Nursing, Traditional, B.S.N.

The Nursing B.S.N. (Traditional) is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to function as professional nurses in a variety of healthcare settings. Throughout the curriculum, the student will obtain competencies for professional nursing practice, including critical thinking, decision making, communication, leadership and high-tech procedures to respond to the changing needs of today’s healthcare settings.

NCCU currently offers two options for the Traditional Bachelor's of Science (B.S.N.) in Nursing degree — one for first-degree seeking students and one for second-degree seeking students.

For first-degree seeking students (including transfers), you will be advised in University College until you reach at least 30 credit hours. University College will automatically transition students to Nursing Student Services (NSS). Please note, transition to NSS does not guarantee acceptance into the nursing program. Students will not be advised by an advisor in NSS until this occurs.

If you are a second-degree seeking student, we strongly recommend you contact Nursing Student Services prior to applying to the university to ensure you are eligible to apply and to be informed of your application year. Nursing Student Services is available to help you whether you are just beginning to consider the right university or already have a focused plan and are ready to apply.

Application Deadline

• A minimum GPA of 3.2 in math and science courses is required for eligibility. All math and science coursework must be completed within five years of the application deadline. While no more than two failed attempts in these courses are allowed, we strongly recommend avoiding any failures to remain a competitive applicant.
• Note: If you are a transfer prospective, please contact Nursing Student Services. We strongly encourage students to request a transcript evaluation before applying to the university.

We have a two-step admission process.

Step 1: Apply to North Carolina Central University

All intended nursing majors must first apply to NCCU. Visit the NCCU Office of Undergraduate Admissions to apply and for information requests regarding financial aid or SOAR orientation. Any questions about NCCU undergraduate admissions, application forms or official transcript submission should be directed to:

Office of Undergraduate Admissions

1801 Fayetteville St.

Durham, NC 27707

919-530-6100

Step 2: Apply to the Traditional B.S.N. Option

NCCU students with a declared major in Pre-Nursing must apply by the application deadline. All applications must be filed in Nursing Student Services (NSS) by January 31 of each year. No exceptions are granted. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants are required to meet with an NSS advisor prior to the application day to ensure program requirements are met. Only students who have a formal, written acceptance into the program will be registered in upper-division nursing courses by an advisor in NSS. NSS advisors will register all admitted students into nursing courses from the start of the Nursing curriculum to graduation.

All candidates must possess the physical health sufficient to meet the demands of nursing practice and provide safe patient care. In addition, fluency in speaking, reading and writing English is also required. The minimum admission requirements to be considered are as follows:

• A minimum 3.2 undergraduate GPA on a 4.0 scale
• A minimum of 3.2 math or science GPA (Note: All math and science courses expire within five years of the application deadline. Students cannot have more than 2 math or science failures. We do not recommend any math or science failures.)
• A minimum Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) score of 70
• All first-degree applicants must be on track to complete all General Education Course requirements by the end of the Spring semester of the application year
• The Nursing department does not accept Pass or Fail grades for any General Education Curriculum (GEC) or prerequisite courses

Our program requires all admitted students to have completed the courses listed in the current Traditional B.S.N. curriculum prior to the start of classes. An earned minimum grade of "C" or higher in each nursing prerequisite and general education course is required. These courses may be taken at any accredited college, university or community college. The prerequisite requirements do not have to be completed at the time of the nursing application submission. Applicants must be enrolled in the last outstanding prerequisites during the Spring semester of the application year.

Note: If you are a transfer prospective, please contact Nursing Student Services. We strongly encourage students to request a transcript evaluation before applying to the university! Please allow up to two weeks for the NSS staff to complete your evaluation.

Applicants applying to the Traditional B.S.N. option as a second (bachelor's) degree need the below ten prerequisite courses.

For more information regarding tuition and fees, please do a search on this website for "tuition and fees."

Additional Costs to Keep in Mind
As a pre-nursing student, you’ll need to budget for TEAS exam attempts. Once admitted to the upper-division nursing program, there are other required expenses, including uniforms, books, a background check, drug screening, clinical testing, supplies, liability insurance, and a current CPR certification.

Nursing Student Services will provide you with detailed information about timelines, approved vendors, required forms, and more—so you’ll know exactly what to expect and when.

Pre-Nursing students who are struggling with a math or science course should talk with their advisor before deciding whether to withdraw from it, as well as if they have intentions to repeat a math or science course.

