The School of Nursing offers a program that leads to the Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (BSN). The degree requires a minimum of 120 semester units, and the nursing curriculum sequence covers five semesters.
Upon completion of the program, students are eligible for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) and the California Public Health Nurse Certificate. The Bachelor in Science in Nursing degree program at California State University, Fresno is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).
High school students preparing for a career in nursing should take biology, chemistry, and additional college preparatory courses required for CSU admissions.
Basic Applicants - Students without prior nursing education. In order to be considered eligible to apply to the nursing program, BSN applicants must be an admitted transfer student, or currently enrolled at California State University, Fresno, or on an approved leave of absence from California State University, Fresno.
All applicants must submit a Nursing Supplemental Application to the School of Nursing via NursingCAS and the CSU application to the University through Cal State Apply within the appropriate admissions cycles. Applicants who are admitted to the University, but not to the School of Nursing will be offered admission to the University as Pre-Nursing students.
The program is on impacted status (the number of applications received is greater than the number of vacancies for the program). Therefore, admission into the nursing major is very competitive; there is no waiting list. Admission selection is based on meeting the minimum requirements to apply and a holistic approach. If not selected, applicants may reapply and will compete with the entire applicant pool if not selected.
Note: Preference will be given to U.S. military veterans who meet minimum requirements for admission and submit a DD214 showing an honorable discharge prior to date application is submitted. Remaining applicants will be ranked by prerequisite GPA and admitted as enrollment quotas allow. California residents are given preference over out-of-state and international students as long as the program is on impacted status.
Advanced Placement - Students with prior nursing education, including LVNs and RNs.
The following eight prerequisite courses must be completed prior to entry into the nursing program. Students taking these courses at a community college please view equivalent courses at your college or visit ASSIST.
Each prerequisite must be completed with a minimum C grade - CR/NC grades are not acceptable.
A minimum GPA of a 3.0 is required in the eight prerequisite courses to apply to the nursing program.