Missouri Western State University (MWSU) provides an opportunity for LPNs who are admitted to the pre-licensure BSN program to receive course credit for previous learning. Completion of MWSU’s general studies course requirements, nursing prerequisites, and BSN coursework is required prior to graduation with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from MWSU. Students must earn a minimum of 120 credit hours (100 level and above) for degree completion. Students must earn a minimum of 30 credit hours in upper division coursework (300 level and above). All students admitted to the pre-licensure BSN program are subject to the policies described in the BSN student handbook.
Minimum Admission Requirements
- Graduate of a Practical Nursing Program
- Cumulative GPA of at least 2.7
- Test of Essential Academic Skills (ATI TEAS) score of 58.7% (academic preparedness category of proficient) or above. TEAS test taken within the past 3 years from date of application will be valid. TEAS test may be taken a total of 2 times per calendar year (January 1-December 31).
- Current, unencumbered PN licensure in the US
- Completion of MWSU nursing prerequisite courses with grade of C or higher.
Application instructions can be found here.
Fall start – application deadline January 15th
Spring start – application deadline August 15th
LPN Preferred Admission
LPNs who meet the criteria may apply for preferred admission to the MWSU BSN program.
Criteria:
- Graduate of a Practical Nursing Program with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher.
- Test of Essential Academic Skills (ATI TEAS) score of 58.7% (academic preparedness category of proficient) or above.
Preferred Admission Application can be obtained here.
Fall start – application deadline January 15th
Spring start – application deadline August 15th
No more than 10 applicants will be offered preferred admission per cohort. Candidates who are awarded preferred admission must
- complete remaining prerequisite coursework at MWSU
- maintain cumulative GPA of at least 3.2
If the cumulative GPA falls below 3.2 or a grade of D or F is earned in a prerequisite course, preferred admission status will be revoked and the candidate must apply for admission as described above.
LPN-BSN Curriculum
Upon acceptance to the BSN program, the LPN will enroll in Clinical Reasoning in Nursing during the semester prior to starting nursing coursework. Students enrolled in this course undergo an evaluation of knowledge and skills in order to determine course credit awarded toward the BSN degree from the LPN program. This evaluation may include exams (both faculty-developed and standardized testing), skills testing, and simulation. The candidate must pass the evaluations with at least 70% or as indicated below. Each evaluation may only be completed once. Candidates who do not meet the minimum requirement will not receive course credit toward the BSN degree from the LPN program. Skill checklists, simulation objectives, and test blueprints with references will be provided to the candidate prior to the evaluation.
Nursing support courses/prerequisites (must be completed prior to starting nursing coursework):
- College math
- General biology (*may be eligible for waiver)
- College chemistry
- Anatomy and physiology with lab
- Microbiology with lab
- Pathophysiology
- Medical Terminology (*may be eligible for waiver)
- Ethics
- General psychology
- Life-Span developmental psychology
BSN courses eligible for credit awarded:
| Course | Evaluation Method |
| NUR 302 Introduction to Standards-Based Nursing | Comprehensive faculty-developed exam (70% minimum score) |
| NUR 303 Introduction to Clinical Nursing Practice | Skill evaluation and simulation will be used to evaluate competency in fundamental skills and holistic assessment. |
| NUR 306 Holistic Assessment | Comprehensive faculty-developed exam (70% minimum score) |
| NUR 307 Nutrition in Nursing | ATI Nutrition Exam (48.3% composite minimum score) |
| NUR 334 Pharmacology I | Comprehensive faculty-developed exam (70% minimum score) |
| NUR 363 Adult Health I | Comprehensive faculty-developed exam (70% minimum score)
ATI Fundamentals Exam (50.0% composite minimum score) |
| NUR 364 Adult Health Clinical I | IV certified – Skill evaluation and simulation will be used to evaluate competency in medical-surgical skills.
Not IV certified – Skill evaluation and simulation will be used to evaluate competency in medical-surgical skills + enroll in course to learn IV specific material and skills. |
| NUR 435 Mental Health Nursing
*must have completed a mental health course with clinical component |
ATI Mental Health Exam (56.7% composite minimum score) |
| NUR 402 Maternal/Newborn Nursing
*must have completed a maternal/newborn course with clinical component |
ATI Maternal Newborn Exam (55.0% composite minimum score) |
| NUR 403 Pediatric Nursing
*must have completed a pediatric course with clinical component |
ATI Nursing Care of Children Exam (51.7% composite minimum score) |
* candidates who did not complete a didactic and clinical course in the specialty will be required to take the full MWSU course
** ATI minimum scores are based on the low score for proficiency level 1and are subject to change with norming changes to proficiency levels published by ATI.
