Program Overview - Academic Year 2010-2011
Due to budgetary constraints, substantive changes were recently made to the admissions and application submission processes for the BSN and ABSN Options. Please carefully read the materials below. You may also wish to review the press release made by Dean Kristen Swanson on February 14, 2011. For more information, see the SON Press release.
Program of Study
The degree offered is the Bachelor of Science in nursing.
The School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offers an undergraduate program of study designed to provide students with the knowledge, skill, and understanding necessary to function effectively in all areas of professional nursing. The curriculum leading to the bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree offers three options for study: 1) two years of upper-division courses in the School of Nursing which follow two years of lower-division courses in the General College (BSN Option); 2) an accelerated second degree option for students with a previous bachelor’s degree (ABSN Option); and 3) an RN-BSN option for registered nurses with an associate’s degree or diploma in nursing (RN-BSN Option).
Admission to the School
The School of Nursing curriculum has been revised to accommodate enrollment expansion and twice per year admissions. The new curriculum began in January 2007 (http://nursing.unc.edu).
First Degree Students:
Students seeking a first bachelor’s degree are admitted to the upper division (junior/senior), typically in the spring semester of the sophomore year. Students must complete all lower-division (first-year/sophomore) courses prior to matriculating into the School of Nursing.
The first nursing courses begin in the first summer session (May) preceding the junior year.
Admission Criteria:
Admission to the School of Nursing is very competitive. The minimum cumulative grade point average for admission to the BSN option is a 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Admission to UNC–Chapel Hill as a first-year student does not guarantee admission to the School of Nursing as a junior. Applicants must be eligible to return to all institutions previously attended.
The admissions committee critically evaluates each applicant’s academic performance, descriptive essays, community service history, and special skills and abilities that have the potential to affect care delivery or contribute overall to the nursing profession. The ideal applicant will clearly demonstrate a strong academic history as well as a commitment to the ideology of nursing and service to others. Performance in required science courses is particularly important.
Application:
Applications may be submitted for summer (May) matriculation. The application link, instructions, deadlines, and decision timeframe can be found on the School of Nursing Web site at nursing.unc.edu/admissions/application.html.
Second-Degree Students:
Students who have completed a bachelor’s degree in a subject other than nursing may pursue admission to the BSN option (six semesters) or the more accelerated and intensive ABSN option (four semesters) for completing the degree. Second degree students will have 60 credit hours from their previous degree counted toward the BSN These students have to complete (or verify completion as part of their previous degree) only six courses from the lower-division requirements (BIOL 252, MCRO 251 or 255, PHYI 202, PSYC 101, STOR 151, and a U.S. diversity or global issues Connections course).
Admission Criteria:
Admission to the School of Nursing is very competitive. The minimum cumulative grade point average for admission to the BSN option is a 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, and the minimum cumulative grade point average for the ABSN option is a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. All applicants seeking admission as second degree students must have earned the first degree prior to submitting the nursing application. Applicants must be eligible to return to all institutions previously attended. Admissions committee review is as described previously.
Application:
Applications may be submitted to the ABSN option for spring (January) matriculation or the BSN option for summer (May) matriculation. The application link, instructions, deadlines, and decision timeframe can be found on the School of Nursing Web site at nursing.unc.edu/admissions/application.html.
Registered Nurses
Registered nurses with an associate’s degree or diploma in nursing may pursue the BSN through the RN-BSN completion option, a Web-based program known as Carolina RN-BSN Online. Students in this option earn a total of 122 to 126 credits: 60 to 64 lower-division credits completed prior to enrollment; 35 credits for previously acquired nursing knowledge and skills (as validated by course work in the BSN program); and 27 upper-division nursing credits. All upper-division major courses for this option are designed specifically for registered nurses and are offered online only. These courses are tailored to meet the needs of adult learners while providing theory-based content, critical thinking skills, and opportunities to apply concepts, theories, and research in clinical practice. Carolina RN-BSN Online is designed to be completed in one to two calendar years depending on each student’s previous course history. To access and work comfortably with online nursing course materials, students will need computer equipment that meets certain specifications. Information about computer hardware, software, and skill requirements is located on the option Web site (nursing.unc.edu/current/rn-bsn).
