B.S.N. Second Degree Option Admission Requirements

Criteria and Selection
Eligibility
Transfer Information
Physical and Mental Performance Policy
Standards for Readmission

Criteria and Selection

Admission to the Second Degree B.S.N. program is highly competitive. For a candidate to be considered, a fully completed application packet is due to the Department of Nursing on or before January 13, 2023. Applicants are open year round.

Applications will not be considered complete and will not be evaluated until all the following required information has been submitted. Submission of documents to the Department of Nursing is the responsibility of the applicant. Incomplete applications will not be considered in the selection process.

Please call the Nursing Department at 325-942-2224 or email us at nursing@angelo.edu for more information.

Prospective students must apply to the university before applying to the B.S.N. Second Degree Program. All requirements for regular admission to Angelo State University must be met.
Applicants must hold a Bachelor’s Degree.
Completion of or enrollment in the following prerequisite courses:
1. Biology 2323/2123 - Human Anatomy and lab or Health Science Professions 2301/2101 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I and lab.
2. Biology 2324/2124 - Human Physiology and lab or Health Science Professions 2302/2102 - Human Anatomy & Physiology II and lab.
3. Mathematics core (options: 1332 - Contemporary Mathematics, 1324 - Finite Mathematics or 1314 - College Algebra).
4. Psychology 2301 - General Psychology or PSY 2315 - Psychology of Adjustment.
5. Psychology 2304 - Developmental Psychology.
6. Chemistry 1306/1106 - Chemistry for the Health Professions
7. Biology 2420 - Microbiology with lab.
8. Health Science Professions 4315 - Nutrition and Dietary Supplementation.
9. English 1301 - English Composition.
10. English 1302 - Writing across the Curriculum or English 2311 - Introduction to Technical and Business Writing.
11. Language, Philosophy and Culture (options: ENGL Literature, PHIL 1301, 2306, CUL 2323, or HIST 2311, 2312, 2322).
12. History 1301 - History of the US to 1865.
13. History 1302 - History of the US, 1865 to Present.
14. Political Science 2305 - Federal Government.
15. Political Science 2306 - Texas Government.
16. Statistics (options: HSP 4337, MATH 3321, 1342 or PSY 2321).
17. Creative Arts (options: ARTS 1301, 1302, 1303, 1304, MUSI 1306, 1310, 1313, TH 1310, or Honors 2302).
18. Research Methodology (3 credit hours).
19. Communication 1315 - Public Speaking.
Minimum Cumulative GPA: 2.5 (includes all college coursework)
Minimum Math/Science GPA: 3.0 (includes required math and science pre-requisite coursework only).
All sciences must be within 10 years of the start of the nursing program. Sciences include CHEM 1306/1106, BIOL 2323/2123 and BIOL 2324/2124 or HSP 2301/2101 & HSP 2302/2102, and BIOL 2420.
Completion of TEAS Examination.
The Department of Nursing requires a Nursing Admissions Assessment test for students applying for any B.S.N. track option. Exam results are used to determine readiness for admission and future success in the nursing program. Students may take and submit results from the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS, version V or higher) exam as part of meeting the admission requirements for the program.

Applicants will be allowed a total of two attempts for the TEAS exam, regardless of the number of applications to the nursing program. However, applicants must wait a minimum of 30 days in between attempts and the second attempt must be a different form. Combining scores from both attempts will NOT be considered. Only the most current attempt will be used to consider qualification. Applicants must earn the minimum (see below) subject scores or higher on either the first attempt or if necessary their second attempt to qualify for evaluation for admission.

TEAS Minimum Requirements: Must make 70% or higher on reading section AND a 70% or higher on math section to qualify for consideration. For qualified candidates, all sections of the TEAS are evaluated and considered during the admission process.

Preparing For the Exam: Applicants can purchase study material and practice exams through ATI either with or before paying for the exam.

Meeting pre-admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the B.S.N. program.

Additional requirements upon admission:

Successful completion of federal background check, including fingerprinting, will be required upon admission.
Drug screening will be conducted upon admission prior to the first clinical learning experience.
Submission of complete immunization records will be required upon admission.
American Heart Association Healthcare Provider-level CPR certification will be required upon admission.
Documentation of health insurance will be required upon admission.

To be considered for admission, you must complete the following requirements:

Review all pre-admission requirements listed above. It is the student’s responsibility to evaluate any changes in admission requirements between each application period and abide by (and submit) those changes in order to be a candidate for admission. You must meet stated minimum requirements to be considered for admission. Applications not meeting the minimum admission requirements will not be reviewed.
Transfer applicants are required to contact their assigned pre-nursing Academic Advisor for an evaluation of transfer credits before applying.
Complete and submit 2nd Degree Nursing Program Application.
- Review the introductory text and expandable information before beginning the application form.
- Applicants are encouraged to submit the application for admission consideration early to allow for evaluation and notification of application status before application deadline.
- The application cannot be saved, so it must be completed in one session. For more information regarding the application, please refer to the appropriate section:

The following items must be submitted by email to: nursing@angelo.edu.

