Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program

(A grade of ‘C’ or better is required in all courses within the major.)

Required Courses:

• NS274 Pathophysiology (3)
• NS371 Foundations of Nursing Practice (7)
• NS373 Pharmacology for Nursing Practice (3)
• NS375 Introduction to Professional Nursing Practice (3)
• NS376 Informatics & Technology for Nursing Practice (2)
• NS387 Nursing Care of Adults I (7)
• NS388 Nursing Care for Obstetrical & Neonatal Population (4)
• NS389 Nursing Care of Patients with Psychiatric Mental Health Needs (4)
• NS487 Nursing Care of Adults II (7)
• NS488 Pediatric Nursing (4)
• NS492 Population Health Nursing Perspectives (4)
• NS491 Leadership & Vision in Nursing Practice (4)
• NS496 Evidence Based Practice (2)
• NS497 Nursing Care of Adults III (7)
• NS499 NCLEX Prep for Professional Nursing Practice (2)

Required Support Courses:

(Some courses may fulfill General Education requirements.
A grade of ‘C’ or better is required in each support course.)

• BS113/013 Anatomy & Physiology I + Lab (4)
• BS114/014 Anatomy & Physiology II + Lab (4)
• BS340 Microorganisms and the Human Hosts (4)
• CH181/184 Basic Principles of Chemistry + Lab (4)
• FN235 Nutrition for Health (3)
• MA155 Statistical Reasoning (3)
• PY220 Psychological Development Across the Lifespan (3)
• HL113 Medical Terminology

"Critical Courses" are italicized and bolded. Data shows that students who have completed this course in the first two years and have earned the noted grade are most likely to complete this program of study.

Students seeking a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing should select “pre-nursing” as their area of interest and begin taking the courses and/or general education categories listed below. Their assigned advisor will assist in selecting the best sequencing of these courses. The academic advisor will also furnish deadlines for admission materials to be submitted to the Department of Nursing. Applicants will be required to have completed all 45 prerequisite hours or to be enrolled in any of the still remaining courses at the time of application. All prerequisites and general education requirements must be met before beginning the first semester of nursing courses. Students offered provisional admission or placed on the reserve list will be required to enroll in and successfully complete Introduction to Nursing Concepts (NS271) in the same semester as when they applied to the nursing program. This course must be completed prior to beginning any other nursing lecture (NS prefix) or clinical course (NC prefix).

The Missouri Board of Nursing limits the number of students admitted each semester;
therefore, admission is competitive and is based on meeting all admission requirements,
including completion of all prerequisites, achievement of minimum GPA, and completion of the
HESI A-2 pre-admission exam

Applicants must:

• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.80
• Completion of at least 45 prerequisite credit hours (and be on track to complete all 59 hours of first- and second-year coursework before the first semester of nursing courses)
• Completion of all prerequisite and required courses:
  • NO courses scheduled or planned to be completed in summer or winter session will be considered
  • All required courses must be completed or in progress for consideration
• Have a grade of “C” or higher in all required courses:
  • Anatomy & Physiology I & II
  • Chemistry (CH181)
  • Microbiology
  • Nutrition (FN235)
  • Psychological Development Across the Lifespan (PY220)
  • Statistical Reasoning (MA155)
  • Written Communication (EN140)
• Completion of SEMO’s custom HESI A-2 Admission Exam with Critical Thinking component the semester in which the student is applying for admission
• Submit application prior to application deadline
• See BSN Student Handbook for detailed information, or contact the Department of Nursing.

The Missouri Board of Nursing limits the number of students admitted each semester. Admission is therefore competitive and is based on meeting all admission requirements, including completion of all prerequisites, achievement of the minimum GPA, and completion of the HESI A-2 pre-admission exam. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.

Students offered provisional admission or placed on the reserve list must enroll in and successfully complete Introduction to Nursing Concepts (NS271) in the same semester in which they applied to the nursing program. NS271 must be completed before beginning any other nursing lecture (NS prefix) or clinical (NC prefix) course.

Deadlines

• Fall Admission - February 15
• Spring Admission - September 15

You must read all instructions and meet all criteria before completing an application.

