NURS 308 | Foundation of Professional Nursing II | 3 |
| NURS 309 | Population Health | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 6 | |
| Semester 3 | ||
| NURS 403 | Evidence-based Practice in Health Care | 3 |
| NURS 409 | Population Health: Application to Nursing Practice | 2 |
| 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 406 | Interprofessional Collaborative Practice | 2 |
| NURS 477 | Leadership and Management in Health Care | 4 |
| Term Hours: | 6 | |
| Semester 6 | ||
| NURS 488 | Clinical and Management Decision-making | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 3 | |
| Total Hours: | 32 | |
Upper-division credits to be awarded after successful completion of NURS 308: 39
- The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 121.