The Pre-Nursing to BSN Track provides a structured academic pathway that prepares students for entry into the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program and careers as registered nurses (RN).
The curriculum includes general education coursework, in-residency nursing preparation, and upper-division nursing core courses designed to build a strong academic and clinical foundation.
Program Requirements and Unit Breakdown
At a Glance
- General Education: 46 units
- Nursing In-Residency Courses: 6 units
- Nursing Core Courses: 69 units
- Total Units Required: 121 units
Quick Links
Note: A course that fulfills one or more requirements in general education, elective, or major requirements can only satisfy one requirement and count once toward unit totals.
General Education Requirements
Category A: Written and Oral Communication and Critical Thinking (9 Units)
Communication and Critical Thinking Course Requirements
Required general education coursework for the Pre-Nursing curriculum
| Course Title | Course No. | Units |
|---|---|---|
| English Composition | ENG 111 | 3 |
| Public Speaking | COM 111 | 3 |
| Critical Thinking and Text Analysis | ENG 112 | 3 |
| Total Units | 9 | |
Category B: Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Information Science (22 Units)
Science and Math Course Requirements
Required science and quantitative reasoning coursework for the Pre-Nursing curriculum
| Course Title | Course No. | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Human Biology or General Biology I | BMS 100 or BMS 130 | 3 |
| Anatomy & Physiology I* | BMS 310L | 4 |
| Anatomy & Physiology II* | BMS 311 | 4 |
| General Microbiology | BMS 320L | 4 |
| Basic Chemistry | CHM 100 | 4 |
| College Algebra or Statistics | MTH 126 or MTH 150 | 3 |
| Total Units | 22 | |
* Anatomy & Physiology Requirement (choose one sequence):
- Two-course sequence: Anatomy & Physiology I and Anatomy & Physiology II
OR - Two-course sequence: Human Anatomy (4 units with lab) and Human Physiology (4 units with lab)
Category C: Arts and Humanities (9 Units)
Arts, Humanities, and Language Course Requirements
Required arts, humanities, and language coursework for the Pre-Nursing curriculum
| Course Title | Course No. | Units | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health and Creative Arts | ART 131 | 3 | or equivalent |
| Literature of Health | HUM 335 | 3 | or equivalent |
| Spanish for Healthcare | COM 231 | 3 | or equivalent |
| Total Units | 9 | ||
Category D: Social Sciences (6 Units)
Social Science Course Requirements
Required social science coursework for the Pre-Nursing curriculum
| Course Title | Course No. | Units |
|---|---|---|
| General Psychology | PSY 141 | 3 |
| Introduction to Sociology | SOC 141 | 3 |
| Total Units | 6 | |
Nursing In-Residency Requirements (6 Units)
Must be taken at CDU
Nursing In-Residency Course Requirements
Required in-residency nursing coursework for the Pre-Nursing curriculum
| Course No. | Course Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| NUR 418 | Mastering Nursing Essentials: Dosage Calculations and Medical Terminology | 3 |
| NUR 419 | Critical Thinking and Clinical Judgment: Enhancing Decision-Making in Nursing Practice | 3 |
| Total Units | 6 | |
Nursing Core Courses (69 Units)
Nursing Phase, Upper Division Course Sequence
Required upper-division nursing coursework by semester
| Term | Course No. | Course Title | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 Semester 1 | |||
| NUR 420 | Essential Concepts for Professional Nursing | 3 | |
| NUR 421 | Nursing Fundamentals | 5 | |
| NUR 424 | Physical Assessment in Nursing Practice | 3 | |
| NUR 426 | Essential Pathophysiology | 3 | |
| Total Semester Credits/Hours | 14 | ||
| Year 1 Semester 2 | |||
| NUR 427 | Nursing Pharmacology | 3 | |
| NUR 428 | Medical Surgical Nursing I: Essentials | 5 | |
| NUR 430 | Nursing Care for the Aging Population | 3 | |
| NUR 432 | EBP: Informatics and Quality Improvement | 3 | |
| Total Semester Credits/Hours | 14 | ||
| Year 1 Semester 3 | |||
| NUR 435 | Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing | 3 | |
| NUR 436A | Essential Care of Mother and Infant | 3 | |
| NUR 436B | Essential Care of Children | 3 | |
| NUR 403 | Culture, Spirituality, & Health | 3 | |
| Total Semester Credits/Hours | 12 | ||
| Year 2 Semester 1 | |||
| NUR 450 | Medical Surgical II: Entry into Nursing Practice | 5 | |
| NUR 417 | Public, Community, & Global Health Nursing | 6 | |
| NUR 416 | Biomedical Statistics, Research, and Evidence-Based Practice | 4 | |
| Total Semester Credits/Hours | 15 | ||
| Year 2 Semester 2 | |||
| NUR 452 | Transformational Leadership in Nursing Practice | 5 | |
| NUR 460 | Clinical Decision Making for Safe Practice | 3 | |
| NUR 415 | Healthcare Policy and Aging | 3 | |
| NUR 409 | Legal/Ethical Decision Making in Nursing | 3 | |
| Total Semester Credits/Hours | 14 | ||
Questions? Contact Us.
