Plan your path through UL Lafayette's BSN: what you need before NURS 104, how to apply for NURS 208, and how to progress to junior nursing courses.
Nursing courses must be taken in numerical order, since each one is a prerequisite for the next. These three checkpoints keep you on track, and your advisors in Nursing Student Services can help you plan for each one.
Before NURS 104
NURS 104 is your first nursing course. Before you enroll, meet with the Assistant Dean of Student Services and meet one of these minimum test score requirements:
- English ACT of 18 or higher and Math ACT of 21 or higher, or
- English SAT of 450 or higher and Math SAT of 500 or higher
Take ENGL 101 and MATH 105 before or at the same time as NURS 104. If your Math ACT score places you in MATH 103 or 104, you must complete that course before taking NURS 104.
Applying to NURS 208
NURS 208 is your first clinical nursing course, taken in your sophomore year. Seats are limited, so you'll apply. To be considered, you need:
- At least 42 semester hours from the freshman and sophomore years of the curriculum, including all science courses except BIOL 261, with a "C" or better in each course
- An overall GPA of 2.600 or higher
- Any required remedial courses completed with a "C" or better
- Your application received by Nursing Student Services by April 1 for the fall semester or November 1 for the spring semester
- Clearance from the Louisiana State Board of Nursing to enroll in a clinical nursing course
- Clearance of a Level I or Level II background investigation, including a Louisiana State Police and FBI check
Take BIOL 261 before or alongside NURS 208. Transfer, change-of-major, and re-entry students must be enrolled at UL Lafayette during the semester they apply.
Meeting the minimum isn't a guarantee. When enrollment is limited, students are selected by overall GPA, and a substantially higher GPA than the minimum may be needed to be competitive.
Progressing to Junior Nursing Courses
To begin junior-level nursing courses, you must:
- Complete all courses in the freshman and sophomore years of the curriculum, except your history, literature, and fine arts electives
- Earn a "C" or better in each prescribed course
Wellness Wednesday
In NURS 340, Community and Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing, you'll help run Wellness Wednesday, our free weekly health screening clinic for UL Lafayette students, faculty, and staff.
Learn more about Wellness Wednesday
Staying on Track
Throughout the program, you'll need a "C" or better in each prescribed course and a "Satisfactory" in each nursing lab or clinical component. Course repeats are limited, and the school's grading scale and other academic policies apply to every nursing student.
Find your full course sequence on Curriculum & Catalogs, and meet with your advisor every semester.