University of Houston Nursing Prerequisites
The University of Houston wants to establish itself as a global leader in education and research, and establishing a highly-ranked nursing program was key. The University of Houston strives to provide first-year students with an education that is both enjoyable and challenging. However, like most other universities, the experience can be daunting in the beginning.
The prerequisites for the UH School of Nursing are designed to ensure that students have the required background knowledge before starting their nursing program. They also ensure that students will be able to succeed in their courses.
University of Houston Nursing Prerequisites
In order to be eligible for admission to the University of Houston College of Nursing undergraduate RN to BSN track, applicants must have graduated from an accredited associate degree or diploma program. Applicants who have completed an international nursing diploma program that is not affiliated to a university may not have satisfied the Associate Degree requirement for admission to the University of Houston College of Nursing undergraduate RN to BSN track due to the non-academic nature of this type of coursework.
The University of Houston College of Nursing undergraduate RN to BSN track is designed for students who already hold an associate degree from a regionally accredited institution and wish to work toward their bachelor’s degree in nursing. It is a fast-paced, one-year program that offers accelerated coursework, as well as clinical training at local hospitals. The curriculum focuses on preparing RNs for careers in healthcare administration, education, research and other areas.
As a student in the University of Houston Nursing program, you will be required to have an unencumbered, current Texas Registered Nurse license. You can obtain this by meeting the requirements for the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) as outlined on their website at www.ncsbn.org.
To obtain your Texas license, you must submit an application for licensure and pass a criminal background check prior to being issued a license by the Texas Board of Nursing (BON). The application fee is $250 and the criminal background check fee is $30.
Once you have submitted your application, it will be reviewed by the BON and they will send it back to you with any questions they may have regarding your application. Once all questions have been answered and your application has been approved by the BON, they will send you a letter telling you how much time is left before your license expires. At this point, all that remains is for you to pay any outstanding fees and submit your fingerprints to NCSBN so that they can run another criminal background check on you!
The University of Houston (UH) RN-to-BSN program is a perfect fit for students who have already completed their core curriculum requirements and are ready to take their education to the next level.
As you may know, the core curriculum requirements vary from school to school. In fact, the UH undergraduate nursing program requires students to complete all general education courses and required BSN course work prior to enrolling in the RN-to-BSN program. If you are currently enrolled at another institution, or are considering transferring schools, it’s important that you understand whether or not your current program will satisfy these requirements.
If you successfully complete your core curriculum at an institution of higher education, that block of courses may be transferred to any other institution of higher education and must be substituted for the receiving institution’s core curriculum. A student shall receive academic credit for each of the courses transferred and may not be required to take additional core curriculum courses at the receiving institution unless the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has approved a larger core curriculum at that institution.
The University of Houston Nursing Department requires all students to have satisfied all general education requirements, as well as required BSN course work prior to enrolling in the UH RN to BSN program. If a student successfully completes the core curriculum at an institution of higher education, that block of courses may be transferred to any other institution of higher education and must be substituted for the receiving institution’s core curriculum. A student shall receive academic credit for each of the courses transferred and may not be required to take additional core curriculum courses at the receiving institution unless the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has approved a larger core curriculum at that institution.
Lower Level BSN program requirements:
The University of Houston’s online RN to BSN program will give you the education and skills you need to become a registered nurse, but you’ll need to make sure that you have the prerequisites for admission.
You’ll need three semester hours of statistics, eight semester hours of human anatomy and physiology, four semester hours of microbiology, six semester hours of psychology (Introduction to Psychology and Human Growth and Development through the Life Span), and three semester hours of physical science course (chemistry preferred).
If you already have your RN license, then you’ll be given 33 semester credit hours of advanced placement credit for successful completion of nursing courses and subsequent unencumbered current Texas Registered Nurse license.
The University of Houston has an excellent curriculum for the nursing major, and it’s a great way to get your degree in a relatively short amount of time. And because we’re one of the best nursing schools in Texas, you can be confident that your education will prepare you for whatever comes next.
In order to enter this program, students must have completed three semester hours of statistics; eight semester hours of human anatomy and physiology; four semester hours of microbiology; six semester hours of psychology (introduction to psychology and human growth and development through the life span), and three semester hours of physical science course (chemistry preferred).
Upper Level BSN Curriculum:
The University of Houston requires thirty (30) semester credit hours of Nursing courses. These courses must be completed before you can apply to the nursing program. The courses are: NURS 4212 Informatics in Health Care, NURS 3310 Professional Role Development and Practice Issues, NURS 3311 Health Assessment Across the Lifespan, NURS 3315 Pathophysiology, NURS 4312 Leadership and Management in Professional Nursing Practice, NURS 4314 Nursing Research, NURS 4322 Policy and Ethics in Professional Nursing Practice, NURS 4520 Concept Integration in Patient Care Management, NURS 4521 Community Health Nursing
Nursing students at the University of Houston must take 30 semester credit hours of nursing courses before they can pursue a degree in Nursing.
NURS 4212 Informatics in Health Care will teach you about the role that technology plays in healthcare, how to use the internet and other resources to gather information, and how to apply this knowledge to your own practice.
NURS 3310 Professional Role Development and Practice Issues teaches students how to navigate their professional roles as nurses, manage their practice issues, and develop a strong sense of self.
NURS 3311 Health Assessment Across the Lifespan will teach students how to assess patients across all ages by using an evidence-based approach.
NURS 3315 Pathophysiology will prepare you for clinical rotations with an emphasis on pathophysiology across different body systems. This course is designed so that you can learn complex concepts quickly through active learning methods such as case studies and simulations.
NURS 4312 Leadership and Management in Professional Nursing Practice will teach you leadership skills necessary for nursing practice management in clinical settings. It focuses on leadership theory, interpersonal communication techniques, group dynamics, decision-making processes, conflict resolution techniques, and human resource management.
Admissions Requirements for RN to BSN Admission:
Applicants must complete an online application through NursingCAS
Applicants must submit official transcript(s) from EACH college or university attended, sent directly from each institution to NursingCAS. (For timely and accurate processing, students should ensure that all official documents have been submitted to NursingCAS at least one month prior to the deadline date.)
The University of Houston is a great choice for students who want to pursue a career in nursing. The program offers an accelerated nursing track that allows students to complete their degree in just two years, along with a traditional four-year program. Both options prepare students to be highly qualified nurses after graduation.
In order to be eligible for the accelerated track, you must have at least one year of college credit in biology and chemistry, or an associate’s degree from an accredited college or university. You should also have completed all prerequisites for biological science courses by the end of your freshman year.
The University of Houston requires all nursing applicants to be at least 18 years old and to have completed a minimum of 60 semester hours in high school. The university also requires that all applicants have successfully completed the SAT or ACT college entrance exam. In addition, students must provide scores for the SAT Math Subject Test and a minimum score of 500 on the Computer Science Aptitude Test.
The university also accepts a variety of transfer credits from other accredited colleges and universities, but each transfer credit will be evaluated individually by an admissions counselor to determine whether it will be accepted.
Conclusion
When considering online nursing programs such as the University of Houston RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) program, it’s important to look closely at a variety of aspects. One of the most important is your prerequisites, which are a vital part of whether or not you will be able to complete a program successfully. Overall, UH is an accredited and reputable institution of higher learning. Its nursing program is easy enough for those who want to quickly complete their degree while offering a rich, diverse curriculum that provides opportunity for real-world experience and critical thinking.