All students are assigned an academic advisor upon admission to UAB. Information about your assigned advisor is provided on your BlazerNet homepage. The advisor is the first person to contact with questions about your education.

How to make an appointment with a Pre-Nursing Advisor?

Current and Prospective Students can make an appointment conveniently online.

Pre-Nursing Advising for the Prelicensure BSN Pathway

All students interested in applying to the Prelicensure BSN Pathway should meet with one of the UAB School of Nursing pre-nursing advisors after being accepted into UAB.

The pre-nursing advisors will help you navigate the BSN admission process by:

• Helping you to identify your goals and develop educational plans to reach them.
• Helping you to understand degree requirements, course selection, and schedule planning.

Transfer Students: Visit the Transfer Course Equivalency Database to evaluate how your transfer coursework may articulate to meet the BSN requirements.

The UAB School of Nursing Pre-Nursing Advisors:

Wayne Spencer

Pre-Nursing Advisor
Last Names A-G

wspencer@uab.edu (205) 975-7529

Katelyn Geddings

Pre-Nursing Advisor
Last Names H-O

geddings@uab.edu (205) 975-7529

Stephanie Hamberger

Pre-Nursing Advisor
Last Names P-Z

ssallen@uab.edu (205) 975-7529

Your nursing education at UAB begins with the pre-nursing foundation courses and core/general studies courses that provide the base for the upper division courses in nursing.

BSN applicants must earn a “C” or better in the pre-nursing foundation courses and have a pre-nursing foundation GPA of 2.75 or higher in the specific pre-nursing foundation courses that are listed below in blue.

All applicants must also maintain an overall GPA of 2.75 or higher to be considered for the BSN program. For Second Degree BSN applicants, the overall GPA would include all undergraduate coursework taken at all regionally accredited institutions attended.

Students transferring in less than 24 credit hours to UAB will follow the Blazer Core curriculum. Students transferring 24 or more credit hours into UAB will meet with their advisor to determine core completion in Blazer Core or AGSC Core Curriculum.

Prospective students must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered for admission to the BSN Program:

• Have applied for and been admitted to UAB through UAB Undergraduate Admissions. Applicants must be admitted to the university as an undergraduate degree-seeking student no later than one month prior to the School of Nursing BSN application deadline.
• Students are admitted to the BSN program twice each year, in the fall and spring semesters.
• Complete all pre-nursing course requirements (UAB core curriculum and pre-nursing foundation courses).
• Earn a minimum grade of “C” in all required pre-nursing foundation courses (listed in blue under BSN Nursing Prerequisites).
• Achieve an overall GPA of at least 2.75, which must be maintained through the admission cycle. Second degree students please reference the Information for Second Degree Students section below for more information.
• To apply to the BSN Program, applicants must sign up to receive an application using a link that will appear on this page (under Application/Application Deadlines) during the application cycle.

• Meeting the minimum requirements does not constitute admission to the BSN Program.
• Admission decisions are based on your academic record, supporting documents and your application to the BSN Program.

Students are admitted to the BSN program twice each year, in the fall and spring semesters.

Application Deadlines

1. Apply to UAB Undergraduate Admissions and submit required application materials:
   • A completed UAB Application.
   • $40 application fee (non-refundable).
   • Submission of Official Transcripts:
     • High School Students: Submit your high school transcript directly to UAB. Submit your IB/AP/CLEP directly to UAB. For more information click here.
     • Transfer Students and Second Degree Students: Submit official transcripts from all universities/colleges attended to UAB.
     • Your official ACT or SAT scores submitted from ACT or College Board to UAB, only if below 24 credit hours.
2. Apply to UAB School of Nursing BSN Pathway:
   • To apply to the BSN Program, applicants must sign up to receive an application using a link that will appear under the application deadlines above during the application cycle.
   • The application will require you to submit supporting documents: (1) essay (responding to a prompt provided in the application), (2) resume.
   • All application materials must be received by posted deadlines to be considered for admission. Incomplete files will not be considered.

Students who transfer from another college or university, must apply and be accepted to UAB as a degree-seeking student before they can be considered for admission to the BSN Program.

Official transcripts for all previous coursework must be sent to UAB for admission consideration.

