PRE-NURSING AT THE
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON
http://www.cofc.edu/~healthprof
For up-to-date advice on pursuing an education and career in
Allied Health & Nursing, please contact Health Professions Advisor Karen
Eippert.
Health Professions Advisor: Ms. Karen Eippert
Office: Science Building, Room 139
Phone: 953-6460
Email: eippertk@cofc.edu
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Susan Morrison
SEPTEMBER 2003
PREREQUISITES
REQUIRED FOR ALL COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON STUDENTS APPLYING TO THE NURSING PROGRAM
AT THE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA (MUSC)
College of Charleston students who are interested in
applying to the Nursing Program of the Medical University of South Carolina
must complete the following coursework, plus additional courses depending on
their planned track of study. Students
must apply to enter the MUSC College of Nursing and have three options from which to select (described
below). The list given here names the
specific courses at the College of Charleston which must be taken. It may not match perfectly what MUSC says,
but is based on what you must do as a student here:
English
Composition & Literature (ENGL 101 & 102) 6 SH
*Chemistry
with labs (CHEM 101‑101L‑102‑102L) 8
SH
(CHEM
111/111L/112/112L may be substituted)
*Biology with
labs (BIOL 111‑112)
8 SH
*General
Psychology (PSYC 103*) 3
SH
Life Span
Human Development (PSYC311-Developmental Psyc) 3 SH
Human Anatomy
with lab (BIOL 202/202L) 4 SH
Physiology
with lab (Human BIOL 201/201L OR 4
SH
(BIOL 321‑Comparative
Physiology)
Microbiology (BIOL
310/310L) 4 SH
Statistics
(PSYC 211 or BIOL 360 or MATH 250 or
MATH
104) 3
SH
Humanities (Fine Arts,
Literature, History, Philosophy, Religious
Studies,
Foreign Languages) & Social
Sciences (additional) 12 SH
Additional
hours as required by nursing track
(consult MUSC web site)
__________________
TOTAL: minimum 60-67 SH
For CofC Bachelor’s
Degree: 122 SH
·
Even though MUSC does not
specifically state that you must have one
year of Chemistry, one year of Biology (BIOL 111‑112 with labs), and a
semester of General Psychology, the College of Charleston requires these courses as prerequisites. These "excess" hours can be
counted in the elective (for nursing) category. A full year of General Biology (111‑111L‑112‑
112L) is required as prerequisite to BIOL 201, 202, 310, 321, 323 and 360. A full year of Chemistry is required
as prerequisite to BIOL 310 and BIOL 321.
PSYC 103 is prerequisite to PSYC 311.
The prerequisites for the various statistics courses may also serve as
electives. The Social Sciences and
Humanities hours, if not required specifically for the Accelerated BSN or
BSN/MSN programs, will still apply to a degree from the College of Charleston.
Three
Nursing Track Options at MUSC
1. Accelerated track
BSN/MSN Combined Program Students must
earn a Bachelor’s degree in a major offered
at the College of Charleston before entering the Nursing program on the MUSC
campus; or they may have 60 SH of prerequisites and no previous degree. They will earn a BSN but will proceed immediately to a Master’s
of Science in Nursing in the desired nursing specialty. This process will take 7 to 9 semesters
including summers (up to three years full-time) at MUSC. Those with a Bachelor’s degree must take 22
SH of specific courses plus the prerequisites for those courses. In addition, a 2.8 cumulative grade point
average and a minimum of “C” in all prerequisite courses are required. You must also have either the SAT I with a
minimum 500 Verbal and 500 Math scores or the
GRE with a minimum total of 1100 on two of three sections with the
verbal score being one of the two.
2. Accelerated BSN at
MUSC campus Students must have 60 semester hours (or more) to enter the
program and will complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree,
which can be done in 1.5 years full-time.
