Undergraduate policies
Academic standing
University standards for academic good standing are followed for all majors in the college. Students who do not maintain the minimum GPA after each fall or spring semester are placed on academic probation. Students on academic probation or continuing probation must meet with an academic advisor before registering for the subsequent semester. Students placed on academic probation have one semester to raise their cumulative or semester GPA to meet the criteria for academic good standing; otherwise, they may be disqualified or be determined to be ineligible for majors in this college. Disqualified students are not permitted to enroll for the fall or spring semesters.
eAdvisor tracking focuses on students who initially enroll as full-time, first-year students, and the tool tracks their progress during the first four semesters. It identifies and outlines the critical courses, GPA requirements and milestones that predict success in each major. Students use major maps and progress reports to plan which courses to take each semester.
Students who do not meet critical requirements are notified they are off track, and this off-track status is displayed on the student's My ASU. Off-track students are required to see an academic advisor before registering for or adding classes. Students off track for two consecutive semesters may be required to change majors, depending on the major. Students in the BSN nursing traditional prelicensure clinical nursing program, in alignment with continuing eligibility criteria, are required to change their major if they are off track for one semester.
Students pursuing the RN to BSN or concurrent enrollment program or who are enrolled as a postbaccalaureate student (pursuing a second degree) are not critically tracked.
Advising
Academic advising is an essential aspect of the educational experience and is provided by the college through the Student Academic Services office. Academic success advisors assist students with program planning, registration, preparation of petitions, verification of graduation requirements, referrals to university and community resources, and career planning.
ASU accepts coursework transferred from other accredited institutions, and the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation determines if and how the courses will be applied.
The Student Academic Services office is committed to ensuring that students reach their academic goals. This is done by monitoring student progress and providing the academic resources and personalized tools students need to get off to a good start and stay on track toward graduation. Students can monitor their own progress with the eAdvisor academic success resources at My ASU.
Student responsibilities include following university guidelines regarding submission of transcripts from all colleges other than ASU, obtaining the necessary signatures or computer verifications required by the university, and following university procedures for matriculation. It is ultimately the responsibility of each student to fulfill academic and program requirements.
Students are encouraged to schedule appointments each semester to ensure they are making progress toward their degrees.
Students may schedule an advising appointment through the Edson College Advising appointment scheduler or by calling 602-496-0888.
Mandatory advising
Advising is required for:
- newly admitted students (all first-year students and new undergraduate transfer students), prior to registering for courses for the first term
- students not making satisfactory progress (academic warning, probation, continuing probation and off-track) are required to meet with an academic advisor to plan strategies for improving academic standing
- students wishing to pursue concurrent degrees, who must petition the university standards committee and have approval from the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation and from the college that offers the other chosen degree
Students interested in the prelicensure nursing program must attend or view a BSN information session before a one-on-one academic advising appointment will be scheduled.
Credit and registration
Course load
Students wishing to register for more than the maximum allowable credits in a term must contact their academic advisor to obtain an approved overload before registration.
All upper-division nursing courses must be taken for a letter grade, except for selected clinical courses in the prelicensure program that are taken for “P” (pass) or “Y” (satisfactory).
Degree requirements
RN to BSN program
Applicants who have an associate degree in nursing or a nursing diploma and have their RN license must apply to the online RN to BSN program. Potential students must have an active RN license in good standing in the state in which they are working. A minimum GPA of 2.50 is required for all undergraduate coursework. All prerequisites, including a statistics course, require a grade of a “C” (2.00) or better.
RN to BSN program courses are offered online and can be completed in 14 to 24 months. There are five starts per year: two in the fall, two in the spring and one in the summer. The RN to BSN program builds on the knowledge and skills students learned in their associate degree or diploma programs. The course assignments enhance students' written and verbal communication skills, clinical reasoning skills and technology skills. Faculty members are leaders and experts in their practice areas. The faculty strive to prepare graduates who will become engaged, professional and innovative leaders who use evidence-based practice to facilitate positive change in the work environment and community. Graduates will demonstrate holistic, population-based perspectives and be solution identifiers, client advocates and effective communicators.
