BSN Prerequisites & Eligibility

Admission to the School of Nursing is competitive and is not guaranteed by admission to UNC as a freshman.

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.

Prerequisites & Academic Requirements

BSN + –

• 2.8 minimum cumulative GPA and the General Education and Nursing Science prerequisites listed below
• Earned at least 60 credit hours prior to beginning the program
• A grade of B- or better in BIOL 252/252L, BIOL 253/253L and MCRO 251 (lab required) within 5 years of the application deadline
• A grade of C or better in PSYC 101 and STOR 151 or 155 or 120, or approved equivalents within 10 years of the application deadline
• Completed a full Anatomy and Physiology 1 and Anatomy and Physiology 2 sequence at the same institution, or a complete course in Anatomy and a complete course in Physiology. BSN applicants may have A&P 2 outstanding at the time of application but it must be completed by the end of the spring semester prior to beginning the program
• Applicants must have completed at least three of the key science prerequisites by the application deadline. Key science prerequisites are BIOL 252/252L, BIOL 253/253L and MCRO 251(lab required), PSYC 101 and STOR 151 or 155 or 120.
• Applicants must be on track to complete all General Education requirements of UNC-Chapel Hill and all nursing science prerequisites by the end of the spring semester prior to beginning the program.
• Nursing does NOT accept Pass/Fail grades for the key science prerequisites (BIOL 252/252L, BIOL 253/253L, MCRO 251(lab required), PSYC 101, and STOR 151/155/120).

GENERAL EDUCATION PREREQUISITES

• • First Year Foundations
    • College Thriving
    • First Year Seminars & Launches
    • Triple-I: Ideas, Information, & Inquiry
    • Writing at the Research University
    • Global Language through Intermediate I level
    • • Focus Capacities
        • Empirical Investigation Lab (fulfilled with Nursing prerequisites)
        • Power, Difference, & Inequality (fulfilled with Nursing courses)
        • Quantitative Reasoning (fulfilled with Nursing prerequisites)
        • Ethical & Civic Values (fulfilled with Nursing courses)
        • Natural Scientific Investigation (fulfilled with Nursing prerequisites)
        • Two of the following (one must be from Humanities and Fine Arts and one must be from Social and Behavioral Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences)
          • Aesthetic & Interpretive Analysis
          • Creative Expression, Practice, & Production
          • Engagement with the Human Past
          • Global Understanding & Engagement
          • Ways of Knowing
          • Research and Discovery (fulfilled with Nursing courses)
          • High Impact Experience (fulfilled with Nursing courses)
          • Lifetime Fitness
          • Communication Beyond Carolina
          • Campus Life Experience

          For NC Community College Equivalencies go here.

          NURSING SCIENCE PREREQUISITES

          Note: Some may also satisfy General Education Prerequisites

          • Psychology 101: Introduction to Psychology
          • Statistics (STOR) 151: Basic Concepts of Statistics and Data Analysis — or — STOR 155 Introduction to Statistics — or — STOR 120 Foundations of Statistics and Data Science
          • Biology 252/252L: Fundamentals of Human Anatomy and Physiology with lab
          • Biology 253/253L: Advanced Anatomy and Physiology with lab
          • Microbiology 251: Introduction to Medical Microbiology (lab required)
          • Biology 101/101L: Principles of Biology
          • Chemistry 101/101L and Chemistry 102/102L: General Descriptive Chemistry — or — Biochemistry 107 and Biochemistry 108: Introduction to Biochemistry

          Accelerated BSN (ABSN) Applicants must have: + –

          • 3.0 minimum cumulative GPA
          • Earned your first degree by December prior to entering the Accelerated BSN program.
          • A grade of B- or better in BIOL 252/252L, BIOL 253/253L and MCRO 251 (lab required) within 5 years of the application deadline
          • A grade of C or better in PSYC 101 and STOR 151 or 155 or 120, or approved equivalents within 10 years of the application deadline
          • Completed a full Anatomy and Physiology 1 and Anatomy and Physiology 2 sequence at the same institution, or a complete course in Anatomy and a complete course in Physiology. ABSN applicants may have Anatomy and Physiology 2 outstanding at the time of application but it must be completed by the end of the fall semester prior to beginning the program
          • Applicants must have completed at least three of the key science prerequisites by the application deadline. Key science prerequisites are BIOL 252/252L, BIOL 253/253L and MCRO 251(lab required), PSYC 101 and STOR 151 or 155 or 120. All pre-requisite courses must be completed by December 31.
          • Nursing does NOT accept Pass/Fail grades for the key science prerequisites (BIOL 252/252L, BIOL 253/253L, MCRO 251(lab required), PSYC 101, and STOR 151/155/120).

