Pre-Nursing
Transfer to a BSN program.
About
The role of the nurse is more important than ever, as communities are currently in an era of provider shortages. In fact, nurses make up the largest health care profession in the United States. They work in a variety of settings, which includes clinics, hospitals, long term care facilities, and community settings.
TCC offers courses that cover the first two years of a typical four-year college nursing program (college-level courses). This Pre-Nursing transfer degree is intended for students who want to take science and general education classes at Tacoma Community College to prepare to transfer to a four year school to begin their nursing classes and earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
Students completing this track are not eligible to take National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for Registered Nursing until they complete their BSN program. Students wishing to become a registered nurse directly after completing their associate degree should talk with an advisor about an Associate of Arts in Nursing (DTA/MRP).
Pre-Nursing Degree
If a 4-year nursing degree is your goal, TCC offers a pre-nursing college transfer program. A graduate who has completed the Associate of Arts in Pre-Nursing Degree may articulate into a bachelor's degree program at a 4-year institution.
Associate of Arts in Pre-Nursing Degree
Preparation
While in high school, students should pursue all available courses in Mathematics, Chemistry, and Biology.
Degree Requirements
- 90 quarter credit hours in courses numbered 100 or above.
- At least 30 applicable credits must be earned at Tacoma Community College.
- A cumulative grade point average of 2.00 in all coursework applied to the degree and a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 in all TCC college level courses.
| Core Requirements (15 Credits) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Number | Title | Credits |
| A | Written Communication Skills (10 Credits) | |
| ENGL& 101 | English Composition | 5 |
| and | and | |
| ENGL& 102 | Composition II: Argument and Persuasion | 5 |
| or | or | |
| ENGL 103 | Composition III: Writing about Literature | 5 |
| Quantitative Skills (5 Credits) | ||
| MATH& 146 | Introduction to Statistics | 5 |
| Distribution Requirements and Electives (75 Credits) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Number | Title | Credits |
| A | Humanities (15 Credits) | |
| CMST& 220 | Public Speaking | 5 |
| Electives | Select two additional courses from the approved Humanities distribution course list.* | 10 |
| Social Science (15 Credits) | ||
| PSYC& 100 | General Psychology | 5 |
| PSYC& 200 | Lifespan Psychology (M) | 5 |
| Elective | Select 5 credits of Sociology (SOC) courses from the Social Sciences section of the
Approved Distribution Course List.
|
5 |
| Natural Sciences (35 Credits) | ||
| BIOL& 160 | Fundamentals of Cell Biology | 5 |
| BIOL& 260 | General Microbiology | 5 |
| BIOL& 241 & 242 | Human Anatomy & Physiology | 10 |
| CHEM& 121 | Introduction to Inorganic Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM& 131 | Introduction to Organic Chemistry | 5 |
| NUTR& 101 | Human Nutrition | 5 |
| Additional Requirements (10 Credits) | ||
| PE 100 | Total Fitness | 2 |
| Elective | PE Activity | 1 |
|
Distribution Electives |
Select from courses listed under the Communication, Quantitative/Symbolic Reasoning,
Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, or General Distribution Courses sections of the Approved Distribution
Course List.
|
2 |
| Electives | Select courses numbered 100 or above that are not PE activity courses
|
5 |
| Total Credits | 90 | |
This path is designed to prepare students who are planning to transfer at the junior level to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program (BSN) at a 4-year college or university. Students completing the Associate of Arts in Pre-Nursing degree, and who have met the GPA requirement for the BSN program to which they are applying, will have met the prerequisites necessary to apply to most upper-division nursing programs in Washington State.
Program Planning
Students should meet with an advisor as soon as they are admitted to Tacoma Community
College. Many courses have prerequisites that are offered only once or twice a year,
and/or are sequential. Careful selection of classes each quarter is necessary to complete
the program without delay.
Certain schools may have additional university specific requirements for admission to the institution. For example, some universities require 2 years of high school or 2 or 3 quarters of college foreign language, additional college level math, practical experience in a healthcare setting, or specific additional courses. It is important to consult catalogs, websites, and advisors at the 4-year institutions you are considering attending early in the process.
| Sample Schedule | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Winter | Spring |
| ENGL& 101 (5) Humanities (5)* CHEM& 121 (5) PE 100 (2) |
ENGL& 102 (5) or 103 (5)** PSYC& 100 (5) CHEM& 131 (5) PE Activity (1) |
MATH& 146 (5) PSYC& 200 (5) (M) BIOL& 160 (5) |
| Fall | Winter | Spring |
| Humanities (5)* NUTR& 101 (5) BIOL& 241 (5) |
Sociology Elective (5) CMST& 220 (5) BIOL& 242 (5) |
BIOL& 260 (5)
|
*At least one course (5 credits) of Humanities distribution courses must be from a
discipline other than Communication Studies (CMST). Humanities distribution may include
a maximum of five credits in world language at the 100 level, no more than five credits
of performance skills classes are allowed. Recommend that students meet with an advisor
at the individual Universities to identify Humanity courses that best support their
requirements.
**Certain schools require a second English course be a research and writing class
(English 102).
M = Multicultural course
Humanities courses must be chosen from the Humanities distribution list. PE activity
credits cannot be used as electives.
Some students may need to take additional prerequisite courses.
Admittance to BSN programs are highly competitive and completion of the pre-nursing
associate degree does not guarantee admission. Application deadlines vary; check with
the college to which you are applying for specific dates.
Participating 4-year universities include: UW Seattle, WSU, Northwest U, Seattle U,
SPU, PLU, Walla Walla University, and the WSU Intercollegiate College of Nursing (WSU-ICN).
Research careers for this area of study.
Questions?
Attend a Health Careers Info Session.