Nursing B.S.N.

The B.S.N. in Nursing helps you to develop strong technical skills as well as the clinical judgment and critical thinking necessary to succeed in the rapidly changing healthcare system. Classroom study with experienced practitioners and scholars is combined with practice in a sophisticated simulation facility. You also gain clinical experience in community and hospital settings, and the program’s emphasis on global outreach provides well-established study abroad options.

Simulation learning takes place in the 7,000-square-foot RISE Center, a major regional educational resource and a center of excellence for simulation training and research. RISE senior faculty are recognized experts in simulation research.  NCLEX first-time pass rate averages 94.5% for the last three cohorts.

The program offers two different tracks of study: one for high school graduates without a college degree or R.N. licensure, and another for students who already hold a baccalaureate degree in other fields, such as science, humanities or business. The pre-licensure BSN programs at RMU are fully approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing. Graduates of the approved programs are eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) in any state. Those seeking their B.S.N. as a second degree can complete the program in 15 months.

All nursing degree programs in the School of Nursing, Education and Human Studies are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Colleen Sunday, PhD, RN
B.S.N. Program Director
sunday@rmu.edu
412-397-5440

View Handbook

Admissions Requirements

• Admission Requirements for High School Graduates
• Admission Requirements for Transfer Applicants

4-Year Course Plan

Freshman Year, Fall

• BIOL1210 Anatomy & Physiology I
• BIOL1215 Anatomy & Physiology I Lab
• PSYC1010 General Psychology
• BIOL1050 Concepts & Controversies in Nutrition
• CSEN0900 or CSEN1010 or CSEN1020 (Remedial or Communication Skills 1 or 2)
• FYSP1000 First Year Studies Seminar
• MATH0900 or MATH1010 or MATH1050 or Open Elective

Freshman Year, Spring

• BIOL1220 Anatomy & Physiology II
• BIOL1225 Anatomy & Physiology II Lab
• NURS1010 Introduction to Professional Nursing
• PSYC3550 Human Growth and Development
• BIOL2370 Microbiology
• BIOL2380 Microbiology Lab
• CSEN1020 or CSCM1030 (Communication Skills 2 or 3)

Sophomore Year, Fall

• HUMA1010 Humanities: Art and Music
• SOCI1010 or SOCI1020 Sociology
• NURS2015 Pathophysiology
• NURS2020 Nursing Assessment & Health Promotion
• NURS2021 Nursing Assessment & Health Promotion LAB
• CSCM1030 or CSCM2040 (Communication Skills 3 or 4)

Sophomore Year, Spring

• NURS2115 Foundations of Nursing Practice
• NURS2116 Foundations of Nursing Practice LAB
• NURS2130 Pharmacology for Health Professionals
• ECON1010 Survey of Economics
• CSCM2040 or CSCM2050 (Communication Skills 4 or 5)
• Open Elective

Junior Year, Fall

• NURS3020 Management of Adult I
• NURS3021 Management of Adult I Clinical
• STAT2110 Statistics
• Literature (core choices)
• History/Political Science (core choices)

Junior Year, Spring

• NURS3050 Nursing Care of Mothers, Newborns and Families
• NURS3051 Nursing Care of Mothers, Newborns and Families Clinical
• NURS3055 Nursing Care of Children & Families
• NURS3056 Nursing Care of Children & Families Clinical
• NURS3060 Nursing Ethics
• INFS3440 Health Care Information System or NURS6340 Nursing Informatics

Senior Year, Fall

• NURS4014 Community Health/Health Promotion Theory
• NURS4013 Community Health/Health Promotion Practice Clinical
• NURS4020 Advanced Management of Adult II
• NURS4021 Advanced Management of Adult II Clinical
• NURS4025 Nursing Care of Psychiatric Clients
• NURS4026 Nursing Care of Psychiatric Clients Clinical

Senior Year, Spring

• NURS4032 Transition to Professional Nursing
• NURS4035 NCLEX Licensure Preparation
• NURS4041 Preparation for Professional Practice
• NURS4140 Nursing Research
• NURS4160 Nursing Care of the Aging Adult