Nursing, Bachelor of Science (BSN)

Albany State University offers an opportunity for motivated healthcare professionals: A high-quality Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) that's affordable and convenient. As its name implies, this baccalaureate program is designed for students desiring a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and, as such, is an ideal program for high school, transfer, and change-of-major students.

Throughout the nursing curriculum, students are exposed to the various fields and specializations within the nursing profession, including Women's Health, Pediatrics, Adult Medical-Surgical, and many others. These programs culminate with the student earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, which makes the graduate academically eligible to write the state licensing examination (the NCLEX-RN) to practice as a registered nurse. Undergraduate nursing education—whether at the associate or baccalaureate level—prepares the nurse to function as a generalist utilizing the triad of evidenced based practice, teaching, and practice in providing nursing care in traditional and nontraditional settings. The professional nurse is broadly prepared to assume responsibilities as a leader, client advocate, change agent, health care provider, health educator, and consumer of research. Additionally, our BSN graduates are prepared to enter graduate nursing programs in order to advance their careers, several of which are offered at this institution!

Albany State University proudly offers the following program tracks to allow our students to complete this degree quickly and conveniently, regardless of their experience within the collegiate setting:

NOTE: Please be aware that this format and its related materials are applicable to new freshmen accepted to the University during the Fall 2018 semester and students who wish to apply for the nursing program for the Fall 2019 semester or later.

Effective Fall 2018, the Generic BSN Program will be offered as a “2+2 program,” in which the student spends their first 2 years at the University completing the Core curriculum and their second 2 years completing nursing courses exclusively. Currently, students are only admitted into this program during the Fall semester. Courses within this program are primarily taken on-campus (that is, on Albany State University’s East and West Campuses) with the potential for some courses to be offered as online or hybridized, but please be aware that this is not guaranteed. Clinical experiences are held in our clinical skills lab(s), Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, and other facilities in the surrounding area as needed.

Freshmen will enter ASU as a Health and Human Performance major with a “Pre-Nursing” attribute, which MUST be specified upon application to the University. During their first 2 academic years (that is, their freshman and sophomore years), students intending to apply to this program will complete the entirety of the Core curriculum, which includes the nine (9) courses utilized in the determination of their Nursing GPA (and, consequently, program eligibility). After being accepted into this nursing program, this track comprises five (5) additional consecutive semesters, including one (1) required Summer semester, culminating with the student earning their Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

The Accelerated (or “Second Degree”) BSN Program is designed for students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree in an area other than nursing and have graduated with at least a 3.0 Cumulative GPA but who also desire to earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing, albeit with consideration of past educational experience. Currently, students are only admitted into this program during the Fall semester. Courses within this program are primarily taken on-campus (that is, on Albany State University’s East and West Campuses) with the potential for some courses to be offered as online or hybridized, but this is not guaranteed. Clinical experiences are held in our clinical skills lab(s), Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, and other facilities in the surrounding area as needed.

This accelerated track comprises five (5) consecutive semesters, including one (1) required Summer semester, culminating with the student earning their Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Generic BSN Program (2+2 Format) Admission Criteria

Applicants must:

1. FIRST, submit an application to Albany State University and be admitted in good standing.
2. AFTER being accepted as a student at Albany State University, submit the completed application, the $20.00 application fee money order, and a copy of their TEAS exam scores by the application deadline.
   1. Applicants who take the TEAS exam at Albany State University’s West Campus Testing Center may submit a printed copy of their results page with the application and money order.
   2. Applicants who take the TEAS exam at a testing site other than ASU’s West Campus Testing Center will need to purchase the “TEAS transcript” through ATI Testing’s online store and indicate that they wish to have their scores transferred to Albany State University.
3. Successfully complete and exit all learning support courses.
4. Complete the entirety of the baccalaureate Core Curriculum (including the “Above the Core” requirements) prior to Fall admission with a minimum grade of "C" in the following courses: Anatomy and Physiology I & II, Microbiology, two (2) sequential courses in an Area D science (which can be either Biology I & II or Chemistry I & II), English Composition I & II, Human Growth & Development, and Pre Nursing Seminar.
   1. Pre-Nursing Seminar is an ASU-exclusive course. Applicants transferring from other institutions who have taken a medical terminology course at a non-ASU institution may be able to waive the Pre-Nursing seminar requirement; however, this waiver is given on a case-by-case basis and is not guaranteed.
5. Have a minimum cumulative Nursing Grade Point Average (NGPA) of 2.8 in the nine (9) core courses listed above. Please note that only the grades from the above courses will be used to compute the student’s NGPA. Passing, failing, and repeated course grades in the above courses that are less than 10 years of age will be computed to obtain this GPA.
6. Complete all required science courses with a grade of “C” or higher in each course. Only one (1) science course failure is allowed, and this course must be repeated prior to entry into the nursing program. If the science failure(s) occurred more than 5 years ago, the student has the opportunity to repeat the course(s) one (1) time.
7. Successfully complete Anatomy and Physiology course(s) that are less than 6 years old at the time of potential admission to the nursing program. If the Anatomy and Physiology course(s) is/are older than 6 years, the student must retake the course(s) and pass with a “C” or better.
8. Must have passed the standardized entrance exam for admission to nursing at or above the established percentage rate within no more than two (2) attempts within the past 12-month period. Students who have taken the entrance exam within the last year must present official scores to the admission committee prior to being admitted to the program.
   1. Currently, the entrance exam is the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS), and the minimum qualifying score is 70.0.
9. Following acceptance into the nursing program, students must submit the following documentation prior to the last date to add courses for the semester (“Schedule Adjustment Days”). Students who do not meet this requirement will be dropped from the clinical nursing course.
   1. Certificate of immunization: Must be on file in Student Health Services indicating that all immunizations are current based on their age. Immunizations include Hepatitis B (or waiver), MMR, tetanus, varicella, flu, tuberculosis, and any other immunization(s) deemed necessary by the University and/or the clinical site.
   2. BLS card: A current CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) basic life support (BLS) card. All students must be certified by the American Heart Association (AHA) in child and adult BLS for health care providers. This certification must be maintained throughout the program (renewed every 2 years). An outdated CPR certification will prohibit the student from attending clinical practice experiences.
10. Following admission to the nursing program, students must submit the following documentation prior to the course’s established pre-clinical deadline: malpractice insurance, proof of active health insurance (or enrollment into the student health insurance plan), a complete criminal background check, and a drug test at the expense of the student. The criminal background check will be completed utilizing PreCheck.com.
    1. Students are subjected to compulsory background checks per clinical agency requirements and may also be required to submit to random tests for illegal use of controlled substance as a provided by the law or regulations of the contracting agency. If the site refuses to allow a student to attend clinical experiences, the nursing program is not obligated to find another clinical site. The student may not be able to complete the nursing program at ASU. Therefore, it is important to conduct personal record checks prior to admission to the nursing program.
11. NOTE: A student who has failed (D, F, or WF) two (2) nursing courses, whether at a 2-year or 4-year institution (including ASU) will not be eligible for admission or continuation in the nursing program at ASU. Students with no more than two (2) nursing failures may be considered for entry (or reentry) into the nursing program on a case-by-case basis only after a 5-year period has passed from the most recently-earned failure. Only one (1) nursing failure may be forgiven.

Applicants must:

