Admission for Traditional Option

Initial admission is based on requirements for admission to the University; however, admission to the University does not assure admission to the program in nursing. Requirements for admission to nursing courses are:

• Admission to the University of North Alabama;
• Submit a formal application to the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions which includes an application fee;
• Letter of Eligibility: Student previously enrolled in another nursing program must provide a letter of eligibility to return to the program without stipulation by the dean or director.  If ineligible to return to the nursing program, the student will be ineligible to apply to the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions (ACONHP);
  • Students enrolled previously in healthcare related programs (other than nursing), must talk with their advisor.  An eligibility letter may be required.
• Students must be eligible to participate in rotations in all clinical facilities to be eligible for admission to the program;
• Possess a minimum overall grade point average of 2.75 (4.0 scale) or higher in required BSN courses, including a “C” or higher in all required prerequisite courses as listed in the General Studies Component for nursing majors;
  • An admission cumulative index based on admission assessment exam scores, overall GPA, and completed coursework at UNA is used to determine admission to the upper-division nursing major. Special accommodation to allow honorably discharged veterans, who do not have a 2.75 overall GPA but do have a 2.75 or greater GPA on all prerequisite core nursing courses and a C or higher on UNA’s general requirements, to be permitted to make application to the nursing major and be included in the admission process. Admission to the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions is competitive, and meeting all admission requirements does not guarantee admission;
• Complete a criminal background check, be in good standing with university student conduct, and have a negative drug screen as specified on the application for admission.

Students may be accepted and enroll in the spring and fall semesters for the Traditional BSN Option based on the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions Admission Committee’s recommendation and space availability.  Application information will be available on the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions website.

• Fall Admissions: application opens February 1 and is due by March 1.
• Spring Admission: application opens September 1 and is due by October 1.
• Decisions for the fall and spring classes will be made and applicants will be notified before November 1 and April 1, respectively.

Progression/Retention

Traditional Option

Retention in the traditional/accelerated program is based on continued satisfaction of health requirements, certification, liability requirements, and appropriate academic progress with a grade of C or higher in each nursing course.

• Appropriate academic progress with a grade of C (75) or higher in each professional nursing course and satisfactory in the clinical component of the course to receive a C (75) or higher.
• Students must be eligible to participate in rotations in all clinical facilities to be eligible for admission/retention in the program.
• Satisfactory completion of nursing courses done in sequence. When a student receives a grade of less than C (75) or a clinical failure, the student may not progress to any clinical course until the failed course is retaken and requirements are met. Progression to a nonclinical course will only be granted with permission of the department chair.
• For Level One, Health and Physical Assessment (NU 305) is the prerequisite and/or co-requisite for Foundations of Nursing (NU 301). Therefore, if a student withdraws from Health and Physical Assessment (NU 305), the student must also withdraw from Foundations of Nursing (NU 301) until Health and Physical Assessment (NU 305) enrollment is resumed and/or completed. Foundations of Nursing (NU 301) is the prerequisite and/or co-requisite for Community Health Nursing (NU 302W). A student withdrawing from Foundations of Nursing (NU 301) must also withdraw from Community Health Nursing (NU 302W) until Foundations of Nursing (NU 301) enrollment is resumed and/or completed.
• A student who has failed a nursing course may repeat the failed course only once. In the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions, no student will be permitted to use the Repeat/Recompute Policy or the Second Chance Provision for any nursing course (NU designation). A student in the nursing program can receive no more than one course failure throughout the nursing program. After two course failures, the student will be dismissed from the program.
• Students in the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions who have received 3 unsatisfactories in a clinical course for any reason (administrative or otherwise) will receive a clinical failure and get an “F” in the course. There are reasons other than three clinical unsatisfactories for which a student might fail clinical and these include critical incidents found in the Disciplinary Policies of the current Nursing Student Handbook. The clinical failure is an “F” for the course no matter when/if the student withdraws. This includes any time within the University’s withdrawal (“W”) period. Should this be a second course failure for the student, the student will be required to withdraw from all nursing courses at the time of the second course failure.
• Any student who withdraws from Level I of the program will be required to submit a formal application during a future application period, see the current Nursing Student Handbook.
• Once admitted into the ACONHP, a student with a failing average in any nursing course may not withdraw from the course to prevent course failure. This includes any time within the University’s withdrawal (W) period. Any student who drops a course with an average of less than 75 will receive a WF in nursing courses. A WF for any reason is considered a course failure. Students who are eligible to repeat a failed course will be readmitted to the course on a “space available” basis.
• After a second withdrawal from the same course (without extenuating circumstances), a student will be required to wait one semester (excluding the summer semester) before retaking the course. Extenuating circumstances are to be determined by faculty on an individual basis.
• Students eligible to return to a nursing course after a withdrawal “W” or course failure “D/F” from a required nursing (NU) course will be readmitted to the course on a “space available” basis.
• Maintenance of 2.0 GPA throughout the nursing program.
• Once the student is “out of sync”, he/she/they must adjust to any curriculum changes occurring at that time.
• A student who has failed a nursing course in the traditional option will not be permitted to advance to courses in the accelerated option.

Dismissal 

After two course failures, the student is dismissed from the program. A situation in which the student places the client’s life in danger or shows severe behavioral misconduct toward the client and family, clinical facility staff, faculty or other students will result in immediate Administrative Dismissal of the student from the program. In such cases, the student's transcript will reflect the University's grade system as outlined in the University catalog. Behaviors for which the ACONHP have zero tolerance and result in dismissal from the program are listed in the appropriate nursing student handbooks.

Readmission 

The student who is academically unsuccessful in two or more courses in levels one and/or two of the nursing program will have the option to reapply to the nursing program.

• Students who reapply must meet all admission requirements and complete the application process like a new applicant.  Reapplying does not guarantee admission.
• If admitted, the student will start the program as a level one nursing student and repeat all nursing courses regardless of grade in previous semesters.
• Complete withdrawal from level one will require the student to complete the application process for consideration in a future semester.
• The option to reapply does not apply to students who are dismissed from the program for conduct-related offenses.
• Once a student is dismissed from the program, they are only eligible to be admitted one additional time.

The student in level three or level four of the nursing program who has failed the two nursing courses may petition the appropriate Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions Admissions, Readmissions, and Progressions Committee Chairperson for readmission after being dismissed from the program. Students may seek readmission to the ACONHP only one time, after the second course failure. Any readmitted student who earns a grade below C in a nursing course will be permanently dismissed from the program. Guidelines for readmission may be found in the Nursing Student Handbook that is specific to the student.

BSN Traditional Option Requirements

¹

Online “R” courses are subject to online nursing fees. (See Expenses section)

²

Foundations of EBP in Nursing fulfills computer literacy requirement.

BSN Traditional Option Plan of Study-Recommended

The following semester-by-semester schedule is recommended for the traditional BSN option:

¹

Course options: Introductory Biology (BI 101),Human Biology (BI 102), Principles of Biology (BI 111), Principles of Biology (BI 112), Cell Biology (BI 375), or Interactive Physics (PH 101). Introductory Physics (PH 121), General Physics I (PH 241).

²

Course options: College Trigonometry (MA 113), Pre-Calculus Algebra and Trigonometry (MA 115), Calculus I (MA 125), Calculus II (MA 126), Calculus III (MA 227), Linear Algebra (MA 237), or Applied Differential Equations I (MA 238)

³

Online “R” courses are subject to online nursing fees. (See Expenses section)

⁴

Foundations of EBP in Nursing Foundations of EBP (NU 406W) fulfills computer literacy requirement