Nursing, B.S.N. Completion Program, Comprehensive Major

(Code 700-005)

University Requirements

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS FOR BACCALAUREATE DEGREE
Credit Requirements
Minimum total for graduation 1120
Upper division credits (courses numbered 300 and higher)39
Liberal Education Core36
Academic Concentrations
Grade Point Requirements 2
Total2.00 average
Resident2.00 average
Major2.00 average
Minor2.00 average
Certificate2.00 average
University Residency Requirements
Minimum total30
Senior year23
Major, Standard, upper division in residence12
Major, Comprehensive, upper division in residence21
Certificate25 percent of credits
Procedures Required for Graduation
Obtain admission to the degree program and/or the College offering it.
Apply for graduation on CampS.
1

Certain programs exceed this minimum.

2

See special requirements in each College.

Applicability of Credits Toward Graduation

Junior College or Two-Year College Credits. A maximum of 72 semester credits earned in a junior college or two-year college will be accepted as degree credits at UW-Eau Claire.

Extension Credits. Credits earned in credit outreach courses offered by UW-Eau Claire are treated as resident credits. Credits earned in extension courses offered by other units of the University of Wisconsin System are treated as transfer credits. All other (non-UW) extension and correspondence credits are normally limited to one-fourth of the total required for graduation from any curriculum.

WTCS Credits. A maximum of 72 semester credits earned in college parallel programs at Madison Area Technical College, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Nicolet Area Technical College, or Chippewa Valley Technical College may be accepted as degree credits at UW-Eau Claire. A set number of general education courses will be accepted from other technical schools. Occupational and technical courses may also be considered for transfer if the quality and content of the course work from the technical college is judged to be comparable to course work at UW-Eau Claire. Refer to the Transfer Credit Wizard or contact the UW-Eau Claire Admissions Office for information about the current transfer policy.

USAFI Credit. UW-Eau Claire will accept up to 32 semester credits for work done through the United States Armed Forces Institute, under the provision for non-UW correspondence credit (see Extension Credits above).

Activity Credit (band, chorus, drama, KINS 100-184 courses) Students may count toward graduation no more than one credit of KINS 110-184 courses. Students may count toward graduation no more than four credits earned in any single activity course and no more than 12 credits resulting from any combination of activity courses (excluding KINS 110-184 courses). 

Other Restricted Credits. For other University restrictions, see the following: Cooperative Education; Credit by Examination; Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Registration; Transfer of Credits. College or departmental restrictions may also be placed on Independent Study (399-499 courses), Directed Study (395-495), and other types of credits.

APPLICABILITY OF CREDITS TOWARD GRADUATIONCredit Restrictions
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
Total degree creditmaximum 12
Major, Standardmaximum 1 course
Major, Comprehensivemaximum 2 courses
Minormaximum 1 course
Credit by Examination
Total degree creditmaximum ¼ of total
Major or minormaximum ½ of total
Two-Year College Credits
Total degree creditmaximum 72 credits
Activity credit (band, chorus, drama, KINS 100-184)
Total KINS 100-184maximum 1 credit
Total Band, chorus, dramamaximum 12 credits
Single course band, chorus, dramamaximum 4 credits
Extension credits
UW-Systemno maximum
Other extension/correspondencemaximum ¼ of total
USAFI
USAFImaximum 32 credits

Liberal Education Core

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire measures learning outcomes to ensure that its graduates have achieved a liberal education and prepared themselves to contribute to a complex society. Upon graduation, each undergraduate will have met the five learning goals of our liberal education core and the 12 learning outcomes they comprise. 

LIBERAL EDUCATION CORE REQUIREMENTSa minimum of 36 credits
Knowledge Goal
Knowledge Outcome 1 (K1): Natural SciencesTwo (2) learning experiences
One experience in laboratory science must be selected from either K1 or K2.
Knowledge Outcome 2 (K2): Social SciencesTwo (2) learning experiences
One experience in laboratory science must be selected from either K1 or K2.
Knowledge Outcome 3 (K3): HumanitiesTwo (2) learning experiences
Knowledge Outcome 4 (K4): Fine ArtsOne (1) learning experience
Skills Goal
Skills Outcome 1 (S1): Written and Oral CommunicationTwo (2) learning experiences
Skills Outcome 2 (S2): MathematicsOne (1) learning experience
Skills Outcome 3 (S3): CreativityOne (1) learning experience
Responsibility Goal
Responsibility Outcome 1 (R1): Equity, Diversity, and InclusivityTwo (2) learning experiences
Responsibility Outcome 2 (R2): Global PerspectivesOne (1) learning experience
Responsibility Outcome 3 (R3): Civic and Environmental IssuesOne (1) learning experience
Integration Goal
Integration Outcome 1 (I1): IntegrationTwo (2) learning experiences
Service-Learning Goal
Service-Learning30 hours

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Professional Nursing Program.

