College of Nursing

Bimbola F. Akintade, Dean
Shannon Powell, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Laura Gantt, Associate Dean for Nursing Support Services
Alta Andrews, Director of Community Partnerships and Practice
Julie M. Linder, Chair of the Department of Advanced Practice Nursing and Education
Jeanne Martin, Chair of the Department of Baccalaureate Education
Linda Bolin, Interim Chair of the Department of Nursing Science and Director of the Nursing,PhD Program

The mission of the College of Nursing is to serve as a national model for transforming the health of rural underserved regions through excellence and innovation in nursing education, leadership, research, scholarship, and practice.

Additional information is available on the college website.

Curriculum

The baccalaureate program in nursing educates students for professional nursing practice and is characterized by a combination of general education and nursing courses. The focus of the nursing courses is on nursing theory and scientific principles applied to the care of healthy persons as well as to acute and chronic health problems of individuals, families, and groups. Clinical experiences are provided in a variety of health care settings, such as hospitals, health departments, nursing homes, mental health centers, and other health-related community agencies. Graduates are prepared for beginning positions in nursing with the potential for positions of leadership and graduate study.

All students – high school graduates, transfer students, second degree students, diploma or associate-degree graduates in nursing – earn the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. For prelicensure students, awarding of the BSN does not license one as a registered nurse. A separate examination (NCLEX-RN) is administered by the board of nursing in the state in which the applicant wishes to be registered. The College of Nursing will certify completion of degree requirements, but meeting other requirements for licensure is the responsibility of each candidate.

The accelerated second degree BSN option (ABSN) is designed for students who have earned a baccalaureate or higher degree and are interested in pursuing a BSN degree with eligibility to obtain licensure as a registered nurse (RN).

Registered nurses seeking to obtain a BSN are offered opportunities for educational accessibility, flexibility, and mobility through the RN to BSN curriculum option. The curriculum option is 100 percent online and designed to build on students’ past education and experience and expose registered nurses to innovative instructional methods for meeting course objectives. Students must hold a current unencumbered license to practice as a registered nurse in any US state or recognized territory, or be admitted to the RIBN or aRIBN program. Students who are admitted to the RIBN or aRIBN program and remain in the program, will be directly admitted to the RN to BSN option at the prescribed point in the curriculum (RIBN and aRIBN students’ plan of study may exceed the total BSN hours).

The BSN program at East Carolina University College of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.

Admission Criteria for the Undergraduate Traditional BSN Option

Freshmen may declare an intent to enroll in nursing until officially admitted to the College of Nursing after filing an application for admission to the major and meeting eligibility requirements prior to enrollment in the first nursing courses. Students should not apply to the College of Nursing until their last semester of prerequisite courses. Eligibility is based upon a minimum cumulative 2.75 GPA, a standardized preadmission test (prelicensure students only) and completion of general education requirements. A minimum grade of C (2.0) is required in biology, chemistry, and college algebra or equivalent. Admission to nursing courses is competitive (based on the BSN admission ranking system) and limited due to space availability and accrediting requirements. Students desiring readmission after an absence of one or more semesters must follow the readmission procedure as outlined in the College of Nursing Undergraduate Student Handbook. Financial aid is available through scholarships and loans from government and private sources, work-study, and self-help programs. Information is available from the university director of financial aid or the College of Nursing director of student services.

Admission Criteria for the Accelerated Second Degree BSN Option

To be eligible to apply for this option the applicant must have a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better and at least a B- (2.7) in each of the specified biology courses. A “C” (2.0) in the other prerequisite courses is also required. In addition, the applicant must have completed a standardized pre-admission test. Admission is based on the ABSN admission ranking system.

Admission Criteria for the RN to BSN Option

All RN to BSN students enroll at East Carolina University with an intended major of nursing. Admission to the RN to BSN option requires that the following university and College of Nursing requirements be met:

Associate degree or diploma in nursing from an accredited educational institution
Current unencumbered license to practice as a registered nurse in the US or recognized US territory. Newly graduated ADN or Diploma Program students who are NCLEX board eligible but have not yet received their license may enroll with the expectation they receive their RN license prior to starting the second semester. International applicants must validate credentials with the Commission of Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools before applying for RN licensure.
Minimum requirements as specified in the current undergraduate catalog
Minimum overall grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
Grade of “C” or higher in all required mathematics and science courses
Satisfactory completion of prerequisite general education and cognate courses

RIBN and aRIBN students who are successful at their respective community college will be admitted to the RN to BSN option as per the bilateral agreement with ECU College of Nursing.

Requirements

The College of Nursing requires a grade of C (2.0) as the minimum passing grade for all nursing courses. Opportunity to repeat a nursing course is limited by the College of Nursing progression requirements as printed in the current student handbook. Students must earn a 2.0 (C) to pass a required nursing course. If a student earns less than a 2.0 (C) in more than one course, they are not eligible to continue in the CON.

Upon admission to the College of Nursing prelicensure students are required to complete all admission and clinical requirements including criminal background check, drug screen, immunizations. Once admitted, students will be notified with specific instructions in completing the College of Nursing requirements. Specific health requirements and performance standards are stated in the College of Nursing Undergraduate Student Handbook .

The College of Nursing utilizes standardized tests throughout the CON prelicensure undergraduate curriculum. Tests may also be required prior to admission, during the semester, or near the completion of the semester. Results are used to assist students from entrance to graduation in determining nursing content that has been mastered. Various enhancement materials are used to assist with identified weaknesses.

Credit for most undergraduate courses in the College of Nursing is determined by the following formula: one classroom/lecture hour per week equals 1 s.h. credit; two lab or seminar hours per week equals 1 s.h. credit; and three practicum/clinical hours per week equals 1 s.h. credit.

Programs

Bachelor’s

Courses

Nursing