Nursing, Bachelor of Science In Nursing (Second Degree)
Program Overview
This program leads to a profession which requires an occupational license as defined under Texas Occupations Code 58.001. This requires that all applicants seeking to become licensed must undergo a criminal background check prior to licensure.
The Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Program is designed to enable students to integrate knowledge from theory and research, high-level skills, and concepts of leadership into the practice of professional nursing care of individuals, families, groups, and communities. The Second Degree BSN Program provides a foundation for graduate study.
Second Degree BSN graduates are eligible to apply to the Texas Board of Nursing to take the National Council Licensure Examination. After successfully completing this examination, the graduate is issued a license to practice as a registered nurse in the state of Texas.
Admission requirements for this program beyond university admission requirements.
Although students may be eligible to apply based on minimum criteria, admission is competitive; therefore, meeting minimum application criteria does not guarantee admission. Students will be rank ordered by the School of Nursing Undergraduate Admission, Progression and Graduation Committee and admitted based on space availability.
Application Eligibility
Students are eligible to submit an application to the BSN 2nd degree program if they:
- Possess a bachelor’s degree in a discipline other than nursing.
- Complete 6 semester credit hours of United States history and government or political science, including the Constitutions of the United States and Texas.
- If not completed through the first bachelor’s degree, complete all BSN prerequisites with a minimum grade of ‘C’ in each course. BSN prerequisites include:
- Achieve a 75% or higher on the required components of the HESIA2 Exam (English Language, Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, Math, Anatomy and Physiology, and Critical Thinking)
Minimum Admission Requirements
- Be admitted to UTRGV as a Second Degree Student.
- Students must complete the BSN prerequisites and the courses below to be officially admitted to the program.
The cumulative GPA for the prerequisites and the courses above must be 3.0. The GPA will be calculated using all institutional and transfer work including applicable coursework from the first bachelor’s degree.
- Pass math quiz [grade of 100].
- Provide proof of current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for health care providers.
- Provide documentation verifying absence of active (infectious) pulmonary disease.
- Provide documentation verifying current immunization or immunity status for specified diseases (hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus/diphtheria or tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis, varicella, flu/influenza, meningitis if <age 22, etc).
- Submit evidence of being cleared by the Texas Board of Nursing’s criminal background check.
- Meet School of Nursing Technical Standards policy.
- Be admitted by the BSN Undergraduate Admission, Progression and Graduation Committee after being rank-ordered using the admission criteria based on space availability.
Progression requirements for this program.
Students:
- Must provide annual documentation verifying absence of active (infectious) pulmonary disease.
- Must provide annual documentation verifying current immunization or immunity status for specified diseases (hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus/diphtheria or tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis, varicella, flu/influenza, and, if <22, meningitis, etc.).
- Must provide annual proof of current certification in CPR (health care provider).
- Must maintain and submit proof at least $1 million in professional liability insurance.
- Must achieve a minimum grade of ‘C’ in all courses on the degree plan. The criteria to earn a grade of ‘C’ in a NURS course is established by the School of Nursing and differs from non-NURS courses.
- Can only repeat an individual NURS course once (i.e., total maximum enrollment is two).
- Can only repeat two total courses to remain in the nursing program.
- Who earn a grade of ‘D’ or ‘F’ or drop more than two courses may be dismissed from the program and must reapply for admission.
- Must satisfactorily complete BSN courses in approved sequence.
- Must seek academic advisement each semester regarding program progression.
- Must abide by and adhere to all requirements stipulated in the BSN Student Guide.
Specific graduation requirements for this program beyond university bachelor’s degree requirements.
- Students must achieve a minimum grade of ‘C’ in each course required for the BSN 2nd degree.
Core Curriculum - 42 hours
The Core Curriculum serves as a broad foundation for the undergraduate degree. All candidates for a bachelor’s degree must achieve core student learning outcomes, including communication, critical thinking, empirical and quantitative skills, teamwork, personal responsibility and social responsibility, by completing courses within each category or component area of the Core Curriculum as outlined below.
The University has approved specific courses that satisfy Core Curriculum Requirements. Approved courses can be found on the Core Curriculum Page. Students seeking the most efficient way to complete the core curriculum and major or minor requirements are advised to take approved courses that can fulfill both requirements. Although core curriculum courses can also be used to fulfill major or minor requirements, earned credits hours are only applied once.
The courses listed below fulfill core curriculum and major requirements. Students who have completed a core curriculum category with courses other than those listed below will still be required to take the listed course(s) to meet major requirements.
020 Mathematics - 3 hours
Choose one:
May be fulfilled through first bachelor's degree if on the student's academic record.
030 Life and Physical Sciences - 6 hours
BIOL 2401 and BIOL 2402 lecture component is given three credit hours each.
May be fulfilled through first bachelor's degree if on the student's academic record.
070 Government Political Science - 3 hours
Fulfilled through initial bachelor’s degree. Out-of-state candidates must complete:
080 Social and Behavioral Sciences - 3 hours
Choose one:
May be fulfilled through first bachelor's degree if on the student's academic record.
090 Integrative & Experiential Learning - 6 hours
BIOL 2401 and BIOL 2401 lab component is given one credit hour each.
May be fulfilled through first bachelor's degree if on the student's academic record.
Major Requirements - 57 to 76 hours
Required Courses - 57 hours
Nursing Core
Support Courses - 0 to 19 hours
If not completed as part of the first bachelor’s degree:
Total Credit Hours: 42
Total Credit Hours: 120
View this program’s recommended roadmap to graduation.
UTRGV Roadmaps are a suggested sequence of courses designed to assist students in completing their undergraduate degree requirements. This is a term-by-term sample roadmap of courses required to complete the degree. Students must satisfy all requirements in their catalog including, but not limited to course prerequisites, grade point average and course grade benchmarks, progression requirements, and graduation requirements.
Students should meet with their academic advisor every semester to discuss their individualized path toward completion. Degree progress within this roadmap depends upon such factors as course availability, individual student academic preparation and readiness, student time management, work and personal responsibilities, and financial considerations. Students may choose to take courses during summer terms to reduce course loads during long semesters.