This is the first version of the 2025–26 General Catalog. Please check back regularly for changes. The final edition and the historical PDF will be published during the fall semester.
The College of Nursing offers two paths to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN): a prelicensure program for students who do not hold a nursing license (see the Bachelor of Science in Nursing in this section of the catalog) and a program for registered nurses (see Nursing–RN in this section of the catalog).
The BSN programs prepare students for careers caring for patients in hospitals and in community agencies such as public health services, schools, homes, and industries. They also provide a base for graduate study in nursing.
In addition to combining general education with specialized career preparation, the University of Iowa programs in nursing offer the advantage of full participation in the social, cultural, and recreational activities of a highly diverse campus community. A university education enables students to prepare for a career as well as a life of thought and action informed by knowledge, introspection, and contemplation.
The BSN programs provide a basis for nurses' roles in wellness and health promotion, in acute care, and in long-term care for chronic illness. The professional nurse may provide care to individuals, families, groups, and communities along a continuum of health, illness, and disability in any sector of the health care system.
In addition to providing care, the nurse serves as a coordinator of health care by organizing and facilitating the delivery of comprehensive, efficient, and appropriate service to individuals, families, groups, and communities. The nurse demonstrates the ability to conceptualize the total continuing health needs of the patient, including legal and ethical aspects of care. The University of Iowa programs' goal is to produce graduates who are competent, committed, creative, and compassionate.
Programs designed to lead to professional licensure are subject to federal regulations regarding informational disclosures. Please see Professional Licensure Disclosures by Program for further information.
Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) will be able to:
ensure delivery of safe, quality nursing care to diverse individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations throughout the lifespan and across systems of care;
integrate theoretical and scientific knowledge gained from natural and social sciences, and culture, society, and the liberal arts into nursing;
demonstrate leadership and teamwork skills across systems of care to promote quality health outcomes;
use the best evidence from multiple ways of knowing to inform practice to make clinical judgments, solve problems, and address system improvements;
demonstrate a basic understanding of how health care policy, regulation, resource stewardship, technology, and economics impact nursing practice and quality health outcomes;
use effective interprofessional communication and collaboration strategies to promote quality health outcomes;
apply health promotion and disease prevention strategies to diverse individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations to promote quality health outcomes; and
demonstrate professional values fundamental to the discipline of nursing.
Expenses and Insurance
Students pay University of Iowa student fees throughout the BSN program. They must purchase uniforms, shoes, a stethoscope, and a watch with a full-sweep second hand, and they must pay the cost of computer testing, supplies, and materials for required nursing courses. All nursing students arrange and pay for their own health screening requirements, health insurance, and transportation once they are enrolled in clinical nursing courses. They also pay fees that cover the cost of criminal background checks, laboratory equipment, professional liability insurance, and simulation.
Mandatory Health Insurance
Upon admission to the College of Nursing and each August after, BSN prelicensure students must provide verification that they have obtained and currently hold health insurance that satisfies the following minimal standards of coverage (or an equivalent alternative health care plan):
$250,000 lifetime benefit;
coverage for hospitalization, including coverage for room and board, physician visits, surgeon services, X-ray, and lab services;
inpatient deductible under an individual policy not exceeding $500 per admission and a 20% copayment/coinsurance requirement; and
coverage for medically necessary care, including physician services, X-ray, and lab services for the treatment of emergencies, illness, accident, and injury.
Professional Liability Insurance
All students in the College of Nursing are required to carry professional liability insurance throughout the duration of their program. Agencies that provide clinical practicums for College of Nursing programs require that students have insurance coverage. BSN prelicensure students and nursing–RN students are covered by a group policy supported by student fees.
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) prelicensure program of study requires a minimum of 128 s.h., including 64 s.h. in the nursing major and 64 s.h. in supporting coursework that is a prerequisite to the nursing major. The program is intended for students beginning their education in nursing. All students must earn a grade-point average (GPA) of at least 2.00 to earn the degree.
