Program Overview

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BSN Program Overview

The BSN program is designed for students who enter the Nursing program with no prior nursing knowledge, experience, or skills. Following the prerequisite courses, completion of this program requires 5 semesters of full-time study. Students complete the BSN through taking courses Fall and Spring or year around. The admission requirements and the curriculum are the same.

BSN Program Application

The BSN program application process involves several steps:

• Cal State Apply: October 1st - December 1st for Fall admission, and August 1st - August 31st for Spring admission.
• CSULB Enrollment Services Supplemental Application: February for Fall admission, and September for Spring admission (for Transfer applicants only).
• School of Nursing BSN Program Application: October 1st - February 1st for Fall admission, and August 1st - September 21st for Spring admission.
• Prerequisite courses in progress have strict deadlines to meet the School of Nursing processing of the application.

Application Deadlines

Fall Admission

1. Cal State Apply: October 1st - December 1st
2. CSULB Enrollment Services Supplemental Application: February
3. School of Nursing BSN Program Application: October 1st - February 1st
4. Prerequisite courses in progress have strict deadlines to meet the School of Nursing processing of the application.
5. All applicants must register for and take the Casper Situational Judgement test by the School of Nursing BSN Program Application deadline of February 1st.

Spring Admission

1. Cal State Apply: August 1st - August 31st
2. CSULB Enrollment Services Supplemental Application: September
3. School of Nursing BSN Program Application: August 1st - September 21st
4. Prerequisite courses in progress have strict deadlines to meet the School of Nursing processing of the application.
5. All applicants must register for and take the Casper Situational Judgement test by the School of Nursing BSN Program Application deadline of September 21st.

Prerequisite Deadline Dates

All prerequisites must be completed before the School of Nursing Application period. The deadline to complete prerequisite courses is as follows:

• Spring 2025: August 31, 2024
• Fall 2026: February 1, 2026
• Spring 2026: August 31, 2025
• Fall 2027: February 1, 2027
• Spring 2027: August 31, 2026
• Fall 2028: February 1, 2028
• Spring 2028: August 31, 2027
• Fall 2029: February 1, 2029
• Spring 2029: August 31, 2028
• Fall 2030: February 1, 2030

Application Information

There are three categories of applicants for the BSN Program:

• Current CSULB undergraduate students (pre-nursing majors)
• Transfer Undergraduate Applicants (students without a BA or BS)
• Second Bachelor's Degree Applicants (students with a BA or BS degree in other fields)

All applicants are required to complete Casper as part of their application for the 2025/26 admissions cycle. Casper is an online, open-response situational judgment test that takes 90-110 minutes to complete.

Casper Situational Judgement Test

Casper measures different personal and professional skills that are important for successful students and graduates of the program. It will complement the other tools used for applicant review and evaluation, and is required as part of efforts to enhance fairness and objectivity in the selection process.

Casper Test Dates

• Spring Applicants: May 19, 2026, 5:00PM PDT; May 23, 2026, 10:00 AM PDT; June 9, 2026, 5:00 PM PDT; July 19, 2026, 10:00 AM PDT; August 4, 2026, 5:00 PM PDT; September 3, 2026, 5:00 PM PDT
• Fall Applicants: October 20, 2026, 5:00PM PDT; November 12, 2026, 5:00 PM PST; December 3, 2026, 5:00 PM PST; January 16, 2027, 10:00 AM PST

Prerequisites and General Information

The basic baccalaureate program is the traditional track designed for students who enter the Nursing program with no prior nursing knowledge, experience, or skills.

Prerequisite Courses

• Human Anatomy Lecture and Lab (4 semester units minimum)
• Human Physiology Lecture and Lab (4 semester units minimum)
• Chemistry Lecture and Lab (4-5 semester units/6-10 quarter units)
• Microbiology Lecture and Lab (4 semester units minimum)

General Education Prerequisites

• Statistics or AP Statistics
• Oral Communication
• Written Communication/College Composition
• Critical Thinking

Application Component Criteria

The application components and their criteria are as follows:

• Natural Science Prerequisites GPA: 3.0 or better
• General Education Prerequisites GPA: 3.0 or better
• General Assessment (Casper Test): required for all applicants
• Communication Exercise: mandatory for applicants with the highest-ranking cumulative scores

Catalog Details

The Bachelor's in Nursing Program is designed to prepare students for a career in nursing.

Frequently Asked Questions

The School of Nursing provides answers to frequently asked questions about the BSN program, including application instructions and requirements.