Major/Degree Requirements

(Code 700-005)

UW-Eau Claire, together with other UW institutions offering nursing programs, developed a collaborative degree completion program for registered nurses. Students naming UW-Eau Claire as their home institution in the BSN Completion Program receive student services from this university. Liberal education requirements can be taken at any institution where equivalent transfer credit can be obtained. Transfer courses must meet the overall UW-Eau Claire liberal education requirements if the degree is to be obtained from UW-Eau Claire. The majority of nursing courses in the program are taught online, including the foundational course (CND 310) and the didactic portion of the capstone clinical course (CND 480)  (see nursing courses with CND prefix). The nursing major for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree is comprehensive. Students taking a comprehensive major are not required to declare a minor or certificate in another area. However, students who are interested in a minor or certificate are encouraged to discuss options with their advisor. Students must also seek an advisor in the area of the minor.

To qualify for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, students must complete at least 120 semester credits with a total and resident GPA of at least 2.50; must meet all university requirements for graduation; and must meet all nursing program requirements for the degree, including satisfactory completion of statistics and biochemistry. 

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Policy:  No course required for the degree in nursing may be taken on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis.  Audit enrollment is not allowed.

Summary of Nursing Courses/Credits for B.S.N. Completion Program

Sixty semester credits, including:
CND 310Bridge to Professional Nursing 12
CND 407Foundations of Professional Nursing Practice3
CND 441Chronic Care Management3
CND 446Research and Evidence-Based Practice 23
CND 447Leadership & Management3
CND 453Information Management and Healthcare Technology3
CND 454Community Health Nursing3
CND 480Nursing within Systems: Analysis and Application 34
Credit by confirming course for prior nursing education 130
Nursing Electives 46
Total Credits60
1

Confirming credit provided following completion of CND 310, the first CND core course, if completed with a grade of B or above.

2

Prerequisite: MATH 246 or equivalent with a grade of C or above.

3

CND 480 meets the university Service-Learning and S3 requirements; provides one integration (I1) experience. Capstone course to be taken during final term.  CND 310 and CND 407 are prerequisites.

4

Nursing electives must be at the upper division (300 or higher) level and taught by nursing faculty/instructors.

Required Non-Nursing Courses:
CHEM 105
CHEM 106
General Chemistry I Lecture
and General Chemistry I Laboratory 1
5
CHEM 150Survey of Biochemistry3
BIOL 214Human Anatomy and Physiology I 24
BIOL 250Microbiology 33
BIOL 314Human Anatomy and Physiology II 24
PSYC 230Human Development (PSYC 100 is a prerequisite) 43
MATH 246Elementary Statistics3-4
or PSYC 265 Statistical Methods in Psychology I
S1 course (excluding Writing Requirement courses)3
Liberal Education (LE) Requirements
This table shows how the above courses meet the Liberal Education Requirements
K1 Natural Sciences (two experiences, one with lab)
CHEM 150Survey of Biochemistry3
Select one of the following:
Microbiology 3
General Chemistry I Lecture
and General Chemistry I Laboratory 1
K2 Social Sciences (two experiences)
PSYC 100Introduction to Psychology 43
PSYC 230Human Development (PSYC 100 is a prerequisite)3
K3 Humanities (two experiences)
Need two K3 experiences/courses
K4 Fine Arts (one experience)
Need one K4 experience/course
S1 Written and Oral Communication (two experiences)
WRIT 116Blugold Seminar in Critical Reading and Writing (or appropriate Blugold Seminar Critical Reading and Writing course)5
Need 2nd S1 experience/course
S2 Mathematics (one experience)
MATH 246Elementary Statistics4
S3 Creativity (one experience)
CND 480Nursing within Systems: Analysis and Application 54
R1 Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (two experiences including one Design for Diversity course)
PSYC 230
Need 2nd R1 experience/course including Design for Diversity (DDIV) requirement
R2 Global Perspectives (one experience)
Need one R2 experience/course
R3 Civic and Environmental Issues (one experience)
Need one R3 experience/course
I1 Integration (two experiences)
CND 480 5
Need 2nd I1 experience/course
Service Learning
CND 480 5
1

CHEM 105 and CHEM 106  required; however general chemistry requirement satisfied following completion of CHEM 150 for BSN Completion students only.  CHEM 105 and CHEM 106 together meet the nursing general chemistry requirement and constitute one course for the purpose of the nursing admission criteria.  Must achieve a grade of C or better in both CHEM 105 and CHEM 106 (not an average of the two).

2

BSN Completion students may substitute anatomy and physiology courses taken for Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) for BIOL 214 and BIOL 314.

3

BIOL 250 or BIOL 361 count as K1 experiences for BSN Completion Nursing majors. Lab science requirement satisfied through ADN.

4

PSYC 100 is not required for nursing, but it is a prerequisite for PSYC 230 and counts as a K2 experience.

