Four-Year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Programs

Applicants begin with prerequisite coursework. UW's School of Nursing, for example, requires 90 quarter credit hours, with a 2.0 cumulative GPA and at least a 2.0 in each course. Students might also consider volunteer work at a hospital or healthcare facility during their first two years to gain experience and augment their applications.

Sample Year One Courses:

• English composition
• Mathematics: algebra with applications, precalculus, calculus with analytic geometry
• Nutrition
• Philosophy: practical reasoning or introduction to logic
• Principles of chemistry
• Statistical reasoning or elements of statistical methods
• Survey of physiology and elementary physiology lab
• Visual, literary, and performing arts classes

During their second year, students complete their remaining prerequisite coursework and apply to nursing schools. Candidates must have enough time to order transcripts, arrange for recommendation letters, and write personal statements. Some four-year nursing programs require an entrance exam (HESI or the Test of Essential Academic Skills), which requires preparation, as well. Students should also plan to prepare for nursing program interviews, if required.

Sample Year Two Courses:

• Accelerated (honors) calculus
• Chemistry covering general, organic, and biochemistry
• Intermediate logic
• Introduction to probability and statistics
• General microbiology with lab
• Growth and development through the lifespan
• Literature and medicine
• Preparing for college writing

Once students begin nursing school, their workloads increase and intensify. Four-year nursing schools usually discourage employment during the final two years of BSN programs, due to the full slate of nursing coursework, labs, seminars, and practicum hours focusing on clinical practice and specific patient populations. We've compiled the following course lists from the UW School of Nursing.

Sample Year Three Courses:

• Health assessments
• Healthcare systems and policy
• Health equity
• Foundational skills for professional nurses
• Foundations in pharmacotherapeutics and pathophysiology
• Fundamentals of nursing practice for illness care
• Introduction to research
• Populations health through community health nursing partnerships

The fourth year typically includes classes at least three days a week, one 6-8-hour day of clinical work, and a significant amount of homework. In general, for every credit hour of coursework, learners should expect a minimum of two hours spent reading, writing, and studying. In addition, students must look ahead to their NCLEX-RN licensure exam and begin preparing at least six months before their test date.

Sample Year Four Courses:

• Ambulatory care
• Care coordination and case management
• Child health
• Informatics, patient safety, and quality improvement
• Foundations of interprofessional practice
• Nursing care of childbearing families
• Psychosocial nursing in health and illness
• Transition to professional practice