BSN students may complete their entire program at Iowa, enrolling in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to complete courses that are prerequisites to the nursing major, or they may transfer from an institution that offers comparable prerequisite courses that are approved by the University of Iowa and the College of Nursing. University of Iowa students who have declared an interest in the prelicensure nursing program are advised at the university's Academic Advising Center until they are admitted to the College of Nursing. They must earn standard admission to the College of Nursing once they have completed the prerequisite coursework. Students who earn standard admission to the College of Nursing have five semesters to complete prerequisite coursework. They begin work for the nursing major in the spring of their third year and complete the major in four semesters, earning the BSN degree.
Highly qualified applicants may be admitted to the College of Nursing directly under the BSN direct admission program; see Admission in this section of the catalog. Students who are part of the BSN direct admission program spend their first four semesters (two years) on prerequisite coursework and complete the requirements for the nursing major during the next four semesters (their third and fourth years), earning the BSN in a total of four academic years.
Nursing courses are based on concepts of health, deviations from health, and nursing intervention. Coursework progresses in complexity across the curriculum. The curriculum reflects the current trend in health care delivery toward an emphasis on nursing as a service provided both inside and outside hospitals. Students have access to clinical experiences selected from a multitude of agencies in Iowa and around the country. After admission to the College of Nursing, each student is assigned a professional advisor in the college's Felton Student Success Center.
The following coursework is required for BSN students.
Requirements Summary
Requirements
Hours
General Education Prerequisites
13
Natural Science Prerequisites
23
Social Science Prerequisites
9-10
Other Prerequisites
19
Courses Required for the Major
64
The BSN prelicensure program requires the following coursework. Students must complete the prerequisite coursework before beginning the work required for the major in nursing.
Prerequisite Courses
All of the following prerequisites must be completed prior to enrolling in the nursing major courses. Any high school deficiencies must be completed or satisfied with collegiate coursework. Students work with their academic advisor to ensure these requirements are complete.
The College of Nursing Honors Program provides seminars and independent study experience for qualified students. In order to pursue honors studies in nursing, students must maintain a University of Iowa GPA and a nursing major GPA of at least 3.50.
The honors program in nursing enables students to explore subject matter based on individual interests, needs, and goals. It provides opportunities for self-initiative, research experience, scholarly writing, and intellectual and personal development, and it challenges students to grow and excel. Students who fulfill the requirements of the program graduate with honors in nursing.
In addition to honors in their majors, prelicensure BSN students have a variety of opportunities for honors study and activities through membership in the University of Iowa Honors Program; visit Honors at Iowa to learn about the university's honors program.
The nursing–RN program of study requires 32 s.h. of credit. Students must hold a valid nursing license (RN) and an Associate Degree in Nursing or Diploma in Nursing. They must maintain a grade-point average (GPA) of at least 2.00 to earn the BSN.
The program is designed to offer registered nurses the opportunity to build on their nursing knowledge and experience by earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Students take courses that focus on professionalism and patient safety, research, improvement of health systems, leadership, professional engagement, and community and public health.
Students may transfer coursework completed at other colleges and universities to satisfy the prerequisites, general education requirements, and electives for admission to the College of Nursing (see "Admission to the Nursing–RN Program" under Admission in this section of the catalog). Once a student is admitted to the program, the student has the option of completing the required 32 s.h. in three, four, or five semesters.
The program is delivered online, with limited face-to-face meetings for the community health practicum experience and leadership project. Students must complete a practicum experience or an immersion experience in Eswatini, Africa, and may be required to drive up to 100 miles to a regional practicum setting.
The College of Nursing participates as a receiving institution in the Iowa Statewide Articulation Plan for Nursing Education: RN to Baccalaureate.
The nursing–RN program requires the following College of Nursing coursework.
See RN–BSN Plans of Study on the College of Nursing website for semester-by-semester views of required coursework for full-time (three semesters) and part-time (four or five semesters) study for fall and spring entry.
Honors in Nursing
The College of Nursing Honors Program provides seminars and independent study experience for qualified students. In order to pursue honors studies in nursing, students must maintain a University of Iowa GPA and a nursing major GPA of at least 3.50.