Personal Statement required for a complete application:
500 – 600 word Personal Statement addressing the three following questions, using the actual question as your subheadings:
- How has your life experiences shaped who you are today?
  Include any activities such as community, volunteer, military, healthcare, etc. that you feel make you a strong candidate.
- How do you see yourself contributing to the profession of nursing?
- Why should you be admitted to this program?
TEAS Exam
The Department of Nursing requires a Nursing Admissions Assessment test for students applying for the BSN. Exam results are used to determine readiness for admission and future success in the nursing program. Students must take and submit results for the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS, version V or higher) exam as part of meeting the admission requirements for the program. Follow the link above for information regarding scheduling the TEAS Exam.
- TEAS Minimum Requirements: Must make 70% or higher on reading section and a 70% or higher on math section to qualify
- For qualified candidates, all sections of the TEAS are evaluated and considered during the admission process.
Applicants who answer ‘yes’ to being enrolled in a previous A.A.S.N. or B.S.N. program must also submit the following:
- Letter of good standing from Head of Nursing Program previously attended
- Letter of recommendation from last clinical instructor

Admission to the B.S.N. program is highly competitive and selection of applicants is an individual but holistic review. There is no one single factor that determines an applicant’s admission, however, a number of factors, including academic criteria (GPA, grades earned in science courses, and failed/repeated courses), regulatory agencies’ requirements, availability of clinical sites and university resources, dictate the number of candidates who can be accepted into the B.S.N. program. Because the number of applications exceeds the number of candidates that can be accepted, only complete applications, meeting the above pre-admission requirements and submitted by the deadline, will be evaluated by the Admissions Committee.

A number of factors are considered in the acceptance process, including:

Non-nursing curriculum coursework grade point average (GPA)
Number of non-nursing semester credit hours completed with a C or better
Grades in science prerequisite courses
Institution where science prerequisite work was completed
Number of withdrawals and failures on transcripts
Scores on the TEAS Exam
Number of prerequisites in-progress or not completed at the time of admission review

Admission to the nursing program is competitive, and priority consideration is given to students who complete their science prerequisites at Angelo State University.

Applicants will receive written notification and email notification within 30 days of the application deadline. Applicants selected for admission must complete and return the acceptance form by the stated deadline or their position will be forfeited. All applicants not accepted will need to submit a new application form to be considered for the next B.S.N. course sequence. For more information, please call the Nursing Department at 325-942-2224 or email us at nursing@angelo.edu .

Eligibility to take NCLEX-RN Examination

Declaratory Order (DO)

The Texas Board of Nursing (BON) has identified certain circumstances that may render a potential candidate ineligible for licensure as a registered nurse in the state of Texas. A petition for Declaratory Order (DO) is formal disclosure to the Board of Nursing of an eligibility issue that may prevent an applicant from taking the NCLEX-RN and receiving initial licensure. The DO permits the Board of Nursing to make a decision regarding a student’s/petitioner’s eligibility for licensure prior to entering or completing a nursing program.

You should submit the Do if:

You submitted fingerprints as part of the New/Accepted Student Roster Process (see process below) and you received an outcome letter from the Board of Nursing requesting the submission of the DO.
OR
You submitted fingerprints as part of the New/Accepted Student Roster Process and received a Blue Card, But have to disclose a non-CBC (Criminal Background Check) related eligibility issue (questions 2-5 on the DO).

New/Accepted Student Roster Process

BON New/Accepted Student Criminal Background Check Process:

Step one:
The Texas based nursing program submits the New/Accepted Student Roster to the BON.
Step Two:
BON staff enters the data into our internal fingerprint database. This step is what adds them to the list with Morpho Trust.
Step Three:
BON staff sends an email to the designated contact at the school advising that the roster has been entered into our system.
Step Four:
Students will receive an email from IdentoGo including the Service Code and instructions on scheduling their appointment. The email will be sent to the email address provided on the school roster. Students should not attempt to schedule fingerprinting until contacted to do so. Make sure your email is current with your nursing program records. Attempts to get fingerprinted before data is entered into the BON database could delay the process and cause the student to repeat the entire process over.
Step Five:
The BON receives information from The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regarding the criminal background check (CBC) results and staff inputs this data within ten business days.
Step Six:
If a Declaratory Order (DO) has to be filed with the BON based on the results of step 5, the BON will contact the student to do so. If a student knows that something is going to show up on the back ground check, the student can begin to accumulate the necessary documentation needed to file a DO; however, the BON recommends students wait until receiving notification from the BON to actual file the DO.

Questions on the DO to help determine the need to disclose

Criminal Background
Question 1 on the DO pertains to criminal offenses. If the Board of Nursing wants you to submit a DO based on your CBC (criminal background check) from your fingerprinting, you will be contacted by the board with instruction on how to initiate this process.

Non-Criminal Background
Question 2-5 on the DO pertain to non-criminal offenses. If you answer yes to any of the questions 2-5 below, you need to disclose (file a DO) to the Board of Nursing.

