This is an archived copy of the 2020-2021 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.uta.edu/.
The undergraduate nursing degree consists of two programs: pre-licensure BSN and post-licensure RN to BSN. We offer two delivery options: traditional Campus Based (CB) Program and Accelerated Online (AO) Program. The Accelerated Online Program (AO BSN and AO RN-BSN) is an online format developed by UT Arlington's College of Nursing to serve nurses in Texas and beyond by offering high quality, affordable, and convenient nursing programs. As there are some differences in policies between the programs, there may also be differences between the traditional Campus Based (CB) program and the Accelerated Online (AO) Program; those will be noted throughout the catalog.
The faculty of the College of Nursing takes academic honesty and ethical behavior very seriously. Nurses are entrusted with the health, safety and well-being of the public. Students found guilty of academic dishonesty will be punished to the full extent permitted by the rules and regulations of UT Arlington.
This is a program consisting of nursing courses, university core courses and other required prerequisite courses. Upon successful completion of the program, the student is awarded the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and is eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for licensure as a Registered Nurse. This is offered as a campus based or accelerated online option.
This program is designed for Registered Nurses who have completed an accredited Associate Degree or Diploma nursing program. Full-time students may complete the Upper-Division nursing courses in one academic year. Upon successful completion of the program, the student is awarded the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. This is offered as a campus based or accelerated online option.
The RN to MSN program is an option for RNs who want to move seamlessly between the RN to BSN program and the MSN program. The university calls this a Fast Track program. The Fast Track RN to MSN program will enable outstanding undergraduate students who are registered nurses to satisfy degree requirements leading to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and master's degree (MSN) in Nursing Administration, Nursing Education or Nurse Practitioner.
The University of Texas at Arlington Undergraduate Nursing Program prepares graduates to provide professional nursing care to persons/clients (individuals, families, groups, and communities) in diverse settings through the roles of provider of care, coordinator of care, and member of the profession.
On completion, the graduate will be able to:
It is the philosophy of the University of Texas at Arlington College of Nursing (UTACON) that the baccalaureate program is designed to prepare a competent, self-directed, general practitioner of nursing who can assume increasing responsibility and leadership in the delivery of nursing care. In consideration of the preparation of a general practitioner, all individuals who apply for admission and are enrolled in the undergraduate program must be able to perform the essential functions of a student of nursing.
The College of Nursing has identified essential nursing skills: communication, cognitive, motor and sensory, observation, tactile, hearing, smell, psychomotor and ethical and professional integrity. The student enrolled in the program must demonstrate mastery of these components. Because providing direct patient care is physically demanding, students need to meet the physical requirements of a staff nurse in the same setting in which they are completing a clinical rotation. Upon BSN program acceptance, students must attest to their ability to meet these standards with or without an accommodation. If at that time a student requests an accommodation, the OSD and the CON must determine if the accommodation is reasonable PRIOR to the student beginning Upper-Division coursework.
If a student requires an accommodation to meet these standards, then within five (5) business days of being accepted into the BSN program, and in order to prevent a delay in the start of the programs, the student must contact OSD to initiate the review process.
Qualified applicants are admitted without discrimination with regard to race, color, national origin or ancestry, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status or disability (reasonable accommodations will be made within the Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines).
More detailed information is available in the UG Nursing Policy Library http://www.uta.edu/conhi/students/policy/index.php
Students may be admitted to UT Arlington upon meeting the admission requirements established by the University. Students who designate themselves as nursing majors will be advised by the College of Nursing in the Office of Enrollment and Student Services. Official transcripts must be submitted to the UT Arlington Office of Admissions, Records and Registration.
NOTE: All freshmen are advised by University College. A designated College of Nursing advisor will advise students in the Freshman Nursing Scholars Program.
BSN students desiring admission to the sequence of upper-division nursing courses leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing must:
Admission to Junior level (upper-division course work) is by ranking order based on space available. A student who accepts their spot, but decides not to start will get 2 (two) times to do this before they must wait 1 year (two application cycles) to reapply.