          NC Community College Transfer Students Applying to 5-Term BSN Program + –

          Prerequisite requirements vary slightly depending on your degree pathway at the community college. Prospective transfer students should work closely with an academic advisor at their current institution and use the following resources to determine compliance with program requirements.

          1. Complete the transcript evaluation form. This step is strongly encouraged to help you self assess your complete coursework.
          2. View a list of required courses:

          For students earning an AA or AS under the guidelines of the North Carolina Comprehensive Articulation Agreement:

          • Lifetime Fitness (PED 110)
          • Global Language through Intermediate I level (SPA 211, FRE 211)
          • Communication Beyond Carolina (COM 231)
          • Research & Discovery (fulfilled with Nursing courses)
          • Campus Life experience (fulfilled during UNC enrollment)
          • BIOL 101/101L (BIO 111)
          • CHEM 101/101L (CHEM 151)
          • CHEM 102/102L (CHEM 152)
          • PSYC 101 (PSY 150)
          • STOR 120, 151, or 155 (MAT 152)
          • BIOL 252/252L (BIO 168 or 165)
          • BIOL 253/253L (BIO 169 or 166)
          • MCRO 251 (BIO 175 or 275)

          For students not earning an AA or AS:
          See BSN General Education and Nursing Science Prerequisite Requirements above.
          NC community college equivalencies

          To be eligible for the program, you must:

          • Have earned a cumulative GPA of at least 2.8.
          • Be eligible to return to any institutions previously attended.
          • Have completed at least three of the five key science courses at the time of applying.
          • A minimum grade of B- or better is required in BIOL 252/BIOL 252L, BIOL 253/253L, and MCRO 251(lab required). A C or better is required in PSYC 101 and STOR 151/155. STOR 155 is strongly recommended for students interested in graduate study.
          • Be on track to complete all General Education requirements of UNC-Chapel Hill and all nursing science prerequisites by the end of the spring semester prior to beginning the program.
          • Have earned at least 60 transferable credit hours prior to beginning the program.
          • Nursing does NOT accept Pass/Fail grades for the key science prerequisites (BIOL 252/252L, BIOL 253/253L, MCRO 251(lab required), PSYC 101, and STOR 151 or 155).

          BSN Military Pathway + –

          • Must have earned a cumulative GPA of at least 2.8
          • Must be eligible to return to any institutions previously attended.
          • Must have completed at least three of the five key science courses at the time of applying and all five completed by the end of spring semester prior to matriculation.
          • A grade of B- or better in BIOL 252/252L, BIOL 253/253L and MCRO 251 (lab required) within 5 years of the application deadline
          • A grade of C or better in PSYC 101 and STOR 151 or 155 or 120, or approved equivalents within 10 years of the application deadline
          • If a first degree applicant, must be on track to complete all General Education requirements of UNC-Chapel Hill and all nursing science prerequisites by the end of the spring semester prior to beginning the program.
          • Must have earned at least 60 credit hours prior to beginning the program.
          • Nursing does NOT accept Pass/Fail grades for the key science prerequisites (BIOL 252/252L, BIOL 253/253L, MCRO 251(lab required), PSYC 101, and STOR 151 or 155).
          • To obtain a conditional letter of acceptance or signed Form 48, you’ll need to:
            1. Submit a transcript evaluation request. You will need to fill out the form and submit your unofficial transcripts to be evaluated by an admissions team member. The link to the transcript request form can be found here.
            2. Once you receive your evaluation, email son_AECP@unc.edu your evaluation and a brief description of what you seek including the deadline. We will work with you on obtaining your conditional letter of acceptance.
            3. Proceed with your application, making sure that you have fully completed and submitted your application by appropriate deadline. Please make sure that all transcripts are uploaded to your application and that you have met the requirements.

