Pre-Nursing
The Profession
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 states 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.
Being Pre-Nursing
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!
Prerequisite Courses
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) requires the following courses:
COURSE NAME | Texas Tech University | Texas Common Course Numbering System |
---|---|---|
ENGLISH I | ENGL 1301 | ENGL 1301 |
ENGLISH II | ENGL 1302 | ENGL 1302 |
STATISTICAL METHODS | MATH 2300 | MATH 1342, 1442, 2342, or 2442 |
CHEMISTRY I and LAB | CHEM 1305/1105 or 1307/1107 | CHEM 1405, 1105, 1305 or CHEM 1411, 1111 |
HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I and LAB | ZOOL 2403 | BIOL 2401, 2101, 2301 |
HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II and LAB | ZOOL 2404 | BIOL 2402, 2102, 2302 |
MICROBIOLOGY | MBIO 3400 | |
SCIENCE OF NUTRITION | NS 1325* or 1410 | BIOL 1322, 1323; HECO 1322 |
GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY | PSY 1300 | PSYC 2301 |
LIFE SPAN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT | HDFS 2303 or PSY 4301* | PSYC 2311, 2314 |
US HISTORY TO 1877 | HIST 2300 | HIST 1301 |
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 | HIST 2301 | HIST 1302 |
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT, ORGANIZATION | POLS 1301 | GOVT 2305 |
AMERICAN PUBLIC POLICY | POLS 2306 | GOVT 2306 |
LANGUAGE, PHILOSOPHY, and CULTURE (3 hrs) | Must be an approved course | |
CREATIVE ARTS (3 hrs) | ||
INTRO TO NURSING AS A PROFESSION | HUSC 3221 | |
COMMUNICATION IN NURSING | COMS 2320 | |
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY | ZOOL 3303 | |
|
Other Requirements
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.
Success Roadmap
PPHC Advisors have created a year-by-year PDF guide to being Pre-Nursing.
Exam & CNA Information
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.
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.
Nursing Schools
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.
Pre-Professional Health Careers
-
Address
147 Drane Hall, Box 41038, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-1038 -
Phone
806.742.2189 -
Email
pphc@ttu.edu