General Admission Requirements for the Nursing Major
Applicants must:
- Conform to the requirements noted in the Undergraduate Catalog under “Admissions Procedures ” and “High School Preparation Recommended for Specific Majors .”
- Demonstrate minimal combined Math and Verbal SAT scores of 1130, and have attained at least a high school GPA of B
- International and/or non-US-born applicants should refer to the language requirements detailed in the Undergraduate Catalog, under “International Students ”
- Submit results and give evidence of reasonably good health and prophylaxis including, not limited to:
- Complete physical examination, including specified laboratory studies (form and directions provided by DeSales University’s Division of Nursing);
- Current immunizations for poliomyelitis, measles, rubella, tetanus, and diphtheria;
- Chickenpox titer (if unable to provide documentation of having had the disease), rubella titer, measles titer, and Hepatitis B antibody titer;
- Hepatitis B vaccination (series of three injections). This series must be completed before April of the first year;
- Additional vaccinations, including, not limited to, flu, COVID-19, as required by clinical affiliated partners for clinical rotations.
Completed health requirement forms must be submitted before starting courses in the sophomore year. Some documents may need to be updated on a yearly basis.
Associated costs of examinations and immunizations are the responsibility of the student. Additionally, students must comply with all items included in the “BSN Clinical Requirements ” section of the Undergraduate Catalog, as well as all items in the Pre-licensure BSN Student Handbook.
- Must meet the Core Performance Standards for Division of Nursing students.
- Submit completed nationwide criminal background check, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) fingerprinting, child abuse, and drug testing clearances before beginning nursing course work (forms and directions provided by DeSales University’s Division of Nursing). Some clearances may need to be updated on a yearly basis. Any costs associated with these clearances are the responsibility of the student. Any offer of full acceptance into the Nursing major is contingent on the results of the applicant’s nationwide criminal background check and FBI fingerprinting. A positive record, on either the nationwide criminal background check or the FBI fingerprinting, will result in revocation of the applicant’s acceptance, or, in the case of a matriculated student, may warrant program dismissal.
- In order to be considered for admission into the nursing major either from another major offered at DeSales University or from another academic institution, applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75. In addition, students must meet all minimum progression requirements outlined for nursing majors to be eligible for transfer. Accepted transfer students must abide by the nursing progression requirements outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog in effect at the time of acceptance into the nursing program. The BSN program’s prerequisite science, mathematics, and psychology courses are eligible for transfer consideration provided the courses adhere to the undergraduate transfer policy detailed in the Undergraduate Catalog, were completed with a grade of “C” or higher, and were completed within the last five years of the student’s matriculation into a DeSales BSN program.
- In addition to the above requirements for students seeking transfer into the nursing major, the pre-requisite courses of BI 263 , BI 264 , CH 107 , and PS 109 must be completed by the end of the spring semester of the year prior to nursing program enrollment. Transfer applicants are reviewed on a rolling basis until August 10.
- The admission process is rigorous; demonstrating minimum admission requirements does not guarantee acceptance or acceptance of transfer into a DeSales nursing program.
- Acceptance into any nursing program will be contingent upon meeting program-specific criteria, BSN clinical requirements, the availability of clinical sites, and space in existing clinical groups.
- Once an admission decision has been reached and notification of the decision has been sent to the applicant, the decision is considered final and the application is closed. Information related to closed applications is not discussed with the applicant or the applicant’s designees. There are no appeals.
Nurse Scholars Program
Acceptance into the Nurse Scholars Program as an incoming first-year student assures direct matriculation into the MSN program upon completion of the BSN program, provided that the student remains in “Acceptable Academic Standing ” as outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog. The MSN program provides options for advanced study which prepares graduates for certification as a family nurse practitioner, psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner, adult gerontology clinical nurse specialist, or adult gerontology acute care nurse practitioner. MSN degree options also include forensic nursing with certification in investigative forensics, MSN/MSIS in Data Analytics, and nurse executive via the dual MSN/MBA program (students interested in the dual MSN/MBA program must apply separately to the MBA program for admission consideration; acceptance into the MBA program is not guaranteed). Students may begin course work in graduate level nursing courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program of study, which may be credited toward both undergraduate elective courses and the graduate degree. Students can ordinarily expect to graduate with a BSN within four academic years. Following graduation with a BSN, students may obtain an MSN degree in approximately two years through part-time study, depending on the program chosen, while gaining experience working as a registered nurse. Students interested in full-time study are required to meet with the Program Coordinator in their specific track of interest prior to senior year of their undergraduate studies.
