Nursing B.S.N.

Information about the School of Nursing can be found on the school page.

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at Georgia College is fully approved by the Georgia Board of Nursing (237 Coliseum Drive, Macon, GA 31217-3858; 478-207-2440) and is designed to satisfy the current educational requirements prescribed by the Board of Nursing for professional licensure. Upon successful completion of this program, the unlicensed graduate is eligible to apply for licensure as a registered professional nurse by examination (NCLEX-RN). Approval for admission to the licensing examination and subsequent licensure of qualified applicants is granted by the Georgia Board of Nursing. Criminal background checks are required by O.C.G.A. § 43-26-7. Any history of arrest may affect the applicant’s ability to complete the program or obtain licensure.

The baccalaureate nursing program at Georgia College is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC, 20001, 202-887-6791).

Nursing Admission Requirements

Admission to the nursing program is highly competitive and may be limited based on availability or qualified faculty and maintaining student to faculty rations required by standards of the Georgia Board of Nursing.  All students who apply to the major may not be admitted.

Students who have taken nursing courses at another institution must meet with the Assistant Director of the School of Nursing, Undergraduate Programs, to determine eligibility to apply to the program.  Students must submit a letter from the previous Dean/Director indicating they are in good standing and eligible to return to the previous program.  Students who have failed more than one nursing course at another institution will not be considered for admission.

Agencies where clinical and practical experiences take place may require students to undergo a criminal background check, to complete urine drug screens, and to meet the agency requirements for immunizations.  Students desiring to enter the School of Nursing should consider these requirements. Agencies may refuse any student based on failure to meet these guidelines or other agency guidelines. Refusal of an agency to accept a student may delay or prevent a student from completing the program. Professional licensing boards may also refuse to license individuals who have committed certain criminal acts or other acts of moral turpitude.

Students should consult with advisors to ensure all necessary requirements to apply to the BSN Program are met. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that all requirements published on the official website and catalog are met.

Application dates are published on the official website for the BSN Program. The online application is available only during the designated application period. Late applications will not be accepted.

Only students who submit a completed application including a plan for meeting all core and history and constitution (U.S. and Georgia) legislative requirements by the published deadline will be considered for admission.

Students must have a minimum of a C in all core courses and a minimum GPA of 2.75 at the time of application to the nursing program. Not all qualified applicants will be admitted due to space limitations in the cohort.

Undeclared: Nursing Track - An applicant who meets Georgia College requirements may be admitted to the University for any academic term and be classified as an Undeclared: Nursing Track student. This enables the student to take core curriculum courses. Acceptance as an Undeclared: Nursing Track student does not guarantee acceptance into the upper division nursing major.

Nursing Major - Enrollment in the nursing major is limited to the most qualified students as determined by the Admission, Progression, and Recognition Committee of the Nursing Faculty Organization.

In order to apply, students must complete the following minimum requirements by the deadline for applications:

1. Obtain acceptance to Georgia College.

2. Submit a completed online application.

3. Complete a minimum of two required sciences courses and provide proof of current enrollment in one additional science course. 

4. If a grade of D or F has been earned in the following courses, the grade must be replaced with a C or higher prior to application: ENGL 1101, MATH 1401, NRSG 2780, Area D science sequence (CHEM 1151 & CHEM 1152 or BIOL 1100 & BIOL 1120, with accompanying labs), and all Area F courses. 

5. Submit a plan (included on application) for completing core requirements before the first day of class in the BSN program. 

6. Submit scores for the ATI Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS, latest edition).  This exam may not be repeated more than twice in a two year period. 

Technical Standards for Admission to and Retention in the Undergraduate Program

Students are required to meet and sign core performance standards verification after acceptance into the program. Students who are unable to meet core performance standards should contact
disability services and seek accommodations. Students that do not receive accommodations and cannot meet the core performance standards may not be successful in the program. Core
performance standards are found at https://www.sreb.org/publication/americans- disabilities-act.

Additional Requirements

Students who are accepted into the BSN program must submit evidence of health status, health insurance, immunizations, TB screening, any professional license if applicable, current American Heart Association Health Care Provider certification (CPR), ability to meet technical standards, and other documents and laboratory tests specified by clinical agencies.  In addition, criminal background checks and urine drug screens are required by many clinical facilities.

Any student who is licensed by the State of Georgia must submit evidence of current licensure annually including those who are Registered Nurses.

A 1-hour seminar course is a program requirement during the first semester of the freshman year in all majors but is not counted in the total hours for graduation. The freshman seminar for nursing students facilitates development of skills necessary for a successful and meaningful collegiate experience. Students will take GCSU 0001 to meet the 1-hour seminar requirement.

Additional Fees for Nursing Students

Nursing students should expect the following additional fees: HESI testing (may be included in some course fees), uniforms, watch with sweep-second hand, physical assessment equipment, official GC picture identification, malpractice insurance, health insurance , criminal background screens, clinical travel expenses and laboratory fees (for additional health screening such as urine drug screens, titers, etc. as well as academic laboratory and testing fees). Estimated costs of additional fees for the BSN program are approximately $2,000.00 excluding health insurance premiums. In addition, nursing textbooks tend to be more costly than books for core courses, but are often used in several courses. Other fees related to licensure may include passport size pictures, NCLEX RN testing fee and fingerprinting.

The large number of health care agencies in the region makes it possible for the College of Health Sciences to offer a variety of clinical learning opportunities; however, students can anticipate driving up to 100 miles for clinical learning on occasion. Travel expenses are the responsibility of the student.

Dismissal Policy

Nursing majors are required to achieve a grade of C or higher in all nursing courses to remain in the Nursing program. Students who fail or withdraw from a course must petition for readmission into the BSN program.  There is no guarantee of readmission to the program.  Students may not repeat more than one nursing course.  A nursing student who is unsuccessful in two nursing courses is ineligible to continue in the program.  Refer to the BSN Handbook and School of Nursing Policies for further information. 

Testing

Students admitted to the Georgia College Nursing Program will be required to take nationally normed tests throughout the curriculum. Students who have difficulty with standardized test taking are advised to consider this requirement before selecting nursing as a major. Standardized tests are given in all clinical nursing courses. A standardized Exit Exam is also part of the requirement for graduation in the BSN program.

Career Information for BSN Graduates

Registered nurses are employed in a wide variety of settings and roles. In Georgia, ample professional opportunities exist in varied health care agencies for graduates of the baccalaureate nursing program. The need for baccalaureate prepared registered nurses increases yearly.