Admission Criteria:
Admission to the School of Nursing is competitive; admissions may be limited due to resource availability. Requirements for admission to the Carolina RN-BSN Online program are as follows:
• Current unencumbered license as a registered nurse in the state in which the student will do clinical course work. Note: an “unencumbered license” means neither the license, the licensee’s practice, nor the licensee is associated with any type of restriction, encumbrance, or probationary limitations imposed by the applicable Board of Nursing or any judicial entity.
• A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5 in all postsecondary course work
• Applicants must be eligible to return to all institutions previously attended.
• Completion of all lower-division (prerequisite) requirements prior to enrollment.
Application:
Applications may be submitted for spring (January), summer (May), or fall (August) matriculation. The application link, instructions, deadlines, and decision timeframe can be found on the School of Nursing Web site at nursing.unc.edu/admissions/application.html.
Majoring in Nursing: Bachelor of Science
The baccalaureate program in nursing prepares graduates to 1) understand the problems of contemporary health and illness, 2) utilize a systematic approach to assess human responses to actual and potential health problems in a variety of settings, 3) directly provide and manage competent care for individuals, families, and groups who have simple to complex health care needs throughout the life span, 4) employ interpersonal processes and therapeutic communication skills, 5) integrate professional values and role behaviors, and 6) collaborate with other groups in shaping health policies that affect both individual and community health.
Courses in the nursing major are taken at the upper-division level. The courses build on a strong foundation in the sciences and humanities to develop the knowledge and skills needed to practice nursing in contemporary society. Clinical experiences take place in a broad variety of settings that reflect current patterns of health care delivery and provide opportunities for students to develop competence in empathetic care, critical thinking, technical skills, clinical judgment and decision making, interdisciplinary collaboration, and management of care.
Lower Division Courses in the General College
Students are admitted to the baccalaureate nursing program at the upper-division level. All lower-division courses must be completed before beginning nursing courses. Lower-division courses taken at another college or university must be approved for transfer by the UNC–Chapel Hill Office of Undergraduate Admissions as comparable to the courses offered on this campus.
Prospective students can request an unofficial transfer evaluation to determine status of compliance with lower division requirements. The unofficial transfer evaluation request form should be attached to copies of all U.S. college transcripts and sent to the UNC–Chapel Hill School of Nursing address on the form. (Form is available at nursing.unc.edu/degree/pdf/transcript_evaluation_form.pdf). Sixty-eight pre-requisite credits (see table below) are required for first degree students pursuing the BSN
Students with a bachelor’s degree must complete only the six courses marked with an asterisk (below) or verify completion of these courses as a part of the previous degree. Note: second degree applicants may meet either the global issues or U.S. diversity prerequisite. For nursing students, these requirements must include the following courses:
GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS AND NURSING PREREQUISITES |
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FOUNDATIONS |
CONNECTIONS |
APPROACHES |
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REQUIRED NURSING SCIENCE PREREQUISITES
*Second degree applicants take only six course prerequisites: five designated science courses plus either a US Diversity OR a Global Issues course. |
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Special Notes:
Overview of the Major
Nursing courses for any of the three options are ordinarily completed in a specified sequence. For option specific course plans and further details regarding courses in the new curriculum, see the Web site http://nursing.unc.edu/current/courses/index.html.
ABSN/BSN Options:
RN-BSN Option:
Critical Information for ALL Nursing Students
Technical Standards
The curricula leading to degrees in Nursing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing require students to engage in diverse and complex experiences directed at the acquisition and practice of essential nursing skills and functions. Unique combinations of cognitive, affective, psychomotor, physical and social abilities are required to perform these functions satisfactorily. In addition to being essential to the successful completion of the requirements of a nursing degree, these skills and functions are necessary to ensure the health and safety of patients, fellow students, faculty and other health care providers.