Additional consideration will be given to applicants who complete the following by the application deadline:
NOTE: Students entering the Accelerated Online BSN program must complete all prerequisites including the Upper-Division elective prior to beginning the program. Priority will be given to off-campus AO applicants employed by partner hospital systems offering clinical sites during that semester of admission. Partner hospital clinical sites vary each semester. To receive AO priority, an applicant must be employed at the time of application through the first day of class. For consideration, applicants must submit documentation of employment at time of application. Employment at a partner hospital is not a guarantee of admission into the upper-division nursing program.
Students must successfully complete prerequisite courses as indicated on the Admission Brochure (http://www.uta.edu/conhi/academics/nursing-undergrad/bsn/bsn.php). Specific courses are subject to the Two Attempt and Grade Improvement policies. Under the Two-Attempt Policy each course taken at UT Arlington and/or any other approved institution may be attempted a maximum of two times to earn a passing grade. By the second attempt a grade of “C” or better must be earned.
The Grade Improvement Policy is unique to the CON and is used for the College selection process only. This policy differs from the CON Two Attempt Policy and from the University’s Grade Replacement, Exclusion, and Forgiveness polices. Grades of C or above may be replaced to improve GPAs for the College selection policies with the following limitations:
A limit of four courses may be retaken. The three prenursing courses (N2300/N2200 Intro to Professional and Clinical Concepts in Nursing, N3366 Pathophysiologic Processes: Implication for Nursing, and N3365 Pharmacology in Nursing Practice) are not eligible for the Grade Improvement Policy.
Upper-Division prenursing courses include N3366 Pathophysiologic Processes: Implication for Nursing, and N3365 Pharmacology in Nursing Practice and are subject to the Failure of prenursing Policy.
One failed grade = probationary status with the CON indefinitely
Conditions of Probationary Status
Two failed grades = inability to continue with CON for a period of three years. Upon return, a student is eligible to apply under the conditions of the CON’s Re-entry policy.
Conditions of Re-entry
Applicants must receive a minimum score, as defined by the University, on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) if the applicant's native/first language is not English and if he or she does not hold a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited U.S. institution. The exam is required for admission to the College of Nursing even if the student has met one of the stated University exemptions for the TOEFL.
Applicants who have graduated from secondary schools or colleges in the following countries are exempt from the TOEFL: Anguilla, Antigua, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada (except Quebec), Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Grand Cayman, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Montserrat, New Zealand, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Trinidad/Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, and United Kingdom.
Students who are not exempt based on the countries listed above, but who can provide documentation of attendance and graduation from a secondary English speaking school in their native country or the US, will be exempt from the requirement.
CRITERIA FOR READMISSION OF UPPER-DIVISION STUDENTS
Students who withdraw from the UT Arlington College of Nursing Program for more than one semester in good standing who wish to return to complete the program must submit a written request for readmission to the Office of Enrollment and Student Services by the following deadlines:
Returning spring –September 1st
Returning fall- April 15th
Criteria for Readmission:
Two Long Semesters:
More than two long semesters:
Nursing transfer students are defined as those students who have successfully completed prerequisite courses with a C or above and Junior I courses for the BSN Program: Holistic Health Assessment and Clinical Nursing Foundations at another college or university. Students who have not completed the required courses will be ranked with the incoming junior class. Admission as a transfer student to the College of Nursing is contingent upon available space. Transfer students must attend orientation. Transfer students ready to start as a Junior 2 can be admitted in either the CB or AO programs.
Processing of the transfer procedure will not be initiated until the student has applied to the College of Nursing and Health Innovation.
All Junior I BSN students and transferring students are required to complete the general online orientation in the Learning Management System and attend the mandatory in-person orientation held prior to the fall and spring semesters.
