Pre‐Nursing Information Updated 7/2012 from a handout created by MSU Denver Biology Department An RN is awarded after completing an academic program in nursing, and passing the nursing registry examination administered by the state board of nursing. For a complete listing of approved nursing programs in Colorado see http://www.dora.state.co.us/nursing/education/RNprogram.pdf. In all cases, students are responsible for determining current prerequisite requirements and deadlines. There are 3 basic ways to approach the educational component of becoming an RN: 1. Associates program: The Colorado Community College System Nursing Program offers an Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN) that allows graduates to take the nursing registry examinations. Several Community Colleges in the Denver area offer Associates Degrees in Nursing (ADN) programs. Nurses who hold an ADN degree may attend MSU Denver to complete additional coursework to be awarded the BSN. Students seeking the ADN must complete prerequisites and then apply for admission to the nursing program; due to popularity of programs in the Denver metro area, those admitted may have to wait a year or more after admission to begin their nursing studies. All Biology (BIO) prerequisites must be completed within 7 years of entry into CCCS nursing programs. Nursing prerequisites GPA must be 2.5 or better. An FBI fingerprint check and a drug screen are required. Coursework (with MSU Denver course numbers) that must be completed before applicants can join the wait lists includes:  ENG 1020 English Composition (3 credits)  PSY 2210 Psychology of Human Development (3 credits)  BIO 2310 Human Anatomy and Physiology I (with lab, 4 credits)  BIO 2320 Human Anatomy and Physiology II (with lab, 4 credits)  BIO 2400 General Microbiology (with lab, 4 credits) 2. Bachelors programs: Several colleges and universities in the area offer competitive admissions Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs. Examples are University of Colorado Denver and Regis University. Students can complete prerequisites at MSU Denver and then apply to transfer into these programs beginning with their junior year. Each has its own prerequisites, and students are responsible for checking with the school(s) to which they will apply to be certain of requirements. In general, a GPA of at least 3.0 in the prerequisite courses is required, and transfer admissions are competitive. The prerequisites for transfer to the University of Colorado Denver (Health Sciences Center) nursing program are given below. Those for Regis University are similar, with the addition of 6 credits in ethics and/ or religion.  BIO 2400‐4 General Microbiology  NUT 2040‐3 Nutrition  2 courses of biology, chemistry, biochemistry, physics, Astronomy ( If you did not take high school Chemistry, at least one Chemistry course)  BIO 2310‐4 Human Anatomy & Physiology I  BIO 2320‐4 Human Anatomy & Physiology II  PSY 1001‐3 Introduction to Psychology  PSY 2210‐3 Psychology of Human Development (Or, if you are a Psychology major or minor, PSY 3250‐3 Child Psychology and PSY 3260‐3 Adolescent Psychology and PSY 3270‐3 Adulthood and Aging Psychology)  SOC 1010‐3 Introduction to Sociology  ANT 1310‐3 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology  MTH 1110‐4 College Algebra  MTH 1210‐4 Introduction to Statistics (or PSY 2310‐3 Intro to Statistics for Social & Behavioral Sciences)  ENG 1010‐3 Freshman Composition  One course in Philosophy  One course in any of the following: Literature, Art, Music, theatre (theory is preferred)  Political Science or History or Macroeconomics 3. Accelerated nursing programs are for those who have completed a Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline. They generally last 1‐2 years, and move at a rapid pace. Admission into these programs is selective, and each has its own prerequisites which should be researched by the interested student. Programs in the Denver metro area include those at University of Colorado Denver, Regis University and MSU Denver. The Metro State Accelerated Nursing Option (ANO) requires the following prerequisite courses to be completed by the end of the semester preceding program start, and other information, including immunization records, CPR certification, drug screen and criminal background checks, must be provided with the application. The MSU Denver program is looking for strong science grades and recent coursework; a minimum of C in each prerequisite course, and a GPA of 2.5 overall in prerequisite coursework is required.  Non‐ nursing baccalaureate degree  BIO 2310 Human Anatomy and Physiology I (with lab, 4 credits)  BIO 2320 Human Anatomy and Physiology II (with lab, 4 credits)  BIO 2400 General Microbiology (with lab, 4 credits)  MTH 1210 Intro to Statistics (4 credits) or PSY 2310 Intro to Statistics for Social & Behavioral Sciences (3 credits)  PSY 2210 Psychology of Human Development (3 credits)  NUT 2040 Introduction to Nutrition (3 credits)  ITP 4600 Clinical Pathophysiology (4 credits) It is important to note that some of the prerequisite courses themselves have prerequisites. 




All students preparing to apply to nursing school should take BIO1080 and BIO1090, General Biology I and lab, in their coursework, since it is usually a prerequisite for Anatomy & Physiology or Microbiology. Successful completion of BIO1081 and BIO1091, General Biology II and lab, is also required to enroll in BIO2400 General Microbiology. Students are strongly encouraged to take at least one chemistry course before attempting BIO2400 Microbiology. CHE1100 Principles of Chemistry is suitable for most nursing students. However, those intending to attend advanced programs such as Nursing/anesthetist training should consider instead taking the more rigorous sequence of chemistry courses beginning with CHE1800. PSY2210 Psychology of Human Development requires PSY1001 Introductory Psychology as a prerequisite. MTH1210 Introduction to Statistics requires 2 years of high school algebra or equivalent, and an appropriate score on a mathematics assessment test. To take an assessment test, contact MSU Denver’s office of Assessment & Testing (Tivoli 347, 303‐556‐3677) Please realize that admission to BSN programs is competitive. Meeting the minimum requirements ensures admission only when you are applying to ADN programs, where waitlists may be long. Your grades in your prerequisite courses are particularly important, especially in Anatomy & Physiology I and II and in Microbiology. In some cases, the essay you write as part of the admissions process is a major deciding factor. It is important to note the accreditation status of nursing schools you are considering. Check the state Board of Nursing website for accreditation status and pass tares on the nursing registry exam for recent graduates of various programs. For students who have successfully completed Anatomy & Physiology I and II and Microbiology, an internship, Med Vantage‐ Nursing, is available to gain experience in a hospital setting. Students work as volunteers in the hospital and also have opportunities to shadow healthcare professionals. This internship can be taken for 1 or 2 upper division biology credits with permission from Dr. Ferrell and from Dr. Eaker at the Applied Learning Center. If you are interested in the program, see Dr. Ferrell for more details. Additional pre‐nursing advising is available by speaking with Dr. Ferrell (ferrellr@mscd.edu, 303‐556‐4764) or Dr. Sillau (sillau@mscd.edu, 303‐352‐4169)