Visit the Transfer Course Equivalency Database to evaluate how your transfer coursework may articulate to meet the BSN requirements.

Individuals qualifying for transfer to UAB and apply for the BSN program include:

• Students transferring to UAB from another college or university who have completed all or some foundation and nursing pre-requisite courses.
• Individuals with an Associate's Degree in Nursing are eligible to apply for admission to the RN to BSN Pathway - Please refer to our RN to BSN Pathway page for application and admission information.

Steps to Application

1. Apply to UAB Undergraduate Admissions and submit required application materials:
   • A completed UAB Application.
   • Pay application fee (non-refundable).
   • All official transcripts required for admission.
2. Apply to the UAB School of Nursing:
   • To apply to the BSN Program, applicants must sign up to receive an application using a link that will appear on this page during the application cycle.
   • All application materials must be received by posted deadlines to be considered for admission. Incomplete files will not be considered.

Students who have completed an undergraduate degree outside of the nursing discipline and who meet the UAB criteria for regular undergraduate admission may apply for admission to the BSN Program as a Second Degree Students or to the Accelerated Masters in Nursing Pathway (AMNP).

Second Degree BSN applicants must also have an overall GPA or 2.75 or higher to be considered for the BSN program. The overall GPA would include all undergraduate coursework taken at all regionally accredited institutions attended.

Applicants with less than the required overall undergraduate 2.75 GPA may submit Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores to complete their application. The minimum scores required are a combined 297 on the verbal and quantitative sections. Only scores completed within the last 5 years are accepted.

Students in this option must first apply to UAB where they are assigned a UAB Pre-Nursing Advisor who will assist them in determining eligibility for application to the upper-division major.

Additionally, Second Degree BSN applicants must earn a “C” or better in the pre-nursing foundation courses and have a pre-nursing foundation GPA of 2.75 or higher in the specific pre-nursing foundation courses that are listed in the table below.

Important Considerations for Second Degree Students:

• The curriculum is identical to the traditional BSN Program, but the prerequisites are slightly different from the traditional program.
• The Program is not an accelerated program.
• The Program is five consecutive semesters, requires full-time study, and it is not designed for students that need to work while in school.

The BSN Curriculum is designed to prepare graduates for entry into professional nursing practice.

This foundation offers both academic and professional nursing courses that provide the base for clinical competence and informed judgments about health care situations and care of patients in both in- and out-patient settings.

The curriculum prepares nurses to:

• Apply knowledge from diverse liberal arts educational content to generalist nursing care principles and practice experiences.
• Incorporate a basic understanding of organizational systems and the application of knowledge and skills needed to provide safe, quality care to individual patients and to function as part of an interprofessional team.
• Participate in and utilize structure, process, and outcome measures to evaluate the implementation of patient safety and quality improvement initiatives.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the basic elements of the evidence-based practice and participates in the retrieval, appraisal, and application of best practices.
• Demonstrate skills in the ethical use of healthcare information communication technology (ICT) and how technology supports safe practice and examination of patient data for outcome analysis.
• Demonstrate understanding of healthcare policy, advocacy, global health, legal, and regulatory issues as factors that may influence healthcare delivery and practice.
• Utilize effective intra and interprofessional communication skills to advocate for evidence-based, holistic care as a member of the healthcare team.
• Assess determinants of health in relation to multiple factors (genetics, environmental exposure, family history, individual health, and health preferences) to guide and advocate for the delivery of health promotion/disease prevention strategies.
• Apply knowledge of nursing history, nursing standards, and one’s own beliefs and values to the application of professional nursing behaviors, communication, and actions.
• Practice safe, evidence-based, compassionate, holistic, and patient and family centered care applying knowledge of leadership and healthcare delivery for individuals and communities.

The BSN Program offers a full-time program of study¹ that can be completed in five semesters. Students that successfully complete the program requirements will be awarded a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree.

Please Note: Students may deviate from this curriculum plan only with permission of the Assistant Dean for BSN Education.
Q = Web-based
L= Lab or Clinical

¹Curriculum is currently under revision due to credentialing updates and new programs of study will be updated in 2024.

The following tuition and fees are valid for the 2024-2025 academic year. Tuition and fees and are SUBJECT TO CHANGE annually based on approval from the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees and/or University.