The technical standards describe the non-academic qualifications, required in addition to academic qualifications, which the School considers essential for entrance to, continuation in and graduation from a UNC-CH School of Nursing degree program. Candidates for nursing degrees, with the exception noted for selected graduate programs, must be able to meet these minimum standards, with or without reasonable accommodation, for successful completion of degree requirements. Refer to the School’s website for additional information: http://nursing.unc.edu/current/handbook/disability.html
Professional Risk
The practice of nursing involves the care of individuals who are ill or injured. Communicable diseases are common in health care delivery settings and may be a threat to nursing students. During the performance of clinical practice/research activities, a student may have contact with patients/subjects with HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and other infections. Such contact, although rare when proper preventive measures are used, may result in a student’s being exposed to infectious agents and/or transmitting an infectious disease to other students, faculty, patients, family members, and subjects. During pregnancy, the fetus may be at risk. As a student enrolled in the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, students are expected to provide care to patients who may have known or unknown communicable diseases. Application to and acceptance of an offer from the School of Nursing indicates a student’s understanding of related professional risks.
Fitness for Practice
All students admitted to the School of Nursing 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 requisite 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 the student has received all required immunizations.
Further, federal and state statutory regulations and clinical affiliate contractual mandates require that nursing students demonstrate particular cognitive and clinical competencies consistent with their minimum professional practice standards. As such, students must attain and maintain full compliance with all requirements. The school also requires students to undergo a criminal history database check following admission acceptance. The check covers all states in which the student has lived or worked in the past seven years or since the 16th birthday, whichever is less. Database checks will address all criminal charges, felony and misdemeanor level convictions (except minor traffic related violations), and the Sexual Offender/Predator Registry for all states in which the student has lived. Questions about these requirements may be directed to the Office of Admissions and Student Services.
Disability Statement
Consistent with its mission and philosophy, the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is committed to providing educational opportunities to students with disabilities. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the school provides reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified students with disabilities. The decision regarding appropriate accommodations will be based on the specifics of each case.
Students who seek reasonable accommodations for disabilities must contact the Academic Success Program for Students with LD/ADHD (formerly known as Learning Disabilities Services) for all learning disabilities or ADHD needs ([919] 962-7227) or the Department of Disability Services for all other disabilities ([919] 962-8300). These offices will determine a student’s eligibility for, and recommend, appropriate accommodations and services. More information may be obtained through the respective Web sites: www.unc.edu/depts/lds/ and disabilityservices.unc.edu/. Also see the School of Nursing's policy located at: http://nursing.unc.edu/current/handbook/disability.html
Computer Requirements
All School of Nursing students are required to use e-mail as considerable, important information is conveyed using e-mail. All e-mail communication from the School of Nursing will be sent to the student’s UNC e-mail address only. School of Nursing courses increasingly use Internet resources as part of their curriculum. For both these reasons easy access to personal computers and the Web are imperative. The School of Nursing provides a PC lab solely for the use of undergraduate students, and students may also access PC lab facilities elsewhere on campus.
Currently, students who have computers at home are able to read e-mail, access course Web sites, perform Internet research, and do other work beneficial to their studies at the School of Nursing. In addition to the computer itself, students must have an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and either a modem (for dial-in access via standard voice grade phone lines) or an account for a high-speed access service. Students wishing to provide their own personal computer and be compatible with both school and campus information technology services should consider an IBM-compatible computer with a minimum of 64 meg RAM, a 10 meg or larger hard drive, CD drive, 17-inch monitor and Microsoft Office software. Under the Carolina Computer Initiative (CCI) attractively priced desktop and laptop computers are available to anyone affiliated with the University; preloaded software enhances ease of setup and use. For more information on the CCI program, see www.unc.edu/cci or request a copy of the CCI brochure online or through the Office of Admissions and Student Services. Special payment options are available through the Office of Scholarship and Student Aid.
Special Note:
Effective May 2011: All BSN and ABSN Option students are required to have a laptop computer that meets the minimum requirements specified for the pre-loaded laptop computers available through the CCI program. Specifications can be found at http://cci.unc.edu/minimum-specs.html. Additionally, the School requires that you purchase an extra battery to ensure an adequate power supply for extended classroom, lab or special project use. Choosing a vendor for your laptop purchase is your prerogative, however, it is important to note that the University provides “software and operating system support for non-CCI laptops on a best-effort basis, and hardware support for non-CCI laptops is the responsibility of the owner” (source: CCI website).
