Nursing Student Academic Progress Policy

All nursing students must maintain a 2.8 CGPA on a 4.00 scale, achieve an 80% (B-) in all nursing courses (courses with the prefix NSG) as well as core science courses (microbiology and biochemistry), a 73% (C) in all non-nursing courses, and meet attendance requirements. Grades are carried out to two decimal points and are not rounded up; achieving a grade below 80%, including a grade of 79.99% in nursing courses results in a course failure. A failed course may be repeated once. Students achieving less than 73% in non-nursing courses must repeat those courses. Students may request a grade review once and are to follow the grade appeal policy outlined in the University catalog. Students who do not meet these requirements are dismissed from the program. If a student’s CGPA falls below 2.8 after being accepted, but before beginning nursing courses that student is not permitted to register for nursing courses. If a student’s CGPA falls below 2.8 after beginning nursing courses, two terms are given to improve the CGPA before dismissal. Students may appeal this decision.

Students in courses that have theory and laboratory/clinical components must achieve an 80% in each of these course components. Failing one component of the course (either theory or lab/clinical) results in failure of the entire course.

1. Students are expected to follow the Academic Progress Policy outlined in the University catalog. Please see the Academic Progress Policy section for additional information.

2. Students who have been accepted to the nursing program but have not begun nursing courses and the cumulative GPA falls below a 2.8, may not register for nursing courses until the cumulative GPA is at or above 2.8.
3. Students who are taking nursing courses and the term GPA falls below 2.8 must improve the GPA within two terms or be dismissed from the program.

4. Students are required to complete all pre-requisites (MAT111, ENG111, SCI250, MED120, MED210; LPN’s must have SCI260) and 70% of the pre-core foundational courses (PSY220, HUM110, ENG elective, MED110, HUM250, and SCI260) prior to entering the core nursing courses. Prerequisites must be completed, but other deviations require Program Director approval. Students are required to complete all program electives except the last Pool 1 or 2 electives prior to enrolling in NSG430.

5. All nursing students are required to participate in the ATI comprehensive assessment program to successfully complete the program requirements. ATI Content Mastery exams are required for indicated courses and designated percentages (5% to 10%) where the ATI percentage is allocated towards the total course grade. This is described in course syllabi (Also see Student Handbook).

6. Students unable to demonstrate mastery of concepts and competencies in two nursing courses will be dismissed from the nursing program. Students may only attempt a course twice. Withdrawing from a course after the add/drop (week 1) period is considered an attempt.

All nursing students must take a comprehensive exam in addition to earning satisfactory grades in all required courses in order to graduate from the program. This exam is part of the program curriculum and must be taken in order for a student to graduate and obtain their transcripts and diploma. For Bachelor of Science in Nursing students, transcripts are not sent to the Virginia Board of Nursing prior to graduation. 

Please see the Undergraduate Academic Progress Policy section for additional information.