Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) - Accelerated

Acceptance into the nursing program is highly competitive.  Admission to the accelerated track is one time per year in the fall semester. Applicants will be accepted based on their grade point average for the last 60 credit hours. No “D” or “F” grades will be accepted for credit. 

Prior to registration, students need to contact the nursing academic advisor to assist in degree planning.

Post-baccalaureate students must satisfy current state core curriculum requirements. In the areas of science, mathematics, and social science, all applicants should complete the following general education and support courses:

Students should consult their academic advisor for additional information on current state core curriculum requirements and support courses, including the sequence in which the courses should be taken. To lighten the academic load, some of these courses can be taken in the summer sessions. Science courses may not be older than 7 years for BSN students.

Post-baccalaureate students who have completed nursing courses from another nursing school over 2 years ago must validate completed course work or repeat the course. Additionally, students should provide nursing course descriptions from the college catalog and the course syllabi (must have at least the course objectives, course outline, and a list of textbooks used) from the transferring college/school of nursing. Students should also submit a letter from the Dean or Director of the transferred nursing program indicating they are in good standing and eligible to return. Any student needing to validate courses must meet with the academic advisor who will forward materials to the Associate Dean.

Prospective students often want to know what it takes to be admitted to the College of Nursing and Health Sciences (CONHS).  After tracking many semesters of successful students, the CONHS has determined the student most likely to succeed meets or exceeds the ideal criteria for success in the nursing program.  Each criteria is explained below along with the accepted cohort’s averages for each criteria. Please note these are not minimums, they are the group averages for the whole cohort. 

Definitions:

GPA (Last 60 hours) – The last 60 hours of completed course work at the time of your nursing application. This includes any course regardless of where they are taken.  Your advisor can help you calculate this.

Science GPA – These are sciences listed on your degree plan which include Anatomy & Physiology I, Anatomy & Physiology II, General Chemistry, and Microbiology.

HESI A2 Composite – This is your cumulative HESI score.

HESI A2 Reading – This is the Reading Comprehension score of the HESI A2. 

HESI A2 Critical Thinking – This is the Critical thinking portion of the HESI A2.

The application process is as follows:

1. Students must complete an online application to the College of Nursing and Health Sciences using Nursing CAS. Students may only apply for one track into the program. The student’s choice must be designated on the Nursing CAS application.

2. If the student is not already enrolled at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, the student must also apply to the University for admission. Admission to the University DOES NOT constitute admission to the nursing program.

3. All applicants must complete the HESI A2, V-1 with Critical Thinking exam. This computerized exam is timed and will take approximately 3 hours. To fulfill this requirement, complete the following steps:

a.  To obtain your eligibility number, click here: HESI A2 (with critical thinking) | HESI A2 (with critical thinking requirements).

i.  First time users will create an Evolve account (for HESI examination).

ii.  Register for the HESI Distance Testing exam. You will receive email confirmation notifying you that you may schedule your exam. This step may take a few days.

b.  To pick your location/date/time of your exam, follow the instructions provided in the eligibility ID email you receive back from Evolve. The email will have a link that will take you directly to the exam information. You may take this exam at your local testing center. When scheduling your exam, you will select: Admissions Assessment with Critical Thinking.

c.  Your final scores must be uploaded to your NursingCAS application by the posted deadline. How to Download your HESI A2 with Critical Thinking Scores

Notification of the results of the admission review is mailed to students. Admission to the program is conditional pending submission of the background check, proof of vaccination status, and possession of a current Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (BLS) CPR card through the American Heart Association (AHA).

General education, core curriculum and support courses may be continued in the semester prior to admission. A GPA of 3.0 must be maintained during this period and is conditional to final admission.

The Texas Department of State Health Services has specific immunization requirements for students involved with direct patient contact. These requirements, as stated in the Texas Administrative Code, Title 25, Part 1, Chapter 97, Subchapter B, Rule 97.64, include the following:

1. “Students cannot be provisionally enrolled without at least one dose of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine if direct patient contact will occur during the provisional enrollment period.”
2. “Polio vaccine is not required. Students enrolled in health-related courses are encouraged to ascertain that they are immune to poliomyelitis.”
3. “One dose of tetanus-diphtheria toxoid (Td) is required within the last ten years.”
4. “Students who were born on or after January 1, 1957, must show, prior to patient contact, acceptable evidence of vaccination of two doses of measles containing vaccine."
5. “Students may be provisionally enrolled for up to one semester to allow students to attend classes while obtaining the required vaccines and acceptable evidence of vaccination administered since January 1, 1968.”
6. “Students must show, prior to patient contact acceptable evidence of vaccination of one dose of rubella vaccine.”
7. “Students born on or after January 1, 1957, must show, prior to patient contact, acceptable evidence of vaccination of one dose of mumps vaccine.”
8. “Students shall receive a complete series of hepatitis B vaccine prior to the start of direct patient care or show serologic confirmation of immunity to hepatitis B virus” (Additionally, the Nursing Program requires students to receive a complete series of hepatitis A vaccine prior to the start of direct patient care or show serologic confirmation of immunity to hepatitis A virus).
9. “Students shall receive two doses of varicella vaccine unless the first dose was received prior to thirteen years of age.”

