Nursing BS

The bachelor of science degree awarded to graduates of the program is recognized by professional nursing organizations as the degree for entry into professional practice. UMass Boston nursing graduates are prepared to work with individuals, families, and groups in homes and neighborhoods, as well as in a wide variety of community and hospital settings to foster, maintain, and restore health. They are also prepared for further study at the graduate level. Graduates of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences are prepared to take the national examination for state licensure (NCLEX) as a Registered Professional Nurse (RN).

The Program & BS Curriculum | Admission Information | Transfer Credit/Graduation Policies | General Education Requirements| Nursing Curriculum (Non-RN) | Costs

Fact Sheet: The Bachelor of Science Program in Nursing

Current as of 02.28.07

Through its Bachelor of Science Program in Nursing, UMass Boston’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences offers qualified men and women an education firmly based in the liberal arts and the social and biological sciences and culminating in an intensive study of the principles and practice of nursing.  The program is designed to accommodate the needs of both students new to college and students with second degrees.

At the college, students study with faculty members distinguished for their achievements as educators, scholars, and practitioners – dedicated men and women involved in the continuous development of their students’ professional and intellectual interests as well as their own.  Many are conducting research in areas as diverse as critical care, gerontology, health policy planning, parenting, patterns of drug use, and the role of computers in nursing education.

The Bachelor of Science degree awarded to graduates of the program is recognized by professional nursing organizations as the degree for entry into professional practice.  UMass Boston nursing graduates are prepared to work with individuals, families, and groups in homes and neighborhoods, as well as in a wide variety of hospital settings, to foster, maintain, and restore good health.  They are also prepared for further study at the graduate level.  UMass Boston nursing graduates have become versatile and responsible members of the health care community.  They continue to make exceptional contributions to the nursing profession, and the college is justifiably proud of their accomplishments.

The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and approved by the Massachusetts State Board of Registration in Nursing.

The college provides undergraduates with a challenging and carefully organized course of study addressing both the theoretical and the clinical aspects of nursing.  Students at all levels of the program are involved in health care and the prevention of illness.  The program offers clinical experiences at some of the Boston area’s finest health care institutions such as Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Children’s Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and McLean Hospital, among others.

Full-time students can complete the program in four academic years, a total of eight semesters. The sequence of clinical nursing courses requires a minimum of two and a half years of full-time study.  An accelerated program for second degree students is in the planning stages.  This program can be completed with fifteen (15) months of intense, full-time study.

Please Note: The nursing program is very time intensive due to clinical and class assignments.  Students are strongly advised to limit employment to fewer than 20 hours per week and plan three (3) hours of study for every one (1) hour of class and preparation.   

Nursing Prelicensure Curriculum

The college maintains a selective admission policy.  Successful applicants will have submitted transcripts from all schools attended, indicating a strong academic background in natural and social sciences.  SAT or ACT scores must be submitted by students seeking admission as a freshman, unless these students have been out of high school for three or more years. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires all nursing students to complete the health requirements and criminal background checks (CORI) prior to entering clinical courses.  Please see specific information on the UMass Boston (www.umb.edu) and College of Nursing and Health Sciences (www.cnhs.umb.edu) websites.

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PRE-LICENSURE APPLICANTS (Generic Students):

Applicants for admission are considered for fall and spring matriculation.  Applicants must apply by November 1st for spring matriculation and February 1st for fall matriculation through UMass Boston’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions (617) 287-6100.

RN Applicants:

The College of Nursing and Health Sciences offers an online RN to BS program with limited on campus requirements. The program can be completed in fewer than two calendar years. For additional information about the online RN to BS program go to http://www.ccde.umb.edu/certificates/rn_bs/index.html For answers to questions about the curriculum and online education content contact the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at 617-287-7500.  RNs must apply by November 15 for spring, April 15 for summer and July 1 for fall.

InterCollege Transfer and Second Degree Applicants:

UMass Boston students and alumni are considered for admission for the fall and spring semesters.  Applicants must apply by November 1st for spring matriculation and February 1st for fall matriculation through the Office of Student Affairs, College of Nursing and Health Sciences.  Please see the UMass Boston website for admission criteria. Forms and information can be obtained through the Student Service Center (One Stop) Campus Center, Upper Level.

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• Transfer students may be awarded a maximum of 93 transfer credits for courses taken at other institutions if the College finds them equivalent to UMass Boston courses and if they have been completed with a grade of “C” or better, except in science and nursing courses which must have a grade of “C+” or better.  Effective June 1, 2005 only 70 credits may be transferred from an associate degree granting college. 

• Transfer credit for natural science courses is awarded in courses completed within ten years of matriculation at UMass Boston.

• All students must complete 123 credits to graduate, 30 of which must be taken in residence at UMass Boston, even if this is a second UMass degree.

Please Note

Satisfactory completion of admission criteria does not guarantee admission or immediate matriculation into the clinical nursing courses in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Entry into each clinical nursing course is contingent upon satisfactory completion of current academic and clinical clearance requirements (specific current immunizations, health tests and physical exam), CPR, health insurance, a satisfactory CORI check and space availability. This applies to freshman, transfer, and inter-college/second degree transfer applicants.

