The Major

The College of Nursing offers an undergraduate program leading to the Bachelor of Science degree. This program is approved by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing, and is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), a national nursing education accrediting body. Completion of requirements qualifies the graduate to take the National Council Licensing Examination in Nursing for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN®), a prerequisite to working as a registered nurse.

The undergraduate program provides the knowledge and skills fundamental to professional nursing. Students emerge from this community-based program prepared for graduate study and able to: advocate for culturally relevant care for vulnerable and underserved populations to reduce health care disparities and promote social justice; collaborate to shape environments and systems that promote health and well-being, ensure safe, quality care for all, and maximize the unique contribution of nursing; enact the nursing role in a manner that consistently reflects caring, professional values, ethical principles, accountability, integrity, a commitment to lifelong learning, self-care, and an awareness of how personal values influence one’s actions; exhibit a spirit of inquiry and creativity to identify gaps in nursing knowledge, critique new science, and use evidence as a basis of practice; provide safe, quality, patient- and family-centered holistic care across the lifespan to promote health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities; engage others to envision, influence, and implement practice and policy changes in healthcare to achieve a preferred future locally, nationally, and globally; collaborate with individuals, families, communities and interdisciplinary teams using professional communication to design, manage, and evaluate care, facilitate transitions of care and maximize outcome; integrate emerging technologies and information management tools to enhance communication and healthcare access, support safe processes of care, and evaluate impact on health outcomes.

The Nursing major builds on General Education requirements and courses that provide the foundation for an approach to nursing science that is humanistic and scientific. Self-paced modules, lectures, seminars, clinical simulation in the laboratory setting, and clinical practica are used. Community agencies such as senior citizen centers, schools, ambulatory care centers, community hospitals, and medical centers are used for clinical practice. The faculty assist students in exploring new areas and in laying the foundation for a critical-thinking and problem-solving approach to nursing practice and research.

Students are expected to assume increasing responsibility for their own education by investing in the learning options that best serve their individual abilities, needs, and interests. Under faculty guidance, students provide nursing care to clients of all ages and develop skills in critical thinking, leadership, and research utilization.

Students are required to consult with their assigned academic adviser about the content and sequence of their work each semester and throughout their program and to adhere to the School's educational policies, as presented in the Undergraduate Student Handbook. Nursing students should follow the required course of studies in consultation with their advisers.

For students completing clinical instruction in the state of Massachusetts, Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) checks are required and will be completed by the university on all students once they are admitted to the program. Out-of-state students must show evidence that regulations of their state licensure have been met. Progression and clinical placements in the Nursing program may be contingent upon a satisfactory CORI investigation or completion of state requirements.

In addition to graduation, the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing requires that graduates sitting for the NCLEX-RN® licensure exam meet standards of "good moral character". For further information, visit their website at www.mass.gov/dpl/boards/rn for "Rules and Regulations: Determination of Good Moral Character."

Admission Requirements

See the ‘Getting Started’ tab to learn more about joining this major.

Undergraduate Curriculum

Clinical nursing courses begin in the sophomore year. Students are required to provide their own transportation to program clinical and community sites, which are used seven days a week, with the potential for evening, weekend, and night hours.

The major builds upon General Education requirements and courses in the humanities and sciences, which provide the foundation for a humanistic and scientific approach to nursing practice. Lectures, case studies, group projects, seminars, clinical practice, simulated laboratory, independent study, multimedia instruction, Web-enhanced courses, and self-paced modules are all used to present the subject matter of nursing. Clinical practice is arranged under faculty direction with the cooperation of a number of community agencies and health care facilities including senior citizen centers, schools, occupational settings, ambulatory care centers, community hospitals, and tertiary care medical centers.

Students are required to take NCLEX preparation (ATI) assessment exams throughout their nursing curriculum.

Nursing undergoes dynamic changes because of rapid advances in scientific technology, new trends in delivery of health care, and greater public awareness of health needs. Departmental requirements are subject to change.

