The School of Nursing offers a Bachelor of Science Nursing (BSN) for students seeking initial entry into the professional practice of nursing. There are three pathways to the BSN degree: traditional pre-licensure, second degree/accelerate pre-licensure, and the RN to BSN. Jumpstart RN to BSN, for students who are working toward their Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), provides an opportunity to take up to 18 credit hours of courses, but is not a degree program and neither does acceptance to Jumpstart RN to BSN constitute acceptance to the BSN program.

BSN (Pre-licensure)

Traditional

The Traditional track is for students who do not have an active RN license and who do not hold a bachelor's degree. The BSN curriculum consists of 120 credit hours that are distributed among the natural sciences, social sciences, general education requirements, and nursing courses. Clinical experiences are obtained in a variety of health centers, acute care facilities (hospitals), and community health agencies in the Louisville metropolitan area.

Second Degree/Accelerated

The Second Degree/Accelerated track is for students who do not have an active RN license but who have earned a bachelor's degree in a discipline other than nursing. The Second Degree/Accelerated BSN track accepts 40 credit hours as transfer credits from the first bachelor’s degree and students will complete a BSN curriculum of 80 credit hours that are distributed among the natural sciences and nursing courses. Clinical experiences are obtained in a variety of health centers, acute care facilities (hospitals), and community health agencies in the Louisville metropolitan area.

Students admitted to either the Traditional or Second/Degree/Accelerated BSN program complete all general education and support course work prior to entering the clinical component of the program. Upon degree conferral, graduates of these programs are eligible to write the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) for licensure as a registered nurse.

Students admitted to the BSN program complete all general education and support course work prior to entering the clinical component of the program. Upon degree conferral, graduates of these programs are eligible to write the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) for licensure as a registered nurse.

Admission Requirements to the Pre-licensure Nursing Program tracks

Traditional

Admission to Spalding University does not guarantee admission of a student to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Students must make a formal application and be accepted into the nursing major by the BSN Admission and Progression Committee. Students may not take nursing courses unless officially admitted to the nursing program.

1. Acceptance to Spalding University.

2. A completed application for admission to the Spalding University School of Nursing.

3. Completion of an American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR Course.

4. Completion of NURS 301; or completion of CNA course (within the last two years); or be listed on the Nurse Aide Registry. Licensure is not required. The CNA requirement is waived for LPNs or Certified Medical Assistants or Persons with recent experience as a nursing assistant. A completed waiver must be submitted to the BSN Admission and Progression Committee prior to admission and will be verified by the BSN Admission and Progression Committee.

5. A completed TEAS (Reading, Math, English & Science) Entrance Exam within two (2) years of application to the Spalding University School of Nursing. Students have unlimited number of attempts to achieve a minimum required score of 60% on each section. The minimum score must be achieved by the time of application submission and by established application deadlines.

6. (a) A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale (a final course grade of B is recommended). The GPA is based on all earned academic credit hours earned at Spalding University and other colleges and/or universities for the following pre-requisite science courses and associated labs. Please note, science courses must have been completed within the last ten (10) years from the date of program start and no science courses greater than 10 years will be accepted.

• BIO 251 – Anatomy & Physiology 1 and BIO 253 – Anatomy & Physiology 1 Lab
• BIO 252 – Anatomy & Physiology 2 and BIO 254 – Anatomy & Physiology 2 Lab
• BIO 256 – Microbiology and BIO257 – Microbiology Lab
• BIO 301 – Pathophysiology
• CHEM 106 – Chemistry for the Allied Health Services

(b) If the cumulative pre-requisite science core GPA is between 2.5 and 2.74, a student may be considered for admission if the following criteria are met:

• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 and
• The following pre-requisite courses are completed with a grade of “C” or higher: PSY 103, NURS 322 or HS 350, ENG 109, ENG 110, MATH 113, PHIL 154

(c) A student is not eligible for admission to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program if they earn two or more unsatisfactory final course grades in the same course or any combination of the science courses (as listed above). An unsatisfactory grade is defined as one grade lower than C, or two withdrawals from any single course or combination of the courses listed. Exception: Students may drop two unsatisfactory final course grades in the science core courses (listed above), if the course(s) were completed 5 or more years prior to the program start date; students must still complete the five required core science courses with a final course grade of C or higher.

