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  3. Nursing BS
  4. Plan of Study

Plan of Study: Fall 2026 or Later

This plan of study is for four-year B.S. in Nursing students beginning their degree Fall 2026 or later. If you are a current student enrolled prior to Fall 2026, your curriculum remains unchanged from when you entered in as a first-year student.

Total Credits

  • 80 credits in nursing
  • 121 credits overall

NOTE: All prerequisite and nursing courses require a grade of "C" or higher.

Semester 1 (First-Year Fall): 14-15 credits

Prerequisite to KIN 270KIN 100 or 110, BIOL 151, CHEM 110 or 1114 cr        
N 113Nursing from Society to Cells3 cr
Nurse 150 (RAP/non-RAP)Faculty Seminar for First-Year Nursing Students 1 cr
Engl/WP 112 or EnglWP 112H (CW)College Writing (Writing Program)3 cr 
R2 Stats or Gen Ed     3-4 cr 
  Total: 14-15 credits

Semester 2 (First-Year Spring): 16 credits

KIN 270 Anatomy & Physiology I w/ Lab4 cr        
Nutrition(Pre Req) Any course on human nutrition 4 cr
Gen Ed or Pre Req  4 cr  
Gen Ed or Pre Req  4 cr
  Total: 16 credits

Semester 3 (Sophomore Fall): 16 credits

Study abroad semester. Learn more about our unique built-in study abroad programs!

KIN 272 Anatomy & Physiology II w/Lab4 cr      
Microbiology(Pre Req) Micro 255 or any microbiology course focused on disease, with lab*. *Licensure in California requires a microbiology course with lab. Other states do not have this requirement.4 cr  
N 114Ecology of Health4 cr
Gen Ed or Elective 4 cr
  Total: 16 credits

Semester 4 (Sophomore Spring): 16 credits

Clinical rotations begin. Learn more.

N 301  Human Pathophysiology3 cr  
N 315 Health and Physical Assessment3 cr 
N 204Social, Structural and Political Determinants of Health4 cr
N 214Preventive and Supportive Nursing Care3 cr
N 298D Preventive and Supportive Nursing Care: Practicum3 cr
  Total: 16 credits

Notes for junior and senior year:

  • Students are assigned when they will take specialty courses (maternity, pediatrics, psychiatric/mental health, adult nursing).
  • Students are required to take two nursing special topics courses that are different from an elective taken in other departments. They must be taken for a letter grade. Students will have a choice based on availability.
  • Students will have an opportunity to request a preference for their senior internship placement, but the decision of where the internship is done is based on faculty discretion regarding students' learning needs and availability of placements.
  • NCLEX-RN licensure preparation assessments (ATI) must be taken throughout the junior and senior years.

Semesters 5 or 6 (Junior Fall or Spring): 15 credits

N 332Pharmacology (FALL ONLY)4 cr  
N 322Nursing Care of the Developing Family4 cr 
N 398KNursing Care of the Developing Family: Practicum4 cr
N 318Junior Year Writing: Writing in Health Research (FALL ONLY)3 cr
  Total: 15 credits

Semesters 6 or 7 (Junior Fall or Spring): 15 credits

N 323Nursing Care of the Maturing Family4 cr  
N 398LNursing Care of the Maturing Family: Practicum4 cr 
N 328Aging & Social Determinants of Health (SPRING ONLY) 4 cr
N 335Hospice and Palliative Nursing (SPRING ONLY)3 cr
  Total: 15 credits

Semester 7 (Senior Fall): 15 credits

N 401Regenerative & Restorative Nursing Care4 cr  
N 498FRegenerative & Restorative Nursing Care: Practicum4 cr 
N 421Public Health Nursing4 cr
N 424Health Care Systems3 cr
  Total: 15 credits

Semester 8 (Senior Spring): 14 credits

N 494Transition to Professional Nursing (Integrative Experience- IE)4 cr
N 498GImmersive Experience: Clinical Internship4 cr
Nurse 428Clinical Judgement in Professional Practice (with 1 lab credit)3 cr
Gen Ed or Elective 3 cr
  Total: 14 credits

General Education (Gen Ed) Requirements

Students must select one or more of the following courses each semester to complete General Education requirements and Nursing prerequisites in the first two years:

Gen Ed (HS)4 cr (need to account somewhere for 4th social world course (AL/AT/SB/I/SI)
Gen Ed (AL/AT)4 cr
Gen Ed (BS)       4 cr
Gen Ed (PS)4 cr
Global and US Diversity (DG/DU)4 cr (choose courses with HS or AL/AT in fulfilling this requirement) (N212 fulfills US diversity)
Statistics (R1/R2)4 cr (Stats 111, Stats 240, ResEcon 211 or 212 fulfills R1 and R2 at the same time). Statistics is a Nursing prerequisite in your first two years. 
  • 12 credits are considered full-time; only University (not Nursing) electives and N441 may be taken pass/fail.
  • College Writing (CW): 3 credits first 2 yrs (Eng 112); 3 credits junior year (N317)
  • Analytical Reasoning: Basic (R1) (Math); Analytical Reasoning (R2): 3 credits. Statistics is required for Nursing students.
  • Biological and Physical World: Biological Science (BS) – 4 cr; Physical Science (PS) – 4 cr
  • Social World: Literature or Art (AL/AT) – 4 cr; Historical Studies (HS) – 4 cr; Social and Behavioral Sciences (SB) – 4 cr; Social World (AL, AT, SB, I, or SI) – 4 cr
  • Two Diversity courses:  One must be in freshman year (N212): one DU (United States) course, one DG (Global) course
  • Integrative Experience, upper level/last 2 years (Nurse 438) – 3 cr

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Plan of Study
Fall 2026 or Later
Prior to Fall 2026
Clinical Information

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Elaine Marieb College of Nursing Student Support

Email: nursing [at] UMass [dot] edu

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