Credits beyond the required number can apply to the 6 elective credits
taken in Nursing School. The work will
be completed in Charleston in classes taken with the MSN fast-track
students. Those with a Bachelor’s
degree must take 22 SH of specific courses plus the prerequisites for
those courses. In addition, a 2.8
cumulative grade point average and a minimum of “C” in all prerequisite courses
are required. You must also have either
the SAT I with a minimum 500 Verbal and 500 Math scores or the GRE with a minimum total of 1100 on two of
three sections with the Verbal score being one of the two.
3. BSN from MUSC
earned on Frances Marion University
Campus Students must have 60 semester hours (or more) to enter
the program and will complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree,
which can be done in two years full-time. a 2.8 cumulative grade point average
and a minimum of “C” in all prerequisite courses are required. You must also have either the SAT I with a
minimum 500 Verbal and 500 Math scores or the
GRE with a minimum total of 1100 on two of three sections with the
Verbal score being one of the two.
Credits beyond the required number can apply to the 6 elective credits
taken in Nursing School. Although the
coursework is taken in Florence, SC, the faculty are MUSC faculty and the
diploma is earned from MUSC.
COMPUTATION OF YOUR GPA: MUSC averages every
attempt of all of your college courses in calculating your GPA. Your cumulative GPA (i.e. all
college courses ever taken here or elsewhere) serves as the basis for
evaluation. In addition to your
College of Charleston transcript, each academic institution you attended must
submit a transcript directly.
SELECTION FACTORS: Admissions decisions are based on the applicant’s
overall and key GPA, references (see application packet to see how many are
required), standardized test scores and commitment to nursing as a
profession. Volunteer (or work)
experience is an excellent way to learn about the profession and one way to
demonstrate your commitment.
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ADDRESS: Keep your address, phone number and E-mail
address up-to-date with MUSC (and with the College of Charleston) once you
have submitted your application. There
have been cases of students on the
waiting list who missed an opportunity to get in when efforts to contact them
failed because they had not kept MUSC informed.
*************************
DECLARATION OF MAJOR
AT CofC: If your plan is to take Nursing prerequisites without earning a
degree from the College of Charleston, you should declare your major and see a
pre-Nursing Advisor. If you are
majoring in a College of Charleston major, your primary advisor should be from
your major but you should have a secondary advisor and declare a second major
in pre‑Nursing. It has been very
common for our students to enter nursing education after earning a Bachelor’s
degree.; now the Accelerated Tracks to
a BSN or Combined BSN/MSN provide another exciting option for students with a
degree,
The Accelerated MUSC Nursing Program now starts two
classes per year----in August and in January, and has separate deadlines for
each which are about 8 months in advance of the start date. Check with MUSC for the specific deadline,
but whenever it falls, don’t wait until the last minute but submit it early. Applications for the BSN program in
Florence, SC, can be submitted at any time, but you are encouraged to submit it
well in advance. Applications are
available on-line or from the MUSC Office of Enrollment Services
(Admissions). These are "self‑completing"
applications which require you to include several items with your form---and it
takes time to assemble. Your three
letters of reference may be sent directly if you and/or the referee prefer. You must have all prerequisite courses
completed by the time you enter the program, but you do not need to finish them
before you apply. [Note that the
deadline is subject to change.]
IMPORTANT
MESSAGE ABOUT PREREQUISITES: Remember that, while you are a student at
the College of Charleston, you must fulfill prerequisites for all courses as
set by the College of Charleston.
Therefore you may be required to take classes not listed in the MUSC
Bulletin. These prerequisites are
established to ensure that you have had the opportunity to learn the background
material fundamental to a course.
Consult your College of Charleston Bulletin for a complete listing of
prerequisites. Some which you should be
especially aware of are:
COURSE PREREQUISITE
BIOL 310 Microbiology BIOL
111,111L,112,112L and one year of Chemistry completed before taking
Microbiology; MATH 111 or equivalent recommended.