In addition to fulfilling all admission requirements of a nursing major seeking the BSN, the nurse scholar must:
- Demonstrate minimal combined Math and Verbal SAT scores of 1220;
- Have attained at least a high school GPA of B+;
- Complete an interview with a DeSales nursing faculty member, as deemed appropriate;
- Earn a B or higher in all nursing and pre-requisite courses during the undergraduate program of study;
- Earn a minimum cumulative GPA equal to 3.0 or higher at the end of each semester during the undergraduate program of study. Cumulative GPAs are calculated to three decimal places and are not rounded;
- Meet all other criteria for undergraduates taking graduate courses as outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog and Graduate Catalog.
If a student is academically ineligible to continue in the Nurse Scholars Program, the student will remain in the nursing major and continue to pursue the BSN degree, provided that requirements for academic progression are met.
General Progression Policies for Nursing Major (Traditional Day BSN) Students
To progress as a nursing major the student must remain in acceptable academic standing as described under “Acceptable Academic Standing ” in the Undergraduate Catalog. In addition to the University “Acceptable Academic Standing” requirements, nursing majors must be continuously enrolled in nursing courses at DeSales University as outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog. If continuous enrollment cannot be met, students must adhere to the leave of absence policy, detailed in the Undergraduate Catalog under “Separation from DeSales University ” and the “Leave of Absence from the Nursing Program” section. For nursing students, acceptable academic standing also includes meeting the following progression policies of the Nursing Major (Traditional day BSN program):
A. First-Year level
- The first-year student must earn a C or higher in the following science pre-requisite courses to progress to the sophomore level. Any first-year student who receives less than a C in the following science pre-requisite courses can repeat the course only one time in accordance with the DeSales “Repeat Course Policy ” detailed in the Undergraduate Catalog. The student can repeat a maximum of only one science pre-requisite course one time throughout their course of study in the nursing program.
BI 263 Anatomy & Physiology I
BI 264 Anatomy & Physiology II
CH 107 Physiological Chemistry
- The first-year student must earn a C or higher in the following psychology pre-requisite course to progress to the sophomore level. Any first-year student who receives less than a C in the following psychology pre-requisite course can repeat the course only one time in accordance with the DeSales repeat course policy. The student can repeat a maximum of only one psychology pre-requisite course one time throughout their course of study in the nursing program.
PS 109 Introduction to Psychology
- The first-year student must have earned a cumulative GPA equal to or higher than 2.75 at the end of spring semester to progress to the sophomore level. If the 2.75 minimum requirement is not met, the student will be dismissed from the nursing program. Cumulative GPAs are calculated to three decimal places and are not rounded when determining progression in the nursing program.
B. Sophomore level
- The sophomore student must earn a C or higher in the following science pre-requisite course to progress to the junior level. Any sophomore student who receives less than a C in the following science pre-requisite course can repeat the course only one time in accordance with the DeSales “Repeat Course Policy ” detailed in the Undergraduate Catalog. The student can repeat a maximum of only one science pre-requisite course one time throughout their course of study in the nursing program.
BI 252 Microbiology
- The sophomore or junior student must earn a C or higher in the following mathematics pre-requisite course to progress to the senior level. Any student who receives less than a C in the following mathematics pre-requisite course can repeat the course only one time in accordance with the DeSales repeat course policy. The student can repeat a maximum of only one mathematics pre-requisite course one time throughout their course of study in the nursing program.
MA 111 Probability and Statistics
- The sophomore student must earn a C or higher in the following psychology pre-requisite course to progress to the junior level. Any sophomore student who receives less than a C in the following psychology pre-requisite course can repeat the course only one time in accordance with the DeSales “Repeat Course Policy ’ detailed in the Undergraduate Catalog. The student can repeat a maximum of only one psychology pre-requisite course one time throughout their course of study in the nursing program.
PS 240 Human Development
- The sophomore student must earn a C+ or higher in all required nursing courses to progress to the junior level. Any sophomore student who receives less than a C+ can repeat a maximum of only one nursing course one time throughout their course of study in the nursing program. The failed nursing course must be repeated at DeSales University.
