Apr 20, 2024  
2015-2016 Catalog (Original) 
    
2015-2016 Catalog (Original) [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Nursing - (AS)


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Division of Health Sciences

Fall Semester Start

This program is designed to meet the educational needs of students pursuing a career in nursing who wish to attend college full-time during the day. The day-option core curriculum is a full time program that is designed to be completed over four semesters.

The theoretical and clinical components of nursing courses must be taken concurrently and sequentially as outlined in the applicable curriculum sheet.

Graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses.

The Associate in Science Degree in Nursing is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and approved by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing.

Upon completion, The Associate in Science in Nursing degree is awarded.

Admission Requirements

Applicants seeking admission to the Associate Degree Nursing program are required to attend a recent information session. Times and dates for these sessions can be located at: www.massbay.edu/infosessions. Students seeking admission to the Associate Degree Nursing Program (ADN) will be individually evaluated on the basis of Grade Point Average (GPA), and performance on the HESI A2 Entrance Exam.

In order to be considered for admission students must have all the following:

  • High school diploma or equivalent, or associate degree or higher
  • An overall GPA of 2.5 or higher
  • HESI Admission (A2) exam score of 75 or better in all subtest scores except Chemistry which requires a subtest score of at least 65 percent. (Note: Student may take the HESI exam for a total of 2 times. Students repeating the exam must take a second version. There must be a 6-month period between each exam. HESI exams are only good for two years, and then the exam must be retaken. If you have applied to another program and have taken the most recent version of the TEAS test, adjusted subtest scores of 58% or better in English, reading, science and math may be considered at the discretion of the admissions committee.)

Applicants must also meet the following additional criteria for acceptance into the nursing program:

  • Freshman English I (EN 101 ) with a grade of C or higher.
  • MassBay placement into College Algebra (MA 102 ) OR Pre-Calculus Mathematics (MA 104 ) or completion of Intermediate Algebra (MA 98 ) with a grade of C or higher.
  • Completion of BI 115 Anatomy and Physiology I, BI 116 Anatomy and Physiology II and BI 123 Fundamentals of Microbiology within a five (5) year time frame with a grade of C+ or higher at the time student records are reviewed for matriculation into the nursing program (Note: Students cannot have multiple attempts to achieve a C+ or higher in any one science course within the required 5 year period).
  • Completion of Chemistry I with a grade of C+ or higher (High School Chemistry or College Chemistry (CH 101 ) within 10 years of acceptance into the nursing program).
  • Successful completion of Reading Assessment Test with a score of 72 or better.
  • Documentation from a healthcare provider stating that you have a positive Hepatitis B titer, or have completed the Hepatitis B vaccine series and are a “non-responder” to the vaccine. You must allow a minimum of 6 months to complete this process.

Once students have been admitted to the program the following preprogram requirements must be completed:

Orientation: Nursing students are required to attend a New Student Orientation and Registration session in July and complete a mandatory two-day orientation scheduled on the first Tuesday and Wednesday in August. Students who do not complete this two-day orientation will be withdrawn from the program and be considered for readmission at a later date.

Required Pre-entry Documentation:
In order to be eligible to start class and remain in the program all new and progressing students are required to have certifiedbackgroundcheck.com accounts initiated at least 6 weeks in advance of the first day of class. All required forms and documentation outlined below* must be uploaded to certifiedbackgroundcheck.com accounts at least 4 weeks prior to the first day of class. Failure to have completed this step will result in the student being withdrawn from the program. Students who are withdrawn will be considered for readmission at a later date.

  • Medical clearance and proof of immunizations as outlined in the Division of Health Sciences handbook and in admission paperwork.
  • Proof of CPR certification. The Healthcare Provider Card (from the American Heart Association) and the Professional Rescuer Card (from American Red Cross or National Safety Council) are the only types of CPR certification that meet this requirement (Copies of both sides and a valid signature required).
  • Completion of CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information) and SORI (Sexual Offender Registry Information) in accordance with state regulations (CORI and SORI results are confidential).

Required Courses


  • BI 115 Anatomy and Physiology I 4 *
  • BI 116 Anatomy and Physiology II 4
  • BI 123 Fundamentals of Microbiology w/ Lab 4 *
  • 3

Subtotal for Program Requirements: 19


* BI 101  (4 credits) pre-requisite

credits: 13


credits: 15


credits: 13


credits: 12


Total Program Credits: 72


Program Notes


This program qualifies as an Alternative Transfer Agreement (MassTransfer) with select public institutions in Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.mass.edu/masstransfer.

All Nursing (NU) courses must be completed with a grade of C (73%) or higher.

Competency in Mathematics is MassBay graduation requirement. Prior to graduation, students must demonstrate competency at 100-level math. This may be accomplished by an appropriate placement test score or completion of a 100-level math course (not MAC).

Competency in Critical Thinking is a MassBay graduation requirement. Students who achieve a C or higher in the Nursing Capstone course (NU 275 ) have demonstrated competency in critical thinking and have met the required graduation requirement.

Humanities Electives:


Art, Communications, Film, Foreign Language, Humanities, Literature, Oral Communication, Philosophy, Photography, Sign Language, Theater Arts.

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