BIOL 201 Human Physiology BIOL
111,111L,112,112L
BIOL 202 Human
Anatomy BIOL 111,111L,112,112L
BIOL 321
Comparative Physiology same as BIOL 310
BIOL 323
Comparative Anatomy BIOL 111,111L,112,112L
BIOL 360 Biometry BIOL 111,111L,112,112L & MATH111(or instr.
permission)
PSYC 311 Life
Span/Growth & Devel PSYC 103
PSYC 211
Psychological Statistics PSYC 103
MATH 250 Intro/Probab.& Statistics MATH
120
*************************
Graduates
of (or former students in) Associate or Diploma Nursing programs who want to earn a B.S.N. should contact the MUSC
College of Nursing for assistance with determining which courses must be taken
at the College of Charleston. College
of Charleston advisors are not equipped to do this, although once you have the
information in writing from MUSC, they can advise you at registration
time on specific courses to take. Remember that you must still fulfill our
prerequisite requirements.
VOLUNTEER
SERVICE OR MEDICALLY RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE
In a competitive applicant pool, you may improve your
chances of acceptance if you have pertinent volunteer or work experience. You should contribute to the
community!!! Take advantage of the many
volunteer opportunities available in the Charleston area!!! Trident United Way maintains an excellent
web site naming many volunteer opportunities: http://www.tuw.org/volunteer/
The Charleston area has several hospitals: Medical University of South Carolina,
including their Children’s Hospital, Veterans Administration, Roper Hospital,
Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital (West of the Ashley), East Cooper Regional
Medical Center (in Mount Pleasant), Trident Medical Center and Summerville
Medical Center. Most have Volunteer
Coordinators or Offices. They typically
have training requirements and it may take a couple months before you can begin
service, so you should begin early to make arrangements to volunteer.
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OTHER
BACCALAUREATE & GRADUATE
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN NURSING
There are many other Nursing programs which you may wish
to explore. You should consider in‑state and out‑of‑state
programs, undergraduate and graduate level programs, and state and private
institutions. The College of
Charleston has had students enter Nursing programs at a variety of institutions
including Johns Hopkins and Emory Universities. Since these programs may have
requirements different from MUSC, you are responsible for determining
what they are and sharing the information with your advisor.
A survey of the prerequisite requirements of 15 nursing
programs in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia showed that all of them
require: ENGL 101‑102, BIOL 111‑112,
Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology, Chemistry, and some Psychology. Nearly all require courses in Sociology,
Statistics, Mathematics or specific Humanities areas. Many require History (American or Western Civilization),
Political Science, Literature and/or Physical Education. A few require Nutrition, Speech, foreign
language, computer science and a variety of other courses. Therefore, it is essential to investigate
and plan ahead. Information about
various programs is readily available from web sites or directly from the
colleges.
The following is a list (possibly incomplete)
of Baccalaureate (or higher) Nursing Programs in SC, NC and
Georgia:
SOUTH
CAROLINA
Clemson University Lander
University, Greenwood
University of South Carolina, Spartanburg Charleston
Southern University
GEORGIA
Armstrong State College, Savannah Brenau
University, Gainesville
Nell Hodgson Woodruff School, Emory
University, Atlanta Valdosta State College
Georgia College, Milledgeville Georgia
Southern University, Statesboro
Georgia Southwestern State University,
Americus Medical
College of Georgia
NORTH
CAROLINA
East Carolina University Lenoir‑Rhyne
College, Hickory
North Carolina A & T State University University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina, Charlotte University
of North Carolina, Greensboro
Winston‑Salem State University Queens
College
MUSC offers a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), with
the option to become a Nurse Practitioner and/or Clinical Specialist. Possible
specializations include: Family Health, Adult Health, Gerontological Nursing,
Parent-Child Nursing, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing, Nurse Midwifery, and
Nursing Systems Management. Remember: (A) these programs are for
people who already have a BSN or who enter the Accelerated Track to MSN
program, and (B) the greatest opportunities in nursing for the future will
require an advanced degree. MUSC also
offers a Ph.D. in Nursing program with a focus on the study of vulnerable
populations; admission requirements
include having an M.S.N. degree.
