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Admission
Once admitted to The University of Tulsa, all qualified undergraduate students who have declared nursing as a major are provisionally accepted into the School of Nursing Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) program. For full admission to the nursing program, students must complete an application which will be available on the program website November 1 through February 1 annually. Students will be notified of admission decisions by March 31. Late applications may be considered on a space available basis.
Full admission to the B.S.N. program is confirmed when accepted applicants meet all academic and professional requirements and standards as defined by The University of Tulsa, the Oklahoma Board of Nursing, accrediting bodies, and local hospitals. Students must have earned C or higher in BIOL 2153 Human Anatomy , BIOL 2151 Human Anatomy Laboratory , BIOL 2173 Human Physiology , and BIOL 2171 Human Physiology Laboratory . Students must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 to be admitted to the Level I sophomore nursing courses. If there are unfilled seats in Level I sophomore nursing courses, applicants with cumulative grade-point averages of less than 3.0 may be considered. A letter of confirmation will be sent to each fully admitted student. In addition, AHS 2133 Life Span Processes or PSY 3063 Developmental Psychology , AHS 2122 Normal Nutrition , and NSG 1012 Overview of Nursing must be completed prior to the spring sophomore courses.
Prospective nursing students whose first language is not English must have a minimum TOEFL score of 85 on the internet-based examination with a sub-score of 26 for speaking or have an IELTS overall score of 7.5 not less than a 7 speaking sub-score and no other sub-scores below 6.5. Foreign college credit requires a “Full Education Course-by-Course Report” by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools prior to admission to the School of Nursing . Advanced standing may be obtained with approval of courses on college transcripts. For additional information about the application process, visit the School of Nursing webpage.
Performance Standards for Admission and Progression in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing
The University of Tulsa is committed to compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. Therefore, the School of Nursing at The University of Tulsa seeks to ensure that qualified persons with disabilities are not denied admission or subject to discrimination in admissions.
The Performance Standards for Admission and Progression in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing establish the expectations and requisite abilities considered essential for students admitted to the clinical component of the nursing program in order to achieve the level of competency required for graduation and practice. These include abilities in eight categories: critical thinking, interpersonal, communication, mobility, motor skills, hearing, visual, and tactile.
It is recognized that degrees of ability vary widely among individuals. Any candidate who feels that he or she may not meet the Performance Standards for Admission and Progression in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing as set forth in this Bulletin is encouraged to contact the director of the School of Nursing. Any candidate who may require academic accommodations to fulfill the technical standards due to a disability is encouraged to contact the Student Services Center. The University of Tulsa is committed to enabling its students, by any reasonable means or accommodations, to complete the course of study leading to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
Other Requirements
Nursing students must also meet the following requirements:
Criminal Background Check and Drug Testing: For clinical placement, nursing students are required to have a criminal background check completed. The background check and drug test are required at the time of full admission to the nursing program and every year thereafter. Nursing students are also required to have drug testing and a background check prior to their junior and senior year. Additional testing may be required by certain agencies.
CastleBranch is an online immunization/documentation storage service for nursing students. There is a one-time registration fee of $125.00 paid by credit card directly to Castlebranch after the student’s admission into the nursing program. This fee includes the immunization and documentation storage as well as the required initial criminal background check and a 10 panel drug screen. Each following year students only pay Castlebranch for the annual required criminal background check and 10 panel drug screen.
Liability Insurance: Liability insurance is required for any student enrolled in nursing clinical courses. Liability insurance fees are listed in the Tuition and Fees section of this Bulletin and are automatically billed to the student’s account through the Bursar’s Office.
Health Requirements: Prior to beginning clinical observations and yearly thereafter, students must complete training in blood-borne pathogens, HIPAA, the Right to Know (OSHA communication standard), fire safety, and TB prevention. Students are required to present proof of the following immunizations and screenings to the School of Nursing: TB test using CDC guidelines for two step method or chest X- ray, measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (TdaP), hepatitis B, varicella, and flu. These may be done at the Alexander Health Center on campus for a fee or at a private physician’s office. Students who do not desire the required rubella or hepatitis B immunization must sign a waiver. Students must also have their healthcare provider complete the “Performance Standards” document confirming the students’ abilities in eight categories.
Transportation and Uniforms: Students are responsible for providing their own transportation to clinical areas and for providing their own uniforms, in accordance with the program dress code. See the Nursing Student Handbook for dress code.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): Prior to sophomore admission and every year thereafter, nursing students must provide documentation of American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare Provider certification.
Equipment: For nursing clinical courses, students are required to purchase a mobile handheld device and clinical software. Additional supplies and equipment for clinical courses must be purchased in the sophomore and junior years.
Scheduling System Fee: The University of Tulsa uses a scheduling system to schedule clinical experiences and for clinical agencies to obtain information about students using their agencies. Students must pay an annual fee directly through the scheduling system.
Nursing Scholarships
Grants, loans, and work-study opportunities are available through the University’s Office of Student Financial Services. Scholarship funds, such as the Nettie M. Jones Foundation scholarships, have been established for the School of Nursing. To apply for a nursing scholarship, a student must be admitted to The University of Tulsa, complete the FAFSA financial aid form, and have the results sent to the University each spring semester.
Additional funds may be awarded directly to the student for junior and senior years by Tulsa-area hospitals. Students repay these additional funds by working for the funding institution after graduation. Out-of-town students who plan to return home after graduation should check with their local hospitals for similar financial assistance.
Licensure
The University of Tulsa cannot guarantee that completion of the baccalaureate program of nursing will enable a graduate to take the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensure Examination.
Applicants for Licensure
The baccalaureate nursing program is approved by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing. Graduates of this state-approved program are eligible to apply to write the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for registered nurses. Applicants for Oklahoma licensure must meet all state and federal requirements to hold an Oklahoma license to practice nursing. In addition to completing a state-approved nursing education program that meets educational requirements and successfully passing the licensure examination, requirements include submission of an application for licensure, a criminal history records search, and evidence of citizenship or qualified alien status [59 O.S. §§567.5 & 567.6]. To be granted a license, an applicant must have the legal right to be in the United States (United States Code Chapter 8, Section 1621). In addition, Oklahoma law only allows a license to be issued to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and legal permanent resident aliens. Other qualified aliens may be issued a temporary license that is valid until the expiration of their visa status, or if there is no expiration date, for one year. Applicants who are qualified aliens must present to the Board office, in person, valid documentary evidence of:
- A valid, unexpired immigrant or nonimmigrant visa status for admission into the United States;
- A pending or approved application for asylum in the United States;
- Admission into the United States in refugee status;
- A pending or approved application for temporary protected status in the United States;
- Approved deferred action status; or
- A pending application for adjustment of status to legal permanent resident status or conditional resident status.
The Board has the right to deny a license, recognition or certificate; issue a license, recognition or certificate with conditions and/or an administrative penalty; or to issue or otherwise discipline a license, recognition or certificate to an individual with a history of criminal background, disciplinary action on any professional or occupational license or certification, or judicial declaration of mental incompetence [59 O.S. §567.8]. These cases are considered on an individual basis at the time application for licensure is made, with the exception of felony convictions. An individual with a felony conviction cannot apply for licensure for at least five years after completion of all sentencing terms, including probation and suspended sentences, unless a presidential or gubernatorial pardon is received [59 O.S. §§567.5 & 567.6].
Curriculum
All students in the B.S.N. program are exposed to four distinct areas of study leading to completion of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.): the Tulsa curriculum (comprised of two parts: the core curriculum and the general curriculum), the nursing foundation courses, and the nursing major requirements.
The 125-credit-hour degree program consists of the following requirements:
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