The honors program in nursing enables students to explore subject matter based on individual interests, needs, and goals. It provides opportunities for self-initiative, research experience, scholarly writing, intellectual and personal development, and it challenges students to grow and excel. Students who fulfill the requirements of the program graduate with honors in nursing.
Nursing–RN/3+1 Agreements
Agreements With Area Community Colleges in Iowa
The nursing–RN program at the College of Nursing has RN to BSN 3+1 agreements with area community colleges in Iowa for qualifying nursing graduates to seamlessly transfer to the UI College of Nursing to finish their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree in one year. Under the 3+1 structure, nursing students stay in their three-year program at a community college and then complete the BSN degree in one year (three semesters).
The nursing–RN program at the College of Nursing provides access to baccalaureate education for nurses throughout the state. The 3+1 partnership provides enhanced opportunities for unparalleled leadership experience while allowing students to continue working in their communities as they complete their degree.
See RN to BSN 3+1 on the College of Nursing website for the agreements with multiple higher education institutions around the state of Iowa.
Combined Programs
Nursing–RN/DNP
Students in the RN subprogram of the BSN who are interested in earning a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree with an adult gerontology primary care nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, health systems, or pediatric nurse practitioner–primary care subprogram may apply to the combined program offered by the College of Nursing. For information about the DNP degree, see the Doctor of Nursing Practice, DNP in the catalog.
See RN–BSN Plans of Study on the College of Nursing website for semester-by-semester views of required coursework for Undergraduate to Graduate (U2G) Nursing–RN/DNP study for fall and spring entry.
Students entering the university who are not registered nurses (RN) apply to the BSN prelicensure program. Registered nurses apply to the nursing–RN (RN–BSN) program.
International students seeking admission into the College of Nursing as a first-year or transfer student, who are citizens of a country in which English is not the official language, must score at least 100 (internet-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
University of Iowa students who have not earned admission to the College of Nursing must present a minimum iBT of 80 with no subscore lower than 17, and complete the English Proficiency Evaluation (unless they have a TOEFL score of 100 or higher on the iBT). Students may be required to complete English as a Second Language course work if specified as a result of the English Proficiency Evaluation. If such course work is required, it must be completed prior to the start of the nursing major.
Registered nurses educated outside the United States are required to present verification of having passed the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) examination and specified Excelsior baccalaureate nursing examinations.
Applicants admitted to the College of Nursing are expected to be able to meet the curriculum's performance standards; see the section titled "Technical Standards."
A criminal background check is conducted for all prelicensure and undergraduate students before they begin the nursing major. Admission to all programs is conditional pending a successful review of criminal background and abuse registry.
Admission to the BSN Prelicensure Program
All applicants to the BSN prelicensure program (direct and standard admission applicants) must have satisfied the following minimum high school course requirements.
English: four years.
Mathematics: three years, including algebra I, algebra II, and geometry.
Science: one full year of biology, chemistry, and physics in each subject.
Social science: three years.
World languages: four years (fourth-level proficiency) of the same world language; or two years (second-level proficiency) in two different world languages; or two years of the same world language plus one 3 s.h. course from the GE CLAS Core International and Global Issues, Values and Society, Understanding Cultural Perspectives, or World Languages and Cultural Exploration.
BSN Direct Admission
A select group of highly qualified students is admitted to the College of Nursing directly from high school through the BSN Direct Admission Program. To be considered for direct admission, students must meet the following requirements:
a grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.80, and
completion of all the minimum high school course requirements listed under "Admission to the BSN Prelicensure Program."
High school requirements must be satisfied prior to enrollment at the University of Iowa.
Students admitted through the Direct Admission Program must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 and remain in good standing during their first four semesters at the University of Iowa. Students who fail to meet these requirements may be subject to probation or dismissal from the College of Nursing.