Sample Program
| Nursing Support Courses/Prerequisites must be completed prior to the start of nursing coursework.
Candidates must enroll in Clinical Reasoning in Nursing prior to the start of nursing coursework to complete evaluation for credit awarded. General studies requirements must be complete before graduation. |
|||||
Semester 1 |
Semester 2 |
||||
| NUR 308 | Professional concepts in Nursing (online course) | 1 | NUR 422 | Adult Health II | 4 |
| NUR 314 | Quantitative Analysis for Health Professions (online or in-person) | 3 | NUR 423 | Adult Health Clinical II | 2 |
| NUR 336 | Pharmacology II | 2 | NUR 424 | Care Coordination Across the Lifespan | 2 |
| NUR 395 | Nursing Research in Practice (online course) | 2 | NUR 459 | Research Application | 1 |
| Semester total | 8 | Semester total | 9 | ||
Semester 3 |
|||||
| NUR 453 | Community and Population Health | 3 | |||
| NUR 474 | Leadership & Management in Nursing | 3 | |||
| NUR 475 | Senior Capstone Clinical | 7 | |||
| NUR 488 | Senior Seminar | 2 | |||
| Semester total | 15 | ||||
* Plan may change depending on credit awarded from LPN program
**Courses are in-person unless otherwise stated.
Program Accreditation & Approval
The Baccalaureate Degree Program in Nursing at Missouri Western is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791 and is fully approved by the Missouri State Board of Nursing.
Nursing (Bachelor of Science in Nursing, B.S.N.)
The School of Science and Health Professions offers a baccalaureate degree in Nursing that provides a foundation of knowledge and skills necessary to be eligible to apply to write the National Council Licensure Examination. Upon satisfactory completion of this examination, the candidate is licensed as a registered professional nurse (RN). The program is designed with a strong clinical emphasis, based upon the relationship among the concepts of nursing, person, health-illness, environment, nursing education, nursing research, and ethical concepts applied to nursing. Students gain both theoretical knowledge and practical experience in healthcare agencies to prepare them to respond to the challenge of providing quality nursing care to individuals and groups. Some clinical agencies may require criminal background checks and may refuse to allow a student to gain experience in a clinical agency in accordance with provisions of Missouri State Law. A minimum grade of C in each course in the major is required for progression in and completion of the nursing program. The program is fully approved by the Missouri State Board of Nursing and is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
The School of Nursing and Health Professions allows individuals who have been admitted to the B.S.N. program, who have a current, unencumbered Missouri license to practice as a licensed practical nurse (L.P.N.), to apply for advanced placement through tested experience. LPNs who have completed the Army’s practical nurse program or airmen who have completed the Air Force 4N Training Program may apply for advanced placement. Other military medical service (e.g.Navy, Marine Corp, Coast Guard) personnel with equivalent training as the Army’s practical nurse program or the Air Force 4N Training Program may request review of credentials. Tested experience is established through verification of LPN license, standardized testing, and skills validation of select competencies. Please contact the School of Nursing and Health Professions for specific information on testing procedures and scheduling.
Progression Requirements
Students must achieve a grade of "C" or higher in all required nursing courses in order to continue progression in the Nursing Program. Any student who receives a final course grade of C in two or more nursing courses in a single semester during the Nursing Program will be placed on nursing academic probation. Students placed on Nursing Academic Probation will be required to enroll in NUR 300 Strategies for Success in Nursing in order to progress in the nursing curriculum. Specific Nursing progression, probation, and dismissal policies are available on the Department of Nursing webpage.
Eligibility for Nursing Licensure
Completion of the BSN program does not guarantee eligibility to write the licensure examination. Completion of the program guarantees eligibility to apply to the State Board of Nursing to write the national licensure examination (NCLEX-RN). A criminal background check is conducted by the Missouri State Board of Nursing before a decision is made regarding certificate of registration or authority; permit or license pursuant to section 335.011 to 335.066 for any one or any combination of causes stated in 335.066 subsection 2 of the State of Missouri Nursing Practice Act. Specific information may be obtained by contacting the Missouri State Board of Nursing.