          APPLICANTS SEEKING THEIR 1st DEGREE

          General Education Prerequisites

          • • First Year Foundations
              • College Thriving
              • First Year Seminars & Launches
              • Triple-I: Ideas, Information, & Inquiry
              • Writing at the Research University
              • Global Language through Intermediate I level
              • • Focus Capacities
                  • Empirical Investigation Lab (fulfilled with Nursing prerequisites)
                  • Power, Difference, & Inequality (fulfilled with Nursing courses)
                  • Quantitative Reasoning (fulfilled with Nursing prerequisites)
                  • Ethical & Civic Values (fulfilled with Nursing courses)
                  • Natural Scientific Investigation (fulfilled with Nursing prerequisites)
                  • Two of the following (one must be from Humanities and Fine Arts and one must be from Social and Behavioral Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences)
                    • Aesthetic & Interpretive Analysis
                    • Creative Expression, Practice, & Production
                    • Engagement with the Human Past
                    • Global Understanding & Engagement
                    • Ways of Knowing
                    • Research and Discovery (fulfilled with Nursing courses)
                    • High Impact Experience (fulfilled with Nursing courses)
                    • Lifetime Fitness
                    • Communication Beyond Carolina
                    • Campus Life Experience

                    For NC Community College Equivalencies go here.

                    Nursing science prerequisites:

                    Note: Some may also satisfy General Education Prerequisites

                    • Psychology 101: Introduction to Psychology
                    • Statistics (STOR) 151: Basic Concepts of Statistics and Data Analysis — or — STOR 155 Introduction to Statistics — or — STOR 120 Foundations of Statistics and Data Science
                    • Biology 252/252L: Fundamentals of Human Anatomy and Physiology with lab
                    • Biology 253/253L: Advanced Anatomy and Physiology with lab
                    • Microbiology 251: Introduction to Medical Microbiology (lab required)
                    • Biology 101/101L: Principles of Biology
                    • Chemistry 101/101L and Chemistry 102/102L: General Descriptive Chemistry — or — Biochemistry 107 and Biochemistry 108: Introduction to Biochemistry

                    APPLICANTS SEEKING THEIR 2nd DEGREE

                    • Biol 252/Biol 252L Fundamentals of Human Anatomy & Physiology
                    • Biol 253/253L Advanced Human Anatomy and Physiology with lab
                    • Mcro 251 Microbiology (lab required)
                    • Stor 151 Basic Concepts of Statistics and Data Analysis or Stor 155 Introduction to Statistics
                    • Psyc 101 General Psychology

                    Non-Academic Requirements

                    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 that 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 at the student’s expense. The check covers all addresses in which the student has lived, worked or attended an educational institution 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. Reports are shared with clinical agencies who require all charges be resolved prior to the start of clinical practice. Questions about these requirements may be directed to the Office of Student Affairs at 919-966-4260.

                    Multiple clinical agencies now require students to undergo drug testing prior to the start of clinical practice at their sites. A 12-panel urine screen to test for drugs is required per contract specifications and conducted at student’s expense.

                    Disability Statement + –

                    Students who seek reasonable accommodations for disabilities must contact the Office of Accessibility Resources & Service (919-962-8300). Staff in this office will determine a student’s eligibility for, and recommend, appropriate accommodations and services. Also see the School of Nursing’s policy .

                    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.

                    Computer Requirements + –

                    All School of Nursing students are required to use e-mail for conveying course/clinical/research/other School related business. All e-mail communication regarding School of Nursing matters must utilize the student’s University MS-Exchange e-mail address only. The use of external email services is not permitted. Most School of Nursing courses use the Canvas Learning Management Systems which requires frequent reliable access to Internet resources. 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.

                    All students in the BSN program are required to have a laptop computer that meets the minimum requirements specified for the preloaded laptop computers available through the University’s Carolina Computing Initiative (CCI) program. Specifications can be found at cci.unc.edu . Additionally, the School requires that students purchase an extra battery to ensure an adequate power supply for extended classroom, lab, or special project use. Choosing a vendor for the laptop purchase is the student’s 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.unc.edu). In addition to the computer itself, students must have an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and an account for a high-speed access service.

                    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 (NCBON) 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. Note: a Social Security Number is required for licensure application to the NCBON.

                    New Student Orientation + –

                    All newly admitted BSN and ABSN students are required to attend mandatory orientation on the two business days prior to the start of classes. To determine when classes begin, view the University’s Academic Calendar . UNC-CH students who are studying abroad in the summer semester prior to matriculation should ensure their study abroad program will allow them to return to Chapel Hill prior to new student orientation.

                    Military Service for Military Pathway BSN + –

                    • Armed Forces Veterans and Active Duty service members from any branch, including past service in the Reserves or National Guard who have military health experience or training are encouraged to apply.
                    • Individuals who have been dishonorably discharged are not eligible.