7. Satisfactory completion of all required criminal background and immunization documents.

8. Satisfactory completion of a mandatory drug test.

9. Attend a mandatory BSN Program Orientation. The dates will be provided at the time of admission.

10. The program reserves the right to request additional information or a personal interview.

11. All prerequisite courses, including labs, must be completed prior to official acceptance into the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

13. Conditional Admission: Upon conditional admission, the following additional requirements must be completed by the required deadline: CastleBranch account activation and uploading of required immunizations, certifications, and screenings. All conditionally admitted students must also meet all requirements of the conditional admission with required grades earned and successful completion of all general education and pre-requisites courses including labs.

Second Degree/Accelerated

Admission to Spalding University does not guarantee admission of a student to the Second Degree/Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Students must make a formal application and be accepted into the nursing major by the BSN Admission and Progression Committee. Students may not take nursing courses unless officially admitted to the nursing program.

1. Acceptance to Spalding University.

2. A completed application for admission to the Spalding University School of Nursing.

3. Completion of an American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR Course.

4. Completion of NURS 301; or completion of CNA course (within the last two years); or be listed on the Nurse Aide Registry. Licensure is not required. The CNA requirement is waived for LPNs or Certified Medical Assistants or Persons with recent experience as a nursing assistant. A completed waiver must be submitted to the BSN Admission and Progression Committee prior to admission and will be verified by the BSN Admission and Progression Committee.

5. A completed TEAS (Reading, Math, English & Science) Entrance Exam within two (2) years of application to the Spalding University School of Nursing. Students have unlimited number of attempts to achieve a minimum required score of 60% on each section. The minimum score must be achieved by the time of application submission and by established application deadlines.

6. (a) A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale (a final course grade of B is recommended). The GPA is based on all earned academic credit hours earned at Spalding University and other colleges and/or universities for the following pre-requisite science courses and associated labs. Please note, science courses must have been completed within the last ten (10) years from the date of program start and no science courses greater than 10 years will be accepted.

• BIO 251 – Anatomy & Physiology 1 and BIO 253 – Anatomy & Physiology 1 Lab
• BIO 252 – Anatomy & Physiology 2 and BIO 254 – Anatomy & Physiology 2 Lab
• BIO 256 – Microbiology and BIO 257 – Microbiology Lab
• BIO 301 – Pathophysiology
• CHEM 106 – Chemistry for the Allied Health Services

(b) If the cumulative pre-requisite science core GPA is between 2.5 and 2.74, a student may be considered for admission if the following criteria are met:

• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 and
• The following pre-requisite courses are completed with a grade of “C” or higher: PSY 103, NURS 322 or HS 350

(c) A student is not eligible for admission to the Second Degree/Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program if they earn two or more unsatisfactory final course grades in the same course or any combination of the science courses (as listed above). An unsatisfactory grade is defined as one grade lower than C, or two withdrawals from any single course or combination of the courses listed. Exception: Students may drop two unsatisfactory final course grades in the science core courses (listed above), if the course(s) were completed 5 or more years prior to the program start date; students must still complete the five required core science courses with a final course grade of C or higher.

7. Satisfactory completion of all required criminal background and immunization documents.

8. Satisfactory completion of a mandatory drug test.

9. Attend a mandatory BSN Program Orientation. The dates will be provided at the time of admission.

10. The program reserves the right to request additional information or a personal interview.

11. All prerequisite courses, including labs, must be completed prior to official acceptance into the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

12. Transfer Students: Transfer students from other nursing programs are accepted on a case-by-case evaluation by the BSN faculty. Students with only one (1) withdrawal or failure in a nursing course may be considered. Students dismissed from another nursing program or ineligible for re-admission to an academic program in which they were previously enrolled are not eligible for admission to the Spalding School of Nursing for a period of five (5) years.