Admission Requirements
Freshmen desiring to enter the 4-year BSN program should declare a pre-major in Nursing at the time of enrollment. Application to the Nursing Program should be made one full semester prior to the anticipated beginning of nursing courses. A selection committee reviews all applicants and determines those who will be admitted. General admission to the College does not admit a student to the baccalaureate degree program in nursing. Admission is competitive. Applications must meet the following minimum requirements:
- The applicant must apply and be admitted to MWSU.
- The applicant must have a minimum overall GPA of 2.7.
- Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) test score of 58.7% (academic preparedness category of proficiency) or above is required.
- The applicant must have completed or be currently enrolled in all general studies and nursing support courses (and earn a grade of C or higher in each support class, as well as general studies mathematical course).
- High school seniors and MWSU freshman with outstanding academic records should contact the Department of Nursing for information about early acceptance in the nursing program.
All required general studies and support courses for the nursing major must be completed prior to beginning nursing courses. Students should work closely with their academic advisors to select appropriate courses. Taking and passing prerequisite courses does not assure acceptance into the BSN program. A completed application and current transcripts 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 August 15 for consideration for spring. Instructions for the TEAS test and NursingCAS can be found on Department of Nursing webpage.
Students who choose this bachelor degree program will have no more than 6 years from admission or subsequent declaration to meet the requirements listed below. If certification, accreditation or statutory requirements change and additional requirements become effective during this time, the new requirements take precedence.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Studies | ||
| Students must complete General Studies courses | 42 | |
| Major Requirements | ||
| NUR 302 | Introduction to Standards-Based Nursing | 4 |
| NUR 303 | Introduction to Clinical Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NUR 306 | Holistic Assessment | 3 |
| NUR 307 | Nutrition in Nursing | 2 |
| NUR 308 | Professional Concepts in Nursing | 1 |
| NUR 314 | Quantitative Analysis for Health Care Research | 3 |
| NUR 334 | Pharmacology I | 2 |
| NUR 336 | Pharmacology II | 2 |
| NUR 363 | Adult Health I | 4 |
| NUR 364 | Adult Health Clinical I | 4 |
| NUR 390 | Evidence-based Practice in Nursing | 3 |
| NUR 402 | Maternal/Newborn Nursing | 3 |
| NUR 403 | Pediatric Nursing | 3 |
| NUR 422 | Adult Health II | 4 |
| NUR 423 | Adult Health Clinical II | 2 |
| NUR 424 | Care Coordination Across the Lifespan | 2 |
| NUR 435 | Mental Health Nursing | 3 |
| NUR 453 | Community and Population Health | 5 |
| NUR 474 | Nursing Leadership and Management | 3 |
| NUR 475 | Senior Capstone Clinical | 3 |
| NUR 488 | Nursing Senior Seminar | 2 |
| Support Courses | ||
| ALH 106 | Medical Terminology | 2 |
| BIO 101 | Principles of Biology | 4 |
| BIO 250 | Anatomy and Physiology | 5 |
| BIO 251 | Medical and Public Health Microbiology | 4 |
| BIO 375 | Pathophysiology | 4 |
| CHE 101 | Introductory Chemistry | 4-5 |
| or CHE 111 | General Chemistry I | |
| PHL 230 | Ethics | 3 |
| or PHL 231 | Healthcare Ethics | |
| PSY 101 | General Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 240 | Life-Span Developmental Psychology | 3 |
Program Graduation Requirements
- Earn a grade of C or higher in all major coursework.
- Earn an overall GPA of at least 2.0 and a major GPA of at least 2.0.
University Graduation Requirements
- Earn a minimum of 120 credit hours (100 level and higher, maximum of 6 CED credit hours applicable).
- Earn a minimum of 30 credit hours in upper-division courses. Lower-division transfer courses accepted as meeting upper-division departmental course requirements cannot be used to fulfill this requirement.
- Earn 30 of the last 45 credit hours at MWSU in institutional coursework (exclusive of credit by examination).
- Participate in required departmental and campus wide assessments.
- Fulfill the Missouri Constitution requirement.
- Successfully pass the Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement exam.
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- Major: BSN Nursing
- Pre-Major: BSN Nursing
Mapping your degree plan is important. Consult with your academic advisor to create a plan and monitor it regularly.
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