Pre-Nursing
Start your journey to becoming a healthcare professional.
Take Prerequisites Courses.
University of Nebraska Lincoln offers the classes you need to apply for a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing program at your desired school.
Get Experience.
Some schools, like UNMC, require you to obtain your CNA prior to admission. Talk to an advisor for a list of places to get your CNA license in Nebraska.
Talk to an Advisor Each Semester.
There’s a lot of coordination and planning that needs to happen to make sure you do everything you need before applying to nursing school. The Explore Center’s advisors are here to help you navigate this journey. Meet with an advisor today to get a personalized 2-year pre-nursing plan!
Pre-Nursing Roadmap at UNL
Nursing School Prerequisites
There are only a few BSN programs in Nebraska that require coursework to be completed prior to acceptance. For all other BSN programs, requirements can be completed within the BSN program.
Typical Nursing School Requirements
Microbiology – 1 semester
Human Anatomy - 1 semester
Physiology with lab - 1 semester
General Chemistry – 1 semester
Ethics - 1 semester
Human Growth & Development - 1 semester
Math – 1 semester
Nutrition – 1 semester
Social and Behavioral Sciences – 2 courses
English – 2 courses
Statistics – 1 semester
Electives – 4 courses
What to Take at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Some classes require prerequisites. Meet with an advisor for help planning your courses to ensure you're on track to finish your prerequisites in 2-years.
Microbiology – BIOS 111 or 312/314*
Human Anatomy – BIOS 214
Physiology with lab – BIOS 213/213L
Ethics - PHIL 106 or 213
General Chemistry – CHEM 105A/L or 109A/L*
Human Growth & Development – CYAF 160 or PSYC 289*
Math – MATH 101 or higher (MATH 203 does not count)
Nutrition – NUTR 250
Social and Behavioral Sciences – SOCI 101 and PSYC 181
English – ENGL 150, 151, 254, or 354
Statistics – STAT 218 or EDPS 459
Electives – See list below.
Elective Course Options
Humanities elective – 1 course: AHIS 101, 102; ANTH 130; CERM 131; CLAS 180; COMM 101, 209, 286; DANC 159; DRAW 101, 201; ENGL All courses accepted except ESL or composition; HIST 113, 130, 131, 209, 210, 211; MUNM 171, 201, 276G, 280, 287, 387; PHIL 101, 110, 116, 211; PHOT 161; RELG 108, 150; THEA 112G, 114; TMFD 121
Culture, Race, Ethnicity, Gender elective – 1 course: ANTH 110, 130, 212; COMM 311; ECON 375; ENGL 212, 215, 244, 245; ETHN 100, 150, 171, 200, 201, 203, 206; GEOG 140; GERO 200, 469; HIST 120, 121, 150, 171, 181; JOMC 222; MUNM 280; NUTR 253; PHIL 218; 134W; POLS 160, 238; PSYC 330; SOCI 200, 217, 218; WMNS 101, 204; Language Departments (ARAB, CHIN, FREN, GERM, GREK, JAPN, LATN, RUSS, SPAN, SLPA)
Family & Human Behavior elective – 1 course: ALEC 102, 202; COMM 210; CYAF 222, 280, 285; GERO 200, 307; POLS 261; PSYC 263, 273, 288, 365, 368, 387, 380; SOCI 226, 353; TMFD 123
Political Science & Social Organization elective – 1 course: AECN 141; SCIL 101; COMM 220; CRIM 101; ECON 200, 210, 211, 212; GEOG 120; HIST 105, 110, 111, 112, 114, 120, 121; POLS 100, 104, 105, 108, 160, 221, 225; SOCI 180, 209, 252; SPED 201
Suggested Sequencing
Semester 1 | Semester 2 |
Summer Session | |
Semester 3 | Semester 4 |
*Recommended science sequencing; all other courses can be taken during any semester and in any order.
The above course recommendations fulfill the requirements for UNMC’s BSN program. The above courses may also be required or transfer to other nursing programs. Students who are considering nursing schools other than UNMC or outside of Nebraska are encouraged to contact those schools for a list of entrance requirements. Meet with an advisor for more help.
Other Notes:
- GPA: Courses lower than a C will not be accepted by UNMC’s nursing program.
- AP/IB Credit: Up to 12 hours of P/NP, AP, IB, and CLEP can be accepted by UNMC, however, this credit will not be accepted by UNMC in the following areas: Anatomy, Physiology, Chemistry, Nutrition, Statistics, Microbiology, and Math.
- *Courses with an asterisk have pre-requisites. Talk to an advisor for more information.
Application and Admission Tips for Nursing School
Students may have 4-5 prerequisite classes left at the time of application to UNMC. Applying is a competitive process, and therefore students are encouraged to consider other schools in addition to UNMC.
Students applying to UNMC must submit their complete application by February 1st for entry the following fall semester. UNMC uses a centralized application service called NursingCAS. It is beneficial for nursing school applicants to have submitted this application to NursingCAS by the end of December to ensure that UNMC will receive the application and all application materials by February 1st.
Applications to other nursing schools may either be submitted directly to the school or through NursingCAS.
Nebraska BSN Programs:
Bryan College of Health Sciences
Clarkson College
College of St. Mary
Creighton College of Nursing*
Midland University
Nebraska Methodist College*
Nebraska Wesleyan University
Union College
University of Nebraska Medical Center*
University of Nebraska Medical Center*
University of Nebraska Medical Center*
University of Nebraska Medical Center*
University of Nebraska Medical Center*
*Schools with accelerated nursing programs.
Location:
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Lincoln
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Lincoln
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Omaha
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