Vehicular Requirements
Because of the broad scope of clinical facilities and locations, undergraduate nursing students must have access to a car. For information about the North Carolina requirements for automobile liability insurance, vehicle registration, and operator’s license, write to the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles, Raleigh, NC 27602. Students and/or parents are responsible for maintaining appropriate insurance coverage. Some insurance companies may consider such travel as “business driving.” Expenses for travel are the responsibility of the student.
Registered Nurse Licensure Examination Requirements
The North Carolina Board of Nursing requires all graduates of the School of Nursing who apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) to undergo a routine criminal background check, which necessitates submission of a complete set of fingerprints with the NCLEX application.
Special Opportunities in Nursing
Departmental Involvement
Students are encouraged to participate in student leadership opportunities. These include the elected class governance system, the dean’s Student Advisory Council or course management team options, the Association of Nursing Students (the only pre-professional nursing organization available), and the Student Health Action Coalition. More details can be found online at nursing.unc.edu/current/handbook/org_general.html.
Experiential Education
The nursing program requires extensive direct clinical practice in a wide variety of acute care, chronic care, and community- based settings considered essential for the preparation of competent practitioners. Clinical contact time varies by study option and course but averages approximately 12 to 16 hours per week for pre-licensure students.
Financial Aid
Students granted admission to the School of Nursing seeking the baccalaureate degree at UNC–Chapel Hill may be considered for a variety of nursing-specific scholarships and other financial aid opportunities. For assistance, contact the Office of Scholarships and Student Aid by phone at (919) 962-8396 or through the Web at studentaid.unc.edu, or call the Office of Admissions and Student Services at (919) 966-4260.
Study Abroad
Students may participate in selected study abroad options offered through required or elective courses.
Undergraduate Awards
During the final semester of study, the top one-third of students in each option will be invited to membership in Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society. The George Livas Award recognizes the graduating student who most clearly demonstrates academic excellence and leadership. Other awards presented during the school’s commencement ceremony honor those students achieving the highest GPA in their respective option.
Undergraduate Research
Through the honors program, the University and the School of Nursing recognize undergraduates who have demonstrated exceptional academic ability and independent work in their major (www.unc.edu/depts/honors). Qualified and interested students in their last two semesters of study will be paired with a faculty advisor who guides the student in an independent study honors project. The director of the undergraduate program supervises the honors program. Students participating in the honors program must have a cumulative University grade point average (GPA) that meets University requirements. In addition, students must have and maintain a 3.4 cumulative nursing GPA. Calculation of the cumulative GPA is based solely on the required hours earned to date for the nursing degree. Grade point averages are not rounded. The student and honors advisor must complete a written contract, and the student must register for NURS 691H and 692H Honors Study in Nursing. Each honors course carries three hours of credit and is assigned a letter grade by the advisor. A student’s project must show evidence of independent, creative, abstract, analytical, and critical thinking.
Facilities
The School of Nursing is located in Carrington Hall and its new addition. The Clinical Education and Resource Center (CERC) provides undergraduate students with a simulated clinical environment in which to practice and acquire fundamental psychomotor and psychosocial skills necessary for clinical application. Under the close supervision of nursing faculty and teaching assistants, students learn therapeutic techniques and procedures, utilize problem solving approaches, and prioritize patient care in simulated situations.
Graduate School and Career Opportunities
The school offers a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree in six advanced practice areas and a Ph.D. degree in nursing science. BSN graduates may pursue the MSN after one year of clinical practice, or they may pursue the Ph.D. directly following the BSN, prior to completion of any master’s level coursework. For further information on the graduate program, contact the Office of Admissions or visit http://nursing.unc.edu/degree/index.html.
The school works closely with University Career Services to prepare all BSN graduates for the transition from student to professional practitioner. A preparatory career development series and career fair are offered annually. Additionally, the school cooperates with clinical agencies across the country to make available to students an array of information on employment opportunities in a myriad of settings and entry-level roles.
For general information on the School of Nursing, contact the Office of Admissions and Student Services, School of Nursing, CB# 7460, Carrington Hall, (919) 966-4260. Web site: nursing.unc.edu. E-mail: nursing@unc.edu.