A retake course is a course that was passed with a "C" or better on the first attempt, but the student chooses to take it again to improve the grade. This is usually in an attempt to achieve a more competitive math or science GPA for the nursing admissions process; WC scores are not included in this designation.

Students are only allowed to retake one math or science prerequisite course to be calculated in the nursing GPA at an accredited institution.

This criteria also applies to any student wishing to transfer required math or science courses from a university or institution other than NCCU. Therefore, a course taken at another university that transfers in as equivalent will be counted as an attempt.

The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS)

Students applying for the Nursing, B.S.N. program at NCCU are required to take the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS). The TEAS is a standardized test necessary for admission to both the Traditional and Accelerated B.S.N. options. It measures essential skills in reading, mathematics, science, and English language usage.

Important Update: Students must take the TEAS in person at the NCCU Nursing Building. To register for upcoming TEAS test dates at NCCU, use this link. The cost of the exam is $71, and payment must be made with a debit or credit card on the day of the exam. Additionally, students must bring a valid ID to the Nursing Building.

Please note that while the ATI website offers an option to purchase the exam, payment for the test will be made on the day of the exam. All TEAS tests must be administered on NCCU's campus.

Additional Information:

• Maximum Attempts: Students may take the TEAS a maximum of two times within an application cycle, with at least 30 days between attempts.
• Testing Deadline: It is recommended that Traditional B.S.N. applicants take the TEAS test at least once by November of the application year. It is recommended that Accelerated B.S.N. applicants take the TEAS at least once by February.

Accommodations:

• Current NCCU Students: If you require testing accommodations, please contact the Office of Student Accessibility Services as soon as possible to ensure your accommodations are approved before your scheduled test date.
• Non-NCCU Students: If you are not a current NCCU student but need accommodations, please reach out to Nursing Student Services at [email protected]. We highly encourage you to contact us promptly to facilitate a smooth testing experience.

For further details on the TEAS or test preparation, visit atitesting.com. Students are  also encouraged to inquire about the TEAS Test Prep Online course at Durham Technical Community College ($75) for test preparation prior to their first attempt at the TEAS test.

For any questions or assistance with registration, please contact Jason Haskins, Academic Enhancement Coordinator, at [email protected] or 919-530-6387.

Applications need to be submitted by the deadline — no exceptions! In order for an application to be considered complete, the following documents must be received:

• Completed online application (application link only sent by advisors in Nursing Student Services)
• Official copy of all post-secondary educational transcripts (either mailed or sent electronically to Undergraduate Admissions, with unofficial copies sent to Nursing Student Services

The applicant must also attend one informational session with Nursing Student Services. All dates are made available on their page.

Once the application is complete, the file will be forwarded to the Admissions Committee. The admissions committee critically evaluates each applicant’s academic performance. The candidate will be notified of the admissions decision via an email from Nursing Student Services.

Admissions decisions are made by May (Summer-term admission). Candidates not offered admission will receive either a wait-list status invite or a declined decision. Should space become available, candidates will be notified individually via Nursing Student Services. An offer of admission is not guaranteed for wait-listed candidates.

Admission to NCCU’s Traditional B.S.N. Nursing option is competitive and is not guaranteed by admission to any applicant.

All newly admitted B.S.N. students are required to attend a mandatory orientation session prior to the start of courses during their first semester. This date, along with the course start date, will be a part of the acceptance packet each admitted student will receive.

All students admitted to the Traditional B.S.N. option are required by the North Carolina Board of Nursing to provide documentation of their fitness to provide safe nursing care to the public. Failure to provide the required documentation will result in the withdrawal of the admission offer. Additionally, North Carolina law requires incoming students to present to the University, before the first day of enrollment, evidence verifying that the student has received all required immunizations. The required paperwork is a part of the Nursing application.

It is essential that everyone interested in applying keeps in mind that the Traditional B.S.N. major at NCCU receives more applications to the upper-division nursing major each year. Each application year raises the bar in how competitive the program is. Thus, every applicant needs to demonstrate strong academic performance to increase their chances of being accepted into the upper-division major. Students who struggle to meet the minimum criteria are strongly encouraged to meet with their academic advisor to discuss their likelihood of acceptance into the major and adjust their academic progression in the event they are not admitted.

Pre-Nursing majors at NCCU are encouraged to join the Pre-Nursing Club on campus for an “inside look” into the Department of Nursing prior to applying.

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Note: Nursing courses completed at other institutions are not accepted as transfer credits. Students who were not successful in other nursing programs are not eligible for admission to the nursing program at NCCU. A cumulative 3.0 GPA is required for admission to this program.