BSN FAQ
May I enroll as a BSN student even though I am not an RN?
No. The BSN Completion program is only for Registered Nurses or recent graduates from an associate of science degree or diploma program.
Why should I choose UALR for my BSN completion program?
• UALR offers a quality BSN program designed to meet your continuing education needs while enabling you to maintain employment. Enrollment can be either full or part-time.
• Courses have been designed with you in mind. They are focused on the nurse who is returning to obtain an advanced degree and reflect contemporary issues and trends in health care.
• The on-line format of the program provides easy access for working nurses.
• You will find faculty accessible/ available to help you throughout the program.
How many times per year do you admit a class?
We admit twice per year: January and August.
How often is Health Assessment, NURS 3400 offered?
This course is offered every semester. It is not offered as a half semester course due to the time required to complete course assignments.
How do I enroll in NURS 3400 Health Assessment?
Submit a RN-BSN completion program application and make an appointment (by e-mail, or phone, or in person) to visit with a BSN advisor. This is to ensure that the course enrollment is restricted to RNs and that there are sufficient numbers of course sections offered.
The only exception to this is a student who is enrolled in the last semester of their associate degree or diploma program. If you are an associate degree student at UALR you must update your degree plan with your advisor and indicate your desire to enroll in NURS 3400 and NURS 2910 (A.S.N. capstone course). If you graduate from our ASN program you cannot automatically enroll in the BSN completion program; you must apply for the BSN program. You must have a BSN application on file in order to enroll in NURS 3400.
If you are enrolled in a core program at another college or university, you must receive academic advising from our office and initiate a BSN application file in order to enroll in the course.
If I take NURS 3400 am I automatically eligible to take other upper level nursing courses?
No. You must complete the BSN application process and be formally accepted into the RN-to- BSN nursing program before you can take additional upper level nursing courses.
Is there any sequence to how I have to take the nursing courses?
NURS 3310 must be taken first; NURS 4530 must be taken last. Your nursing advisor will assist you in developing a degree completion plan.
My nursing advisor and I originally planned that I would finish my degree in a year, but I think I want to take the summer off and graduate in the fall. Do I need to notify anyone?
Yes. You need to immediately notify your advisor in order to update your personal Curriculum Plan. The Department of Nursing uses Curriculum Plans to project course enrollments years into the future. If you do not update your personal Curriculum Plan, there is no guarantee of course availability when you will need it in the future.
Is it realistic to think that I can complete my upper level nursing courses in a year?
Yes. The courses are offered in a format that enables completion. The practicum courses (NURS 4510, 4520, 4530) are offered over full semesters. The 3 credit courses are offered in half-semester format, meaning you can enroll in a total of 11 credits but will only be doing coursework in two courses at a time.
Example:
Fall
NURS 3310 (offered first half of the semester)
NURS 3320 (offered second half of the semester)
NURS 4510 and NURS 4530 (offered full semester)
Spring
NURS 3330 (offered first half of the semester)
NURS 3340 (offered second half of the semester)
NURS 4520 (offered full semester)
Summer
NURS 3350 (offered first half of summer)
NURS 4530 (offered full summer)
What types of upper electives meet BSN requirements?
You will need a total of 45 upper level (3000 or 4000), including 8 UL elective credits to earn your BSN. Review the UALR course catalog and discuss the election options with your advisor. Upper level courses are only available at four year colleges or universities.
Will my classes transfer to UALR?
UALR accepts work in transfer from regionally accredited institutions. Review the Transfer Credit Equivalency Guide to determine whether or not your courses will transfer, as well as, what they will transfer as (i.e. course equivalency). Transfer credits will be evaluated only after a complete application for admission and all required documents including all final transcripts have been received.
When I took A&P the courses were only 3 credits each. Do I have to retake those courses?
No. You must have a total of 125 credits for your BSN.
I work full-time and can only take on-line courses. Are any of the general education courses offered on-line?
Many upper level elective courses are offered in an on-line format. The department has arranged for designated on-line sections of Developmental Psychology (PSYC 3356, upper level) and Writing for the Workplace (RHET 3316, upper level) to be restricted to BSN students. Contact Mrs. Bailey (labailey1@ualr.edu) if you are interested in taking these courses on-line. Spaces are limited.
I work full-time and cannot take time off to go to clinical. Can I still complete this program?
Yes. The practicum courses are designed around projects and assignments that meet student learning outcomes. There are three practicum courses and each requires 90 hours of practicum activities. These can be completed around your usual work hours. You may not use scheduled work hours as practicum hours (must be non paid hours).
I took a Business Statistics course will this take the place of the BSN statistics course?
No. You will have to take a course that is equivalent to one of the BSN statistics. Equivalency can be checked using the Arkansas Department of Higher Education Academic Course Transfer System (ACTS at adhe.edu).
I have already taken PHIL 1310: Introduction to Philosophy but UALR does not have this course listed as meeting the Humanities core. Will this course count or do I have to take PHIL 2320 Ethics and Society?
If you have taken the following courses prior to December 2010, UALR will accept these as meeting the following core requirements:
PHIL 1310 Introduction to Philosophy or PHIL 1330 Introduction to Critical Thinking will meet the Humanities core requirement (ENGL 2337 World Literature, ENGL 2338 World Lit Themes, PHIL 2320 Ethics and Society).
ANTH 2316 Cultural Anthropology will meet the Social Science core requirement (HIST 1311 Western Civ I, HIST 1312 Western Civ II).
I was accepted and planned to begin nursing courses in fall, but I need to delay this. Do I have to reapply?
You must submit a notification that you are unable to accept the position. You must submit a letter requesting admission consideration for spring entry. You are not guaranteed a future acceptance into the program.
Who are the advisors for the BSN program?
Lee Bailey schedules advising appointments (569-8081 or labailey1@ualr.edu).
The following are BSN advisors:
Dr. Patricia Schafer (peschafer@ualr.edu)
Joyce Scott (jgscott@ualr.edu)
Cindy Gilbert (ckgilbert@ualr.edu)
Frances Sparti (flsparti@ualr.edu)
Lana Strickland (lkstrickland@ualr.edu) and
Jon Vickers (jmvickers@ualr.edu)