Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Upper Division Option
Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing (GSON) offers the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Upper Division Option, an entry-level nursing program for individuals who have completed their first two years of college at another institution.
The Upper Division Option is a full-time, five-term program comprised of 66 credit hours of nursing course work. Applicants must have 54 credit hours of prerequisite course work at community colleges or other universities. (GSON) admits students for spring, summer and fall terms. Classes are held during the full calendar year. Holding a job outside of school may be difficult. Students must be available a minimum of 30-40 hours per week for course work and simulation labs during the day or evenings and for clinical experiences during days, evenings and/or weekends. Students complete their clinical experiences at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Missouri Baptist Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital, as well as at other BJC HealthCare Hospitals and St. Louis metropolitan area health care facilities. While every effort is made, students may not always get their first choice of clinical location.
The Upper Division Option prepares students to provide direct care to patients and their families in a variety of health care settings, as well as to pursue higher degrees in nursing.
Eligible graduates will take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). *Passing the exam is required to become an entry-level registered nurse.
*NOTE: Please note that program completion does not guarantee eligibility to take the NCLEX-RN. See the Missouri Practice Act for details. Section 335.066 of the Missouri Nurse Practice Act can be viewed online.
Admission Requirements
Minimum 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA
Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA on Core Prerequisites
Minimum of 54 credit hours in the following prerequisites. (Note: Anatomy and Physiology I & II and Microbiology must have been taken within the last 5 years. Core prerequisites may not have been taken more than twice within the last five years.)
An email with additional information regarding compliance requirements will be sent three months prior to start date.
| Anatomy & Physiology I with lab* |
Ethics |
| Anatomy & Physiology II with lab* |
College Algebra |
| Microbiology with lab* |
Introduction to Sociology |
| General Psychology* |
History or Political Science |
| Human Growth & Development (across the lifespan)* |
Biology, Chemistry, Genetics or |
| Nutrition* |
Physics |
| Statistics* |
General Elective |
| English Composition I* |
Humanities Elective |
| English Composition II |
Social Science Elective |
*Core prerequisites
Core prerequisite courses are required for applicants with a Bachelor’s degree
NOTE: All course grades will be included in the cumulative GPA calculation. The Admissions Department may provide 10-year forgiveness for cumulative GPA calculation. The student must submit a petition for forgiveness of prior grades to the Admissions Department. This letter will be placed in the student’s file. The GPA will then be appropriately calculated. However, if a student has not completed any coursework in the last 10 years, they will need to complete a minimum of nine (9) credit hours of prerequisite coursework at the appropriate GPA to meet program/option requirements.
NOTE: Students who have received two failing grades or have been academically dismissed from another accredited nursing program are not considered for admission to the Pre-licensure BSN options.
NOTE: GSON currently accepts applications on a rolling basis. Because of limited availability in classes, we recommend applicants submit the application, official transcripts and all other documents at least 15-18 months prior to the beginning of the entry term. Applications will continue to be reviewed and students will be admitted and deposits accepted until classes are filled. Because of an increase in applications there will be wait lists for the Upper-Division and Accelerated BSN options. Applicants who are admitted may be placed on the wait list and may not receive a place in the desired start term’s class.
Admission Procedure
The following criteria are considered when reviewing all applications for admission:
- A completed application for admission
- Official transcripts. NOTE: All transcripts and documents in languages other than English must be certified and accompanied by a certified English translation. The original and notarized copy of the evaluation showing degree equivalency and/or subject breakdown must be submitted. Prior to enrollment official transcripts and education records documenting the date of completion/graduation are required. Please refer to the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) for a list of credential agencies.
- Regardless of U.S. residency, international applicants who received associate, undergraduate degrees or higher from colleges and universities in which English is not the primary language must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination as an indicator of ability to read, write, and comprehend English. This requirement is waived for applicants who received degrees from colleges and universities in which the primary language is English.
- Barnes-Jewish College recommends that students take the Internet-Based TOEFL (IBT). The score requirement for the IBT is 85, with minimum scores of 21 for reading and 23 for writing. The score requirement for the computer-based test is 240, with a minimum score of 4.5 on the Test of Written English. The score requirement for the paper-based test is 575. The Barnes-Jewish College TOEFL code is6329.
- A passing score on the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (COGFNS) Examination for applicants from foreign nursing schools.
- International applicants need to allow sufficient time for the application to be processed and reviewed by the admissions office and for financial documents to be received and reviewed by the student services office. An international student admission will not become official until both processes are completed.
All credentials received become the property of GSON. Providing incorrect information concerning previous enrollment at other colleges or universities will void admission to the College.
Admission Entry Dates
Entry terms: Spring, Summer, Fall
All application material must be received to be considered for admission. GSON communicates admission decisions by letter.
Outcomes
1. Integrate, translate and apply nursing and foundational knowledge from other disciplines, including liberal arts and natural and social sciences into professional nursing practice.
2. Deliver holistic, person-centered care that is individualized, just, respectful, compassionate, coordinated, evidence-based and developmentally appropriate across diverse social, economic and cultural backgrounds.
3. Collaborate with traditional and non-traditional community partners from public health, industry, academia, health care, government entities and others to engage in health promotion and disease prevention to support equitable health outcomes among diverse and underserved populations.
4. Translate, synthesize and apply nursing knowledge to use best evidence to improve health.
5. Employ established and emerging principles of quality, safety and improvement science as core values of nursing practice, to minimize risk of harm to patients and providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance.
6. Collaborate across professions with team members, patients, families, communities and other stakeholders to optimize care, enhance the healthcare experience and promote equitable outcomes.
7. Work within complex systems of health care to proactively coordinate resources to provide safe, quality and equitable care to diverse populations.
8. Use informatics and health care technologies to support professional nursing decision making and manage and improve the delivery of safe, high-quality and efficient healthcare services in accordance with best practice and professional and regulatory standards.
9. Cultivate a sustainable professional identity centered through the nursing lens, inclusive of accountability, a social justice perspective, collaborative disposition and behavior that reflects nursing’s characteristics and values.
10. Model a commitment to life-long learning through self-reflection, personal growth and resilience, to maintain well-being and continued development of leadership and nursing expertise.
Sample Plan of Study
Term 1
Term 2
Term 3
Term 4
Term 5