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Department of Nursing and Rehabilitation Sciences
Member, Texas Tech University System The Princeton Review - 373 Best Colleges, 2011 Edition

Prospective Student Information

Prospective Student Information

Whether you are interested in becoming a registered nurse or expanding your nursing career, we offer excellent academic programs to help you reach your professional goals.

To learn more about which of our programs will best fit your needs, choose the statement below that best describes you.

I am a high school student planning ahead.

Congratulations on planning ahead! To become a registered nurse, you must first complete a program of study that qualifies you to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). Programs of study include an associate degree program* (three years of sequenced college work) or a generic baccalaureate program (at least four years of college work). Graduates of both programs take the same licensing exam.

Our nursing program offers a choice of the Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (A.A.S.N.)* degree or generic baccalaureate degree (see the Department of Nursing and Rehabilitation Sciences for more details) as the first step toward becoming a registered nurse (RN). Our A.A.S.N. and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) graduates take the state licensing examination to become registered nurses. 

Until you have been accepted to a Nursing Program, you will be classified as a pre-nursing student and will take only prerequisite courses. In your last semester of prerequisites, you will apply to start the nursing sequence of courses the next semester. Applications to the Generic B.S.N. program are accepted for the fall and spring semesters.

Upon graduation from the A.A.S.N. or B.S.N. program, you are eligible to take the licensing exam to become a registered nurse. However, if you complete an A.A.S.N., we do not want you to stop there. We encourage graduates to go on and complete their Bachelor of Science in Nursing. If you choose to work while going to school part-time, you can complete your B.S.N. with an additional two years of study. If you choose to continue as a full-time student, you can complete the B.S.N. degree in a year or less.

Be sure to look into the university Honors Program, which will enrich your educational experience and provide additional benefits to help you achieve your career goals.

* We are no longer accepting applications to the A.A.S.N. program. Please visit the Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (A.A.S.N.) webpage for more information.

I am a pre-nursing student and I need information about advising.

Pre-nursing students (those students who have not yet been accepted into the nursing program) must seek advising through the College of Health and Human Services. You can contact the College of Health & Human Services at chhs@angelo.edu or call (325) 942-2630. Upon initial acceptance into a nursing program, students should contact the Department of Nursing and Rehabilitation Sciences to set up an advising appointment.

I am a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) and I want to learn more about my educational opportunities.

Congratulations on your desire to further your career in nursing! We recognize and value your nursing experience and knowledge. Check out our accelerated LVN to RN Transition Programs that enable you to complete your Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (A.A.S.N.) degree.

I am a registered nurse (RN) and I want to learn more about the available options.

Our Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing completion program – the first fully integrated online program for RNs in Texas – allows busy nurses to complete their upper-level core nursing courses in 12 months or less. All of our nursing course instruction is provided via the Internet with online course materials, syllabuses, assignments, discussion groups, e-mail and exams. Online class participation is asynchronous for the students’ convenience.

Highly qualified graduates of an accredited associate degree program in nursing may be eligible for admission to an accelerated graduate study mobility track (RN to Master of Science in Nursing). This accelerated track allows students to complete the degree requirements for the Master of Science in Nursing without first completing all required RN-B.S.N. coursework.

I am taking courses at a community college and plan to transfer to ASU.

We welcome transfer students! We often get questions from students about which courses transfer to ASU. You should get approved for admission before the Office of Transfer Student Services can evaluate your transcripts.

A maximum of 66 hours from accredited two-year colleges may be used toward ASU degree plans. ASU requires 30 semester credit hours to be taken in residence to receive a bachelor’s degree from ASU. Review the Admission’s Transfer web page for more information on admission requirements and course equivalencies for transfer students. The Department of Nursing and Rehabilitation Sciences also has transfer requirements for students.

I have a bachelor’s degree in another field and want to go back to school to become a registered nurse.

Because you have a bachelor’s degree, you may have already taken many of the academic course requirements for both the Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (A.A.S.N.) and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree programs. However, you will still need to complete a program of study that qualifies you to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for registered nurses.

The 2nd Degree A.A.S.N./B.S.N. program is a 15-month hybrid program designed for people with a previous bachelor’s degree, and allows students to complete their Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (A.A.S.N.) degree and sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nursing (NCLEX-RN). Students then matriculate into the RN-B.S.N. completely online program.

I am enrolled at ASU and want to become a nurse.

Until you are accepted into the nursing program, you are considered a pre-nursing student. All pre-nursing majors should seek advising through the College of Health and Human Services. You can contact the College of Health & Human Services at chhs@angelo.edu or call (325) 942-2630.

Even though you are currently an ASU student, you still need to submit an application to the nursing program. The deadlines to submit your application for the programs can be found on the corresponding program pages. Please follow the links on the left-hand side of the page.