BSN Program

Program Description:

The Department of Nursing at Francis Marion University offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.  This type of program is often called a 2+2 program because applicants must complete 63 semester hours of lower division coursework which includes university general education requirements and specific nursing prerequisites prior to enrollment in the upper division nursing curriculum.  Both the lower division and upper division typically take two years apiece, hence the name 2+2.  The course requirements for students who already hold a bachelors degree are different from students who begin the program as freshman.  A list of these specific courses for each type of student can be found further down on this page.

Upon admission to the upper division, students then complete an additional 61 semester hours of nursing coursework (upper division curriculum), as well as approximately 900 hours of clinical experience spread over the 4 semesters in the upper division.  The nursing major focuses on the knowledge, values and skills needed for professional nursing practice.  Students gain clinical experience with patients of all ages, as well as with families and communities in a wide variety of settings.

Department of Nursing students have the opportunity to study with highly qualified and skilled faculty.  In addition, students are assigned a faculty adviser to assist them with academic advising and schedule planning, and to serve as a student advocate.

Upon graduation from the program, students are eligible to sit the NCLEX-RN exam given by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

 

Admission Requirements:

To be admitted, students may hold a baccalaureate degree in an area other than nursing and 22 hours of designated prerequisite courses, or they may have 63 hours of designated prerequisites and no previous degree.  A minimum grade of C must be earned in all prerequisite courses. 

Preferred applicants should have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in all prerequisite coursework and SAT I scores acceptable to Francis Marion.  The student should also demonstrate strong academic performance in the core science prerequisites by maintaining an overall GPA of 2.6 on a 4.0 scale for those courses.

 

Application Process:

The first step towards a BSN degree at Francis Marion is to fill out an FMU application and have all transcripts sent from any previous schools attended, including high school. 

Once the student has been officially accepted to the university and is one semester away from being ready for the upper division, an application for the upper division should be submitted.  The application is not currently available online.  One can be obtained by contacting Kristy Padgett at (843) 661-1226 or kpadgett@fmarion.edu. 

The priority deadline for fall semester upper division applications is April 1st, the priority deadline for spring is November 1st.  However, it is recommended that applications be submitted as soon as the student is sure what semester they will be ready for.

 

General Education and Nursing Prerequisites for students without previous bachelors:

All numbers listed below are Francis Marion University course numbers.  Course descriptions can be found in the FMU catalog.  Please reference the Transfer Guide to see if courses taken at technical colleges transfer as needed courses.

  • English 112
  • English 200
  • Speech Communication 101
  • Computer Science 150
  • Political Science 101 or 103
  • Psychology 334 - Life Span Development
  • Social Science Elective
  • Literature
  • History
  • Art 101, Music 101, or Theater 101
  • Humanity Elective
  • Mathematics 111
  • Mathematics 134 - Probability and Statistics
  • Biology 105
  • Chemistry 101
  • Chemistry 102
  • Biology 205 - Human Anatomy
  • Biology 311 - Microbiology
  • Biology 406 - Human Physiology

(Sample plan of study)

 

Nursing Prerequisites for student already holding a baccalaureate degree in any area:

All numbers listed below are Francis Marion University course numbers.  Course descriptions can be found in the FMU catalog.  Please reference the Transfer Guide to see if courses taken at technical colleges transfer as needed courses.

  • Psychology 334 - Life Span Development
  • Biology 205 - Human Anatomy
  • Biology 311 - Microbiology
  • Biology 406 - Human Physiology
  • Mathematics 134 - Probability and Statistics
  • 4 hour Elective from either Biology or Chemistry