BSN Standard Admission
In order to apply for standard admission to the College of Nursing, students must:
have a minimum cumulative GPA of at least 3.00;
have a minimum of 48 s.h. of college credit at the end of application semester;
have completed the minimum high school course requirements listed under "Admission to the BSN Prelicensure Program," with any deficiencies satisfied through college coursework; and
have a grade of C or higher on all prerequisite coursework.
Students must also have completed the following coursework with a grade of C or higher. All natural sciences coursework must have been completed within 10 years of enrollment in the nursing major.
If admitted to the College of Nursing, successful standard admission applicants must:
maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00;
have a minimum of 64 s.h. of college credit; and
have completed all prerequisite coursework under the Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and degree requirements except nursing courses prior to enrollment/matriculation in the nursing major courses.
Admission to the Nursing–RN Program
Applicants to the program must hold an RN license and an Associate Degree in Nursing or Diploma in Nursing. They must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00. Admission is highly competitive, with emphasis on the natural sciences (anatomy, biology, chemistry, microbiology, physiology), writing (composition I and II), and mathematics (statistics). World language is not an admission requirement.
Technical Standards
Applicants to the College of Nursing are expected to be capable of completing the entire nursing curriculum and earning a BSN degree. Nursing is a practice discipline with cognitive, sensory, affective, and psychomotor performance requirements. The college's technical standards provide an objective measure on which to base informed decisions about whether individual students will be able to participate in the nursing program. Technical standards also help students determine whether they will need accommodations or modifications in order to participate.
The technical standards are provided to all students before matriculation and are available online in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Handbook; see Section VIII: Clinical Course and Health Science Student Requirements. Students with disabilities who believe that they may need assistance in meeting the core performance standards should contact Student Disability Services.
Selection
The college's admission committee recommends to the dean the applicants who appear to be best qualified. Fulfillment of minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the College of Nursing. The committee may require personal interviews. A physical examination report and specific health screening requirements must be on file at University of Iowa Student Health 10 days before the class opens for the first clinical nursing course.
In addition to general assistance available to university students, there are assistance programs specifically for nursing students. Information about financial aid is available from the university's Office of Student Financial Aid.
The University of Iowa’s BSN program provides broad preparation in clinical, scientific, community health, and patient education skills, and promises outstanding career options. With a BSN degree, students are eligible to work as a staff nurse; flight nurse; a nurse on medical, oncology, surgical, pediatric, emergency, or intensive care units; a nurse in outpatient or neighborhood clinics; or a home health care nurse.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment for registered nurses to be among the top occupations in terms of job growth through 2033.
Sample Plan of Study
Sample plans represent one way to complete a program of study. Actual course selection and sequence will vary and should be discussed with an academic advisor. For additional sample plans, see MyUI.
Nursing, BSN
Plan of Study Grid (Manual)
Academic Career
Any Semester
Hours
Meeting the minimum requirements for admission does not guarantee admission. Direct Admission is available only for high school students who meet the published criteria. All other students pursue Standard Admission.a
All courses (except electives) must be completed with a grade of C or higher.b
Professional Role IV: Leadership and Professional Engagement f
3
Degree Application: apply on MyUI before deadline (typically in February for spring, September for fall)h
Exam: NCLEX (upon completion of the program students are eligible to sit for this board exam)
Hours
13
Total Hours
128
a
See the College of Nursing website for further details and application instructions.
b
A grade of C or higher is required. A grade of C-minus is not considered a passing grade for the College of Nursing.
c
Typically this course is offered in spring semesters only. Check MyUI for course availability since offerings are subject to change.
d
GE courses may be completed in any order unless used as a prerequisite for another course. Students should consult with an advisor about the best sequencing of courses.
e
Choose either a course that fulfills the Understanding Cultural Perspectives GE or a course that fulfills the Values and Society GE.
f
Register for on-campus section.
g
Recommended. If considering graduate studies please contact your desired school to learn about the statistics requirements.
h
Please see Academic Calendar, on Office of the Registrar website, for current degree application deadlines. Students should apply for a degree for the session in which all requirements will be met. For any questions on appropriate timing, contact your academic advisor or Degree Services.
