Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Program Description

The BSN degree prepares a nurse generalist with a liberal arts background who focuses upon treating human responses to actual or potential health programs. Graduates are expected to meet the program outcomes to function in entry-level nursing practice positions. After successful completion of required core coursework, students enter nursing courses in the fall of their junior year.  

CSU Nursing Facts:

• There are more than 1,000 pre-nursing and nursing majors and the numbers continue to increase.
• Our curriculum is nationally accredited by the prestigious Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and approved by the Georgia Board of Nursing.
• Our students pass the NCLEX, the national nursing licensure exam, at rates well above national average.
• Our faculty provides hands-on experiences to our students. All of our professors are clinical experts in the area in which they teach.
• Students get relevant, hands-on experience, in the classroom and in clinical settings.
• Low instructor-to-student ratio.
• The clinical nursing curriculum is offered over four semesters beginning in the junior year and is preceded by two years of pre-nursing (core) courses.
• The PACE Office is the Advising Center for the School of Nursing.

RN to BSN - Online

Career Opportunities

Graduates are expected to meet the program outcomes to function in entry-level nursing practice positions.

Admission Requirements

The School of Nursing accepts one class of nursing students to its program to start each fall term. Admittance to the upper level clinical course sequence each fall is competitive.

Students can apply for the Nursing program once they have met the following requirements:

• Completed AREA A, AREA D required sciences (CHEM 1151/1151L and CHEM 1152/1152L), AREA F, and have fewer than nine (9) remaining hours of CORE left to complete. Students must meet the terms of the School of Nursing Science Policy
• Have a minimum GPA of 2.75
• Pass the "A2 Assessment" test with 70% or greater on the three (3) sections (math, grammar and reading) with 75% average or better
• During the application process, students will also be asked to provide three (3) professional recommendations

The application process begins in January each year for the upcoming fall nursing class.

Application deadlines are provided at http://nursing.columbusstate.edu/bsn/index.php

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the CSU BSN Program will:

• provide safe, patient centered care in a variety of settings
• communicate and collaborate with members of the interdisciplinary health care team in a professional and effective manner, through verbal, non-verbal, written and electronic means to improve patient outcomes and teamwork
• apply the quality improvement process to ensure patient safety and to meet desired clinical outcomes
• use sound evidence to make appropriate clinical decisions about health care
• integrate information technology into nursing practice in a variety of settings
• function as a leader within the nursing roles to include provider of care, manager of care, and member of the profession

Additional Program Requirements

Requirements for students to progress in clinical nursing course sequence include:

• maintaining 2.00 overall GPA
• successful completion of prerequisites not met before entry into program
• successful completion of required nursing calculation proficiency exams
• successful completion of required nursing achievement exams
• annual evidence of required immunizations, TB screening, BCLS certification, and current professional liability insurance
• eligibility to enter clinical agencies for clinical experiences

Requirements for students to graduate from BSN Program:

• maintaining a 2.00 or higher overall GPA
• successful completion of all university requirements
• successful completion of all BSN program requirements, including passing the Nursing Exit Exam
• students who fail to meet graduation requirements within seven years of their first admission to the nursing program are subject to having all credits reevaluated 

Program of Study

Area A Essential Skills Required Hours: 9
ENGL 1101 (with a grade of "C" or better)
ENGL 1102 (with a grade of "C" or better)
Select one of the following courses:

Area B Institutional Options Required Hours: 4
COMM 1110
Select two of the following courses:

OR
Select one of the following courses: Foreign Language 1001, 1002, 2001, or 2002
Any Area C-E course with a study abroad component.

Note: the extra hour(s) will not be used as part of the Nursing (BSN) core.The Nursing (BSN) program only requires 4 credit hours in AreaB.

Area C Humanities/Fine Arts/Ethics Required Hours: 6
Select one of the following humanities courses:

Select one of the following fine arts courses: *ITDS 1145, though listed under both humanities and fine arts, may be taken only once.

Area D Science/Math/Technology Required Hours: 11

Select two science courses from the list below, one of which must include a lab.
CHEM 1151/1151L
CHEM 1152/1152L

Select one of the following courses or an Area D science course:

Area E Social Sciences Required Hours: 12
Select one course from the following two courses:
HIST 2111
HIST 2112
Take the following course:
POLS 1101
Select one behavioral science course from the following courses:

Select one world cultures course from the following courses:

Wellness Requirement Required Hours: 3
PHED 1205
Select any one PEDS course.

Area F Courses Related to Major Required Hours: 18
BIOL 2221 Human Anatomy and Physiology I
BIOL 2222 Human Anatomy and Physiology II
BIOL 2225 Microbiology for Health Sciences
PSYC 1101 Intro to General Psychology
STAT 1127 Introductory Statistics

Area G Program Requirements Required Hours: 60

Total hours Required: 123