Student Success

Students interested in the highly competitive nursing program must complete the pre-health major in nursing requirements prior to application. A total minimum of 28 credits is required for application to the traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program. A minimum cumulative GPA is also required. Applicants whose native language is not exclusively English must submit TOEFL or IELTS test scores. For more information about these requirements, visit  the School of Nursing’s website.

Because admission to the B.S. in Nursing program is highly competitive, it is imperative that all pre-health students who intend to pursue a major in nursing work in tandem with their UAA pre-health major academic adviser to consider parallel majors that satisfy similar career outcomes. Completion of the pre-health major in nursing does not guarantee admission to the traditional program for the B.S. in Nursing nor does it result in a college degree.

Registered nurses (RNs) care for patients, providing them with treatment, counseling and education. RNs work closely with a patient’s physicians and other health professionals as part of the healthcare team. Depending on their area of specialization and work setting, RNs perform some or all of the following:

• develop and implement individualized plans for a patient’s care.
• monitor and record patients’ needs and changing conditions.
• administer prescribed medications and treatments.
• educate individuals on self-care, including maintaining health and preventing illness/injury.   

With a Master's or Doctoral Degree, you could also become a Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Anesthetist, Nurse Midwife, or an Advanced Practice Nurse.

Current VCU students who wish to change their major to the pre-health major in nursing must meet the following criteria to be considered for the major:  Minimum GPA of 3.0. No more than 75 credits completed. Students who do not meet these requirements may see a pre-health adviser, but they will be referred for programming and not assigned to an adviser.