5

CND 480 meets the Service-Learning and S3 requirements; provides one integration (I1) experience.

R.N./B.S.N./M.S.N. Option

The R.N./B.S.N./M.S.N. option facilitates the progression of qualified Registered Nurse students, enrolled in the BSN Completion Program (Collaborative Nursing Program), to progress in pursuing the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Program at UW-Eau Claire. This option provides the opportunity for the qualified nurse to earn credits toward the M.S.N. while completing the baccalaureate degree in nursing. This is accomplished by enrolling as a senior undergraduate student in selected graduate courses. Permission must be obtained from the Nursing Graduate Programs Director of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences prior to enrollment in this option.

The graduate courses serve as confirming courses for up to nine credits in the undergraduate BSN completion curriculum; a grade of C or better is needed to earn the confirming credits. A grade of B or better must be earned in a graduate course in order to be eligible to register for additional graduate courses. 

Students approved for this option may enroll in:

Graduate Courses
NRSG 701Nursing Research: Methods (Fall Semester)4
NRSG 715Leadership and Health Policy in Nursing (Winterim term)3
Cognate (Varies with Role Preparation)2

And receive credit for:

Undergraduate Courses
CND 446Research and Evidence-Based Practice3
CND 447Leadership & Management3
Nursing Elective2

 Requirements for eligibility:

  • Senior status in nursing: 90 semester credits completed, including two courses in upper division nursing and an undergraduate statistics course (grade of C or higher).

  • If a second degree student, prerequisites for nursing, university requirements for a second degree, and two courses in upper division nursing and an undergraduate statistics course (grade of C or higher) must have been completed.

  • Cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher in course work accepted toward the B.S.N.

  • Recommendation of the Nursing Graduate Programs Director of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

Independent Study

Under the course numbers 399 and 499, the Department of Nursing in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences provides students with opportunities for student-initiated independent study in areas of special interest with guidance of a faculty member.

Eligibility. Independent Study courses are open only to juniors and seniors. A student with a nursing major may elect an Independent Study, provided the student has at least 3.00 resident and total GPAs. Registration requires the permission of the faculty member who agrees to supervise the project and of the department offering the course.

Restrictions. One to three credits of Independent Study (399 or 499) may be elected during any semester. A total of no more than six independent study credits in nursing may be counted toward graduation. Independent Study courses may not be applied toward completion of the liberal education requirements.

Procedure. The student shall obtain the Independent Study eform from the Registrar's Office website and complete the form in consultation with the supervising faculty member. Initial approval by the department chair is required prior to enrollment.

Directed Study

Courses numbered 295, 395, and 495 offered by the Nursing Department in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences are designed to permit individual students or groups of students to undertake special projects related to their educational interests and goals.

Eligibility. Registration for a Directed Study course requires the permission of the faculty member who agrees to supervise the project and of the department offering the course. Any further conditions of eligibility may be established by the department or published as part of the course description.

Restrictions. One to three credits of Directed Study (295, 395, or 495) may be elected during any semester. A total of no more than six directed study credits in nursing may be counted toward graduation. Directed Study courses may not be applied toward completion of the liberal education requirements.

Procedure. The student shall obtain the Directed Study eform from the Registrar's Office website and complete the form in consultation with the supervising faculty member. Initial approval by the department chair is required prior to enrollment.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students graduating from UW-Eau Claire with the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree demonstrate accomplishment of the AACN Baccalaureate Essentials* through:

  1. Integration of liberal and nursing education, with particular distinction in:
    • leading change in complex health care environments.
  2. Organizational and systems leadership for patient safety and quality care, with particular distinction in:
    • developing effective working relationships for quality improvement and optimizing patient care outcomes.
  3. Scholarship for evidence-based practice, with particular distinction in:
    • providing leadership in the synthesis and application of evidence with integration into changing standards of care.
  4. Information management and application of patient care technology.
  5. Understanding of health care policy, finance and regulatory environments, with particular distinction in:
    • advocacy for individuals, families, and communities.
  6. Interprofessional communication and collaboration for improving patient health outcomes, with particular distinction in:
    • delivery of evidence-based, patient-centered care;
    • coordination of care across settings and through the health-illness trajectory.
  7. Clinical prevention and population health for optimizing health, with particular distinction in:
    • analysis of population health needs, determinants, and resources, and development of action strategies.
  8. Professionalism and professional values, with particular distinction in:
    • ethical practice, social responsibility, a commitment to social justice, and global citizenship;
    • delivery of culturally competent care within diverse settings and/or populations.
  9. Beginning competence in baccalaureate generalist nursing practice, with particular distinction in:
    • holistic, relationship-based care incorporating therapeutic use of self;
    • integration of nursing concepts, human responses, and safe and competent nursing care;
    • use of nursing process to effect highest quality health outcomes.

*The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice, AACN, 2008