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All nursing students must complete the following distribution courses to meet the University’s General Education Requirement: 

• four courses in natural sciences/mathematics;
• two courses in arts and/or humanities;
• two courses in world languages and/or world cultures; and
• two courses in social and behavioral sciences (includes Lifespan Growth & Development).

Please note: To choose your electives in Arts/Humanities and WorldLanguage/World Culture, please visit the Advising Center Webpage at Advising Home Page, click on the 4th link on the left hand column entitled "Distribution Courses."  This will open up a new webpage which will list courses coded as AR, HU, WL and WC. Those approved courses will meet the CNHS elective requirements.

Students must also complete:

• one year of freshman composition (Eng 101 and 102), 
• the Intermediate Seminar NU 212, and
• a statistics course.

Students matriculating with fewer than 30 credits will be required to complete, in addition to the above, a First Year Seminar.  To meet this requirement, nursing students are encouraged to take NU G107 (Understanding HIV Disease).  Any other First Year Seminar, however, may also be taken to meet the requirement.  A complete list of these courses can be found in the General Education section of the University Catalog.

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Information Sessions

For more information please come to a Nursing INFORMATION SESSION.Contact the Office of Enrollment Marketing & Information Services at (617) 287-6000 Campus Center, 4th Floor, Room 4100 for more information

Freshman Year

1st semester:

• ENGL 101 Freshman English I, 3 credits
• NURSNG G 107* First Year Seminar, 4 credits
• EHS 150** Introduction to Nutrition, 3 credits
• BIOL 207 Anatomy & Physiology I, 4 credits
• Elective*** 3 credits

2nd Semester:

• ENGL 102 Frehman English II, 3 credits
• CHEM 130 Physiological Chemistry, 4 credits
• SOCIOL 101 Intro. to Sociology, 3 credits
• BIOL 208 Anatomy & Physiology II, 4 credits
• Art/Humanities Elective, 3 credits

Sophomore Year

3rd Semester:

• BIOL 209 Medical Microbiology, 4 credits
• NU 230 Lifespan Growth and Development, 3 credits
• NU 212 Health Promotion & Teaching (Interm. Sem), 3 credits
• World Language/World Culture Elective, 3 credits
• MATH 125 Statistics, 3 credits

          (other statistics options are EHS 280 , PSYCH

           270, MSIS 111, SOCIOL 350, ECON 205)

4th Semester:

• NU 201 Pathophysiology, 3 credits
• NU 220 Health Assessment, 4 credits
• NU 226 Introduction to Nursing Practice, 6 credits
• World Language/World Culture Elective, 3 credits

Writing Proficiency Exam is a Pre-requisite for NURSING 310

Junior Year

5th Semester:

• NU 310 Adult Health I, 9 credits
• NU 314 Pharmacology, 3 credits
• NU 320, Nursing Research, 3 credits

6th Semester:

• NU 335 Maternity & Women’s Health Nursing, 6 credits
• NU 345 Mental Health Nursing, 6 credits
• NU 332 Legal, Ethical & Health Policy Issues, 3 credits

Senior Year

7th Semester:

• NU 430 Nursing in the community, 6 credits
• NU 435 Nursing Care of Children, 6 credits
• Art/Humanities Elective, 3 credits

8th Semester:

• NU 440 Nursing Leadership and Management, 2 credits
• NU 450 Prep Professional Licensure & Practice, 1 credit
• NU 455  Nursing Synthesis and Capstone, 9 credits

* Students are encouraged to take NU G 107, but may take any other G 100 level course.

** EHS 150 or equivalent nutrition course

*** Please Note: BIOL 111 General Biology is a prerequisite for BIOL 207, 208 & 209.

**** Upon entry all students must take the Math & English Placement exams. CHEM 130 requires

strong math skills. Many statistics courses require Math 114, College Algebra or placement into statistics.  Please check catalog for specific requirements.

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The costs of attending UMass Boston are moderate, especially for students who qualify as residents of Massachusetts. For current information about tuition and fees, write or call Enrollment Information Services, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA 02125-3393,

(617) 287-6000.

The University offers an extensive financial aid program of grants, targeted nursing student scholarships, loans, and job opportunities. Prospective students are encouraged to apply for financial assistance when applying for admission. For further information, call or write UMass Boston’s Office of Financial Aid Services, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA 02125-3393,

(617) 287-6300.

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Location

UMass Boston’s Harbor Campus, the home of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, is three miles south of downtown Boston, adjacent to the JFK Library on a peninsula in Dorchester Bay, and easy to reach by public or private transportation. A free shuttle bus takes passengers to the Harbor Campus from the JFK/UMass Station on the Red Line. Those traveling by car take the Southeast Expressway to Exit 14 (coming from the south) or 15 (coming from the north or west). Indoor and outdoor space is available for parking. Directions

Information Specific to Clinically Bound Students in 300 and 400 Level Courses

• Training Module- HIPAA
• Post Test- HIPAA
• Training Module- OSHA/Blood Borne Pathogens and Standard Precautions
• Post Test- OSHA/Blood Borne Pathogens and Standard Precautions
• Medspub
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