Nursing is a fulfilling and vital career with enormous growth potential. Nurses are essential members of health care delivery teams, often serving as the most direct link to the patient while orchestrating the best possible care. They are in a position to advocate for patients and families, especially those who cannot advocate for themselves. Nurses improve patients’ quality of life and support people at their most vulnerable moments. They serve as key members of health care teams, working together with physicians, pharmacists, social workers, and other providers to coordinate care. Nurses benefit from opportunities for continuous learning throughout their careers, and they may gain greater responsibility and autonomy through increased education and experience. They serve in a variety of settings and specialties and may opt to pursue research or teaching opportunities.

The Pre-Nursing Program at the School of Continuing & Professional Studies is for students who wish to complete prerequisites before continuing on to a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program. Students receive individual advising in order to create a course plan that fulfills the prerequisites for their future nursing programs of choice. The pre-nursing curriculum provides students with an ideal foundation for their professional studies: strong communication skills, practical analytical and problem-solving abilities, an appreciation for complex ethical questions, and an introduction to human sciences. Students who complete this course sequence will be well equipped to continue on to a variety of clinical nursing (BSN) programs.

Students who complete 54 units of nursing prerequisites with the School of Continuing & Professional Studies may, with an additional 6 units, earn an Associate in Arts degree. Students interested in the associate degree should speak with an academic advisor about applying to that program and fulfilling degree requirements.

The Pre-Nursing Program is not eligible for local, state, or federal aid options unless students are concurrently enrolled in a degree program eligible for financial aid. Washington University employees may use their tuition benefit for the program.

Examples of Common BSN Prerequisites* and Their School of Continuing & Professional Studies Equivalents

Students should work with an advisor to arrange a schedule that fits their previous college record and timetable.

UG Spanish Seminar

General Elective	Select from a variety of introductory and upper-level courses; Quantitative Reasoning (Sci 117 or Sci 117M) is highly recommended.
College Algebra	Algebra (Math 140)
Statistics	Introduction to Statistics (Math 1011) or Applied Statistics (Math 205)
Introduction to Sociology	Introduction to Sociology (SOC 220) or other courses in Sociology with approval
English Composition I	Analytical Writing (EComp 111 or EComp 111M)
English Composition II	Critical and Researched Writing (EComp 203 or EComp 203M)
History or Political Science	Select from a variety of introductory and upper-level courses in these departments.
Social Science Elective	Select from a variety of introductory and upper-level courses in the departments of Anthropology, Economics, History, Political Science, and Psychology.
Humanities Elective	Select from a variety of introductory and upper-level courses in the departments of Art History, Classics, History, Literature, Philosophy, and Religious Studies.
Ethics	Biomedical Ethics (Phil 233)
Select courses in Biology, Chemistry, Genetics, or Physics	Concepts in Biology (Bio 1001) or other courses with approval
Nutrition	Nutrition (Bio 204)
Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab	Anatomy and Physiology I (Bio 220)
Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab	Anatomy and Physiology II (Bio 240)
Microbiology with lab	Microbiology for Health Professions (Bio 280)
General Psychology	Introduction to Psychology (Psych 100)
Human Growth and Development	Human Growth and Development (Psych 230)
Oral Communication/Speech	Introduction to Public Speaking (U48 2111 Comm or U11 Comm 211M)

*

Examples from admissions requirements for the Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing.

Contact Info

Contact:	School of Continuing & Professional Studies Advisors
Phone:	314-935-6700
Email:	https://caps.wustl.edu/resources/advising
Website:	https://caps.wustl.edu/pre-nursing-program