BSN-PL | APPLICATION PROCESS | SAMPLE PROGRAM | CATALOG | SYLLABI | BROCHURE | ASSESSMENT PLAN | CLINICAL EXPERIENCES

Application Process for BSN Pre-Licensure

Minimum Requirements

• The applicant must apply and be admitted to MWSU. Contact MWSU Admissions at 271-4266 or admissions@missouriwestern.edu.
• The applicant must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7
• The applicant must have completed (with a C or better) or be currently enrolled in all general studies and nursing pre-requisite courses. 

Admission is competitive, meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. General admission to the university does not admit a student to the baccalaureate degree program in nursing. Admission decisions for the BSN Pre-licensure program are based on cumulative GPA for ALL completed coursework with consideration given to the overall admission packet; prerequisite coursework, previous degrees, personal statement and healthcare experience. Special consideration is given to prerequisite coursework in General Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, Chemistry and Math as these courses are highly predictive of success in nursing coursework. Patterns of repeated coursework and course failures are also considered for admission decisions.

Please refer to the current College Catalog for an accurate list of prerequisite courses and other requirements. For transfer students, Transfer Guidelines can be found at: http://www.missouriwestern.edu/admissions/transfer-programs-and-credit-guidelines.asp

Outstanding coursework: All students accepted to the MWSU Nursing Program must have completed all general studies and prerequisite coursework prior to starting the nursing program. An exception will be made for one credit hour of PED activity (Physical Education); in this case that requirement must be completed prior to graduation.  For individuals accepted in the spring to begin nursing coursework in the fall, only two courses may be taken in the summer to satisfy general studies or prerequisite requirements (prerequisite coursework must be successfully completed with a C or better).  If more than two courses are necessary to fulfill general studies or prerequisite coursework, the student will be notified that they are not ready to begin the nursing program and encouraged to apply after those requirements have been met. If a student has a standing D, F, FA or W in any prerequisite course, the student must be currently enrolled or have successfully retaken the course and received a grade of C or better in order to be eligible for consideration.

Prerequisite courses beyond ten years old: The following prerequisite courses must have been completed within 10 years upon declaration of a MWSU Nursing Premajor or Major; BIO250, BIO251, BIO375, ALH352, PSY240. An exception will be considered for individuals who are actively engaged in a health related field.

Application Deadlines

All required general studies and support courses for the nursing major must be completed prior to beginning the nursing courses. Students should work closely with their academic advisors to select appropriate courses. Taking and passing prerequisite courses does not assure acceptance in the BSN program. A completed application (see Application Instructions below) must be submitted to the Nursing Centralized Application Service (NursingCAS) by January 15 for a candidate to be considered for admission for fall and by July 31 for consideration for spring. Applicants will be notified of their admission status the week prior to Registration for the semester in which they are applying (end of October for spring and end of March for fall).

Application to NursingCAS Instructions

All applicants for the BSN Pre-Licensure program at MWSU must submit their application electronically through NursingCAS website: http://www.nursingcas.org. Once the Nursing CAS website has been accessed, the applicant should click on "Apply Here" and carefully read the Instructions and Frequently Asked Questions before beginning the application process. Applications will be accepted until 9:59 p.m. on the specified deadline dates. Applications submitted through NursingCAS are good for one year, August 1-August 1. After one year, an application can be resubmitted for consideration but the applicant will be required to pay a new application fee.

Specific Instructions for Students Applying to MWSU's Nursing Program through CAS:

1. Complete the following sections within your application: applicant information, education, professional experience (include healthcare experience in this section), personal statement and my programs.

2. References are not required for application to MWSU's Nursing Program. Applicants do not need to complete this section.

3. Be sure to print out the Transcript Request Form(s) for each school attended while in the application. This form must accompany all transcripts when sent to NursingCAS. IMPORTANT: All transcripts must be received by CAS by the application deadline date.

4. When submitting an application to NursingCAS, be sure to pay application fee. If an application is submitted without payment of fee, it will not be considered for admission to the nursing program.

Responsibilities of the Applicant

In accordance with the ideals and principles of the nursing profession, applicants to nursing programs are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner that demonstrates responsibility, integrity, veracity, respect and good judgment.

Applicants are responsible for:

• Adhering to the admissions requirements and deadlines for each program to which they apply (as specified above).
• Providing honest, accurate and complete application information.
• Reporting to NursingCAS any changes in contact information (i.e., address, email, phone number) throughout the admissions cycle. It is recommended that applicants provide similar updates directly to the programs to which they have applied.
• Monitoring the submission and receipt of all application materials to NursingCAS. The status of the application can be checked and monitored throughout the application process within the applicant portal.
• Using the Transcript Request Form (TRF) available on the NursingCAS applicant portal, https://portal.nursingcas.org after they log in. To allow for timely processing, it is recommended that transcripts be requested to be sent to NursingCAS at least 6 weeks prior to the deadline of the earliest program to which applicants are applying.
• Following up on any missing materials (transcripts) and facilitating their submission to NursingCAS.
• Communicating in a professional manner when interacting with NursingCAS staff and admissions staff of designated programs.