The estimates below are based on the costs listed at the UAB Office of Planning and Analysis website.

Each student’s costs will vary depending upon a number of factors including state of residence, the number of credits taken in a semester, or whether the student attends class live or through a distance-accessible format. Fees vary by program and course.

UAB Financial Aid and Scholarships

Information on Financial Aid, University Scholarships and other funding opportunities is available at:

UAB School of Nursing Scholarships

• The School of Nursing at UAB has an excellent scholarship program that provides financial support to Alabama’s best and brightest nursing students.
• Currently, the School’s scholarship portfolio consists of 76 endowed scholarships and 3 active sponsored scholarships.
• The school currently has an $10.1 million endowed fund that supports nursing scholarships annually.
• Scholarships are awarded twice a year – spring and fall semesters. The scholarship application process is simple. One application is needed to be considered for all undergraduate or graduate scholarships.
• Application and additional information can be found at https://www.uab.edu/nursing/home/scholarships-financial-aid

For Information about School of Nursing Scholarships, Contact:

Stephanie Hamberger, MPA

Director of Student Engagement, Recruitment and Scholarships

ssallen@uab.edu 205.934.5483

The Student Nurse Internship Program (SNIP) is a unique opportunity for BSN students who are potential future employees of Children’s of Alabama (COA) to gain work and learning experiences that will accelerate their transition to professional nursing practice upon graduation.

BSN students selected for the three semester internship (3rd, 4th or 5th semesters of the BSN Program) will have the opportunity to:

• Work as a Student Clinical Assistant (CA) at COA.
• Complete the elective course (Care of the Medically Complex Child) designed specifically for student interns.
• Complete the final student preceptorship (5th preceptorship) on a designated unit at COA.

Application

BSN students may apply for the SNIP during the second semester of the BSN program. Applicants will complete an application and participate in an interview. Applicants are notified of their selection prior to the start of the SNIP program in the third semester. Students will be notified of the application period and provided a copy of the application at the beginning of their second semester of the BSN program.

Application Deadline: March 1

Selection Criteria

• Applicants must submit by the deadline:
  • A completed application.
  • A copy of your resume/CV.
  • A video essay (maximum of 5 minutes) that addresses the following:
    • Describe prior experience in working with a pediatric population (ex. Daycare, previous employment, volunteer experiences, etc.)
    • Describe your nursing career goals after graduation
    • Describe how this opportunity will help you prepare to achieve your career goals
• Participate in a formal interview.
• Be in good academic standing at the time of application with a minimum Nursing GPA of 3.0.
• Verify their intention to seek employment at COA upon graduation from the BSN program.
• Agree to:
  • Work as a Student Care Assistant a minimum of 16 hours per month (maximum of 24 hours) during the internship.
  • Complete their senior preceptorship on a designated unit of COA.
• Not be currently employed.
• Meet all employment requirements of COA.

For more information, contact:

Tedra Smith, DNP, CRNP

Assistant Dean, Graduate Clinical Education – MSN

tedraka@uab.edu 205.996.4153

The Dean’s Nursing Scholars Program is designed for academically talented high school seniors who are strongly considering a career in nursing.

• Scholars receive a number of benefits, including:
  • Opportunities to attend School of Nursing special events designed for the Scholars.
  • Priority admission to the highly regarded and competitive BSN nursing program as long as the Scholar:
    • Enrolls at UAB directly from high school.
    • Successfully completes the required undergraduate pre-requisite foundation and core classes.
    • Achieve and maintain a 3.2 or higher GPA in the required pre-nursing foundation courses and cumulative GPA (All Area V courses must be taken at UAB).
• Individuals selected for the Dean’s Nursing Scholars Program must:
  • Be a high school senior.
  • Possess a minimum high school grade point average of 3.8
  • Be admitted to UAB through the UAB Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
  • For priority consideration, admission applications to UAB must be submitted by December 1 of the applicant’s high school senior year.

The UAB School of Nursing Honors Program provides unique experiential learning opportunities in research where students are introduced to basic research concepts and provided the opportunity to complete defined research activities as part of a faculty research team. Students have the opportunity to explore the role and career path of a nurse scientist. All undergraduate nursing students are eligible to apply for admission to the Nursing Honors Program.