Clinical orientation is mandatory for all BSN students, as established by the Dallas/Fort Worth Hospital Council. BSN students are required to complete the Standard Hospital Student Orientation annually. Clinical requirements must be valid through the entire semester. If the annual orientation will expire during the current semester, it must be updated.
All students enrolled in the College of Nursing must have internet access and a laptop computer meeting minimum computing recommendations. A list of computer specifications is outlined on the College of Nursing website, https://www.uta.edu/conhi/. Students may be asked to purchase and download software to meet course and/or program requirements.
Smart Phone or similar device highly recommended.
The UT Arlington College of Nursing standards require that all students in BSN programs complete the following immunizations by the time of application.
If you know you will be applying to our Nursing Program within the next year, you will need to start these now because some will take up to 6 months to complete.
In order to be eligible to start the program, you will need to submit valid documentation that you have completed the following by Friday of the 3 rd full week in March for Fall starts or Friday of the 3 rd full week in September for Spring starts.
View the website for more information on the vaccines, titers and valid documentation options.
Undergraduate nursing students are required to obtain American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLSC) CPR for Healthcare Providers.
Evidence of current CPR certification is required during clinical course enrollment from admission to graduation. The CPR must be valid throughout an entire semester with a clinical. If the current card will expire during the semester, the student must retake the course and have a card that will not expire during the semester.
All UT Arlington nursing students enrolled in clinical course(s) will be required to provide verification of medical insurance coverage that includes Emergency Department evaluation and follow-up treatment for needle-stick and blood borne disease exposure. This mandatory clinical requirement has been authorized by The University of Texas System Board of Regents.
As such, UT Arlington will not cover initial and/or follow up treatment for needle-stick injuries and/or exposure to blood borne diseases which may occur while students are enrolled in clinical courses.
While the UT Arlington College of Nursing recognizes the financial impact this clinical requirement presents for students, we also support the need for students to have health coverage for sudden illness, accidents, emergencies and exposure treatments that may occur in the clinical setting in a variety of clinical agencies.
All students accepted to the BSN AO or CB programs will complete a drug screen.
At any time if there is a confirmation of a positive drug screening, the student will be removed from clinical courses for a period of one calendar year. Upon returning to the program, random drug screenings will be conducted throughout the program. A second positive test will result in immediate dismissal from the nursing program.
Random and / or for cause drug screens are at the student's expense and must be completed as required. Failure/refusal to undergo a drug screen on the designated day will result in immediate dismissal from the nursing program.
Accepted students complete two criminal background checks (CBC): Texas Board of Nursing (BON) and a 3rd party provider as designated by CON.
Students should complete the Texas BON CBC prior to program application. Students who have completed NURS 2300, Introduction to Professional Nursing, or are currently enrolled in NURS 2300, should submit their BON CBC during that course. Students, who have not taken NURS 2300 by the application deadline, should contact CONHIadmin@uta.edu, provide the necessary information, give permission to send the information to the BON, and schedule the fingerprinting appointment within one month of the application deadline.
The second CBC is completed after program acceptance.
A student with a positive criminal background screen will not be admitted into the program without a Declaratory Order from the Texas Board of Nursing stating that the individual has been granted permission to write the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN Examination) upon completion of the requirements for graduation and payment of any required fees. Eligibility to take the NCLEX-RN Examination may be affected by any inaccuracies in the petition, and any subsequent violations of the Nursing Practice Act that may affect eligibility to sit for the examination or the later revocation of a license obtained through misrepresentation.
The Texas Board of Nursing (BON) has set out guidelines and criteria on the eligibility of persons with criminal convictions to obtain a license as a registered nurse. The BON may refuse to admit persons to its licensure examinations, may refuse to issue a license or certificate of registration, or may refuse to issue a temporary permit to any individual who has any criminal offense. Detailed information related to determining eligibility and required processes to determine eligibility for your specific circumstances is available from the Texas Board of Nursing and on their Web site (www.bon.state.tx.us). Students who are unable to obtain clearance from the BON will not be allowed to begin the nursing program.
