Nursing at NMU
Professional nursing is a dynamic and diverse profession with excellent career opportunities for men and women. As contemporary nursing practice has become increasingly complex, challenging the nurse's knowledge, technical competence and interpersonal skills, more employers are requiring a bachelor of science in nursing.
The knowledge and skills acquired from a baccalaureate education prepare nurses to become managers and administrators, officers in the armed forces or school nurses. Some students develop expert clinical skills in specialized areas of practice such as pediatrics, critical care or psychiatric nursing.
Individuals with a BSN degree have marketable skills that are in tremendous demand worldwide. They have the freedom to work wherever they want and in a variety of settings such as hospitals, clinics, home health care agencies, public health agencies, schools, business corporations or the military. As the demand for professional nurses continues to grow, salaries will continue to climb.
Northern's BSN program requires 121 credits. Courses are generally offered in fall and winter semesters with select courses in the summer. An adviser from the School of Nursing will assist you in planning an academic program to complete the required courses.
Why NMU?
We are a long-established leader in the education of nurses. Our top-notch faculty have the clinical experience and educational expertise to prepare our students to function as successful professional nurses. Northern's nursing program offers many other benefits: Students enjoy personal attention from faculty because of class size.
- Students have access to excellent resources as well as audio-visual and computer equipment. We have a simulated learning lab that provides realistic laboratory experiences.
- Northern's program is career-oriented. Classroom instruction is strengthened by clinical experience in a variety of community and hospital settings.
- Our graduates are highly successful on the NCLEX exam and finish at the top of the state's graduates. Northern provides an exceptional academic program that challenges our students to be the best they can be.
BSN Program Outcomes
- Demonstrate competence in nursing knowledge and skills to provide person-centered care.
- Integrate best evidence into practice and promote the health of diverse populations.
- Utilize information and healthcare technologies to support clinical judgments and to provide safe, quality care.
- Collaborate with interprofessional partners to communicate within healthcare systems.
- Display professionalism and participate in personal/professional/leadership development.
This program prepares you to take the NCLEX exam in the State of Michigan. Graduates who want to practice in other states should review those requirements via the Board of Nursing.
Information regarding Registered Nurse (RN) education and employment can be found at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Jillian Martin talks you through a typical day in her life as a nursing student at Northern Michigan University.
Application and Information Packet
- BSN Information Packet - July 2024
(see nmu.edu/bsndirectadmit for current BSN direct admission requirements) - BSN Undergraduate Handbook
- Undergraduate Bulletin
Admission Policies
Prospective transfer students from other colleges or universities should take courses equivalent to those listed as requirements for admission to their chosen nursing sequence. To check course equivalencies and other transfer student requirements, see www.nmu.edu/transfer and consult with a nursing program adviser.
Please note that completion of prerequisites does not guarantee admission to the nursing program.
Admission Requirements
Before admission to the nursing sequence applicants must have:
- Been admitted to Northern Michigan University.
- Completed or be in the process of completing the following courses: BI 201/207/213-213L, BI 202/208/214-214L, BI 203/203A, CH 109, PSY 100/PSY 101/PY 100, AH 102, AH 201/HN 301A and AH 202/HN 301B or equivalent courses. In special circumstances, with permission of the department, BI 104 may be substituted for BI 201/207.
Prerequisites must be completed with a "C-" or better. NOTE: If a grade below a C- has been earned in a prerequisite course, the student must successfully complete the course prior to applying. The most recent grade in a course is used for the BSN application. - Met the admission criteria. A 2.75 or greater cumulative NMU grade point average is required for students to be eligible for admission into the nursing major. The transfer grade point average will be used until a student completes 12 credit hours at NMU. After completion of 12 credit hours at NMU, the NMU grade point average is used.
- Met the progression criteria: A 2.25 cumulative GPA is the minimum required GPA for students to remain enrolled in the nursing major. Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.25 while in the nursing program. If the cumulative GPA falls below 2.25, the student is not eligible to enroll in a nursing course until the cumulative GPA is raised to 2.25. Because the student is not enrolled in any nursing courses while the GPA is less than 2.25, the student must reapply to the nursing major when the student's GPA enables the student to again enroll in a nursing course.
