BS/MSN Program
Undergraduate Catalog
Students interested in nursing may earn a Master of Science in Nursing
(M.S.N.) degree in five years. Interested students apply for admission to
either the College of Arts and Science or Peabody College and indicate on
their applications that pre-nursing is their intended program of studies. In
addition to their faculty advisers in the College of Arts and Science or
Peabody, pre-nursing students will be assigned faculty advisers in the
School of Nursing to assist them in planning their program of studies.
Pre-nursing students obtain both the baccalaureate degree and the
M.S.N. degree by combining three and one-half years (a minimum of 105
earned hours) of study in the College of Arts and Science with six semesters
of study in the School of Nursing. Students will receive the baccalaureate
from the College of Arts and Science at the end of the eighth semester under
the senior-in-absentia program, and the M.S.N. from the School of Nursing
after completing an additional five consecutive semesters of study. This
program of study requires that students complete the general curriculum
requirements (including CPLE or AXLE and major) for the baccalaureate
degree and satisfy the prerequisite courses for admission to the School of
Nursing. The first three semesters in nursing are accelerated generalist
nursing courses and serve as a “bridge” into the Master of Science in Nursing
program by preparing students for the NCLEX exam to become a Registered
Nurse (R.N.). These courses also provide the foundation equivalent
to the bachelor’s degree in nursing for course work in the selected nursing
specialty. Upon completion of three semesters of pre-specialty courses, students
enter an additional three semester sequence of courses in their
declared specialty in order to earn the M.S.N. degree.
Students must apply to the Nursing School and to the Administrative
Committee of the College of Arts and Science for admission to the senior
year in absentia program by December 1 of their junior year. Students are
subject to all Nursing School admission requirements, and no student is
assured of admission to the Nursing School. Up to 16 hours of Nursing
School courses approved by the College of Arts and Science may be
counted toward completion of the undergraduate degree. Upon acceptance
to the Nursing School, students will be assigned an adviser and should
schedule an advising appointment.
Pre-nursing students at Peabody College may either (a) complete a
major in Child Development and earn a B.S. through a senior-in-absentia
program or (b) complete a major in Human and Organizational Development
and earn a B.S. through a senior-in-absentia program or (c) complete
78 hours of prerequisite courses and apply for admission to the School of
Nursing for either their junior or their senior year. Upon admission to the
School of Nursing, the student is required to complete six semesters (two
calendar years) of full-time study to earn the M.S.N. Additional information
may be found in the Peabody College section of this catalog.
Admission to the Graduate Nursing Program. Prior to admission to the
School of Nursing, applicants must have completed prerequisite courses,
including the following:
Six hours of English composition, literature, or other Vanderbilt
courses designated with a “W.”
Six hours of humanities courses concerned with human thought,
including literature, classics, theater, fine arts, history, music, philosophy,
and religion. Technical or skill courses, such as music performance
or studio art, are not acceptable humanities courses.
A required introductory course in statistics that includes descriptive and
inferential statistical techniques; Mathematics 127a–127b, Mathematics
180, Mathematics 218, or Peabody Psychology 2101 will fulfill this
requirement.
Nine hours of social science courses in psychology, sociology, anthropology,
political science, or economics.
Eleven hours of natural science courses. Courses in human anatomy
and physiology (Nursing 210a and 210b) and microbiology (Nursing
150) are required. Chemistry 101a–101b or 102a–102b and Biological
Sciences 110a–110b are strongly recommended for admission
but not required.
Three hours of lifespan development are required. Human and Organizational
Development 1000, Applied Human Development; or
Peabody Psychology 1630, Developmental Psychology will fulfill
the lifespan development requirement.
Two hours of nutrition are required. Nursing 231a, Introduction to Nutritional
Health, fulfills the requirement for nutrition.
The remaining hours of prerequisites must consist of courses with
grades of C or above; physical education and Pass/Fail courses may not
be included in the prerequisites.
Admission to the School of Nursing is competitive. Consult the School of
Nursing catalog for specific requirements and admission procedures. Students
are encouraged to write or call the School of Nursing’s Office of
Admissions, 226 Godchaux Hall, Nashville, TN 37240, (615) 322-3800, or see
the Web site, www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/nursing, for further explanation of prenursing
and graduate nursing programs.