PHOTO: Many Nursing Classes are Taught in the HHS Building

How to Apply to Nursing: Traditional BSN Students

Courses in the Nursing major span 4 semesters (2 academic years) and normally begin in the fifth semester at JMU. Any student who is interested in seeking a BSN degree in nursing should follow these steps:

Apply to James Madison University and accept an offer of admission.

Admission to the nursing program is contingent on admission to James Madison University. An application to JMU can be obtained from the University's Office of Admissions at 540-568-5681. Information concerning university costs, tuition, financial aid and housing is in the JMU catalog. Copies are available from the JMU bookstore at 540-568-6121.

Declare Nursing as your major

After declaring Nursing as a major, the student will be assigned a nursing faculty advisor or nursing academic counselor who can answer their questions and help to plan their course of academic study. If the student is changing their major to nursing, they should complete a Change of Major form.

Complete a Supplemental Application to the Nursing Program

As soon as the student is admitted to the University, they should complete the Supplemental Application to the Department of Nursing. Although there is technically not a formal deadline for this application, students should apply as soon as they decide to be a nursing major. This application gets the student on the department mailing list and makes it possible for the student to be considered for admission. The student needs to apply only once to the program. Their application will be maintained on file and automatically considered for Stage I Admission and for Stage II Admission unless the student withdraws their application. NOTE: The Department will respond only to applications that are complete from students who have been admitted to James Madison University.

Qualify for Stage I Admission or Stage II Admission Pool

Admission to the Nursing program is competitive. Admission is based on all student qualifications but GPA is a strong consideration. Students will be considered for admission to the nursing program one of two ways: 1) through Stage 1 Admission or 2) through Stage II Admission process. These are described below.

Stage I Admission to the Nursing Program

Students can meet Stage I criteria to be considered for admission when they have completed the following:

Complete supplemental application is on file.
25 credit hours of JMU (or approved equivalent) General Education and nursing prerequisite courses with a grade of C (Not C-) or higher in each course. For JMU students this is approximately the end of the freshman year.
Completion of the following prerequisite courses with a grade of C (Not C-) or higher: MATH 220 (Statistics), CHEM 120 (Chemistry), ONE of the following: BIO 270 (Physiology), BIO 280 (Microbiology), or BIO 290 (Anatomy)
Cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher

Students who are granted Stage I admission MUST also meet all of the Stage II Admission requirements described below prior to enrollment.

Stage II Admission to the Nursing Program

Stage II Admission begins at the conclusion of the Fall Sophomore Semester for admission to the nursing program the following year. Again, selection to the program is based on all student qualifications; however, grade point average (GPA) factors strongly. Minimum requirements for enrollment to the program include:

Complete supplemental application is on file.
Cumulative GPA of at least 2.7 (not 2.69) or higher when selected for admission to the program
Cumulative GPA of at least 2.7 or higher at the completion of the semester preceding entry into the nursing program. Students with a GPA lower than 2.7 at completion of the semester prior to program entry will lose their admission to the program.
Cumulative GPA of at least 2.7 or higher at the time of enrollment in the program
Completion of all prerequisite (or approved equivalent) courses with grade of C- or higher at the time of enrollment in the program
Ability to meet the department's Technical Standards
All university requirements as outlined in the JMU catalog

Any exceptions to these requirements are at the discretion of the BSN Coordinator and/or Department Head. If the student has further questions and wishes to schedule an appointment or would like a hard copy of the information packet and Supplemental Application Form, contact the main nursing office at 540-568-6314.

Department of Nursing, MSC 4305
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA 22807
540-568-6314