Traditional prelicensure clinical nursing program
Admission requirements for the traditional prelicensure clinical nursing program are more rigorous than university requirements. Some entering first-year students will be admitted directly to the nursing major. Other students will be admitted to an alternative major, the BS in community health, and then compete for space in the nursing program. A competitive advancement process is utilized to fill any available seats in the TPCNP after the placement of directly admitted nursing major students. Spaces will be given to those students with the highest advancement score. Directly admitted nursing major students must meet continuing eligibility criteria each semester. If they fail to meet one or more of the criteria, they forfeit their direct admission nursing major status and may compete for advancement to the TPCNP.
Direct admission
Students admitted with direct admission status upon entering ASU as a first-year nursing major must meet the continuing eligibility criteria outlined in their major map, each semester, to maintain this status. If direct admission is retained throughout the advancement process, students are guaranteed placement into the clinical nursing program within one year of the semester in which all 17 critical courses are completed. Direct admission students are not guaranteed their first preference. In the event the number of direct admission students requesting placement in a specific cohort is greater than the number of spaces available, placement will be determined by random selection.
Competitive advancement process
Students in majors other than nursing are all eligible to compete for a space in the program through the competitive application process, provided they have completed the prerequisite courses and all screening items. The advancement score for the traditional prelicensure clinical nursing program is composed of the select GPA and the TEAS score. Seats are given to the students with the highest advancement scores. For students applying through the competitive application process, the select GPA and the TEAS scores are used to rank the students from high to low. After directly admitted students who meet continuing eligibility criteria are advanced, students who are the highest on the list are offered the remaining spaces in the traditional prelicensure clinical nursing program. Students not selected may choose to compete again in the next term. There is no limit on the number of times students may compete; a waiting list is not maintained. Students who do not meet the minimum select GPA and TEAS scores are withdrawn from consideration. Nursing faculty may opt to use additional criteria in the selection process.
Select GPA for competitive selection: The select GPA is computed based on 13 critical (prerequisite) courses and must include ENG 101, ENG 102, and three of the four lab sciences: BIO 201, BIO 202, CHM 101, MIC 205/206. Critical courses with a grade of “C” or better may not be repeated to improve the select GPA. Students should see an academic advisor for possible replacement course options. Students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree may choose to use a “pass” grade rather than letter grades for ENG 101 and 102. Nursing faculty may opt to adjust the courses and the GPA requirements in the selection process.
Prerequisite and select GPA for competitive students: Students must have a minimum score of 3.25 in both their prerequisite GPA and select GPA. The average select GPA has been much greater than 3.25 for those who advanced into the program in previous semesters.
TEAS for competitive students: Students will be measured in the basic essential skills in academic content areas of reading, mathematics, science, and English and language usage. To prepare for the exam, students should visit https://www.atitesting.com/ to review the resources available from the creators of the exam. The minimum required TEAS score is 58.7%. Direct admit students are not required to take the TEAS, but it is highly recommended.
Students who do not meet the minimum select GPA and TEAS scores are withdrawn from consideration due to ineligibility.
Admission requirements may change with each advancement cycle. Students are to refer to the advancement guide for current requirements.
Accelerated BSN prelicensure clinical nursing program
Placement in the accelerated prelicensure clinical nursing program is based on clinical space availability. More students may request placement than clinical space will allow. Placement is not guaranteed. The program is a 12-month year-round program with starting semesters in spring (Downtown Phoenix) and fall (Lake Havasu). Summer tuition rates apply for the summer semester, and the program has a program fee.