Required nursing courses at the sophomore level:
NU 205 Fundamentals of Nursing
NU 215 Health & Physical Assessment
NU 220 Pharmacology
NU 230 Therapeutic Nursing Interventions
- All required first-year students and sophomore pre-requisite courses must be successfully completed with a C or higher before beginning junior level nursing courses.
- The sophomore student must have earned a cumulative GPA equal to or higher than 2.75 at the end of spring semester to progress to the junior level. If the 2.75 minimum requirement is not met the student will be dismissed from the nursing program. Cumulative GPAs are calculated to three decimal places and are not rounded when determining progression in the nursing program.
C. Junior level
- The junior student must earn a C+ or higher in all required nursing courses to progress to the senior level. Any junior student who receives less than a C+ can repeat a maximum of only one nursing course one time throughout their course of study in the nursing program. The failed nursing course must be repeated at DeSales University.
Required nursing courses at the junior level:
NU 305 Therapeutic Nutrition
NU 335 The Chronically Ill Adult
NU 340 Mental Health Nursing
NU 350 Nursing of the Childbearing Family
NU 365 Nursing Care of Children
NU 370 Nursing of the Older Adult
- All required first-year, sophomore, and junior pre-requisite courses must be successfully completed with a C or higher before beginning senior level nursing courses.
- The junior student must have earned a cumulative GPA equal to or higher than 2.75 at the end of spring semester to progress to the senior level. If the 2.75 minimum requirement is not met the student will be dismissed from the nursing program. Cumulative GPAs are calculated to three decimal places and are not rounded when determining progression in the nursing program.
D. Senior level
- The senior student must earn a C+ or higher in all required nursing courses to progress and graduate. Any senior student who receives less than a C+ can repeat a maximum of only one nursing course one time throughout their course of study in the nursing program. The failed nursing course must be repeated at DeSales University.
Required nursing courses at the senior level:
NU 320 Health Risk Models and Research
NU 430 Nursing Care of the Acutely Ill Adult
NU 440 Community and Public Health Nursing
NU 452 Senior Integrating Seminar
NU 454 Clinical Nursing Internship
- The senior student must meet all additional University requirements in order to graduate.
- Students are required to participate in the Kaplan Review Course during their senior year of nursing courses. As part of the Kaplan Review Course, students are required to take the Kaplan NCLEX Readiness Test. All remediation requirements must be satisfactorily met, as assigned, in order to receive permission to take the NCLEX-RN exam.
E. A student failing either the theory or the clinical component of a nursing course will fail the entire course. Failure of a nursing course is defined as any grade below the minimum progression requirement of C+. In addition, the student must complete the required number of clinical hours in order to successfully pass a clinical course.
F. If a student is eligible to repeat a failed nursing course, both the clinical and didactic portion of the course must be repeated, and that course must be repeated successfully prior to enrolling in any further nursing courses. Student placement in the clinical/laboratory setting is subject to availability. In consultation with the undergraduate clinical liaison, the head of the Division of Nursing and Chair of Undergraduate Nursing Programs will make final decisions as to clinical placement.
G. If a student fails a BSN course, the student may not retake the course in a different nursing program (i.e., Traditional BSN, Accelerated BSN, or Evening-Weekend BSN).
H. The student can repeat a maximum of only one science pre-requisite course one time throughout the entire BSN curriculum. Failure of a required science course is defined as any grade below the minimum progression requirement of C. Failure of a second required science course results in program dismissal.
I. The student can repeat a maximum of only one nursing course one time throughout the entire BSN curriculum. Failure of a nursing course is defined as any grade below the minimum progression requirement of C+. Failure of a second nursing course results in program dismissal.
J. The student can repeat a maximum of only one required mathematics pre-requisite course one time throughout the entire BSN curriculum. Failure of a required mathematics course is defined as any grade below the minimum progression requirement of C. Failure of a second required mathematics course results in program dismissal.
K. The student can repeat a maximum of only one required psychology pre-requisite course one time throughout the entire BSN curriculum. Failure of a required psychology course is defined as any grade below the minimum progression requirement of C. Failure of a second required psychology course results in program dismissal.