- Met the progression criteria: Students must earn a "C" or better in nursing courses with traditional letter grades and must earn an "S" (satisfactory) in nursing courses with "S/U" grading in order to progress in the nursing curriculum.
- Nursing theory courses that have an adjunct nursing clinical course are considered as one course in respect to the above criteria. They are not considered one course however, for GPA calculation by the university.
- Submit an application online to the School of Nursing by February 1 for the succeeding fall semester or October 1 for the succeeding winter semester.
The NMU School of Nursing admits a limited number of students to the baccalaureate nursing sequence in each semester. If the number of eligible applicants exceeds the number of placements available the faculty reserves the right to select the applicants who shall be admitted. The remaining eligible applicants may apply for admission the following semester. Ordinarily, students may expect to complete the entire baccalaureate nursing program in approximately two and one-half academic years after being admitted to the nursing sequence, assuming they complete all of their courses satisfactorily and in sequence.
The department reserves the right to determine the method of selecting students admitted. The faculty reserves the right to withdraw any student whose health, conduct, scholastic standing or clinical practice is such that it is inadvisable for the student to remain in the School of Nursing. Each student is responsible for reading the Northern Michigan University Undergraduate Bulletin and the BSN Undergraduate Handbook, and seeking consultation with nursing faculty or staff if specific questions arise. Records and applications of all students are reviewed promptly, and students are notified of acceptance or rejection no later than the beginning of the pre registration period.
Chemistry Placement
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students are required to take Chemistry 109 (CH 109). Completion of CH 109 with a C- grade or higher meets the nursing department chemistry prerequisite requirement. To be eligible to take CH 109 students must have both Chemistry and Math placement test scores.
For those students that have not taken and passed a high school chemistry course, it is highly recommended that you take CH 105, then CH 109. Take the math placement test and qualify for MA100 or higher to enroll in either CH 105 or CH 109. CH 105 is not a prerequisite for CH 109.
Students must take a Chemistry 109 readiness test to assess your readiness for CH 109. If you are interested in practicing before you take the Chemistry 109 Readiness Test, please take a practice test. Complete the practice test using only your own core knowledge and after you have finished the test, click here to find the correct answers. Do not use the answer sheet to “study” prior to taking the test because this will not properly prepare you for success on the examination. It is critical for you to have the experience of thinking through the questions and to have an assessment of how much more you need to study before taking the pre-placement test.
NOTE: All incoming freshman with a pre-nursing major will take Math and Chemistry placement tests during summer on-campus orientation (or online prior to orientation, if instructed). Do NOT use these instructions unless you are a transfer student or have changed your major to pre-nursing after your orientation session.
Please review all of the instructions for the Chemistry Readiness Test:
1. Visit the placement exam (https://educat.nmu.edu/placement) and log in with your NMU username (do not include @nmu.edu) and password.
2. On the main page, you should see a link to course NE 000 Chemistry Readiness Test. Click on the course link.
3. On the NE 000 course page, you will see an icon labeled Chemistry Proficiency Test. Click on the icon and take the test. There are 28 questions and you must get 14 correct in order to pass. Once you start the test, you will have a maximum of 40 minutes to complete the test. After you complete the test, you should be able to see your score by clicking on the grades link on the left hand side of the NE000 course page. The score should be available shortly after you take the test. If you do not pass the test the first time you can take it one more time, but we suggest that you review some basic chemistry concepts before your second attempt. You cannot take the test more than twice.
4. If you score at least a 14 on the test OR if you have earned a C- or better in any college chemistry course OR if you have received AP credit for Chemistry, you can register for CH 109. If you do not meet the eligibility criteria, we recommend that you take CH 105.
5. CH105 consists of a lecture and a lab, and CH109 is a lecture, lab, and discussion. When you register for the either courses you must submit your choices for all parts simultaneously. If you receive the “linked course” registration error, you may have missed registering for one of the components.