Degree Requirements
NURS 231 - Examination of the Role of the Professional Nurse
NURS 234 - Human Development Across the Lifespan
NURS 240 - Pathophysiology
NURS 241 - Clinical Pharmacology and Nutrition for Nurses
NURS 246 - Foundation and Health Assessment in Nursing Practice
NURS 342 - Adult Health 1
NURS 343 - Adult Health 2
NURS 354 - Care of Women and Childbearing Families
NURS 355 - Care of Children and Adolescents
NURS 472 - Nursing Research (NURS 604 Accel UG-Grad Option Only)
NURS 474 - Care of Persons with Mental Health Needs
NURS 475 - Care of Populations
NURS 476 - Care of the Person with Complex Needs
NURS 481 - Nursing Leadership and Management (NURS 606 Accel UG-Grad Option Only)
NURS 482 - Transition to Professional Practice Role
NURS 483 - Capstone Review of Nursing Coursework
General Education Requirements for the Traditional Option
Prerequisite Requirements
All students must complete prerequisite courses with a C or better by the end of the term prior to beginning nursing coursework (NURS). The required prerequisite are ENG 101, ENG 102, ACS 101 or ACS 103, CHEM 120A/124A, CHEM 120B/124B, PSYC 111, BIOL 140 or BIOL 150, BIOL 240A, BIOL 250.
Additional Requirements
General Education (grade of C or better required) prior to graduation or as indicated
- BIOL 240B (must pass with a C or better within three consecutive terms of beginning NURS 231)
- RA 101
- PHIL 225, PHIL 320 or PHIL 321
- STAT 107 or STAT 244 (prior to NURS 472)
A grade of C or better must be earned in all prerequisite courses.
All science courses must be completed within seven years of admission to the program.
CLEP exams for prerequisite requirements are only accepted if the University accepts the individual exam.
NOTE: Honors students may need an elective course to meet the 120 hours for graduation. Students should check their hours with the School of Nursing advisor.
University general education requirements are listed in the undergraduate academic catalog and noted in the sample curricula.
Health/Background Check Information
After admission into the traditional and ABS nursing programs, at the student's expense, the following information is required to be submitted to the vendor in accordance with the timeline provided by the School of Nursing. The Baccalaureate Student Handbook, issued to students accepted into the School of Nursing, contains full details.
- Copy of a physical exam (according to School of Nursing guidelines)
- Immunization history plus (annual TB skin test and influenza injection required; COVID-19 vaccine or exemption approval required)
- Proof of CPR certification (must maintain active status)
- Proof of health insurance
- Criminal background check
- Drug screen
Prior to beginning nursing coursework students must meet health and safety compliance requirements, to include drug testing, a criminal background check, a physical examination, and several immunizations. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in dismissal from the major.
Retention
- Students must achieve a grade of 75.5% (rounded) or above to pass a nursing course and progress to the next sequence of courses. The grading scale for the School of Nursing is: A=93-100; B=85-92; C=76-84; D=68-75 and F below 68. Students will be excluded from the School of Nursing if they receive two failing grades (grades below C) in nursing courses.
- All students admitted to the undergraduate nursing program are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above.
- Students must receive a grade of C or higher for all prerequisite and corequisite courses for nursing. Corequisite courses include BIOL 240B, RA 101, STAT 107 (or STAT 244), and PHIL 225, 320, or 321.
- Students must meet the competencies standards set in the SIUE School of Nursing Performance Standards at https://www.siue.edu/nursing/academic-programs/. Students are subject to all the retention and progression standards as indicated in the SON policy and the SIUE Academic Standards of Performance 1I1.
- Students must meet all mandatory drug screening requirements, health mandates and background checks required by the school of nursing policies.
Additional Curriculum Requirements for All Baccalaureate Students
Senior Assignment
All nursing majors are required to complete a senior assignment. In the traditional and accelerated Bachelor of Science (ABS) programs, students will complete a senior assignment project in NURS 481 or 490. A capstone review course, NURS 483, is also required for all traditional and ABS students. In the accelerated RN to BS program, students will complete their senior assignment in NURS 484R and 480R or NURS 606 and 490R in the accelerated undergraduate to graduate option. At the end of NURS 481, 480R, 490 or 490R students will present their senior assignment project to course participants, course faculty and other invited faculty. Students in NURS 481, 480R or 490/490R will complete a capstone reflection summarizing the development of the student from admission to the nursing program to graduation as a baccalaureate prepared professional nurse.
Standardized Exams
Traditional option program for licensure and accelerated option students admitted to the School of Nursing are required to take standardized exams throughout the curriculum.
Student Transportation to Clinical Practicum
Students are required to travel to a variety of clinical sites for the practicum experiences. Transportation to those sites is the responsibility of the student. Clinical sites are located within a 90 mile radius of SIUE campus.
Accelerated Undergraduate to Graduate Nursing Options
Students in the traditional program may apply for accelerated graduate program options for Master of Science degrees in healthcare nursing administration or nurse educator, and the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree for the family nurse practitioner program. Students who are eligible to enter these options may replace six credits of nursing undergraduate courses with nursing graduate courses, reducing both time and cost involved in attaining a graduate degree.
