Program Description:
The upper-division nursing major is offered in four semesters for students in the Day Section, in four semesters in a weekend/evening section for students who have earned a previous baccalaureate degree, and in three terms for students in Weekend College (registered nurses only). While the curricular outcomes are the same for all three sections, the three-term weekend curriculum is built on competencies attained through associate degree nursing education. Evaluation of curricular outcomes is assessed through several quantitative and qualitative measures.
The curriculum builds on the liberal arts background of the student and the values of a humanistic approach to the practice of professional nursing. Clinical experiences are provided using healthcare centers, community agencies and other facilities. Graduates are prepared to be safe, effective, professional general practitioners, to function as responsible members of the nursing profession and to continue formal education through advanced study.
ACCREDITATION
The program is approved by the Minnesota Board of Nursing and is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission. For information regarding baccalaureate nursing program length and tuition, please contact:
National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission
61 Broadway
New York, New York 10006
1-800-669-1656 Ext. 153
www.nlnac.org
Major Requirements: ADMISSION TO THE MAJOR: GENERAL INFORMATION
All nursing candidate students must submit the nursing major application materials by a specified deadline in order to be considered for admission. Candidates should contact the nursing department at (651) 690-6585 to receive application information.
Students are selected for the nursing major from a pool of qualified applicants based on the following priority considerations:
students who have entered the College as first-semester students.
students who transfer to the College prior to beginning the major (these students will be selected based on a combination of two factors: number of courses taken at the College and cumulative grade point average). Students seeking a first degree and students seeking a second major certificate/second degree will be considered simultaneously.
students who transfer to the College for the major.
ADMISSION TO THE MAJOR: DAY SECTION OR EVENING/WEEKEND POST-BACCALAUREATE MAJOR SECTION
In order to begin upper-division courses in the nursing major, students must meet the following criteria:
successful completion of prerequisite courses (C or above), with a prerequisite GPA of 2.6. No prerequisite courses may be taken S/U. Only one prerequisite course may be below C, and this course (or an alternate course approved by the department chairperson or baccalaureate program director) must be repeated no more than once. A minimum grade of C must be achieved in the repeated or substituted course. If two or more prerequisite courses are below C, the student is ineligible for the nursing major.
an overall GPA of 2.75 (calculated on all courses, including failed courses, completed within the past ten years). Students who are ineligible for the nursing major because of their GPA may be reconsidered on an individual basis by petitioning to the Nursing Department Committee on Students.
completion of 64 semester credits.
completion of a baccalaureate degree if pursuing a second (post-baccalaureate) major certificate in the weekend/evening semester format.
For students seeking a first degree, the major in nursing can be obtained with either the B.A. or the B.S. degree.
Students possessing a baccalaureate degree have the choice of pursuing either a second degree or second major certificate in nursing. Both require fulfillment of prerequisite course work with 2.6 GPA, and overall cumulative GPA of 2.75. However, students pursuing a second degree must fulfill all graduation requirements for the College of St. Catherine in addition to course work required for the nursing major. Students completing a second degree or second major certificate are eligible to take the state licensure exam and receive public health nursing certification.
Other requirements to be fulfilled prior to entering the nursing major include:
Day Section required courses:
NURS 310 Introduction to Professional Nursing Practice
NURS 325 Nursing Theoretical Concepts
NURS 327 Adaptive Responses I: The Physiologic Mode
NURS 328 Adaptive Responses II: The Physiologic Mode
NURS 340 Nursing Care of the Family
NURS 350 Promotion of Patient Adaptation in Acute Care
NURS 400 Promotion of Complex Patient Adaptation in Acute Care
NURS 410 Community Health Nursing for Complex Families
NURS 420 Leadership in Professional Nursing Practice
Evening/Weekend required courses (Post-Baccalaureate section):
NURS 320 Introduction to Nursing Theory and Practice
NURS 330 Application of Nursing Theory and Skills
NURS 360 Nursing Theory and Practice to Promote Adaptation
NURS 370 The Family as a Client
NURS 430 Professional Nursing Practice in Complex Patient Systems
NURS 440 Leadership/Management in Population-Based Nursing Practice
Prerequisite courses to be completed before beginning courses in the major include:
PSYC 100 General Psychology
PSYC 202 Lifespan Developmental Psychology
SOCI 100 Principles and Concepts of Sociology, or SOCI 230 Sociology of Medicine,
or SOCI 325 Cultural Anthropology
CHEM 101 General Chemistry for Health Sciences, or CHEM 111 and 112, General Chemistry I and II
BIOL 251, 252 Human Anatomy and Human Physiology
BIOL 220 Introduction to Microbiology
FCNS 300 Nutrition (may be taken with the first semester of the nursing major)
The math/statistics requirement for the liberal arts and sciences core must be completed before beginning courses in the nursing major.* The requirement that nursing prerequisites be taken for a letter grade does not apply to the math/statistics requirement.
Supporting course:
PHIL 340 Biomedical Ethics or THEO 220 Christian Ethics (fulfills one philosophy or theology requirement,
and must be completed prior to graduation)
*Not applicable for students seeking a second major certificate only.
ADMISSION TO THE MAJOR: WEEKEND COLLEGE SECTION
In order to begin upper-division courses in the nursing major, students must meet the following criteria:
minimum grade of C in all nursing courses.
cumulative GPA of 2.5 (calculated on all courses, including failed courses, completed within the past 10 years). Students ineligible for the nursing major because of GPA or nursing course grades may be reconsidered on an individual basis by petitioning to the Nursing Department Committee on Students.
completion of 100 semester credits, with fewer than eight credits of core liberal arts or elective credits remaining.
previous work experience as a registered nurse (R.N.) or be currently employed as an R.N.
The major in nursing can be obtained with either the B.A. or the B.S. degree. Students who already have an associate degree in nursing and a baccalaureate degree in another major may pursue either a second degree or second major certificate in nursing. (The second-degree option is not available to graduates of the College of St. Catherine.) Second major certificate students need to satisfy major requirements only, including the supporting course. Second-degree students must meet all graduation requirements for the College of St. Catherine, in addition to course work and supporting course required for the nursing major. Courses completed at other accredited institutions may often be accepted as meeting degree requirements.
Other requirements to be fulfilled prior to entering the nursing major include:
Required courses:
NURS 390* Professional Nursing: Theories, Concepts and Practices
NURS 415* Community Health Nursing for Complex Families
NURS 420* Leadership in Professional Nursing Practice
*Indicates a course with a practicum requirement. These courses are offered on weekends with practicum requiring additional weekday time.
Supporting course:
PHIL 340 Biomedical Ethics or THEO 220 Christian Ethics (fulfills one philosophy or theology requirement,
and must be completed prior to graduation)
Nursing majors satisfy the Writing Requirement for Majors in course assignments throughout the departmental curriculum, rather than in a single course. Students complete the Liberal Arts and Sciences Core Writing Requirement with three other writing-intensive courses (CORE 100W and CORE 399W and any other writing-intensive course in another department).
SCHOOL NURSING CERTIFICATION
In addition to the prerequisite, supporting and major course work, the following courses are strongly recommended: EDUC 207W Teachers as Leaders for a Changing Society, and a first aid course.
PUBLIC HEALTH REGISTRATION
Coordinate with nursing department.
