Major map compass icon
2023-2024

Nursing (traditional program), Bachelor of Science

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science in Science or Health Science (apply in first year) (Virginia Community College System)
Virginia Community College System
Associate degree

Associate of Science in Science or Health Sciences

Complete admission prerequisites listed below and apply in first year at community college.

Program description

Nurses are key players in health care delivery in the U.S. and around the world. The undergraduate program at the VCU School of Nursing provides three options for obtaining the B.S. in Nursing. These include two pre-licensure programs: the traditional and accelerated B.S. and the R.N. to B.S. program. Students may be admitted to the traditional pre-licensure program after one year of college courses or upon completion of a baccalaureate degree in another field of study. The traditional program can be completed in three years with summers off. The accelerated B.S. program is an intense, fast-paced program for those with at least a baccalaureate degree in another field. It can be completed in 19 months of full-time, year-round study. Graduates of both options have the skills and knowledge to enter the profession of nursing and are eligible to apply for the licensing examination provided by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. The R.N. to B.S. degree option is for R.N. graduates of diploma or associate degree programs who want to continue making a commitment to nursing by advancing their education with a baccalaureate degree. The R.N. to B.S. program is fully online and allows a practicing R.N. to earn the B.S. degree in six part-time semesters.

Career opportunities

The degree-holder of a B.S. in Nursing is skilled to practice with patients across the lifespan in a variety of health care environments. The graduate respects the variations of care, the increased complexity, and the use of health care resources inherent in caring for patients.


Recent alumni find employment in public, private, and community settings and with employers like the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Department of Veterans Affairs, the Virginia Department of Health, the Virginia Department of Corrections, Bon Secours, HCA Hospitals, and the Inova Health System.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Nurse
  • Nurse Manager
  • Public Health Nurse
  • Registered Nurse
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Nurse Anesthetist
  • Nurse Practitioner
  • Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
  • Women's Health Nurse Practitioner
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements
  • No guaranteed admission.
  • Apply for admission in first year at community college. 
  • Review admission requirements here.
Highest level of math required
  • STAT 208 or STAT 210 or STAT 212
Science required
  • 3-4 additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
  • No
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.5+

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2023-2024

Nursing (traditional program), Bachelor of Science

Virginia Community College System (Associate of Science in Science or Health Science (apply in first year))

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Enroll in the SDV student success course.
  • Complete admission prerequisites for nursing in your first year and apply to VCU.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges and utilize tutoring resources to maintain good grades.
  • Explore GRASP financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Schedule an appointment with your community college advisor to map out your course plan.
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on your community college campus and in your community (e.g., international festival).
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
  • Practice independent living skills such as money and time management, self-care, and personal responsibility.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
Experience Year 2
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU School of Nursing, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs throughout the year.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Enroll in the SDV student success course.
  • Complete admission prerequisites for nursing in your first year and apply to VCU.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges and utilize tutoring resources to maintain good grades.
  • Explore GRASP financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Schedule an appointment with your community college advisor to map out your course plan.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on your community college campus and in your community (e.g., international festival).
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
  • Practice independent living skills such as money and time management, self-care, and personal responsibility.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU School of Nursing, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs throughout the year.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.

Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2023-2024

Nursing (traditional program), Bachelor of Science

Virginia Community College System (Associate of Science in Science or Health Science (apply in first year))

Virginia Community College System courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
By following the following course recommendations, students will be able to complete the admission prerequisites for the traditional Nursing program in one year. Students can then apply for admission in their first year at community college. If not admitted to the traditional nursing program, students should complete the requirements of the associate degree and consider another back-up major at VCU.
SDV 100 or 101 College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education (admission prerequisite)
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education (admission prerequisite)
BIO 101 General Biology I BIOL/Z 151 4 Major (admission prerequisite)
BIO 141 Human Anatomy and Physiology I (both BIO 141 and BIO 142 must be taken to receive credit for the VCU equivalents) BIOL 205 + PHIS/Z 206 4 Major (admission prerequisite)
BIO 142 Human Anatomy and Physiology II (both BIO 141 and BIO 142 must be taken to receive credit for the VCU equivalents) BIOL 205 + PHIS/Z 206 4 Major (admission prerequisite)
Nutrition Select 1: DIT 121 Nutrition I or HLT 230 Principles of Nutrition BIOL 217 3 Major (admission prerequisite)
PSY 200 Principles of Psychology PSYC 101 3 Major (admission prerequisite)
SOC 200 or SOC 211 Principles of Sociology or Cultural Anthropology SOCY 101 or ANTH 103 3 Major (admission prerequisite)
Community college credits transferred to VCU 28
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Your GPA Doesn't Transfer With You Although you worked hard to earn your grades at your current institution, they will only be considered by VCU for an admission decision. Once you enroll at VCU, your GPA will reset to 0.0, and your new GPA will be determined by your level of success in your classes at VCU.
NURS 201 Concepts of Professional Nursing 2 Major
NURS 202 Technologies of Nursing Practice 6 Major
NURS 261 Health Assessment for Nursing Practice 3 Major
NURS 325 Nursing of Adults I 6 Major
NURS 335 Nursing of Women 5 Major
NURS 403 Evidence-based Practice in Health Care 3 Major
NURS 345 Nursing of Children 5 Major
NURS 355 Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing 5 Major
NURS 365 Pathophysiology and Pharmacology I 3 Major
NURS 366 Pathophysiology and Pharmacology II 3 Major
NURS 416 Community Health Nursing 5 Major
NURS 425 Nursing of Adults II 6 Major
NURS 478 Leadership and Management in Health Care: Theory and Application 3 Major
NURS 498 Senior Synthesis 8 Major
IPEC 501 Foundations of Interprofessional Practice 1 Major
IPEC 502 Interprofessional Quality Improvement and Patient Safety 1 Major
IPEC Select one: IPEC 561, IPEC 562, or IPEC 563 2 Major
BIOL/Z 209 Medical Microbiology (BIO 150 at community college is the equivalent of BIOL/Z 209) 4 Major (Ancillary)
PSYC 304 Life Span Developmental Psychology (PSY 230 at community college is the equivalent of PSYC 304) 3 Major (Ancillary)
Statistics Select either STAT 208, STAT 210, or STAT 212 (MTH 155 or MTH 245 at community college are the equivalents of STAT 208 and STAT 210) 3 Major (Ancillary)
Complete general education requirements (these requirements will be fulfilled if you complete an associate degree at community college) 12 General education
Electives: 300-level or higher 6 Elective
Open electives 5 Elective
REAL The REAL requirement may be satisfied by successfully completing a 300-level (or higher) course that has received a REAL attribute of Level 2, 3 or 4 or through an approved “REAL” co-curricular experience that has received a REAL attribute of Level 3 or 4. See VCU advisor for options. 0 Major
Credits completed at VCU 94
Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree 122