Nursing

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at St. Mary’s

The newly established Department of Nursing at St. Mary’s University offers a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) starting in Fall 2024. The program will prepare practice-ready, entry-level professional nurses by integrating a liberal arts education and Catholic and Marianist values with the skills, art and science of nursing.

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at St. Mary’s University is approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and Texas State Board of Nursing.

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at St. Mary’s University is pursuing initial accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791. Applying for accreditation does not guarantee that accreditation will be granted.

• Degree Plans

  The BSN at St. Mary’s is a 123-credit hour, four-year program admitting students every fall semester.

  The degree also includes clinical practice in skills labs, simulations and clinical practice settings. The curriculum will provide a rigorous and comprehensive program of study and prepare students to take the National Council Licensing Examination (NCLEX-RN) for registered professional nurses upon degree completion.

  Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

• Course Highlights

  The curriculum is designed to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes required of professional nurses, and includes math and science courses specific to nurses, 12 hours of prerequisite courses and 63 hours of nursing core courses.

  Course areas include:

  Pharmacology
  Pathophysiology
  Childbearing and childrearing
  Adult and older adult health
  Food and nutrition
  Mental health
  Health promotion
  Health care policy and technology

  Find course descriptions and requirements:

  Course catalog

• St. Mary’s Nursing Clinical Experiences

  Clinical practice learning experiences include actual hours of practice in nursing skills and computer laboratories, simulated clinical experiences, faculty-supervised hands-on clinical care in real health care settings, clinical conferences and observation experiences.

  Students spend time in clinical experiences distributed across the curriculum consistent with Texas Board of Nursing requirements and community standards.

  

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  Nursing Facilities and Technology

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  The Nursing Program will be housed on the third floor of the new Blank Sheppard Innovation Center, home to a clinical skills laboratory, four simulation laboratories, a home health care lab and a brief/debrief room.

  The program will be equipped with a range of essential medical equipment for students to perform a variety of nursing skills and to foster a realistic and high-quality educational experience. Students will be guided and supported by a faculty of caring, qualified nurses with advanced degrees.

  Learn More about the Innovation Center

Clinical Partners

How do I get into the Nursing Program?

Nursing Program Admission Requirements*

St. Mary’s University employs a two-step admission process for its Nursing Program. In the initial phase, candidates apply to St. Mary’s University as general admission students for the first year. Following the completion of the first semester at St. Mary’s, candidates are eligible to apply for the Nursing Program, with all application materials due by March 1. Transfer students are also welcome to apply, provided they meet the admission requirements for equivalent prerequisite courses, GPA, and TEAS exam. Priority in admission is given to currently enrolled St. Mary’s University students.

All application materials for the second step of application will be due by March 1. Application materials will be reviewed by the Nursing Admissions Committee with decisions based on the following criteria.

Requirements for admission include:

Student in good standing at St. Mary’s University with minimum GPA 2.0
BL 1411 Human Anatomy and Physiology (or equivalent)  with a “C” or better
MT 1304 Algebra with Clinical Applications (or equivalent)  with a “C” or better
ATI TEAS exam with a comprehensive score of 58.7% or better
This exam may be taken 3 times within a six-month timeframe
Candidates must wait 1 month between each test retake to provide time for self-directed remediation

Candidates will receive an admission score using the Admission Rubric. Candidates are awarded one point for each admission requirement that has been met. Qualifying candidates will receive one point for each of the four admission requirements for a minimum score of 4 points. Candidates may earn additional points based on the criteria listed on the Admission Rubric (Table 1) with a possible maximum score of 14 points. The 40 students with the highest Admission Rubric scores will be guaranteed an interview. Other candidates may be invited to interview, but it is not guaranteed.

Interviews will start being scheduled the first week of May. Final admission decisions will be completed by the first week of June.

Additionally, candidates must do the following by the end of their first year at St. Mary’s to be admitted into the nursing program for the following term:

Remain in good standing with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0
Achieve a “C” or better in BL 1412 Human Anatomy and Physiology II (or equivalent)
Achieve a “C” or better in CH 1305 Chemistry for Health Professions (or equivalent)

The program will provisionally admit 35 students. Provisionally admitted students must complete the criminal background check and fingerprinting process required by the Texas Board of Nursing before July 1.

Please review §213.28. Licensure of Individuals with Criminal History for concerns regarding licensure with a criminal history.

St. Mary’s University Nursing Program is committed to providing a learning environment that fosters academic and professional success. Allowing students who have been dismissed from another nursing program could compromise the integrity of our program and the safety of patients under our care. We believe that this policy upholds the standards of our program and ensures that all students are fully capable of meeting the demands of the nursing profession. It is for this reason that students who have been dismissed or dropped from a previous nursing program due to academic performance, clinical performance, professional misconduct or any other reason are not eligible for admission to the St. Mary’s University Nursing Program. This policy applies to all applicants, regardless of the reason for dismissal or the time elapsed since the dismissal.

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