2. Are you currently the target or subject of a grand jury or governmental agency investigation?

3. Has any licensing authority ever refused to issue you a license or ever revoked, annulled, cancelled, accepted surrender of, suspended, placed on probation, refused to renew a professional license, certificate or multi-state privilege held by you now or previously, or ever fined, censured, reprimanded or otherwise disciplined you?

4. In past five (5) years have you been diagnosed with or treated or hospitalized for schizophrenia and/or psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, paranoid personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, or borderline personality disorder which impaired or does impair your behavior, judgment, or ability to function in school or work?

(You may answer “No” if you have completed and/or are in compliance with TPAPN for mental illness OR you’ve previously disclosed to the Texas Board of Nursing and have remained complaint with your treatment regime and have had no further hospitalization since disclosure.)

5. Within the past five (5) years have you been addicted to and/or treated for the use of alcohol or any other drug?

The Declaratory Order process permits the BON to make decisions regarding eligibility for licensure prior to an applicant entering or completing a nursing program. The review process can take a minimum of three months to two years depending on the petitioner’s case, after you provide all required documentation. Statutes and rules governing the petition may be found in the Texas Occupations Code §§301.257, 301.452-301.454 (Nursing Practice Act) and in the Board Rules and Regulations relating to Professional Nurse Education, Licensure and Practice, 22 TAC §§213.27- 30 and §§217.11-12. These statutes can be found on the BON’s website. Students who have obtained a Declaratory Order Petition must notify and inform the programmatic administrator of the outcome of their petition.

For more information on the Texas Declaratory Order see the Texas BON website under declaratory order.

Transfer Information

We often get questions from students about which courses will transfer to ASU. Students should be approved for admission before the Office of Transfer Student Services can evaluate their transcripts.

Your transfer 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. Visit the transfer students page on the Office of Admissions website for more information about courses that transfer to ASU.

Students interested in transferring nursing coursework into ASU for use toward the BSN program must meet the following transfer guidelines in addition to all pre-acceptance requirements by the application deadline. Being granted transfer credit for nursing coursework is rare and evaluated on an individual basis. For more information, please call the Nursing Department at 325-942-2224 or email us at nursing@angelo.edu.

Physical and Mental Performance Policy

To accomplish the objectives of the Nursing Department, students must be able to meet the following performance requirements:

Visual acuity with corrective lenses to identify cyanosis, absence of respiratory movement in patients, and to read small print on medication containers, physician orders, monitors, and equipment calibrations.
Hearing ability with auditory aids to understand the normal speaking voice without viewing the speaker’s face and to hear monitor alarms, emergency signals, call bells from patients, and stethoscope sounds originating from a patient’s blood vessels, lungs, and abdomen.
Nursing students must be able to provide general care including: physical ability to stand for prolonged periods of time, perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, lift patients, and move from room to room or maneuver in limited spaces.
Ability to communicate effectively in verbal and written form. Ability to write legibly and correctly in patient’s chart for legal documentation. Students must be able to process and accurately convey information about the patient in a timely manner.
Manual dexterity to use sterile techniques and insert catheters.
Ability to prepare and administer IV, PO, SQ, and IM medications.
Ability to function safely under stressful conditions, adapting to ever-changing clinical situations involving patient care.

Standards for Readmission into B.S.N. Program

Second Degree BSN Program

Readmission to the Second Degree Program is not permissible. A student starting the Second Degree Program must be successful in all courses with their first attempt, and continue each semester without pause, in order to progress through the Second Degree Program’s curriculum and degree plan.

If a student is not successful on their first attempt with second degree courses, that student, if in good standing, may be allowed to enter into Generic BSN Program to repeat the unsuccessful course(s) and then finish out the Generic BSN Program to earn their BSN degree.

Students in this situation will be required to submit a readmission application to the Department of Nursing by the end of the semester of their unsuccessful first attempt. Readmission applicants can be found on the ASU Nursing Website. This application must be submitted no later than 3 days after the end of the attempted semester. A student reapplying must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 to be eligible for readmission.

Students seeking readmission will be expected to enter the next academic semester to repeat their failed course(s) and to take the needed courses to be in the sequence with the Generic BSN curriculum. That student will then enter into the Generic BSN program the following academic semester from the repeated courses.

Any student who has been dismissed for disciplinary reasons or withdrew from the Second Degree Program for academic reasons, is ineligible for readmission to that program. Any student who was dismissed from the Second Degree Program for disciplinary reasons is ineligible for readmission into our BSN programs.

Interviews with the Nursing Readmission Committee

A student is allowed only one readmission to the BSN nursing program. Readmission for qualified applicants is approved on a space available basis. Students applying for readmission after one year will be required to repeat the program application process and re-take all previously completed nursing courses.

On occasion, the Readmission Committee may request an interview with a student reapplying to the BSN program before a final decision toward readmission is made. If you are chosen to interview, you will be contacted by the nursing department and a time to interview will be scheduled.

2nd Degree Readmission Application