L. Any nursing student who does not follow the program plan, for any reason, or who does not progress through his/her program of study over the designated four-year time frame, must make an appointment with the Chair of Undergraduate Nursing Program to agree upon an alternative program plan. This plan must include an anticipated date for completion of studies. This program plan must be approved by the Nursing Division Head. This type of request may not necessarily be granted, depending upon clinical site and instructor availability. If the student does not ensure that such a plan is filed in the division of nursing, he/she may not be assured future clinical site placement and continuance in the nursing program.
M. Any nursing student who does not meet the 2.75 cumulative GPA progression requirements at the conclusion of any academic level throughout the BSN curriculum will be dismissed from the nursing major. Any nursing student who fails a second nursing course will be dismissed from the nursing program.
N. Any nursing student who is eligible to repeat a required pre-requisite science, mathematics, psychology, or nursing course has the opportunity to do so in accordance with the “Repeat Course Policy ’ detailed in the Undergraduate Catalog and the nursing progression policy, provided they have met the 2.75 cumulative GPA requirement at the end of the spring semester.
O. The maximum time for completion of the Traditional Day nursing program is four years from the date of enrollment in the first nursing course. This includes time associated with failure to progress. It may also include time elapsed due to an approved leave of absence, depending upon the student’s individual circumstances.
P. Any dismissed, withdrawn, or inactive student, as defined by University policy, may formally reapply to the nursing program. Re-admission is not guaranteed. Re-admitted students will be required to repeat all nursing coursework, regardless of previous course grades achieved, and are subject to the progression policies outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog under which they are re-accepted.
Q. Requested academic references for students who have not met the nursing progression requirements or who have been dismissed from the nursing program will include only the dates of attendance.
R. All nursing students must adhere to and abide by content in the Pre-licensure BSN Student Handbook and the Undergraduate Catalog. Any deviation or failure to comply with the content may warrant dismissal from the nursing program.
S. All nursing students must abide by the nursing progression requirements outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog in effect at the time of the student’s acceptance into the nursing program.
T. It is the responsibility of the student to contact the Bursar and/or the Financial Aid Office for additional information about the implications of any change in course load for their tuition or financial aid. Questions about housing should be addressed to the Residence Life Office.
Program Plan of Study: Nursing Major (Traditional Day BSN)
Students enrolled in the Traditional Day BSN program must complete nursing courses at DeSales University in the nursing program curriculum. The following courses are required in addition to the general education courses that are required of all undergraduate students at DeSales University: NU 205 , NU 215 , NU 220 , NU 230 , NU 305 , NU 320 , NU 335 , NU 340 , NU 350 , NU 365 , NU 370 , NU 430 , NU 440 , NU 452 , NU 454 . Additional pre-requisites are: BI 252 , BI 263 , BI 264 ; CH 107 ; MA 111 ; PS 109 , PS 240 .
First Year
Fall Semester
Anatomy & Physiology I (BI 263 )
Introduction to Psychology (PS 109 )
Philosophical Thinking (PL 109 )
Communication & Thought I (EN 103 )
Foreign Language/World Cultures
Lifetime Fitness & Wellness (PE 100 )
Spring Semester
Anatomy & Physiology II (BI 264 )
Physiological Chemistry (CH 107 )
Communication & Thought II (EN 104 )
Foreign Language/World Cultures
Physical Education Activity
Sophomore Year
Fall Semester
Fundamentals of Nursing (NU 205 )
Health & Physical Assessment (NU 215 )
Microbiology (BI 252 )
Human Development (PS 240 )
Physical Education Activity
Spring Semester
Therapeutic Nursing Interventions (NU 230 )
Pharmacology (NU 220 )
Catholic Theology (TH 109 )
Probability and Statistics (MA 111 )
Literature MOT
Junior Year
Fall Semester
The Chronically Ill Adult (NU 335 )
Mental Health Nursing (NU 340 )
Therapeutic Nutrition (NU 305 )
Humanities I
Spring Semester
Nursing of the Older Adult (NU 370 )
Nursing of the Childbearing Family (NU 350 )
Nursing Care of Children (NU 365 )
Humanities II
Senior Year
Fall Semester
Nursing of the Acutely Ill Adult (NU 430 )
Community and Public Health Nursing (NU 440 )
Health Risk Models and Research (NU 320 )
Humanities III
Spring Semester
Senior Integrating Seminar (NU 452 )
Clinical Nursing Internship (NU 454 )
Humanities IV
Values Seminar
*Intermediate Theology
*Intermediate Theology may be taken in the junior or senior year, any semester after TH 109 has been completed.
