(RN) Registered Nurse Classes and Curriculum
RN Classes
Depending on which route you take to achieve your RN degree, you will have different prerequisites and RN classes. Some may be completed online or in the classroom. Some may be done at a junior college or a university. We will go over the basic RN classes that are required in most schools.
To be accepted into the ADN program, you must have an overall GPA of 2.5 for the core sciences; Human Anatomy, Human Physiology and Microbiology. These courses must be completed with a grade no less than a “C”. If you do not achieve this grade, you may repeat the course only one time within five years. Remember, a 2.5 GPA is minimum, but not competitive. Another prerequisite is three semester credits of a college level, transferable English with a minimum grade of a “C”. You must have a cumulative GPA from all college course work of 2.5. You must be in good standing student status. An approved assessment readiness test must be taken and passed for admission. You must meet the minimum physical and mental qualifications to perform essential nursing functions. A high school education is a must and you must pass a background check.
Once you have completed your prerequisites and have been accepted in the ADN program, the work begins. Below is a sample schedule from a junior college of RN courses that you can expect to see.
Semester 1
Human Anatomy and Physiology & Lab
Intermediate College Algebra
Fundamentals of Nursing & Lab
Health Assessment
Introduction to Pharmacology
Semester 2
English Composition I
Human Anatomy and Physiology & Lab
Adult Nursing
Maternal and Child Nursing
Semester 3
General Psychology
General Microbiology & Lab
Nursing Through the Lifespan I & Clinical
Semester 4
Public Speaking
Human Growth and Development
Nursing Through the Lifespan II & Clinical
Semester 5
Humanities Elective
Nursing Through the Lifespan III & Clinical
Transition into Nursing Practice & Clinical
Admittance into the Bachelor of Science in nursing program is much like the ADN in that you must achieve a minimum GPA of 2.5 on all attempted college work. Of course, just like the ADN, preference will be given to those with higher GPAs. A 2.5 GPA isn’t competitive. Applicants must also have completed at least three of the following courses; Principles of Biology with lab, Fundamentals of Chemistry I with lab, Microbiology with lab, Anatomy and Physiology I with lab and Anatomy and Physiology II with lab. All of these courses must
have been completed within the past five years. You must also have completed all of the pre-nursing prerequisites prior to admission. If you were to attend an university to achieve your BSN, your course schedule for those four years might look something like this.
Freshman Fall Semester
English Comp 1
Social Science
Pre-cal Algebra
Principles of Biology & lab
Ethics for health or Intro to Ethics
Freshman Spring Semester
English Composition II
Social Science II
Fundamentals of Chemistry and lab
Core History I
Human Growth and Development
Sophomore Fall Semester
Core Literature I
Human Anatomy and Physiology and lab
Core History II
Statistics
Core Fine Arts
Sophomore Spring Semester
Core Literature II
Human Anatomy and Physiology II and lab
Nutrition and Health
Microbiology and lab
Junior Fall Semester
Theoretical Concepts
EBS, Assessment and Health
Concepts and EBS for nursing
Nurse Pathophysiology
Junior Spring Semester
Clinical Pharmacology
Evidence based practice
Acute care across life span
Acute care across life span clinical
Summer Semester
Child and family health
Child and family health clinical
Professional nursing across populations
Professional nursing across populations clinical
Nursing elective
Senior Fall Semester
Chronic condition life span and clinical
Professional nursing leadership in Microsystems
nursing elective
Senior Spring Semester
Professional Nursing leadership
Leadership practicum
Transition to professional nursing
Undergrad graduation
