If you are currently a registered nurse then please click here.
Why Choose Nursing as a Career?
The ANA (American Nurses Assoication) defines nursing as:
"Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and population."
In other words, nursing careers involve many different challenges and responsibilities! Nurses are involved with all aspects of a patient's care, from providing therapeutic and diagnostic procedures to providing comfort to patient's and their families.
If you love helping others, if you are truly passionate about the human spirit, and really want to make a difference in the lives of others. If you are not afraid of hard-work, have excellent attention to detail, nursing may be an option for you!
New Deadline Dates for Application: January 15th for Fall admission
& July 15th for Spring admission.
Interviews for Fall, 2010 applicants will be February 20, 2010.
Fall 2010 Applicants must take the entrance exam by January 10, 2010.
All nursing applicants must take the HESSI Entrance Exam and if selected must be available for interview. You must complete the HESI Nursing Entrance Exam prior to applying to the program. This exam is required for students seeking admission into one or both of the WKU nursing programs. It evaluates general knowledge in areas of Anatomy & Physiology, Math, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary and Grammar to assess each student’s strengths and weaknesses. Scores on this exam will be a part of the admissions process. Register online now! Click here to register (http://www.registerblast.com/wku). - Students applying for Spring should complete the exam by July 10. Students applying for Fall should complete the exam by January 10, 2010. Please note that WKU is closed for the Holiday Season from December 21, to January 4, 2010.
- The test fee is $53 paid online (credit card, debit card or e-check) and is non-refundable and non-transferable.
- Students may not retake the SAME exam version. Different exam versions will be offered as follows:
- January 16-April 15
- April 16-July 15
- July 16-October 15
- October 15-January 15
- You must take the exam at the Counseling and Testing Center, located in Potter Hall, Room 409 on the WKU main campus. They are open Monday - Friday 8:00 am until 4:30 pm.
- You should register for either the HESI (BSN) or the HESI (ADN) depending on which program you are seeking admission. DO NOT register for both exams. If you are applying to both programs, register for the HESI (BSN).
- You must bring a valid form of ID (driver’s license, passport, school ID) to the testing center.
- The exam will takes 3 hours. Make sure you schedule a time when you will have 3 hours available and that the testing center will be open the entire 3 hours.
- An optional study guide (Evolve Reach Testing and Remediation Admission Assessment Exam Review, 2nd Edition - ISBN: 1416056351) may be purchased from the WKU bookstore. Please note, the study guide covers material NOT on our exam. Please focus on Reading Comprehension, Anatomy & Physiology and Math.
*If for any reason you cannot take the Exam at the Counseling and Testing Center, please contact Wanda Cullom at wanda.cullom@wku.edu, or 270.745.5022, for an alternative. You can preview alternative sites at www.prometric.com. There will be an additional $60 administration fee for this option. 
ISBN: 1416056351 Study Guide Can be purchased at WKU Bookstore |
Please note curriculum changes have been made!
Application and Application Procedures (click here)
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Applicant must be officially accepted by WKU before being considered for admission to the Nursing program. Applications to the university may be obtained by calling 270-745-2511 or online at: http://www.wku.edu/Info/Admissions/
This is a limited enrollment program; not all applicants that apply will be accepted. Applicants are considered on the basis of cumulative undergraduate GPA; completion of prerequisite courses; prerequisite science grades and space availability. Applicants may also be asked to complete pre-admission testing and to be interviewed with the admissions committee.
Click here for a list of Frequently Asked Questions
Requirements for application include: (For a complete list please refer to the Application Procedures)
| » | Students applying for the prelicensure nursing program (BS in Nursing) at WKU must complete the HESI student nurse entrance exam PRIOR to applying to the nursing program. Scores on this exam will be PART of the admissions score used to rank students for entrance. This exam can be taken at the Counseling and testing center on the WKU main campus. |
| » | Completion of 45-48 hours (3 semesters) of the required prerequisite courses by application deadline. Applicant must have completed 12 hours of the required science courses by the time of application. Applicant must be enrolled in the last semester of prerequisite courses by application deadline date. All prerequisite courses must be successfully completed before accepted applicant can begin the nursing program.
|
| » | *A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75. |
| » | *A minimum grade of C is required for all science courses. |
| » | All applicants must be officially admitted to WKU by application deadline date. |
| » | All transfer courses must be evaluated by WKU by application deadline date. |
| » | For applicants who have been accepted to WKU but are taking courses at a different institution must provide a current class schedule with your application by the deadline date. |
| » | Applicants who already have a bachelors degree (or higher) must provide official transcripts with your application to the department by the application deadline date. |
| » | It is the responsibility of the applicant not the School of Nursing to make sure that all required documents are submitted by the application deadline date to the School of Nursing. |
Required Classes for Pre-Nursing Students.
Must be completed or in progress before admission into Nursing | Credit Hours | Course Title | Gen Ed Category |
| English 100 | 3 | Introduction to College Writing | A1
|
| English 300 | 3 | Writing in the Disciplines | A1
|
| Foreign Language | 3 | Must be Second Level (102) | A2
|
| COMM 145 or 161 | 3 | Public Speaking | A3
|
| English 200-Literature | 3 | Literature | B1
|
| Humanities Elective | 3 | Humanities Elective, Can NOT be Philosophy | B2
|
| Phil 322 | 3 | Biomedical Ethics | B2 |
| Psy 199 | 3 | Developmental Psychology | C |
AH 290
| 2
| Medical Terminology | N/A
|
Category C elective (cannot be History or Psy) | 3
| Elective, must meet criteria for category C
| C
|
| Chemistry 109 | 4 | Chemistry for the Health Science | D1 |
| Biology 207 | 3 | Microbiology | D1 |
| Biology 208 (lab) | 1 | Microbiology Lab | D1 |
| Math 116 | 3 | College Algebra | D2 |
| World Culture Elective | 3 | Elective, must meet criteria for category E | E |
| CFS 111 Nutrition | 3 | Human Nutrition | F |
| ^ Biology 131 class with lab | 4 | Anatomy and Physiology I | D1 |
| ^Biology 231 class with lab | 4 | Anatomy and Physiology II | N/A |
| History 119 or 120 | 3 | History | C |
| Statistics | 3 | Take ONE of the following: Ph 383, Soc 300, Psy 201, Math 203, Econ 206 | D |
| Pre-Nursing Curriculum | 60 | | |
^Must be completed within 5-years of application date.
|
|
| Other Highly Recommended Classes for Nursing Students |
| Nursing 102 | 3 | Introduction to Nursing | NA |
| CHHS 175 | 3 | University Experience for Health and Human Services | N/A |