The prerequisites for this program are BIO 201, BIO 202, CDE 232, CHM 101, HCR 220, HCR 240, MIC 205/206, NTR 241, PSY 101 and a statistics course that meets the General Studies CS requirement. Eight of the 10 courses must be completed by the application deadline with a minimum GPA for the semester in which the student applies. Science courses must be taken within seven years of the semester in which the program will start.
Grades of “C” (2.00) or better must be earned in each prerequisite course and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 for the prerequisites mentioned above is required by December 15. Courses with a grade of "C" or better may not be repeated to improve the prerequisite GPA. Students should see their academic advisor for limited replacement course options.
Placement is based on a select GPA and a TEAS score of 58.7% or higher and the test must have been taken less than one year prior to the application deadline. Eligibility requirements, criteria for placement and measurements are subject to change. The select GPA will be computed based on eight of 10 prerequisite courses. If only eight prerequisite courses are completed by the placement deadline, the student's select GPA will include all eight of the courses, four of which must be science courses. If the student has more than eight courses completed, they must select at least three of four lab sciences and then choose five other courses.
Nursing faculty may opt to adjust the courses and the GPA requirements in the selection process.
Admission requirements may change with each advancement cycle. Students are to refer to the advancement guide for current requirements.
Program fee --- accelerated BSN prelicensure clinical nursing program: There is a $5,500 program fee per semester or term for the accelerated BSN pathway in addition to regular tuition and fees. This totals approximately $16,500 in program fees plus regular tuition and fee charges. Fees are subject to change and are nonrefundable. All tuition and fees are subject to change.
Concurrent enrollment program
The concurrent enrollment program is designed for qualified nursing students who are interested in earning their BSN in nursing while simultaneously pursuing their AAS in nursing at a community college. Selected students will be enrolled in the community college program and ASU RN to BSN courses concurrently. RN to BSN courses taken at ASU will be delivered in an online format. The concurrent enrollment program allows students to pursue an AAS in nursing via the community college while providing an affordable, concurrent course of study that enables students to complete their BSN degree in approximately one to two semesters after graduating with their AAS degrees.
Course grades and currency
Students in nursing programs must earn grades of “C” (2.00) or better in all nursing coursework except in nursing practice courses in which a designation of a “Y” (satisfactory) or “P” (pass) grade is required. In addition, students are allowed only one nursing course failure (i.e., grade below “C”). The second failure in a nursing course will result in disqualification from the nursing major.
For the traditional prelicensure and accelerated clinical nursing programs, the science courses CHM 101, BIO 201, BIO 202, MIC 205, MIC 206, and HCR 240 must be current, i.e., completed within seven years of the program start date.
Undergraduate and prelicensure graduate nursing courses (prefix: NUR) expire after five years. After course expiration, students must re-enroll in the course and must earn a grade of "C" or higher. Students may earn university elective credit or General Studies credit for the original course.
Concurrent degrees
Concurrent degrees are multiple degrees with one conferral date. The student receives both degrees at the same time regardless whether coursework for one degree is completed prior to the other degree. To pursue concurrent degrees, students must be in good academic standing.
A student desiring a concurrent degree program must meet with an academic advisor in both degree programs to learn about degree and graduation requirements and the eligibility requirements for submitting the request. Advisors in both degree programs should review the graduation plan that outlines the courses the student will take each semester through graduation.
A student pursuing a concurrent degree must submit a university petition requesting the concurrent degree. The concurrent degree request must include:
- an accurate degree completion plan that has been reviewed by advisors from both degree programs and that shows the courses to be taken each semester through graduation
- a formal statement outlining the request for concurrent degrees which may include short- and longer-term personal and career objectives and goals
The Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation petitions subcommittee will review the student’s concurrent degree request. Concurrent degrees may not be from the same discipline or have significant overlap in the courses required for each major.
Approved petitions are forwarded to the university registrar for notation on the student’s record.
To remove a concurrent degree, the student should email edsoncollege.advising@asu.edu with the student’s full name and ASU ID number as well as which degree the student wants to be removed from the academic record. If the student is pursuing any minors, the student must indicate if they wish to retain the minors.
