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Pre-Nursing (PNUR)
Academic Preparation for Admission into Texas Baccaleaureate Nursing Programs
Texas, the nation, and the world are facing an unprecedented nursing shortage due to many factors including an aging workforce, declining enrollment in nursing schools, and job stress. Officials estimate that Texas needs to graduate and place an additional 5000 nurses each year to meet the state’s needs. As a result, new graduates and returning nurses have more practice opportunities within the hospital and the option to enter specialty or advanced practice fields with just a little experience.
Registered nurses (RN) work to promote health, prevent disease, and help families cope with illness; provide direct care, observe, assess, and record symptoms, reactions, and patient progress; assist physicians during treatments and examinations; administer medications; and assist in convalescence and rehabilitation. Registered nurses develop care plans, chart progress, diagnose limited conditions, and serve as a liaison and advocate for the patient and family.
Texas RNs operate under the Nursing Practice Act administered by the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners. Students must complete a program at an accredited college or university and pass the National licensing exam, the NCLEX. Once licensed, nurses usually complete additional training or work with a mentor nurse at the worksite and are required to attend continuing education each year. Only those completing all of the above requirements are allowed to use the RN title.
A registered nurse (RN) may earn that credential in several ways. Currently most generic, newly graduated high school students, complete a two-year associate degree program at a community or junior college (ADN) or the complete a four-year Bachelor of Science in nursing at a college or university (BSN). Students holding a baccalaureate degree in an academic area other than nursing may enter a ‘fast-track’ program for entry into the BSN program. Students in a fast-track program are typically eligible for admission to nursing school after completing a defined core of pre-nursing coursework. Fast-track coursework is variable among the BSN programs but generally includes, but is not necessarily limited to, Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology, Chemistry, Pathophysiology Nutrition, General and Developmental Psychology, and Statistics. Students who opt to complete the ADN may complete a transition program consisting of both academic and clinical coursework, moving them from ADN to BSN credentials.
There are nearly 30 accredited BSN programs in Texas, each of which requiring a slightly different set of prerequisite coursework for admission consideration. The optimal strategy for a pre-nursing student is to complete a slate of coursework that will qualify them for admission to the greatest number of nursing schools by completing the least number of requisite courses. Typically, 20–22 academic courses comprise the pre-nursing or academic portion of the BSN coursework. Acceptance into nursing school, the clinical portion of the BSN, is predicated on academic performance, recommendations, and occasionally personality testing and/or interviews. Considerable variation exists for the clinical portions of the BSN and students should contact the programs they are interested in attending for specific requirements. Students should contact the programs they are interested in attending for specific requirements.
Serious students seeking career opportunities in the field of Nursing should seek advisement from the Office of Medical & Allied Health Programs.
Baccalaureate Degree Programs (BSN)
Sam Houston State University
College of Sciences
Nursing Program
Box 2209
Huntsville, TX 77341-2209
(936) 294-2371
shsu.edu/~nursing
Abilene Intercollegiate School of Nursing
2149 Hickory St.
Abilene, TX 79601-2339
(915) 672-2411
acu.edu
Baylor University
3700 Worth St.
Dallas, TX 75246
(214) 820-3361
baylor.edu
East Texas Baptist University
1209 North Grove
Marshall, TX 75670
(903) 935-7963, ext 363
etbu.edu
Houston Baptist University
7502 Fondren
Houston, TX 77074
(713) 649-3300
hbu.edu
Lamar University
PO Box 10081
Beaumont, TX 77710
(409) 880-8831
lamar.edu
Midwestern State University
3410 Taft Blvd.
Wichita Falls, TX 76308
(940) 397-4331
mwsu.edu
Prairie View A&M University
6436 Fannin
Houston, TX 77030
(713) 797-7009
pvamu.edu
Extension campuses in Bryan/College Station and The Woodlands
Stephen F. Austin State University
PO Box 6156, SFA Station
Nacogdoches, TX 75962
(936) 468-3604
sfas.edu
Extension campus in Lufkin
Tarleton State University
Box T-0500
Stephenville, TX 76402
(254) 968-9139
tarleton.edu
Texas A&M International University
5201 University Blvd.
Laredo, TX 78041
(956) 326-2450
tamiu.edu
Texas A&M University – College Station
SRPH Administration Bldg.
University Drive & Adriance Lab Rd.
MS 1266
College Station, TX 77843
(979) 862-8422
tamhsc.edu
Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi
6300 Ocean Drive, Faculty Circle 151
Corpus Christi, TX 78412
(361) 825-2648
tamucc.edu
Texas Christian University
TCU Box 298620
Ft. Worth, TX 76129
(817) 257-7652
tcu.edu
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
3601 4th St., Stop 6264
Lubbock, TX 97430-6264
(896) 743-3055
ttuhsc.edu
Texas Woman’s University
PO Box 425498
Denton, TX 76204-5498
(940) 898-2401
twu.edu
Texas Woman’s University
1130 John Freeman Avenue
Houston, TX 77030
(713) 794-2100
twu.edu
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
UMHB Box 8015
900 College St.
Belton, TX 76513-2599
(254) 295-4662
umhb.edu
University of Texas at Arlington
Box 19407
Arlington, TX 76019-0407
(817) 272-2776
uta.edu
Extension campuses in Denison, Kaufman, Paris and Waco
University of Texas at Austin
1700 Red River
Austin, TX 78701-1499
(512) 232-4701
utexas.edu
University of Texas at El Paso
College of Health Sciences
1101 North Campbell St.
El Paso, TX 79902
(915) 747-7203
utep.edu
University of Texas – Pan American
1201 West University Dr.
Edinburg, TX 78539
(956) 381-3495
panam.edu
University of Texas at Tyler
3900 University Blvd.
Tyler, TX 75799
(903) 566-7320
uttyler.edu
Extension campuses in Palestine and Longview
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
MC 7944, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr.
San Antonio, TX 78229-3900
(210) 567-5810
uthscsa.edu
Extension campuses in Del Rio and Palo Alto
University of Texas Medical Branch
301 University Blvd.
Galveston, TX 77555-1029
(409) 772-1181
utmb.edu
Extension campuses in Baytown and San Antonio
University of the Incarnate Word
4301 Broadway
San Antonio, TX 78209
(210) 829-6029
uiw.edu
West Texas A&M University
WTAMU Box 60969
Canyon, TX 79016
(806) 651-2630
wtamu.edu
Extension campus in Amarillo
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
1100 Holcombe Blvd. #5.500
Houston, TX 77030
(713) 500-2002
uth.tmc.edu
