Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program

Undergraduate Nursing Curriculum

The curriculum designed for nursing majors at the University of San Francisco is based on a conceptual framework and reflects the philosophy that a professional nurse needs a liberal background for professional development and personal growth. The program prepares men and women for beginning positions in nursing, provides the means for personal and professional advancement, and qualifies them for progression into programs that offer advanced degrees.

The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the California State Board of Registered Nursing. Graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensing Examination (NCLEX) and are eligible for the California Public Health Certificate.

Nursing Courses

The courses in the nursing major extend over six of the eight semesters. These courses are arranged in a prescribed sequence and each block of courses must be taken concurrently and passed successfully with a "C" or better in order for the student to proceed to the next level of courses.

In addition to having a community-based focus, the nursing curriculum is integrated, progressing along a life span continuum. This approach to learning allows the student to progress through the nursing program along a path similar to that of the growth and development of individuals. Students must have successfully completed the non-nursing courses of anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and psychology before enrolling in N230, N240, and N250. N210 and N212 must be taken prior to or concurrently with these first semester sophomore courses. N211 must be taken prior to or concurrently with N231, N241, and N251 and the rhetoric and composition course(s) must be taken before the student can register for N330, N340, and N350. Life span must be taken and successfully completed prior to N331, N341, N351, and N352. Upon completion of those courses the students progress through the curriculum as outlined for the remainder of the sophomore, junior, and senior years.

The pre-licensure course work for the nursing curriculum is divided into theory and clinical courses. The theory courses (N230 or N232, N240, N231, N241, N330, N340, N331, N341, N423, N430, N461, and N481) are organized in life span sequence and present concepts, theories, and processes that are directly related to the clinical setting and the age of the clientele in those settings.

The clinical courses in the curriculum (N250 or N252, N251, N350, N351, N352, N450 or N452, and N451) are the synthesizing courses that provide an arena for the application of what was learned in the theory courses. Clinical courses also include time in the nursing Learning Resource Center (LRC) and the simulation center. Students are placed in hospitals, clinics, public health, and a variety of community agencies to practice what they have learned in the theory classes, the nursing LRC, and simulation lab.

The 128-unit program meets University Core Curriculum requirements as reflected in the following:

1. Core Curriculum Requirements (44 units):

Area A: Foundation Communications (8 units)

1. Public Speaking (4 units)
2. Advanced Writing/Composition (4 units)

Area B: Math and Sciences (8 units)

1. Statistical Reasoning (4 units)
2. Additional requirements met through nursing science requirements.

Area C: Humanities, Literature and History (8 units)

Area D: Mission: Philosophy, Theology and Ethics (12 units)

Area E: Social Sciences (4 units)

Area F: Fine and Performing Arts (4 units)

2. Nursing Pre-Licensure Requirements (68 units)

Lower-Division Units

• NURS - 210 Intro to Pathophysiology
• NURS - 211 Pharmacology
• NURS - 212 Nutrition in Promotion, Maintenance and Restoration of Health
• NURS - 230 Conceptual Foundations of Professional Practice
• NURS - 231 Nursing Therapeutics I
• NURS - 240 Assessment of Human Response I
• NURS - 241 Assessment of Human Responses II
• NURS - 251 Clinical Lab II

Upper-Division Units

• NURS - 330 Nursing Therapeutics II
• NURS - 331 Family Health I - Therapeutics/Principles and Methods
• NURS - 340 Principles & Methods of Practice I
• NURS - 341 Family Health II - Therapeutics/Principles and Methods
• NURS - 350 Clinical Lab III
• NURS - 351 Clinical Lab IV-A
• NURS - 352 Clinical Lab IV-B
• NURS - 323 Nursing Research
• NURS - 430 Nursing Therapeutics III
• NURS - 451 Clinical Lab VI
• NURS - 461 Leadership in Managed Care Systems
• NURS - 481 Senior Seminar

A nursing elective of 4 units is also required.

3. Required Support Courses (20 units)

Twelve Units of Sciences

• BIOL - 113 Human Anatomy
• BIOL - 114 Laboratory in Human Anatomy
• BIOL - 115 Survey of Human Physiology
• BIOL - 116 Laboratory in Survey of Human Physiology
• BIOL - 134 Microbiology
• BIOL - 135 Laboratory in Microbiology

Eight units of Psychology

• PSYC - 101 General Psychology
• PSYC - 210 Lifespan Development or HS 210

4. Additional Requirement (CA BRN)

The California Board of Registered Nursing requires that before nursing graduates are eligible to take the NCLEX, they must successfully complete courses (earn a "C" or better) in the basic sciences and communication as well as nursing. At USF, aside from the Nursing requirements and required support courses, students must successfully complete a course in group, verbal, and written communication. These courses include Public Speaking (COM 103), Advanced Written Communication (RC 120), and Introduction to Sociology (SOC 150). Many of these courses are met by the core curriculum requirements of the university.

Honors and Awards

Because of the uniqueness of the School of Nursing curriculum, clinical courses are not graded "A" through "F" as most courses are, but graded "S" (Satisfactory) Or "U" (Unsatisfactory). Typically, only courses graded "A" through "F" are counted towards a student's full-time status. However, clinical courses in nursing will be counted toward a nursing student's full-time status. In addition, both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to make the Dean's Honor Roll. A full-time undergraduate nursing student must be enrolled for twelve or more units per semester.