Plan of Study First Two Years:

(subject to change)

• PSYCH 100 Introductory Psychology
• ENGLWRIT 112 College Writing
• NURSING 150 Seminar for First-Year Nursing Students
• KIN 270 Anatomy and Physiology I
• KIN 272 Anatomy and Physiology II
• NURSING 100 Perspectives in Nursing
• NURSING 210 Human Development Throughout the Life Cycle
• NUTRITN 130 Nutrition for a Healthy Lifestyle or NUTRITN 230 Basic Nutrition
• NURSING 333 Pathophysiology/Pharmacology Part I
• NURSING 212 Cultural Diversity in Health and Illness (4 cr)
• NURSING 315 Health and Physical Assessment
• NURSING 202 Issues of Aging in a Global Society
• NURSING 216 Principles of Nursing Care I (2 cr)
• NURSING 298C Principles of Nursing Care I: Practicum (2 cr)
• Applied Statistics Course
• Additional General Education courses and math requirements by test or course
• Elective coursework

Final Two Years: Required Nursing Courses

• 316 Principles of Nursing Care II (2 cr)
• 317 Writing in Nursing: Ethics
• 321 Preventive Care and Integrative Therapies (2 cr)
• 325 Maternal-Newborn Nursing (2 cr)
• 326 Nursing Care of Children (2 cr)
• 327 Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing (2 cr)
• 334 Pathophysiology/Pharmacology Part II
• 398E Principles of Nursing Care II: Practicum (2 cr)
• 398F Nursing Care of Children: Practicum (2 cr)
• 398G Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing: Practicum (2 cr)
• 398I Maternal-Newborn Nursing: Practicum (2 cr)
• 420 Introduction to Nursing Research
• 432 Nursing Care of Adults: Acute
• 433 Nursing Care of Adults: Chronic
• 438 Professional Role in Nursing
• 439 Community Health Nursing IV: Community
• 498C Nursing Care of Adults: Practicum (3 cr)
• 498T Community-Based Care: Practicum (3 cr)
• 498E Nursing Internship (4 cr)
• 441 Decision-Making Strategies for Professional Nursing (1 cr)
• 2 Nursing Electives and 2 general electives

Honors and Other Courses

The College of Nursing offers an honors track in which students can elect to work on research in an area of interest with faculty, and take elective courses. Independent study and special topics courses are also available for students who want to pursue individual areas of interest in nursing.

Curriculum for the Accelerated Track

The Accelerated track is an intensive course of study designed to meet the needs of individuals with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree who are interested in professional nursing.

This challenging, full-time program requires four to five days per week in classes or in clinical rotations. Significant time for study is required. The program builds on the students’ previous education and prerequisites that provide the foundation for an approach to nursing that is both humanistic and scientific. To meet diverse students’ learning needs, a variety of instructional approaches are used in the classroom, including lectures, case studies, group projects, seminars, simulated laboratory, independent study, multi-media presentations, web-enhanced courses, and self-paced modules. Clinical practice opportunities are offered in acute health care facilities, senior citizen centers, schools, ambulatory care centers, and community hospitals, as well as in clients’ homes. Clinical sites range from Boston to the Berkshires and from Connecticut to Vermont and New Hampshire, and vary each semester according to the availability of both facilities and faculty.

Requirements for application:

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in a field other than nursing
• Applicants must have completed all prerequisite courses with a grade of C or better in each course and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher by the application deadline of January 15. Note that prerequisites may be completed at any accredited institution, including community colleges or online courses and labs. Prerequisites must have been completed no more than 5 years prior to your application. 
  • Human Nutrition (3 credits) *
  • Medical Microbiology or General Microbiology (3 credits)*
  • Anatomy and Physiology I with lab (4 credits) *
  • Anatomy and Physiology II with lab (4 credits) *
  • Statistics (3 credits)
  • Human Growth and Development throughout the Lifespan (3 credits)  **

* These courses may be fulfilled through NLN Achievement Tests  (see Nursing Achievement Tests download below)
** This course may be fulfilled through CLEP.

Note: A TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) exam is not required for entry into this program.

Please submit a Prerequisite Evaluation Form if you have questions about whether your prerequisites will be accepted.

• Non-native speakers of English: an internet-based TOEFL (iBT) score of 80 or higher, a computer-based TOEFL score of 213 or higher, or an IELTS score of 6.5 or higher. Students who earned a bachelor's degree from a U.S. college/university may qualify for a TOEFL waiver.

Plan of Study

(Subject to change)

All courses are hosted in collaboration with the Division of Online Education under the auspices of the College of Nursing.