1. First make sure you are eligible to apply. You are eligible only if all of the following criteria are met:
   1. You have applied and been admitted to Southeast Missouri State University having met all admission and progression requirements as outlined in the current Undergraduate Catalog.
   2. It is imperative that all students planning to apply to the nursing program work closely with the pre-nursing academic advisors.
   3. You have a cumulative college GPA of at least 2.8 based on a 4.0 scale. You can find your cumulative GPA at the top of your Degree Works.
   4. You have completed at least 45 credit hours from the nursing curriculum found on the Degree Map and are on schedule to complete a total of 59 hours prior to beginning any nursing coursework.
   5. You have all of your general studies, pre-requisite courses, and electives either completed or in progress at the time you submit your application. Winter-session or summer courses are not included as in progress courses. Understand that dropping any of the courses for which you are currently enrolled will cause you to become ineligible.
   6. You have a grade of C or higher in all required support and prerequisite courses.
   7. To determine eligibility to apply to the nursing program and to take the HESI exam, you must meet with a pre-nursing academic advisor. You can schedule an appointment by calling 573-651-2007 or stopping by Room 057 of Academic Hall.
2. Register for and take the pre-admission exam. Do not register for the HESI Exam until you are sure you are eligible to apply to the nursing program.
   1. For instructions on how to register for the HESI A-2 Pre-Admission Exam (Southeast Version) with Critical Thinking Skills Component, contact the pre-nursing advisors by calling 573-651-2007 or go to Room 057 in Academic Hall. Follow the instructions they give you very carefully.
   2. Please note: the HESI exam payment codes you will receive are semester specific and are only valid for the current application cycle.
   3. Within 2 weeks of registration with Elsevier and payment for the HESI, you will be added to a Pre-Nursing Canvas page by the nursing department.
   4. From the Pre-Nursing Canvas page, you will be able to choose and register for your preferred test date.
3. Complete and upload your nursing application to the Pre-Nursing Canvas site:
   1. The fillable BSN Program Application is available on the Pre-Nursing Canvas site. Read through all instructions again carefully. The application is a fillable PDF file that must be completed, signed, and submitted to the Nursing Application DropBox in the Pre-Nursing Canvas page. Do not send your application to the Nursing Office.
   2. Important information: if you are a transfer student or a student with a previous associate's or bachelor's degree, please see Item #6.
4. The selection process for provisional admission is based on the following criteria:
   1. 60% weight is given to the composite score on the HESI A-2 exam
   2. 25% weight is given to the student's overall college GPA
   3. 15% weight is given to the critical thinking score on the HESI A-2 exam, which is not part of the composite score
5. Southeast Student ID, email, and mailing address
   1. Your Southeast Student ID#, Southeast email address, and permanent/home mailing address must be included on the application
   2. All electronic communication will be done via your Southeast email address. Any written correspondence will be directed to your personal address
   3. It is your responsibility to notify both the university and the Department of Nursing if any of your contact information changes, including your mailing address or phone number
6. Transfer students and students with a previous associate's or bachelor's degree:
   1. All transfer students and those with a previous degree must schedule an appointment with a pre-nursing academic advisor immediately following admission to the University. Call (573) 651-2007 or go to Academic Hall Room 057 to schedule your advising appointment.
   2. The pre-nursing academic advisors can assist with determining how your credits, AA, or AAT will apply. If you are transferring from an out-of-state institution with an AA or AAT degree, you will also be required to complete PS220 Missouri Government (1 cr hr) prior to beginning the nursing coursework.
   3. Transfer students can find course equivalencies. Use your Southeast ID and password to create an account.
   4. You must include unofficial copies of all other college transcripts as well as a copy of your current course schedule if you are registered in classes elsewhere during the application process. Transcripts should be scanned and uploaded to the Canvas page with your application to the nursing program. Transfer and additional-degree applications without these documents will not be processed.

Students offered provisional admission or placed on the reserve list must enroll in and successfully complete Introduction to Nursing Concepts (NS271) in the same semester in which they applied to the nursing program. NS271 must be completed before beginning any other nursing lecture (NS prefix) or clinical (NC prefix) course.

Non-English-speaking Student Policy

This policy adopts the Missouri State Board of Nursing requirement for foreign educated registered nurse applications as the basis for department standards. ALL international students are required to demonstrate evidence of English-language proficiency. English proficiency scores used for admission into the university may be used, or scores within two (2) years of the admission application. We do not accept any “at-home” or “remote” tests. Southeast Missouri State University Department of Nursing only accepts TOEFL, TOEIC, and IELTS exam scores.

The following tests administered in a professional test center are accepted:

1. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), www.toefl.org, with a passing score of 540 on the paper examination, or a passing score of 83 and a Speaking score of 26 for the internet-based examination. We do not accept MyBest™ scores nor the TOEFL Essentials Test; OR
2. Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC), www.toeic.com, with a passing score of 725 in the Listening and Reading modules; OR
3. International English Language Testing System (IELTS), www.ielts.org, with an overall passing score in the academic module of 6.5 and a Speaking score of 7. We do not accept IELTS Online.

Applicants are English exempt if they were educated in Australia, Barbados, Canada (except Quebec), Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, South Africa, Trinidad/Tobago, United Kingdom, or United States (Puerto Rico). Reference: Missouri Board of Nursing (2026, January) RN licensure by examination: International, Puerto Rico, and Canadian Educated.

The student whose native language is not English is required to meet all other admission requirements of other students applying for admission to the nursing program.

Some requirements may be fulfilled by coursework in major program.

• Social and Behavioral Sciences – 6 hours
• Constitution Requirement – 3 hours
• Written Communication – 6 hours
• Oral Communication – 3 hours
• Natural Sciences – 7 hours (from two disciplines, one to include a lab)
• Mathematics – 3 hours
• Humanities & Fine Arts – 9 hours (from at least two disciplines)
• Additional requirements – 5 hours (to include UI100 for native students)
• Civics examination

First Year

Fall Semester (14 Hours)

• UI100 (1)
• EN100 (3)
• BS113/013 (4)
• MA155 (3)
• General Education (3)

Spring Semester (15 Hours)

• BS114/014 (4)
• CH181/184 (4)
• General Education (3)
• General Education (3)
• Elective (1)

Second Year

Fall Semester (16 Hours)

• BS340 (4)
• General Education (3)
• General Education (3)
• General Education (3)
• General Education (3)

Spring Semester (15 Hours)

• FN235 (3)
• NS274 (3)
• PY220 (3)
• HL113 (3)
• Elective (3)

Milestone: Minimum GPA of 2.8, completion of all 59 hours in the first two years. Application and admission are required in the second semester of year two.

Third Year

Fall Semester (15 Hours)

• NS371 (7)
• NS373 (3)
• NS375 (3)
• NS376 (2)

Spring Semester (15 Hours)

• NS387 (7)
• NS388 (4)
• NS389 (4)

Fourth Year

Fall Semester (15 Hours)

• NS487 (7)
• NS488 (4)
• NS492 (4)

Spring Semester (15 Hours)

• NS491 (4)
• NS496 (2)
• NS497 (7)
• NS499 (2)

A “Milestone” signifies a significant stage for a student in the completion of a degree.