Reinstatement/readmission
Disqualified students who have skipped a fall or spring semester must follow the procedures for readmission. Applications for reinstatement and readmission to nursing are subject to rigorous requirements that reflect admission and progression standards.
Other special requirements
Special note: The Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation periodically needs to implement new policies, protocols and procedures to comply with accreditation, regulatory or clinical health care agency requirements; therefore, policies, protocols and procedures with respect to clinical placement are subject to change. Students should confirm current policies, protocols and procedures with the student handbooks.
Professional licensure
The Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation prepares graduates for excellence upon entering the workplace. Since certification and licensure requirements vary by profession and from state to state, students should review professional licensure information to determine if a program meets educational requirements for licensure or certification in a specific state; state licensing contact information also is available on the website.
State authorization
As a participating National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements member, Arizona State University is authorized to offer distance education to persons located in individual SARA states in accordance with the council's established policies and standards. California does not participate in SARA and the California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education does not regulate out-of-state public institutions. ASU may offer educational activities in California. There are some exceptions for specific programs at Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation.
Titers and immunizations
Prelicensure nursing should refer to the appropriate student handbook and application guide for the most recent health and safety requirements.
Level one fingerprint clearance card
Level one fingerprint clearance, in the form of a fingerprint clearance card, is required by Arizona state law in order to work with and care for children, the elderly and vulnerable adults. Fingerprint clearance is determined after a background screening process at the state and federal levels to check for criminal records. Students must have a valid, unrestricted fingerprint clearance card to advance to and remain in the clinical nursing programs. Students with concerns about a restriction may call the Arizona Department of Public Safety at 602-223-2279.
Arizona State Board of Nursing requirement for RN licensure
Once students have completed their clinical nursing program, they must pass a national licensing examination known as the NCLEX-RN in order to obtain a nursing license. Application for and passage of the NCLEX-RN is the sole responsibility of the student. Arizona state law prohibits an individual convicted of a felony from applying for nursing licensure or certification until five years after the date of absolute discharge of the sentence. This means that all court-ordered terms of probation or parole must be completed at least five years prior to the date of application for nurse licensure. Each case is considered by the Arizona State Board of Nursing on its own merits. The elapse of five years does not guarantee licensure or certification; it simply permits the submission of an application and board consideration. In addition, the Arizona State Board of Nursing may deny any application for a license if the applicant has committed any acts of unprofessional conduct. Students should see the Arizona State Board of Nursing website at https://www.azbn.gov.
Equal access
Students with a disability who have need of assistance or special accommodations can find information about support and access as well as contact information through Student Accessibility and Inclusive Learning Services. Students requesting accommodations for a disability must register with SAILS and must submit appropriate documentation to the instructor from SAILS. For more information, students are asked to review ASU policy SSM 701-02: Eligibility for Accommodations--Required Disability Documentation.
Supplemental requirements for the clinical nursing programs
The requirements specified in this section affect a student's progression in the clinical nursing program coursework, eligibility for clinical placement and, ultimately, their licensure as an RN.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation/basic life support certification: Proof of CPR/BLS health care provider certification is required. Currently, only CPR certification from the American Heart Association as a BLS provider is accepted. Students are required to keep the CPR/BLS certification current throughout advancement consideration and when enrolled in the prelicensure clinical nursing program.
Federal and state background screening: Students must have an unrestricted security background check to advance to and remain in clinical nursing programs.
Substance screening: All students in clinical nursing programs will be required to complete a substance screening. Results of the screen must be negative. Diluted specimens are considered positive. Students also will be tested for nicotine; however, the presence of nicotine will not restrict enrollment in clinical coursework, but it will affect the clinical placements while in the program.
Lawful presence: The college follows the Arizona State Board of Nursing policy regarding lawful presence in the United States: https://www.azbn.gov/licenses-and-certifications/citizenship-and-alien-status.