This 17 month full-time program starts with a summer session in August, and includes an additional summer semester, from June to mid-August. At least two days per week are devoted to clinical experience in each semester, and these can occur on weekends and on day, evening, and night shifts. The final semester includes an internship. Given the scheduling variability, outside employment is not recommended. Students are required to participate in NCLEX preparation assessments each term (ATI).

Semester I (Summer)

• 304 Nursing Perspectives

Semester II (Fall)

• 333 PathoPharmacology 1
• 315 Health and Physical Assessment
• 398S Health and Assessment Lab
• 420 Introduction to Nursing Research
• 406 Nursing Process (Common Disruptions)
• 407 Clinical Practice I (4 cr)

Semester III (Spring)

• 436 Comprehensive Nursing I (4 cr)
• 437 Clinical Practicum III (3 cr)
• 439 Community Health Nursing IV:Community
• 498T Community-Based Care: Practicum
• 334 PathoPharmacology 2

Semester IV (Summer)

• 325 Maternal-Newborn Nursing (2 cr)
• 326 Nursing Care of Children (2 cr)
• 327 Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing (2 cr)
• 398F Nursing Care of Children: Practicum (2 cr)
• 398G Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing: Practicum (2 cr)
• 398I Maternal-Newborn Nursing: Practicum (2 cr)

Semester V (Fall)

• 438 Professional Role
• 498 Internship (4 cr)
• 441 Decision Making Strategies for Nurses (1 cr)
• 321 Preventive Care and Integrative Therapies
• Required Nursing elective

Curriculum for Students with RN

The RN to BS Track offers an online course of study offered through University Without Walls under the auspices of the College of Nursing. The curriculum is designed for the student with clearly defined career goals and combines online instruction and student-tailored practice to meet the needs of registered nurses with other life responsibilities. It calls for substantial student autonomy in meeting established objectives. As adult learners with considerable previous experience, students are expected to design activities that will enable them to meet curricular objectives. Successful students are highly self-motivated and disciplined, have a tolerance for ambiguity and change, and a passion for intensive, continual learning. Computer skills and knowledge of the internet are required. Theory course materials are available online 24 hours a day.

Clinical practice is arranged under faculty direction with the cooperation of community agencies and health care facilities including senior citizen centers, schools, ambulatory care centers, community hospitals, and medical centers. The faculty assists students in exploring new areas and laying the foundation for a problem-solving approach to nursing practice and research. Students are expected to assume increasing responsibility for their own education by choosing the learning options that best serve their individual abilities, needs, and interests. Under faculty guidance, students provide nursing care to clients of all ages and develop skills in critical thinking, leadership, and research utilization.

In order to receive a University of Massachusetts Amherst Bachelor of Science degree, a total of 120 credits must be successfully completed. Fifty-two non-nursing credits must be completed before beginning the online Nursing program; one gen ed is allowed to be completed concurrent with your nursing courses; 30 credits are earned in the Nursing program; 30 program credits are awarded for RN licensure.

Prerequisites

• Abnormal Psychology
• Human Nutrition
• Medical Microbiology w/Lab
• Anatomy and Physiology I and II
• Statistics
• Human Growth and Development (across the lifespan)

Plan of Study

One- and two-year plans are available.

Semester I (Summer)

• 212 Cultural Diversity in Health and Illness (4 cr)
• 317 Writing in Nursing: Ethics
• 439 Community Focus in Nursing

Semester II (Fall)

• 315 Health and Physical Assessment (2cr)
• 398S Health and Assessment Lab (1cr)
• 440 Vulnerable and Underserved Populations
• 498S Vulnerable and Underserved Populations: Practicum (2 cr)

Semester III (Winter Session)

• 235 Introduction to Healthcare Informatics

Semester IV (Spring)

• 418 Nursing Care of Families
• 420 Introduction to Research in Nursing
• 438 Professional Role

Academic Regulations of the College

Each student should understand and act in accordance with the philosophy of the College of Nursing, the Code of Ethics as promulgated by the American Nurses Association, and the Academic Honesty policy of the University. Failure to do so will constitute cause for dismissal regardless of academic standing.

All Nursing courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher for graduation in the Nursing major.

Students who do not progress satisfactorily through the nursing curriculum in the regular sequence or who take a leave of absence are not guaranteed that the curriculum and courses from which they departed will be in place upon their return. They will be expected to complete the curriculum of their new graduation date.

Nursing courses may be repeated only once. If an unacceptable grade is received in a clinical course, the student is on probation from the School of Nursing.