Admission Requirements
Students admitted via the traditional admission pathway enter EIU as pre-nursing and spend the first 2 semesters of the freshman year taking general education and pre-requisite math/science courses. In the spring of freshman year, students submit an application to the nursing program.
Admission to the nursing major is competitive and based on space/availability. The deadline date for all application materials is March 1st.
**Please be aware that applications beyond the freshman year are allowed, however, doing so will likely result in extended time to completion.
Admission requirements:
- Cumulative pre-requisite GPA of 2.75 or greater, based on GPA from all colleges attended
- Cumulative pre-requisite math/science GPA of 2.7 in 5 courses:
- BIO 1004G - Practical Microbiology
- BIO 2210 - Anatomy and Physiology I
- CHM 1040G - World of Chemistry (or equivalent general education chemistry course)
- MAT 1160G - Mathematics: A Human Endeavor (or equivalent general education mathematics course)
- NUR 1511 - Pathways: Health and Human Services
- Completion of all remaining pre-requisite with a "C" or better. This includes:
- CMN 1310G - Introduction to Speech Communication
- ENG 1001G - College Composition I
- ENG 1002G - College Composition II
- HSL 1800 - Lifespan Human Development
- NTR 2100 - Personal Nutrition
- NUR 2613 - Medical Terminology
- PSY 1879G - Introduction to Psychology
- SOC 1838G - Introductory Sociology
- A failed pre-requisite course (e.g., D, F, WD) may not be repeated more than once to receive a passing grade of C or higher - the highest grade will be used for GPA calculation
- Equivalent or higher general education courses will be considered
- Submission of a written response to an essay prompt
- Submission of a minimum of 1 reference
- Safety and Technical Standards form completed and submitted to the School of Nursing by the deadline
Admission decisions will be made by a committee of nursing faculty and be based on ranking students on courses taken, cumulative GPA, pre-requisite math/science GPA, essay, and reference(s). Applicants will be notified in the summer between freshman and sophomore year of admission decision, no later than July 1st.
Qualified students not accepted will be placed on a waiting list.
Re-application is allowed but is limited to one additional submission. When re-applying to the program, previous ranking does not apply; all re-applicants will be ranked as new prospective students at the beginning of each application cycle.
Applicants receiving offers of admission must formally accept in writing by the provided deadline. Offers of admission will include an admission packet and checklist detailing next steps in the admission process. Students admitted to the major must complete the following prior to the established deadline: (any and all expenses incurred are the sole responsibility of the student)
- Background Check through Castlebranch
- 10-panel Drug Screen
- Submit proof of required immunizations
- Physical Exam with Medical Provider
- CPR Certification
- Purchase required equipment (e.g., stethoscope, blood pressure cuff with sphygmomanometer, EIU nursing scrubs)
The School of Nursing reserves the right to limit the size of the entering class, therefore, merely applying to the program and meeting or exceeding the stated minimum admission requirement does not guarantee admission into the nursing program.
Major Requirements
Sample 4-Year Plan of Study
The major comprises:
- NUR 2612 - Pathophysiologic Concepts I (2 credits)
- NUR 2712 - Therapeutic Pharmacology I (2 credits)
- NUR 2822 - Health Assessment across the Lifespan (4 credits)
- NUR 2823 - Foundations of Nursing Practice I (4 credits)
- NUR 3100 - Statistics for Evidenced Based Practice (3 credits)
- NUR 3413 - Professional Development in Nursing I (3 credits)
- NUR 3513 - Professional Development in Nursing II (3 credits)
- NUR 3612 - Pathophysiologic Concepts II (2 credits)
- NUR 3712 - Therapeutic Pharmacology II (2 credits)
- NUR 3813 - Using Evidence to Guide Practice in Nursing (3 credits)
- NUR 3833 - Concepts of Mental and Behavioral Health (3 credits)
- NUR 3835 - Foundations of Nursing Practice II (5 credits)
- NUR 3836 - Management of Health and Illness in Diverse Populations I (6 credits)
- NUR 4412 - Health Systems (2 credits)
- NUR 4413 - Professional Development in Nursing III: Leadership/Management (3 credits)
- NUR 4513 - Transition to Professional Practice (3 credits)
- NUR 4535 - Population-based Healthcare in Nursing (5 credits)
- NUR 4636 - Management of Health and Illness in Diverse Populations II (6 credits)
- NUR 4735 - Management of Advanced Concepts in Complex Nursing Practice (5 credits)
- PUBH 2200G - Health Citizenship (3 credits)
Progression Requirements
To progress in the nursing major, students must:
- Maintain a minimum of "C" or better in all nursing courses to progress to the next semester of the program sequence. Co-requisites may be taken prior to or during the designated semester, but not after.
- Only one nursing course may be repeated. Failure to pass a nursing course will exempt the student from progressing to the next semester. Students who have failed a course may not register for any other nursing courses until the failed course is offered again, space is available, and the course is successfully completed.
- A minimum of 2.0 GPA overall must be maintained to continue and graduate
