Nursing is the single largest health profession with over 2 million jobs. Texas, the nation, and the world are facing an unprecedented nursing shortage. It has been estimated that Texas needs to graduate and place an extra 5,000 nurses each year to meet the state's needs. As a result, new graduates and returning nurses have more practice opportunities within the hospital and specialty or advanced practice fields.

Nurses promote health, prevent disease, and help patients cope with illness. They have a unique scope of practice and can practice independently, although they also collaborate with all members of the healthcare team. Nurses serve as advocates for patients, families, and communities. They develop and manage nursing care plans and instruct patients and their families in proper care. There are many entry and exit points in nursing. The majority of nurses work in hospital settings, however growing numbers work in home health, long-term care, industry and business, legal, and consulting roles.  There are numerous specialty options-critical-care, emergency, hospice, labor and delivery staff, etc. 

Pre-Nursing is an academic designation at Texas Tech University; it is not a degree-granting major. As Pre-Nursing students prepare to apply to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs, they are typically not required to also complete a bachelors degree first. They do, however, have the option to major in any area they choose as long as they take the prerequisite courses required to enter a BSN program along with the courses necessary to complete their selected degree at Texas Tech University. While many students will remain in the Pre-Nursing designation, students may take the required courses and apply for admission to a nursing school regardless of major or designation.

Whether a Pre-Nursing student chooses a degree-granting major at Texas Tech or remains in the designation, they will always have a PPHC Advisor on their team. If you have any questions whatsoever about being Pre-Nursing, contact your assigned PPHC Advisor today!

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) requires the following courses:

Minimum requirements to be considered for admission to the TTUHSC Traditional BSN are as follows:

• Must be enrolled at the time of submitting the nursing application
• A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 is preferred.
• A minimum prerequisite science GPA of 3.00 is preferred. 
• All prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher.
• At time of application submission, applicants must have completed:
  • At least four of the five prerequisite sciences must be completed prior to application submission.
  • At least 14 of the 19 non-nursing prerequisite courses must be completed prior to application submission (at TTU, this typically results in 45 of the 60 prerequisite credit hours).
  • ZOOL 3303 Pathophysiology must be completed prior to application.
• Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) certification: Students must provide proof of completion of a CNA course prior to the first day of class. Preference may be given to applicants certified at the time of application submission, especially those with patient care experience. Please note, the TTUHSC School of Nursing may provide case-by-case reviews for applicants with other credentials and/or healthcare experience.
  
  

For more information, please visit the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing.

PPHC Advisors have created a year-by-year PDF guide to being Pre-Nursing.

TEAS: As of the Summer 2020 application cycle, the TTUHSC School of Nursing Traditional BSN program no longer required completion of the TEAS. If other schools of nursing in which you are interested require the TEAS, featured products and preparation guides can be found at the Assessment Technology Institute (ATI) web store.

HESI: Some schools of nursing may require/accept the HESI. More information can be found here.

Exam Prep

Certified Nurse Aide (CNA): Effective Fall 2021 and beyond, the TTUHSC School of Nursing Traditional BSN program requires applicants to provide proof of completion of a CNA course prior to the first day of class. Preference may be given to applicants certified at the time of application submission, especially those with patient care experience. Please note, the TTUHSC School of Nursing may provide case-by-case reviews for applicants with other credentials and/or healthcare experience.

For a list of approved CNA training providers in your area, click here.

To learn more about professional degree programs in nursing both in Texas and elsewhere, please visit the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) directory here. 

Please note: It is the responsibility of the student to ensure they are following the most recent admissions requirements for the nursing programs to which they may, including entrance exams (TEAS v. HESI A2), prerequisite courses, shadowing and volunteering requirements (including documentation as necessary), or any other requirements admissions boards may consider for application.