Once admitted to the nursing program, any student that commits an offense that would require a Declaratory Order will be removed from current and future clinical courses until the Declaratory Order is obtained from the Texas BON and submitted to the College of Nursing Director of Student Affairs.
Professional Liability Insurance
Nursing students are required to have evidence of professional liability insurance coverage for a minimum of $1,000,000 limit each claim and $3,000,000 limit aggregate. The charge for coverage will be assessed as a mandatory fee at the time of registration.
Course fee information is available at www.uta.edu/fees. Additional costs beyond tuition, fees and books that may be incurred by a nursing student will include those items listed on the CON website. In addition, some clinical agencies charge a nominal fee for parking passes and utilizing their scrubs.
Oral proficiency is recognized to be a critical component of providing safe nursing care. In addition to content-specific presentations in various nursing courses, all nursing students are required to communicate effectively with clients, members of the health care team, and faculty. Contact the Associate Chair of Undergraduate Programs for more information.
Each student will be provided a UT Arlington e-mail address. Official communications from the College of Nursing will be distributed to this e-mail address and Learning Management System accounts required by many courses. Students will be held responsible for information distributed in this manner.
Students within the pre-licensure BSN program, enrolled in an Upper-Division NURS course are permitted to drop the course one time. Students cannot drop the course again for academic reasons. Upon attempting the course for the second time, the earned grade is retained. Students who retake a course after earning a grade of W and who are unable to meet the course requirements will receive a non-passing grade. Students may drop no more than three Upper-Division NURS courses during their undergraduate career.
Elective and prenursing courses are exempt from this policy but may be affected by other CON policies.
Exceptions to this policy may be entertained because of extraordinary non-academic circumstances.
Movement between the AO and CB BSN programs is at the discretion of program administration. Students will be required to sign a Program Transfer Agreement.
Pre-Licensure BSN students who withdraw or fail a course can repeat the course the next available time the course is offered.
*If there are more students than seats available, the students will be placed in the order in which they request the move (first come, first placed).
To pass a clinical course, the student must pass both the didactic and the clinical components of that course. Clinical attendance expectations, Clinical Performance Requirements and Evidence of Clinical Competence information can be found in the UG Student Handbook at: http://www.uta.edu/conhi/students/policy/index.php
Some programs in the College of Nursing, such as the AO BSN Program, may require students to attend clinical on evenings, nights, weekends, or holidays. Students are expected to attend their assigned clinical rotation as scheduled, even when the University is otherwise scheduled for closure, i.e. Spring Break.
Students in the Pre-Licensure BSN Program will not be permitted to continue in the nursing program nor to enroll for additional courses if they:
If a student fails a course they must take NURS2232 if they have not already taken it.
Nursing students who wish to graduate with an Honors Degree in Nursing must be members of the Honors College in good standing. Students must complete the Nursing degree requirements and the requirements of the Honors College. Contact the College of Nursing Honors Coordinator for further information. Due to the accelerated nature of the AO program the Honors Degree is limited to students in the Campus Based program.
It is the philosophy of the University of Texas at Arlington College of Nursing (UTACON) that the baccalaureate program is designed to prepare a competent, self-directed, general practitioner of nursing who can assume increasing responsibility and leadership in the delivery of nursing care. In consideration of the preparation of a general practitioner, all individuals who apply for admission and are enrolled in the undergraduate program must be able to perform the essential functions of a student of nursing.
The College of Nursing has identified essential nursing skills: communication, cognitive, motor and sensory, observation, tactile, hearing, smell, psychomotor and ethical and professional integrity. The student enrolled in the program must demonstrate mastery of these components. Because providing direct patient care is physically demanding, students need to meet the physical requirements of a staff nurse in the same setting in which they are completing a clinical rotation. Upon BSN program acceptance, students must attest to their ability to meet these standards with or without an accommodation. If at that time a student requests an accommodation, the OSD and the CON must determine if the accommodation is reasonable PRIOR to the student beginning Upper-Division coursework.
