Nursing, Bachelor of Science In Nursing (Second Degree)

This program leads to a profession which requires an occupational license as defined under Texas Occupations Code 58.001. This requires that all applicants seeking to become licensed must undergo a criminal background check prior to licensure.

The Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Program is designed to enable students to integrate knowledge from theory and research, high-level skills, and concepts of leadership into the practice of professional nursing care of individuals, families, groups, and communities. The Second Degree BSN Program provides a foundation for graduate study.

Second Degree BSN graduates are eligible to apply to the Texas Board of Nursing to take the National Council Licensure Examination. After successfully completing this examination, the graduate is issued a license to practice as a registered nurse in the state of Texas.

Core Curriculum - 42 Hours

The Core Curriculum serves as a broad foundation for the undergraduate degree. All candidates for a bachelor’s degree must achieve core student learning outcomes, including communication, critical thinking, empirical and quantitative skills, teamwork, personal responsibility and social responsibility, by completing courses within each category or component area of the Core Curriculum as outlined below.

The University has approved specific courses that satisfy Core Curriculum Requirements. Approved courses can be found on the Core Curriculum Page. Students seeking the most efficient way to complete the core curriculum and major or minor requirements are advised to take approved courses that can fulfill both requirements. Although core curriculum courses can also be used to fulfill major or minor requirements, earned credits hours are only applied once. The courses listed below fulfill core curriculum and major requirements. Students who have completed a core curriculum category with courses other than those listed below will still be required to take the listed course(s) to meet major requirements.

020 Mathematics - 3 hours

Choose one:
MATH 1342Elementary Statistical Methods

3

MATH 1343Introduction to Biostatistics

3

May be fulfilled through first bachelor's degree if on the student's academic record.

030 Life and Physical Sciences – 6 hours

BIOL 2401Anatomy and Physiology I

4

BIOL 2402Anatomy and Physiology II

4

BIOL 2401 and BIOL 2402 lecture component is given three credit hours each.

May be fulfilled through first bachelor's degree if on the student's academic record.

070 Government Political Science - 3 hours

Fulfilled through initial bachelor’s degree.  Out-of-state candidates must complete:
POLS 2305U.S. Federal Government & Politics

3

POLS 2306Texas Government & Politics

3

080 Social and Behavioral Sciences - 3 hours

Choose one:
ANTH 2351Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

3

SOCI 1301Introduction to Sociology

3

May be fulfilled through first bachelor's degree if on the student's academic record.

090 Integrative & Experiential Learning - 6 hours

BIOL 2401Anatomy and Physiology I

4

BIOL 2402Anatomy and Physiology II

4

CHEM 1111General Chemistry I Lab

1

BIOL 2401 and BIOL 2401 lab component is given one credit hour each. 

May be fulfilled through first bachelor's degree if on the student's academic record.

Major Requirements - 57 to 76 hours

Support Courses - 0 to 19 hours

If not completed as part of the first bachelor’s degree: 
CHEM 1311General Chemistry I

3

NUTR 2351Introduction to Clinical Nutrition

3

CLSC 2429Clinical Microbiology in Health Care

4

HRPT 2303Medical Terminology

3

PSYC 2301General Psychology

3

PSYC 3337Developmental Psychology: Lifespan

3

Required Courses - 57 hours

Nursing Core

NURS 3101Essentials of Nursing Profession

1

NURS 3202Wellness and Health Promotion

2

NURS 3303Fundamentals of Nursing

3

NURS 3304Fundamentals of Nursing Clinical/Lab

3

NURS 3305Client Assessment

3

NURS 3105Client Assessment Lab/Skills

1

NURS 3203Pharmacology I

2

NURS 3411Adult Health I

4

NURS 3311Adult Health I Clinical

3

NURS 3312Mental Health

3

NURS 3212Mental Health Clinical

2

NURS 4101Nursing Concepts I

1

NURS 4401Adult Health II

4

NURS 4301Adult Health II Clinical

3

NURS 4203Pharmacology II

2

NURS 4304Family Health

3

NURS 4305Family Health Clinical

3

NURS 4102Nursing Concepts II

1

NURS 4201Community Health

2

NURS 4202Community Health Clinical

2

NURS 4302Research

3

NURS 4306Leadership in Nursing

3

NURS 4307Leadership in Nursing Clinical

3

Total Credit Hours: 42

Major Admissions Requirements

Admission requirements required for this program beyond university admission requirements. 

Although students may be eligible to apply based on minimum criteria, admission is competitive; therefore, meeting minimum application criteria does not guarantee admission. Students will be rank ordered by the School of Nursing Undergraduate Admission, Progression and Graduation Committee and admitted based on space availability.  

Application Eligibility 

Students are eligible to submit an application to the BSN 2nd degree program if they: 

1. Possess a bachelor’s degree in a discipline other than nursing. 

2. Complete 6 semester credit hours of United States history and government or political science, including the Constitutions of the United States and Texas. 

3. If not completed through the first bachelor’s degree, complete all BSN prerequisites with a minimum grade of ‘C’ in each course. BSN prerequisites include: 

4. Achieve a 75% or higher on the required components of the HESIA2 Exam (English Language, Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, Math, Anatomy and Physiology, and Critical Thinking)

Minimum Admission Requirements

1. Be admitted to UTRGV as a Second Degree Student.

2. Students must complete the BSN prerequisites and the courses below to be officially admitted to the program. 

HRPT 2303 Medical Terminology 
PSYC 2301 General Psychology
NUTR 2351 Introduction to Clinical Nutrition

The cumulative GPA for the prerequisites and the courses above must be 3.0. The GPA will be calculated using all institutional and transfer work including applicable coursework from the first bachelor’s degree. 

3. Pass math quiz [grade of 100]. 

4. Provide proof of current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for health care providers.

5. Provide documentation verifying absence of active (infectious) pulmonary disease.

6. Provide documentation verifying current immunization or immunity status for specified diseases (hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus/diphtheria or tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis, varicella, flu/influenza, meningitis if <age 22, etc).

7. Submit evidence of being cleared by the Texas Board of Nursing’s criminal background check.

8. Be admitted by the BSN Undergraduate Admission, Progression and Graduation Committee after being rank-ordered using the admission criteria based on space availability.

 

Major Progression Requirements

Progression requirements required for this program.

Students: 

1. Must provide annual documentation verifying absence of active (infectious) pulmonary disease. 

2. Must provide annual documentation verifying current immunization or immunity status for specified diseases (hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus/diphtheria or tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis, varicella, flu/influenza, and, if <22, meningitis, etc.). 

3. Must provide annual proof of current certification in CPR (health care provider).

4. Must maintain and submit proof at least $1 million in professional liability insurance. 

5. Must achieve a minimum grade of ‘C’ in all courses on the degree plan. The criteria to earn a grade of ‘C’ in a NURS course is established by the School of Nursing and differs from non-NURS courses.

6. Can only repeat an individual NURS course once (i.e., total maximum enrollment is two).

7. Can only repeat two total courses to remain in the nursing program. 

8. Who earn a grade of ‘D’ or ‘F’ or drop more than two courses may be dismissed from the program and must reapply for admission.

9. Must satisfactorily complete BSN courses in approved sequence.

10. Must seek academic advisement each semester regarding program progression.

11. Must abide by and adhere to all requirements stipulated in the BSN Student Guide.

Major Graduation Requirements

Specific graduation requirements required for this program beyond university bachelor’s degree requirements. 

Students must:

Achieve a minimum grade of ‘C’ in each course required for the BSN 2nd degree.