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Admission Requirements

In addition to the University's general admissions requirements, high school courses in biology and chemistry are required. Since Catholic University is a test-blind institution, standardized test scores are not considered as part of the application review process. 

 

Undergraduate admissions to the Conway School of Nursing are coordinated by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. As of Fall 2022 semester, freshmen pursuing a bachelor’s in nursing science are admitted directly into the Conway School of Nursing (CSON). The direct entry program is in synchrony with the mission of The Catholic University of America where requirements in the arts and humanities, religious and philosophy studies and science course are integrated in a traditional four-year nursing plan of study. As first year nursing students, the curricula include a foundation course that introduces students to the nursing profession within the context of licensure, accreditation, certification, and education as well as explores the role of nurses within the US health- care system. Concurrently students complete University requirements, science courses, and electives for progression into their second year.

During the first semester sophomore year, students take nursing courses focusing on health and wellness across the life span and nutrition and health. While in the first semester of the sophomore year, all nursing students take a standardized and proctored progression examination to assess their academic readiness to advance and progress into upper-level nursing courses to include pathophysiology in the second semester. Sophomore students take the Health Education Systems, Inc. (HESI) Nursing Progression Exam during the fall semester sophomore year. For those students who are unsuccessful additional attempts are offered and remediation and tutoring support is provided. If a student continues to be unsuccessful on the progression exam, after the third attempt, the student will be advised to determine another major.

Progression in the Conway School of Nursing requires:

  1. A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher.
  2. A minimum grade of C minus in the following basic natural science courses: chemistry with lab (CHEM 109 / CHEM119), anatomy and physiology I and II (BIOL 232, BIOL 233), and microbiology (BIOL 223). A combined science GPA of 2.75 is required. A calculator is available on the Conway School of Nursing website. The science GPA, including any science repeated course, must be met before the spring semester of the sophomore year.
  3. Students must attempt each science course (A &P I, A & P II, Chemistry with lab, Microbiology) at Catholic University. An attempt is defined as enrollment in a class with the following indication on a transcript: (a) Course Grade (b) Incomplete = I (c) Withdrawal = W.
  4. Students may raise this cumulative science GPA by repeating a maximum of one basic science course. Students may only repeat one science course out of the required 4 science courses (A &P I, A & P II, Chemistry with lab, Microbiology). A repeated science course must be pre-approved by the appropriate department and the Transfer Coordinator. The science GPA, including any repeated science course, must be met by the end of the Fall semester of sophomore year.
  5. Successful completion of the HESI Nursing Progression Exam during the fall semester of the sophomore year, with a minimum overall composite score of 75% and 75% or higher on each of the science, English and math composite scores. Students have two attempts at this exam, but scores are not combined from attempt 1 and attempt 2, and no scores are rounded up.

Junior and senior students coursework emphasizes critical thinking and clinical decision making in nursing practice. Courses include community health, mental health, medical surgical nursing/adults in health & illness, child & adolescent health and women's' health. Clinical experiences occur in a variety of settings that cumulate to 650 clinical hours. Nursing students may apply to participate in an international semester exchange program in Rome and Australia. In addition,  short semester courses are offered in the summer in other countries.

Graduates of the B.S.N. Conway School of Nursing are prepared to be the next generation of healthcare providers and leaders.