If a student requires an accommodation to meet these standards, then within five (5) business days of being accepted into the BSN program, and in order to prevent a delay in the start of the programs, the student must contact OSD to initiate the review process.
Qualified applicants are admitted without discrimination with regard to race, color, national origin or ancestry, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status or disability (reasonable accommodations will be made within the Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines).
Students may be admitted to UT Arlington upon meeting the admission requirements established by the university which are described in the university catalog and website. Official transcripts must be submitted to the university Office of Admissions.
Registered nurses desiring admission to this program must:
Transcripts of RN students are evaluated with consideration of the Coordinating Board Field of Study Curriculum guidelines. Credit is given for all courses listed in the Field of Study Curriculum as transferable as well as any additional courses that may be applicable for transfer for a total of 29 hours.
Certain other conditions apply:
Applicants must receive a minimum score, as defined by the University, on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) if the applicant's native/first language is not English and if he or she does not hold a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited U.S. institution. The exam is required for admission to the College of Nursing even if the student has met one of the stated University exemptions for the TOEFL.
Applicants who have graduated from secondary schools or colleges in the following countries are exempt from the TOEFL: Anguilla, Antigua, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada (except Quebec), Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Grand Cayman, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Montserrat, New Zealand, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Trinidad/Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, and United Kingdom. Students who are not exempt based on the countries listed above, but who can provide documentation of attendance and graduation from a secondary English speaking school in their native country or the US, will be exempt from the requirement.
All Campus Based Junior RN-BSN students and transferring RN-BSN students are required to attend the general orientation held prior to entering their Junior semester.
The University grade replacement/exclusion policy is limited by the College of Nursing and is not applicable to nursing courses.
Oral proficiency is recognized to be a critical component of providing safe nursing care. In addition to content-specific presentations in various nursing courses, all nursing students are required to communicate effectively with clients, members of the health care team, and faculty. Contact RN-BSN Program Director for more information.
Each student will be provided a UT Arlington e-mail address. Official communications from the College of Nursing will be distributed to this e-mail address and Learning Management System accounts required by many courses. Students will be held responsible for information distributed in this manner.
Movement between AO and CB RN-BSN program is at the discretion of program administration.
The following semester hours must be completed prior to enrollment in upper-division nursing courses except as noted:
Natural Sciences | ||
Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II 1,2,3,4,7 | 8 | |
Microbiology 2,4,7 | 4 | |
General Chemistry and Biological Chemistry 2,4,7 | 4 | |
Behavioral Sciences | ||
Introduction to Psychology 4,7 | 3 | |
Public Health: Principles and Populations, Sociology or Anthropology 3,4,5 | 3 | |
Developmental Psychology (Lifespan) 4,7 | 3 | |
Nursing | ||
NURS 2300 | INTRODUCTION TO PROFESSIONAL AND CLINICAL CONCEPTS IN NURSING 7 | 3 |
NURS 3365 | PHARMACOLOGY IN NURSING PRACTICE 4,7 | 3 |
NURS 3366 | PATHOPHYSIOLOGIC PROCESSES: IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING 4,7 | 3 |
Other | ||
Creative Arts (architecture, art, dance, music or theatre arts) 3,5 | 3 | |
Upper Division Elective 5 | 3 | |
Math | ||
MATH 1301 | CONTEMPORARY MATHEMATICS (An applicant taking math at UT Arlington is encouraged to complete Contemporary Mathematics (MATH 1301)) 3 | 3 |
Statistics 3,4,7 | 3 | |
History and Government | ||
U.S. History I and II 3,5,6 | 6 | |
U.S. and Texas Government 3,5,6 | 6 | |
English | ||
English Composition I and II 3 | 6 | |
English Literature 3,5 | 3 | |
Technical Writing 4,7 | 3 | |
Total Hours | 70 |
If part of a two-semester sequence, both courses are required.
