Traditional BSN Program Admission Policy

BSN Program Academic Policies

The BSN program is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing and accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The faculty of the BSN Program has the right and the responsibility for evaluating the quality of the student's achievement, both in the mastery of theoretical content and in clinical competence. Mid-term warning, probation, or dismissal is used when deemed necessary. The following academic policies apply:

• A grade of C- or below in a required course or a nursing theory course is not accepted. If the grade of C- or below is in a nursing theory course, non-progression in the program occurs.
• A student may repeat a nursing theory course required for the nursing major no more than once.
• A grade of no credit in a nursing clinical course or failure (C- or below) of any two required nursing courses results in dismissal from the nursing program.
• If a student's level of clinical practice is unsatisfactory or unsafe, the student may fail before the end of the semester. Readmission may be granted by special action of the BSN Admission Committee.
• Once admitted and enrolled in the University, all BSN nursing students will be required to successfully complete PHI 168A or B or RST 149 at MSMU. In order to meet the BSN program requirements for bioethics, any bioethics course transferred in prior to admission must be an upper division course.

Departmental policy statements regarding grading, mathematical competence, clinical progression, incomplete grades, probation, absences, dismissal, and readmission to the program are provided to the student at the beginning of the nursing major. During the clinical portion of the program, students must:

• Ordinarily be enrolled full-time (see Tuition and Fees).
• Carry malpractice insurance.
• Have a current CPR card (AHA Health Care Provider BLS).
• Have a fire safety card.
• Complete a criminal background as outlined in clinical policies.
• Drug screening prior to start of course work, and annually thereafter.
• Complete a First Aid Course prior to beginning senior level coursework.
• Nursing classes are held at multiple sites. Transportation is the responsibility of each student. Students who drive are required to have a current driver's license and auto insurance. Information on all policies and procedures can be obtained from the Traditional BSN Coordinator or the Accelerated BSN Program Coordinator.
• Certain health requirements must be met prior to clinical experiences. The requirements are provided to students in admission packets and in the BSN Student Handbook.
• In addition to the University Baccalaureate degree requirements, students who re-enter the BSN program after an absence of seven (7) years or more must complete all requirements of the BSN Program and the level to which they are re-enrolling.
• Membership in the National Student Nurse Association, highly recommended.

For up to date polices and procedures refer, to the current MSMU bachelor of Science in Nursing Student handbook.

Clinical Agencies/Scheduling

Multiple agencies are used for clinical practice and include the following: private and public acute and subacute health care facilities, community health sites, and public and community health care agencies.

Schedules for clinical and class times are subject to change and may include evenings and weekends.

Admission Requirements

In addition to meeting the general admission requirements, acceptance into the BSN Program is determined by the BSN Admission Committee. Admission is based upon a consideration of the student's academic achievement. There is a formal review of the student's high school achievement record, grade point average, University Entrance Examination scores, previous college experience (if any). Students who intend to major in nursing are advised to take high school chemistry. A student may repeat a course required for the nursing major no more than once. Failure (C- and below) of any two required science or pre-requisite courses results in non-admission.

In order to be eligible for review, applicants must be admitted to the University and then fulfill the nursing admission requirements. Admission to the sophomore nursing courses is considered for the fall semester only and is based on:

• Cumulative GPA: 3.0 or higher
• Science GPA: 2.7 or higher
• English GPA
• Written essay
• Entrance Exam
• Math Competency
• Personal interviews may be scheduled for qualified applicants.

Priority is given to students who:

• Meet the required criteria and who have completed 25 units or more at Mount Saint Mary’s University.

LVN to BSN Admission Policy

LVNs that have been accepted by the University and have completed the general studies requirements of the first two years may challenge sophomore level nursing courses and move directly into junior level nursing courses.

LVN to RN Non-Matriculation 26 unit Option

A non-degree R.N. option is available for applicants licensed as LVN’s in California. After completing 26 units of prescribed courses, the student is eligible to take the California examination for the R.N. Licensure. The student is not a graduate of the BSN Program and does not receive a Degree. This option is available in any of the pre-licensure programs at Mount Saint Mary’s University. Practice as a Registered Nurse with a CA license outside the State of California may be limited.

RN to BSN Admission Policy

Registered Nurses who apply to the BSN program may be given transfer credit for previous nursing courses equivalent to the sophomore and junior level nursing courses. Validation of clinical competence and completion of NUR 41 are required prior to entry into the program. In addition, applicants need to meet university admission requirements and BSN program admission policies for RN to BSN applicants.

Criteria for Guaranteed Admission for High School Students

Mount Saint Mary’s University Traditional Baccalaureate Nursing Program extends eligibility for guaranteed admission  to high school student applicants who qualify for guaranteed admission consideration by meeting the following requirements.