Students who successfully complete the Nursing Honors Program will receive a certificate of acknowledgement at the UAB Honors Convocation and will graduate “With Honors in Nursing.” Students completing both the UAB Honors Program and the School of Nursing Honors Program will graduate “With University Honors in Nursing.”

The Nursing Honors Program is supported by an endowed fund established by Celia A. Wallace in 2005 to honor Kristen Celia and Gerald Leon Wallace, Jr.

Eligibility

• Students must meet the following criteria to be considered for acceptance into the Nursing Honors Program:
  • A minimum 3.4 GPA in BSN foundation courses.
  • A minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA for all coursework completed.

Requirements

• To remain in the Nursing Honors Program, students must:
  • Maintain a minimum overall UAB GPA of 3.0 and a minimum 3.25 GPA in nursing coursework.
  • Complete the required six credit hours of Nursing Honors Program Courses (NUR 450, NUR 451, and NUR 452).

Application

• To apply for the Nursing Honors Program, applicants must:
  • Complete and submit the Honors Program Application Form.
  • Attach a one-page resume to the Application Form.
    • Please include college activities as well as leadership and research experiences.
  • Record a video essay that addresses the items below and attach it to the Application Form:
    • Your name
    • How you heard about the Honors Program
    • Why you are interested in the Honors Program
    • Nursing career goals
    • How participation in the Honors Program will help you reach your goals
  • The video must be no longer than 5 minutes in duration. Each of the items above must be addressed in order for the application to be considered.
• To complete an Honors Application Form, please click here.

For more information, contact:

Jessica Corcoran, PhD

Program Co-Director

jlp1992@uab.edu (205) 996-8101

Sarah Gallups, PhD

Program Co-Director

snfraze@uab.edu (205) 934-4857

The UAB School of Nursing offers a special initiative. The Veterans Career Advancement in Nursing (Veterans CAN!) is for our military veterans, active duty members reservists, and members of the national guard, who wish to transition into a professional nursing career and earn a baccalaureate degree in nursing.

The UAB School of Nursing also supports the Nurse Enlisted Commissioning Program (NECP) and AAMED Enlisted Commissioning Program (AECP). For information on UAB School of Nursing eligibility requirements and the processes for applying for NECP/AECP at the School, contact Ms. Crimsynn Dover at cdover@uab.edu.

Goals of Veterans CAN:

• Recognize the experience and training of veterans and members of the military who desire a career in nursing.

Highlights:

• Early admission review for qualified applicants.
• Opportunity for academic credit for select coursework based on military training and experience completed within the past 5 years (training and experience completed longer than 5 years ago will require a waiver and additional validation process).
• Dedicated advisors and peer support.

Eligibility:

• For military veterans, active duty reservists, and those in the National Guard.
• Must be admitted to UAB prior to applying for the Veterans CAN program.
• Career goal is to become a registered professional nurse.
• Provide a copy of DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.
• Completion of the general education and nursing prerequisites courses required for the BSN degree which are listed under the BSN Nursing Prerequisites tab above.

For more information, contact:

Rachel Sasser, MSN

Program Co-Director

rmshaw@uab.edu 205.975.2493

Randy Moore, DNP

Program Co-Director

rlmoore@uab.edu 205.934.4425

NOTE: Prospective International students must first contact UAB International Admissions to determine eligibility to study in the U.S. and/or submit an application for admission to UAB.

The information below provides information on eligibility requirements:

All applicants must meet the BSN Program Admission Requirements. The following are additional requirements for International applicants.

Application Requirements

• Meet English language requirements. Scores on Tests of English Language (TOEFL or IELTS) are used to determine English language proficiency. Applicants must meet minimum scores to be considered for admission:
1. Test of English as a Foreign Language, TOEFL
• Score of 500 or higher on the written examination.
• Score of 173 on the computer-based version.
• Score of 80 on the Internet-based version.
2. International English Language Testing System, IELTS
• Score of 5.5 overall bandwidth with no less than 5.0 on any module.
• All scores must be sent directly to UAB from the testing agency.
• The scores should be no more than two years old.