The Associate of Applied Science degree in Nursing prepares the graduate to care for patients as a registered nurse (RN) in four major nursing roles:
- Member of the Profession
- Provider of Patient-Centered Care
- Patient Safety Advocate
- Member of the Health Care Team
The program is approved by the Texas Board of Nursing (BON) and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). These organizations can be contacted at:
Texas Board of Nursing
333 Guadalupe #3-460
Austin, TX 78701
1-512-305-7400
www.bon.texas.gov
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3343 Peachtree Road, NE, Suite 850
Atlanta, GA 30326
404-975-5000
There are two tracks in the AAS Nursing program. The pre-licensure track is a four semester plan of study designed for unlicensed applicants. New pre-licensure students are admitted in the fall and spring semesters.
The LVN-RN transition track is a three semester plan of study designed for Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs). New transition students are admitted in the summer.
Both tracks include general education and nursing courses. The degree plan consists of 24 credit hours of non-nursing courses in the humanities and psychobiological sciences and 36 credit hours in nursing science. Program graduates are eligible to apply to the Texas BON to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).
Admission to the college does not guarantee admission to the AAS Nursing program. Students must apply for admission to the AAS Nursing program once all prerequisite courses and admission criteria are met. For admission and program information, contact the Nursing Department staff at 409-933-8425.
Associate of Applied Science - Nursing
Graduation Requirements
To be eligible for an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing, students must have
- successfully completed (with a grade of “C” or better in each course) the prescribed course of study (Pre-Licensure Track or LVN-RN Transition Track) and have an overall grade point average of 2.0 or better;
- have spent a minimum of two academic years in college;
- met any individually prescribed behavior or remediation related requirements.
Effective September 1, 2017, HB 1508 amends the Texas Occupations Code Section 53 that requires education providers to notify potential or enrolled students that a criminal history may make them ineligible for an occupational license upon program completion. The following website provides links to information about the licensing process and requirements: https://www.bon.texas.gov/licensure_eligibility.asp.
Should you wish to request a review of the impact of criminal history on your potential Registered Nurse License prior to or during your quest for a degree, you can visit this link and request a “Criminal History Evaluation”: https://www.bon.texas.gov/licensure_endorsement.asp.
This information is being provided to all persons who apply or enroll in the program, with notice of the requirements as described above, regardless of whether or not the person has been convicted of a criminal offense. Additionally, HB 1508 authorizes licensing agencies to require reimbursements when a student fails to receive the required notice.
The Nursing Careers Department provides two tracks in which students may become a Registered Nurse:
- Associate of Applied Science - Nursing - Pre-Licensure Track (Full-Time)
-
Associate of Applied Science - LVN-RN Transition Track (Full-time)
Associate of Applied Science - Nursing Pre-Licensure Track
Required Full-Time Student Schedule
| Prerequisite Courses | Semester Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 1301 | Composition I | 3 |
| BIOL 2401 | Anatomy & Physiology I | 4 |
| BIOL 2402 | Anatomy & Physiology II | 4 |
| BIOL 2420 | Microbiology for Non-Science Majors | 4 |
| PSYC 2301 | General Psychology | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 18 | |
| Semester #1 | ||
| PSYC 2314 | Lifespan Growth & Development | 3 |
| RNSG 1413 | Foundations for Nursing Practice | 4 |
| RNSG 1331 | Principles of Clinical Decision-Making | 3 |
| RNSG 1260 | Foundations of Nursing Clinical | 2 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Semester #2 | ||
| RNSG 1341 | Common Concepts of Adult Health | 3 |
| RNSG 1261 | Common Concepts of Adult Health Clinical | 2 |
| RNSG 2213 | Mental Health Nursing | 2 |
| RNSG 2161 | Mental Health Nursing Clinical | 1 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 8 | |
| Semester #3 | ||
| RNSG 1412 | Nursing Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family | 4 |
| RNSG 2261 | Nursing Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family Clinical | 2 |
| RNSG 1343 | Complex Concepts of Adult Health | 3 |
| RNSG 1162 | Complex Concepts of Adult Health Clinical | 1 |
| Select from one of the following: | 3 | |
| Art Appreciation | ||
| Music Appreciation | ||
| Introduction to Ethics | ||
| Semester Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Semester #4 | ||
| RNSG 2332 | Enhanced Concepts of Adult Health | 3 |
| RNSG 2262 | Enhanced Concepts of Adult Health Clinical | 2 |
| RNSG 2230 | Professional Nursing Review and Licensure Preparation | 2 |
| RNSG 2263 | Capstone Clinical | 2 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 60 | |
Associate of Applied Science - LVN-RN Transition Track
Full-Time Student Schedule
| Prerequisite Courses | Semester Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 1301 | Composition I | 3 |
| BIOL 2401 | Anatomy & Physiology I | 4 |
| BIOL 2402 | Anatomy & Physiology II | 4 |
| BIOL 2420 | Microbiology for Non-Science Majors | 4 |
| PSYC 2301 | General Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 2314 | Lifespan Growth & Development | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 21 | |
| Transition Track Curriculum Schedule | ||
| Upon successful completion of RNSG 1327 and RNSG 1263 (achieving a grade of "C" or better), students will be awarded advanced standing in lieu of the following courses: | ||
| Foundations of Nursing Clinical | ||
| Principles of Clinical Decision-Making | ||
| Foundations for Nursing Practice | ||
| Common Concepts of Adult Health Clinical | ||
| Common Concepts of Adult Health | ||
| Semester Credit Hours | 0 | |
| Semester #1 | ||
| RNSG 1327 | Transition to Professional Nursing | 3 |
| RNSG 1263 | Transition to Professional Nursing Clinical | 2 |
| RNSG 2213 | Mental Health Nursing | 2 |
| RNSG 2161 | Mental Health Nursing Clinical | 1 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 8 | |
| Semester #2 | ||
| RNSG 1412 | Nursing Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family | 4 |
| RNSG 2261 | Nursing Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family Clinical | 2 |
| RNSG 1343 | Complex Concepts of Adult Health | 3 |
| RNSG 1162 | Complex Concepts of Adult Health Clinical | 1 |
| Select from one of the following: | 3 | |
| Art Appreciation | ||
| Music Appreciation | ||
| Introduction to Ethics | ||
| Semester Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Semester #3 | ||
| RNSG 2332 | Enhanced Concepts of Adult Health | 3 |
| RNSG 2262 | Enhanced Concepts of Adult Health Clinical | 2 |
| RNSG 2230 | Professional Nursing Review and Licensure Preparation | 2 |
| RNSG 2263 | Capstone Clinical | 2 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 51 | |