1. FIRST, submit an application to Albany State University and be admitted in good standing.
2. AFTER being accepted as a student at Albany State University, submit the completed application, unofficial transcripts from all institutions previously attended, the $20.00 application fee money order, and a copy of TEAS exam scores by the application deadline.
   1. Applicants who take the TEAS exam at Albany State University’s West Campus Testing Center may submit a printed copy of their results page with the application and money order.
   2. Applicants who take the TEAS exam at a testing site other than ASU’s West Campus Testing Center will need to purchase the “TEAS transcript” through ATI Testing’s online store and indicate that they wish to have their scores transferred to Albany State University.
3. Successfully complete and exit all learning support courses.
4. Have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited program in a field other than nursing with a graduating cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0. Courses taken and degrees earned after obtaining the first bachelor’s degree will not factor into the 3.0 required graduating GPA for admission consideration.
5. Complete 31 hours of the baccalaureate Core Curriculum prior to the Fall admission with a minimum grade of “C” in the following courses: Anatomy and Physiology I & II, Microbiology, two (2) sequential courses in an Area D science (which can be either Biology I & II or Chemistry I & II), English Composition I & II, Human Growth & Development, and Pre-Nursing Seminar.
   1. Pre-Nursing Seminar is an ASU-exclusive course. Applicants transferring from other institutions who have taken a medical terminology course at a non-ASU institution may be able to waive the Pre-Nursing seminar requirement; however, this waiver is given on a case-by-case basis and is not guaranteed.
6. Complete all required science courses with a grade of “C” or higher in each course. Only one (1) science course failure is allowed, and this course must be repeated prior to entry into the nursing program. If the science failure(s) occurred more than 5 years ago, the student has the opportunity to repeat the course(s) one (1) time.
7. Successfully complete Anatomy and Physiology course(s) that are less than 6 years old at the time of potential admission to the nursing program. If the Anatomy and Physiology course(s) is/are older than 6 years, the student must retake the course(s) and pass with a “C” or better.
8. Must have passed the standardized entrance exam for admission to nursing at or above the established percentage rate within no more than two (2) attempts within the past 12-month period. Students who have taken the entrance exam within the last year must present official scores to the admission committee prior to being admitted to the program.
   1. Currently, the entrance exam is the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS), and the minimum qualifying score is 70.0.
9. Following acceptance into the nursing program, students must submit the following documentation prior to the last date to add courses for the semester (“Schedule Adjustment Days”). Students who do not meet this requirement will be dropped from the clinical nursing course.
   1. Certificate of immunization: Must be on file in Student Health Services indicating that all immunizations are current based on their age. Immunizations include Hepatitis B (or waiver), MMR, tetanus, varicella, flu, tuberculosis, and any other immunization(s) deemed necessary by the University and/or the clinical site.
   2. BLS card: A current CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) basic life support (BLS) card. All students must be certified by the American Heart Association (AHA) in child and adult BLS for health care providers. This certification must be maintained throughout the program (renewed every 2 years). An outdated CPR certification will prohibit the student from attending clinical practice experiences.
10. Following admission to the nursing program, students must submit the following documentation prior to the course’s established pre-clinical deadline: malpractice insurance, proof of active health insurance (or enrollment into the student health insurance plan), a complete criminal background check, and a drug test at the expense of the student. The criminal background check will be completed utilizing PreCheck.com.
    1. Students are subjected to compulsory background checks per clinical agency requirements and may also be required to submit to random tests for illegal use of controlled substance as a provided by the law or regulations of the contracting agency. If the site refuses to allow a student to attend clinical experiences, the nursing program is not obligated to find another clinical site. The student may not be able to complete the nursing program at ASU. Therefore, it is important to conduct personal record checks prior to admission to the nursing program.
11. NOTE: A student who has failed (D, F, or WF) two (2) nursing courses, whether at a 2-year or 4-year institution (including ASU) will not be eligible for admission or continuation in the nursing program at ASU. Students with no more than two (2) nursing failures may be considered for entry (or reentry) into the nursing program on a case-by-case basis only after a 5-year period has passed from the most recently-earned failure. Only one (1) nursing failure may be forgiven.

Programs of Study: Baccalaureate Nursing Programs

Generic & Accelerated BSN

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The health & wellness requirement may be fulfilled by taking one - two (2) credit hour health or wellness course OR two one (1) credit hour health or wellness activity courses.

Curriculum Patterns: Baccalaureate Nursing Programs

Generic BSN Program (Fall Admission)

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Admission Criteria Apply 

Accelerated BSN Program (Fall Admission)

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Admission Criteria Apply