SOME
USEFUL WEB SITES:
MUSC College of Nursing Academic Programs http://www.musc.edu/nursing/programs/programs.htm
National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission http://www.nlnac.org
(This
site provides a very complete list of accredited program, searchable by state,
type, etc.)
National Student Nurses Association http://www.nsna.org
National League for Nursing http://www.nln.org/
Commission
on Collegiate Nursing Education (lists only CCNE accredited nursing
programs---incomplete) http://www.aacn.nche.edu
Nursing
Net (web links to nursing programs worldwide)
http://www.nursingnet.org
Peterson’s Guide to Nursing Programs http://iiswinprd03.petersons.com/nursing/code/search.asp
Students interested in Nursing
may sign up for the College of Charleston AlliedHealth Listserver to receive
announcements and notices.
I. Areas of employment include:
A. Home health care
B. Community health
C. Hospital III.
Options for graduates with masters and/or doctoral degrees
1. intensive care units A. Teaching
at the college level
2. emergency rooms B. Clinical
nurse specialist
3. operating rooms C.
Middle level management
4. pediatric units D.
Upper level administration and management
D. Outpatient ambulatory care E. Consulting
E. Nursing homes F. Private nursing
practice
F. Nursing health clinics G. Research
opportunities
II. Specialties include:
A. Community Health nursing
B. Adult Health nursing
C. Gerontology
D. Maternity/Family nursing
E. Psychiatric nursing
F. Nursing Service Administration
G.
Critical Care nursing
Salary Opportunities
In addition to the base salary, salaries increase with
experience and there are also substantial differentials for working in certain
specialties and on certain shifts.
Salaries are highest at all levels in the western states and lowest in
the southern states. The key to career
mobility and higher salaries in the nursing profession is higher level
education beyond the B.S.N.
NATIONAL
STUDENT NURSES' ASSOCIATION: Pre‑Nursing
students at the sophomore level or above are eligible to join the National
Student Nurses' Association; the MUSC
chapter would welcome your participation in their chapter. For more information, contact: Ms. Mardi
Long, Director of Student and Alumni Relations, (792-6683) in the MUSC College
of Nursing. Also, watch the Nursing
bulletin board (second floor Science
Center) for announcements about specific programs which you are invited to
attend.
*************************
If you are interested in observing a Nursing class at MUSC, contact the Student Recruiter
(792‑8515) in advance to make arrangements.
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FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE & SCHOLARSHIPS: Nursing schools usually have a variety of
scholarships and financial aid packages available for students once they enter
a nursing program. Be sure to fill out
the financial aid form in your acceptance packet, even if you don't need loans
or grants, since it is also used in
considering students for scholarships.
They can also provide information if there are fellowship programs
sponsored by some hospitals.
Opportunities may also exist with the Army or Navy Nurse Corps/ROTC
programs. The College of Charleston
does not have nursing-specific scholarships.
For academic
advising, contact: the Biology
Department if you are interested in a
Biology major leading to nursing. To
major in another subject, your primary advisor should come from that
department. One of the Biology faculty
familiar with the Nursing program (primarily Dr. Peyre Pringle but also Dr.
Susan Morrison) can help you with the Nursing pre-requisites.
For information
about opportunities in Nursing, contact:
Office of the Student Recruiter, MUSC College of Nursing, Phone (803)
792‑8515.
For applications
for standard admission, program for persons with associate or diploma nursing
degrees, acceptability of credits from other institutions not accepted by the
College of Charleston, or checks to see if application file is complete,
contact: Nursing Admissions Coordinator, Office of Enrollment Management, MUSC,
Phone 792‑3281.
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This handout is
strictly advisory and is not intended to be an official document. The program may be subject to change.
S. Morrison/Biology
30 September 2003