Must contain a lab component.
Degree Plan Core Curriculum courses.
Degree Plan Program Specific courses.
CB students may complete after enrollment in junior nursing courses.
House Bill 935, passed by the Sixtieth Legislature, provides that no person may receive an undergraduate degree unless she/he has taken and passed six semester hours in American political science and six semester hours in United States history.
Must be passed with a grade of C or better and is subject to the Two-Attempt policy
Note: AO BSN students must complete all courses, including the upper division elective, prior to enrollment in junior nursing courses.
The following semester hours must be completed for graduation. These courses are prescriptive. A student may not move to the next semester without successfully completing the previous semester.
Third Year | |||
---|---|---|---|
First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
NURS 3320 | 3 | NURS 3481 | 4 |
NURS 3333 | 3 | NURS 3561 | 5 |
NURS 3632 | 6 | NURS 3321 | 3 |
NURS 3261 | 2 | ||
12 | 14 | ||
Fourth Year | |||
First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
NURS 4431 | 4 | NURS 4350 | 3 |
NURS 4441 | 4 | NURS 4462 | 4 |
NURS 4581 | 5 | NURS 4351 | 3 |
NURS 4223 | 2 | ||
13 | 12 | ||
Total Hours: 51 |
Natural Sciences | ||
Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II 1,2,3,4,5 | 8 | |
Microbiology or Bacteriology 2,4,5 | 4 | |
English | ||
Composition I and II 3 | 6 | |
Literature 3,5 | 3 | |
Technical Writing or Equivalent 4,6,7 | 3 | |
History and Government | ||
American History I and II 3,5,8 | 6 | |
U.S. Government and Texas State and Local Government 3,5,8 | 6 | |
Behavioral Sciences | ||
Introduction to Psychology 4,5 | 3 | |
Sociology or Anthropology 3,4,5 | 3 | |
Development Psychology (Lifespan) 4,5 | 3 | |
Other | ||
Fine Arts (architecture, art, dance, music or theatre arts) 3,5 | 3 | |
MATH 1301 | CONTEMPORARY MATHEMATICS (An applicant taking math at UT Arlington is encouraged to complete Contemporary Mathematics (MATH 1301)) 3 | 3 |
Statistics 3,4,6 | 3 | |
Upper division elective 5,9 | 3 |
If part of a two-semester sequence, both courses are required.
Must contain a laboratory component.
Degree Plan Core Curriculum courses.
Degree Plan Program Specific courses.
May be completed after enrollment in nursing program.
Course must be completed with a grade of C or above prior to enrolling in the nursing program.
Technical Writing is preferred. Equivalents include Literature, Speech, or Philosophy, as long as the courses are sophomore-level or higher, have a writing component, and are approved by an advisor.
House Bill 935, passed by Sixtieth Legislature, provides that no person may receive an undergraduate degree unless she/he has taken and passed six semester hours in American political science and six semester hours in United States history.
The upper division elective course is in addition to the 3 credit hour upper division nursing elective requirement included in the 35 credit RN to BSN Nursing Course listing. This general 3 credit requirement can be met by taking any upper division elective course (including a second nursing elective), or by providing documentation of being certified through a nationally recognized nursing certification examination, or by completing a work-based project in the Nursing Cooperative Education (Co-Op) Program
Third Year | Hours |
---|---|
NURS 3325 | 3 |
NURS 3345 | 3 |
NURS 3315 | 3 |
NURS 3375 | 3 |
NURS 3335 | 3 |
Upper-division nursing electives 1 | 3 |
18 | |
Fourth Year | Hours |
NURS 4325 | 3 |
NURS 4455 | 4 |
NURS 4465 | 4 |
NURS 4685 | 6 |
17 | |
Total Hours: 35 |
Elective credit may be awarded for national certifications. Electives may be taken as a junior or as a senior.
Will accept up to 29 credit hours transferred from a diploma or Associate Degree in nursing.
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