Nursing Science

Nurse professionals are members of interdisciplinary teams who work with people of all ages, cultural backgrounds, and lifestyles to help them achieve the highest level of wellness possible. The Bachelor of Science degree program in Nursing Science prepares graduates to function as generalists in professional nursing practice and to collaborate with other health care providers in clinics, hospitals, and community health settings. The undergraduate curriculum is designed to provide theory and research-based clinical experiences that integrate critical thinking, compassion, and caring behaviors that build clinical expertise. Students who successfully complete the B.S. degree in Nursing Science are eligible to take the national licensing examination (NCLEX) to become a registered nurse.

Most of the courses required for the major require completion of prerequisites. The sample program shown is a preferred sequence that accounts for all prerequisites. Most required courses are offered in sequence and only once a year. Full-time enrollment is required.

All students interested in the Nursing Science major should be aware that they will be required to do the following: (1) meet the physical and mental requirements necessary to perform nursing practice functions as outlined in Chapter 6, Article 2, Item 2725 of the Business and Professions Code of California; (2) provide required clinical onboarding documentation such as current health records, proof of immunizations, and up-to-date certifications (e.g. CPR/BLS); (3) complete and pass screenings such as a criminal background check and drug test prior to entering the clinical portion of program as required by health care facilities in which students will have clinical experiences; (4) purchase required equipment such as stethoscopes; (5) have access to transportation for off-campus clinical experiences.

Admission

Meeting the UCI admission criteria does not guarantee admission into the major. The admission process is competitive due to limited enrollment.

Freshmen: Preference will be given to those who rank the highest using the selection criteria as stated in the Admissions section of the Catalogue.

Transfer students: Admission to the major is limited and selective. Junior-level applicants with the highest grades overall and who satisfactorily complete course prerequisites will be given preference for admission to the Nursing Science major. All applicants must complete the following with grades of B or better: one year of general chemistry equivalent to UCI’s CHEM 1A - CHEM 1B - CHEM 1C; one quarter/semester of genetics equivalent to UCI’s BIO SCI 97; one quarter/semester of biology equivalent to UCI’s BIO SCI 93; one quarter/semester of human physiology with laboratory equivalent to UCI’s PHRMSCI 120 and PHRMSCI 120L; one quarter/semester of microbiology with laboratory equivalent to UCI’s BIO SCI M115 ; one quarter/semester of human anatomy with laboratory equivalent to UCI’s BIO SCI D170; one quarter/semester of philosophy equivalent to UCI’s PHILOS 4 or PHILOS 5; one quarter/semester of psychology equivalent to UCI’s COGS 7A/PSY 9; one quarter/semester of public health equivalent to UCI’s PUBHLTH 1; one quarter/semester of sociology equivalent to UCI’s SOCIOL 1; and one quarter/semester of statistics equivalent to UCI’s STATS 7 or STATS 8. It is recommended, but not required, to complete one quarter/semester of lifespan developmental psychology equivalent to NUR SCI 116, and one quarter/semester of NUR SCI 50 prior to admission. Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher to be considered.

Change of Major: Due to strict limits on the number of students who can be admitted to the program and rigid sequencing of much of the upper-division curriculum, change-of-major students need to apply in the summer for fall quarter admission, at the earliest in the summer after freshman year. Students should review the UCI Change of Major Criteria website and the Sue and Bill Gross School of Nursing website for information regarding change of major admission requirements, application instructions, and selection criteria. Change-of-major students who are intending to apply to the Sue and Bill Gross School of Nursing should be aware that the School cannot waive course prerequisites for any School of Biological Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, or School of Physical Sciences courses, prior to admission into the Nursing Science major. As such, change of major students must adhere to the course prerequisites that these Schools have established and have published in the course descriptions that appear in the Catalogue. Transfer students interested in applying to the Nursing Science major should apply using the transfer application process, as they are ineligible to apply as a change of major student. Nursing Science students must take required science prerequisite courses at UCI, unless admitted directly to the Nursing Science major as a transfer student.

Requirements

All major requirements must be passed with a C or better if taken at UCI. Students are required to take all lower- and upper-division science courses required for the major at UCI once they have matriculated at UCI. Non-science, lower-division courses required for the major that have been taken at another institution must be completed with a B or better. General education courses (not required for the major) taken at another institution must be completed with a C or better. All Nursing Science courses must be taken at UCI. Students must maintain a 2.75 GPA in their upper-division Nursing Science courses to remain in good standing. If Nursing Science students fail any courses required for the major, they should contact Student Affairs for the repeat policy. Students interested in studying abroad should contact Student Affairs.

All students must meet the University Requirements.

Major Requirements

Complete the following Nursing Science courses:

NOTE: Double majors with Nursing Science, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Public Health Sciences, Biomedical Engineering: Premedical, or with any of the School of Biological Sciences majors are not permitted. Students majoring in Nursing Science may not minor in Biological Sciences.

Honors

Honors at graduation, e.g., cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude, are awarded to approximately the top 16 percent of the graduating seniors. To be eligible for honors, a general criterion is that students must have completed at least 72 units in residence at a University of California campus. Other important factors are considered (see Honors Recognition).

Sample Program

Freshman

Fall	Winter	Spring
CHEM 1A	CHEM 1B	CHEM 1C
BIO SCI 93	SOCIOL 1	WRITING 60
PUBHLTH 1	WRITING 50	STATS 7 or 8
	General Education/Elective	COGS 7A or PSY 9

Sophomore

Fall	Winter	Spring
BIO SCI 97	NUR SCI 50	BIO SCI D170
NUR SCI 116	NUR SCI 125	PHILOS 4 or 5
General Education/ Elective	PHRMSCI 120	BIO SCI M115
General Education/ Elective	PHRMSCI 120L	General Education/ Elective

Junior

Fall	Winter	Spring
NUR SCI 108W	NUR SCI 109B	NUR SCI 101
NUR SCI 109A	NUR SCI 117	NUR SCI 121B
NUR SCI 119	NUR SCI 121A	NUR SCI 128

Senior

Fall	Winter	Spring
NUR SCI 172	NUR SCI 174	NUR SCI 171
NUR SCI 173	NUR SCI 176	NUR SCI 175
	NUR SCI 179AW	NUR SCI 179B