Requirements for a Major or Minor in Nursing


Programs offered
• Major in Nursing leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree
(86-90 credits)
• Accelerated nursing program leading to a second major
in nursing (48 credits)

Faculty
Polly K. Kloster, chair
Connie L. Peterson
Jean C. Bokinskie
Jack E. Rydell
Jennifer L. De
Jong Linda M. Scott
Jill M. Holmstrom

The nursing program at Concordia College is nationally accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and maintains approval through the North Dakota and Minnesota Boards of Nursing. The student is prepared to sit for the NCLEX-RN licensure exam for the registered nurse (RN) upon successful completion of the major with the baccalaureate degree. NCLEX-RN pass rates of Concordia College graduates are available on the Minnesota and North Dakota Boards of Nursing websites.

The mission of the nursing program is to provide professional nursing education, to advance knowledge of the discipline, and to serve as a resource for the healthcare needs of the community. The nursing curriculum prepares professional practitioners by providing a sound educational basis for continuing development, for graduate study in nursing, and for accepting professional and community responsibility. The nursing program serves as a resource for society through consultation, collaboration, political involvement, scholarship and clinical practice.

The nursing program provides learning experiences that prepare students to achieve the following outcomes:
• apply concepts from the arts, humanities and sciences to professional nursing practice*
• communicate clearly and effectively*
• apply critical-thinking skills in deliberative decision-making*
• provide nursing care in accordance with the Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice (ANA, 2004)
• provide nursing care in accordance with the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements (ANA, 2001)

*Adapted from Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. 2008. AACN. Washington, D.C. Graduates meet the qualifications for public health nursing certification.

The curriculum is sequentially organized to facilitate student learning. The beginning courses provide a theoretical foundation for the major. Course content and learning experiences progress from simple to complex, from individual to family and community-client, from faculty-directed to student-directed learning, and from theory to application. Faculty members design experiences to provide opportunities for students to integrate theory with practice, engender a spirit of inquiry, and develop critical-thinking abilities. This design enables students to acquire cognition, attitudes, and skills needed to develop the variety of behaviors that constitute the professional nursing role.

Major in Nursing Leading
to a Bachelor of Arts Degree

Admission to the Nursing Major
The baccalaureate nursing program is a nationally accredited four-year course of study leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in nursing. The prenursing program is open to all high school graduates and college students who wish to pursue a nursing major. To enter the prenursing program, students must be admitted to Concordia; however, applicants should note that admission to the college does not grant admission to the professional nursing major.

The professional nursing major begins the spring semester of the traditional sophomore year. Incoming freshmen who qualify for select academic scholarships through the Admissions Office of the college may apply for early admission to the nursing major. Early admission to the nursing major is offered to select high school graduates at the time of admission to Concordia College. The criteria for early admission are available from the Concordia College Admissions Office. Students who are not awarded early admission to the major must submit an application to the nursing department by April 15 of the student’s freshman year to be considered for admission within a four-year college plan. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required in all post high school work through the semester of application to be eligible for consideration of admission to the major. Application forms may be obtained in the nursing department. Applicants are notified of their admission status in May. Students who are currently enrolled at Concordia should consult with a nursing faculty member or advisor prior to the application deadline.

Policies specific to students accepted into the nursing major are published in the Baccalaureate Nursing Program Student Handbook. The handbook is provided to students in the first semester of the major.

Because state regulations require a specific student-faculty ratio in the clinical practicum, enrollment in the professional nursing program is limited and based on available resources and clinical placement availability. Consideration will be given to students who have attended Concordia College and meet all other criteria. Admission is competitive and based on all of the following:
• GPA (minimum cumulative GPA of >3.0 through the semester of application on all post high school coursework)
• completion of the prerequisite courses with a passing letter grade of C- or higher
• completion of two science courses (e.g., biology and/or chemistry) with a passing letter grade by the end of the semester of application to the major
• eligibility for sophomore standing
• submission of the completed application materials
• personal references
• an impromptu essay and/or interview
• a one-page résumé

The prerequisite coursework requirements for a major in nursing leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree are 86-90 credits:
• BIOL 101 – General Biology OR
BIOL 121 – Cell Biology, 4 credits
• BIOL 306 – Human Anatomy and Physiology, 4 credits
• BIOL 207 – Fundamental Microbiology, 4 credits
• CHEM 142 – Survey of Organic and Biochemistry, 4 credits (CHEM 111 is a required prerequisite if no high school chemistry has been completed.)
• CHEM 304 – Pharmacology, 2 credits
• FND 321 – Nutrition, 4 credits
• MATH course with a “K” designation, 4 credits
• PSYC 111 – Introductory Psychology, 4 credits
• Any psychology course above PSYC 111, 4 credits
• Any sociology course with an “S” course designation, 4 credits

Students must be accepted into the nursing major to enroll in any of the following courses:
• NURS 341 – Client Concepts, 4 credits
• NURS 342 – Adult Health Nursing I, 4 credits
• NURS 351 – Nursing Concepts, 4 credits
• NURS 352 – Family Nursing I, 4 credits
• NURS 361 – Health Assessment, 4 credits
• NURS 362 – Family Nursing II, 4 credits
• NURS 401 – Community Health Nursing, 4 credits
• NURS 402 – Mental Health Nursing, 4 credits
• NURS 403 – Adult Health II, 4 credits
• NURS 404 – Adult Health III, 4 credits
• NURS 420 – Nursing Research, 2 credits
• NURS 423 – Roles and Issues of Professional Nursing in a Global Society, 4 credits
• NURS 430 – Nursing Management, 2 credits

Accelerated Nursing Program Leading
to a Second Major for College Graduates
The accelerated nursing program is an 18-month course of study leading to a major in nursing for students who have already completed a baccalaureate degree. The program begins in May and finishes 18 months later in December. The students complete the same curriculum of nursing coursework and co-requisite courses as the traditional nursing major, with minor scheduling and clinical alterations. Upon successful completion of the program the student will attain a major in nursing and is eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN licensure exam for the registered nurse (RN). NCLEX-RN pass rates of Concordia College graduates are available on the Minnesota and North Dakota Boards of Nursing websites.

Admission to the Accelerated Program
The accelerated nursing program is open to students who have already completed a baccalaureate degree at an accredited institution. To enter the accelerated program students must apply and be selected for admission into the nursing program. Completed application materials must be submitted directly to the nursing department by Jan. 15 preceding the start of the program in May. Admission is competitive and based on all of the following:
• GPA (minimum cumulative GPA of >3.0)
• baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution in the U.S.
• all of the following prerequisite courses must be successfully completed prior to beginning the first class in the nursing program:
– chemistry, preferably with some introductory organic and biochemistry content (including lab)
– microbiology (including lab)
– human anatomy and physiology course (including lab)
– general psychology
– general sociology
– developmental psychology
– college algebra (statistics is not accepted)
• submission of the completed application materials
• personal references
• an impromptu essay and/or interview
• a one page résumé