For additional information, please see the Texas Administrative Code, Title 25, Part 1, Chapter 97, Subchapter B.  Please note that some hospitals have stricter requirements than the state minimum standards.

Rule 97.65 lists the following exceptions to the immunization requirements: 

1. “Serologic confirmations of immunity to measles, rubella, mumps, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, or varicella, are acceptable. Evidence of measles, rubella, mumps, hepatitis A, or hepatitis B, or varicella illness must consist of a laboratory report that indicates either confirmation of immunity or infection.”
2. “A parent or physician validated history of varicella disease (chickenpox) or varicella immunity is acceptable in lieu of vaccine. A written statement from a physician, or the student’s parent or guardian, or school nurse, must support histories of varicella disease.”

(Immunizations are available for a nominal fee at the student health clinic for currently enrolled students and from the Public Health Department.)

1. Results of tuberculosis screening are required annually.
2. A copy of the student’s current certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) for Health Care Providers is required annually.
3. All Students are required to complete a criminal background check through the Texas Board of Nursing before acceptance into the program.
4. Students are required to purchase professional liability coverage through the University. Fees for this coverage are included in the fees paid at the time of registration at the beginning of each academic year. (See College of Nursing & Health Sciences Student Handbook)
5. Medical insurance coverage is strongly recommended. The University and affiliating clinical agencies accept no responsibility for medical care sought as a result of accidents/incidents occurring during the course of nursing instruction or clinical assignments (See College of Nursing & Health Sciences Student Handbook)
6. Students forced to interrupt their regular rotation for personal or academic reasons may be reinstated on a “place available” basis. Students must write a letter asking for readmission to the program. The academic advisor is available for assistance with this process. The Admissions and Progression Committee may admit a student conditionally if there is evidence of extenuating circumstances.

A.  Core Curriculumn Program

**Any courses from the Core Curriculum Program that are four hours may only apply three hours towards the Core Curriculum Program requirement. The additional one hour laboratory requirement will be added in the Nursing Support Courses. Courses in BOLD in Core Area are also Nursing support courses.

B.  Full-time, first-year students are required to take the following courses:

C.  Nursing Support Courses:

D.  Upper Division Nursing Major Courses:

Sample Degree Plan

The following requirements refer to grading policies.

1. A scholastic grade point average of 2.25 is a minimum requirement in the upper division nursing courses designated for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing. A minimum grade of C is required in all courses in the nursing major.
2. If a student earns a grade of D, F, or W (Withdrawal) in a nursing course, that course must be repeated. A course in which a grade of less than C (i.e., D, F, or W) was earned may be repeated only once.
3. A student who has earned a grade of less than C (i.e., D, F, or W) in two nursing courses or who has earned a grade of less than C (D, F, or W) twice in the same nursing course will be dismissed from the nursing program.
4. Students receiving a grade of D, F, or W (Withdrawal) or I (Incomplete) in a nursing course may not progress to courses for which that course is a prerequisite.
5. Administration and faculty reserve the right to dismiss students without previous warning for unsafe and/or unprofessional behavior. The conduct of nursing students should meet ethical standards as defined by American Nurses Association (ANA) in the Code of Ethics for Nurses. Personal integrity is reflected in professional judgments. Consequently, the College of Nursing and Health Sciences reserves the right to dismiss students from the program for unprofessional or unsafe behavior. (See College of Nursing and Health Sciences Student Handbook for further examples and to review the Academic Honesty and Professional Integrity Policy)
6. Following dismissal, students may apply for reinstatement to the nursing program. Reinstatement is competitive and based upon space availability.
7. Students must meet the standards for minimal performance and progression established by Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (see the catalog section on Academic Policies and Regulations).
8. In order for students to progress through the program, they must be in compliance with immunizations, BLS CPR, and Hospital Orientation regulations. (See College of Nursing and Health Sciences Student Handbook for consequences for noncompliance to these policies.)
9. Students must complete the University Core Curriculum Program. (See “University Core Curriculum Programs” in the catalog). See “General Education Requirement” in the “Undergraduate Programs” section of the catalog for information on ways in which transfer students can fulfill requirements. In addition to the core curriculum requirements, students must also take the required support courses.

Every effort has been made to assure the accuracy of the information on this page. However, information is subject to change without notice. Therefore, pre-nursing students and transfer students must consult with their Nursing Program advisors each semester prior to registration. 

Students in the nursing major are assigned a faculty mentor by the Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. If for any reason the faculty mentor-student assignment is not effective, the student or the faculty member can request a change in assignment. Freshmen and sophomore students pursuing the pre-nursing curriculum are also assigned a nursing faculty mentor. Academic advisors for the College of Nursing and Health Sciences are available for advisement. Students must make appointments for advisement.