1. Complete two science advanced placement courses with AP or IB test scores of four or five or complete three years of natural science in high school with a GPA of 3.5 or greater on a four point scale or 4.25 or greater on a five point scale.  Of the three years of natural science requirements, the student must complete at least one year of physical science and one year of biological science.
2. Achieve an overall high school GPA of 3.5 or greater on a four point scale or 4.25 or greater on a five point scale.
3. Complete three years of math with pre-calculus as the minimum attainment.
4. Achieve an SAT score greater than 1650 (with a minimum score of 450 on critical thinking and a minimum score of 440 for critical math) or an ACT score greater than 24.

Once the student is accepted and enters the University under the guaranteed admission program, they will declare nursing as their baccalaureate major and be considered a part of the Department of Nursing.  To progress into nursing courses, the student must do all of the following:

1. Complete all outstanding nursing prerequisites at the University.
2. Maintain a Science GPA of 2.7 and Cumulative 3.0.
3. The score of Kaplan testing and essay writing will be waived.

Once a guaranteed admission student has completed their nursing pre-requisites and achieved the minimum GPA's (overall and science), they will move into the sophomore nursing courses.

Should a guaranteed admission student fail to meet the minimum GPA requirements, she or he will not continue on to sophomore nursing courses and will need to change their major or they will have the option to do a second year as a pre-nursing major and reapply to the program the following spring, falling under the admission requirements that govern our pre-nursing population.Criteria for Guaranteed Admission for High School Students

Mount Saint Mary’s University Traditional Baccalaureate Nursing Program extends eligibility for guaranteed admission  to high school student applicants who qualify for guaranteed admission consideration by meeting the following requirements.

1.       Complete two science advanced placement courses with AP or IB test scores of four or five or complete three years of natural science in high school with a GPA of 3.5 or greater on a four point scale or 4.25 or greater on a five point scale.  Of the three years of natural science requirements, the student must complete at least one year of physical science and one year of biological science.

2.       Achieve an overall high school GPA of 3.5 or greater on a four point scale or 4.25 or greater on a five point scale.

3.       Complete three years of math with pre-calculus as the minimum attainment.

4.       Achieve an SAT score greater than 1650 (with a minimum score of 450 on critical thinking and a minimum score of 440 for critical math) or an ACT score greater than 24.

 

Once the student is accepted and enters the University under the guaranteed admission program, they will declare nursing as their baccalaureate major and be considered a part of the Department of Nursing.  To progress into nursing courses, the student must do all of the following:

1.       Complete all outstanding nursing prerequisites at the University.

2.       Maintain the a Science GPA of 3.2 and Cumulative 3.4

3.       The the score of Kaplan testing and essay writing will be waived.

Once a guaranteed admission student has completed their nursing pre-requisites and achieved the minimum GPA's (overall and science), they will move into the sophomore nursing courses.

Should a guaranteed admission student fail to meet the minimum GPA requirements, she or he will not continue on to sophomore nursing courses and will need to change their major or they will have the option to do a second year as a pre-nursing major and reapply to the program the following spring, falling under the admission requirements that govern our pre-nursing population.

Criteria for Guaranteed Admission for High School Students

Mount Saint Mary’s University’s Traditional Baccalaureate Nursing Program extends eligibility, to be reviewed for admission, to high school student applicants who qualify for guaranteed admission consideration by meeting the following requirements.

1. Complete two science advanced placement courses with AP or IB test scores of four or five or complete three years of science in high school with a GPA of 3.5 or greater on a four point scale or 4.25 or greater on a five point scale.  Of these three years of science requirements, the student must complete at least one year of chemistry and one year of biology.

2. Achieve an overall high school GPA of 3.8 or greater on a four point scale or 4.25 or greater on a five point scale.

3. Complete three years of math with pre-calculus as the minimum attainment.

4. Achieve an SAT score greater than 1650 including a minimum score of 550 on critical thinking (SATCR), a minimum score of 550 for critical math (SATM), and a minimum score of 550 in critical writing (SATW) OR an ACT score greater than 24.  

Once the student is accepted and enters the University under the guaranteed admission program, they will declare nursing as their baccalaureate major and be considered a part of the Department of Nursing.  To progress into nursing courses, the student must do all of the following:

1. Complete and pass all nursing prerequisites courses at the University during the first (freshman) year.

2. Maintain  an overall Science GPA of 3.2 and Cumulative GPA of 3.0.

3. Obtain a minimum score of 70 or above on the Kaplan evaluation taken during the freshman year.

Once a guaranteed admission student has completed all nursing pre-requisite courses and maintained an overall Science GPA of 3.2 and a Cumulative GPA of 3.0 the student will move into the sophomore nursing courses.

Should a guaranteed admission student fail to meet the minimum requirements outlined above, the student will not continue on to the sophomore nursing courses. These students will change their major course of study or have the option to do a second year as a pre-nursing major and reapply to the program the following spring, falling under the admission requirements that governs the MSMU, traditional baccalaureate pre-nursing population.