13. Conditional Admission: Upon conditional admission, the following additional requirements must be completed by the required deadline: CastleBranch account activation and uploading of required immunizations, certifications, and screenings. All conditionally admitted students must also meet all requirements of the conditional admission with required grades earned and successful completion of all general education and pre-requisites courses including labs.

RN to BSN (Post-licensure)

Spalding University’s online RN to BSN program is designed for nurses with an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) who hold an active and unrestricted nursing license. All 30 credit hours of the RN to BSN degree program must be completed at Spalding. Transfer credit will be given for the courses meeting University Studies requirements. Transcripts will be reviewed on an individual basis. Students in the RN to BSN program must maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.00 in the total course work to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.

Admission

Students may be admitted to the RN to BSN Program at any time throughout the year, and, once accepted, may begin the program in the next-occurring session. Based on available space, students may be accepted into the program up until the forty-eight hours before the first day of classes. Students are notified in writing of their admission status. Admission to Spalding University does not guarantee admission to the Nursing Program.

Admission to the RN to BSN Program requires the following:

1. Admission to Spalding University.
2. Cumulative 2.0 GPA or higher
3. An active and unrestricted license as a Registered Nurse (licensure is required to be maintained throughout the program).
4. A graduate of a regionally or non-regionally accredited Associate Degree, Diploma Nursing Program, or nationally accredited college's Associate Degree Nursing Program.

Jumpstart RN to BSN (ADN students only)

Jumpstart RN to BSN is for pre-licensure students who are working toward their Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and meet the eligibility criteria below. Students in Jumpstart RN to BSN have the opportunity to earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing in less time by taking up to 18 credit hours of courses at Spalding University as a non-degree student while they are still enrolled in their ADN program at their home institution. Jumpstart students may enroll in one (1) RN to BSN class per session at Spalding University in the semesters they are also enrolled in classes at their home institution. When students are not enrolled in classes in their home institution, they may enroll in up to two (2) RN to BSN classes per session at Spalding. Jumpstart RN to BSN students may not take nursing courses that contain a clinical component.

Admission

Jumpstart RN to BSN applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and so applications may be submitted at any time. Students may be admitted to Jumpstart RN to BSN at any time throughout the year, and, once accepted, may begin the program in the next-occurring session. Admission to Spalding University does not guarantee admission to the Nursing Program or Jumpstart RN to BSN.

Admission to Jumpstart RN to BSN requires the following:

1. Admission to Spalding University as a non-degree student.
2. Current enrollment in the nursing program at their home institution, as demonstrated through an official transcript.
3. Successful completion of their first ADN semester at their home institution, as demonstrated through an official transcript.
4. Show passing final course grades in all Nursing courses at their home institution, as demonstrated through an official transcript.
5. Be in good standing in the nursing program at their home institution, as demonstrated through an official transcript.

Please note, students are expected to maintain good standing in the nursing program at their home institution, and the Spalding University School of Nursing reserves the right to verify good standing during the period of the time the student participates in Jumpstart RN to BSN

School of Nursing

For all School of Nursing undergraduate nursing degree programs and tracks, contact the School of Nursing for detailed information on the program of studies, policies on admission, enrollment, academic achievement, transfer credits, withdrawal, dismissal, residency, and graduation requirements.

Program Sheets
Bachelor of Science in Nursing: Upper Division Pre-Licensure Baccalaureate Nursing Program
Bachelor of Science in Nursing: Pre-Licensure Program: Accelerated Second Degree
Bachelor of Science in Nursing: RN to BSN Baccalaureate Program