College of Nursing and Health Science

Additional Undergraduate Requirements and Programs

Writing-Intensive Requirement

The university requires all students to complete at least one course in their majors designated "writing intensive" at the 300 level or above. Students majoring in nursing fulfill this requirement by successfully completing NURS 465.

Academic Grade Standards

Progression

Nursing Academic Warning

A final nursing course grade of less than C prohibits further progress in the nursing major until that course is repeated and a satisfactory grade of C or better is earned.

The student is placed on "nursing academic warning" and must notify the assistant dean for undergraduate programs in writing, within two weeks of final exams, of his/her intent to repeat the course. Students should be aware that space may not be available in some clinical nursing courses that they may need to repeat. Although attempts will be made to place the student clinically, it must be understood that the student may have to sit out a semester or more until space becomes available.

A nursing course in which a grade of less than C is earned may be repeated once. A student who fails to earn a C or better in the repeated course is dismissed from the nursing program. Upon earning a grade of C or better in the repeated course, the student may resume progress in the sequence of required courses.

Earning a grade of less than C in a second nursing course results in dismissal from the nursing program.

A nursing major who has failed a course must repeat the course and earn a C or better to resume progression in classes with NURS/HSCI prefixes. Before the course is repeated, the student may not register for any other courses with a NURS or HSCI prefix.

Professional Conduct Policy

The College of Nursing and Health Science reserves the right to discipline (i.e., place on probation, suspend, or dismiss) a student from the program who does not demonstrate professional conduct. This includes, but is not limited to, verbal abuse and/or insubordination, as well as behavior that threatens the safety of a client, another student, a faculty member, or other health care provider when the behavior occurs within the context of the academic program. The student has the right to appeal. The process for implementation of this Professional Conduct Policy is documented in the College of Nursing and Health Science Student Handbook.

Readmission

Readmission to the nursing program for nonacademic and/or professional infractions is not automatic. A former student must apply in writing for readmission to the assistant dean for undergraduate programs by September 1 for the spring semester, by February 1 for the fall semester, or by November 1 for the summer term.

The letter requesting readmission should include the following:

1. A description of the circumstances surrounding the nonacademic suspension

2. A description of interim activities

3. Steps taken to support success upon readmission

4. Reasons readmission is justified

5. Rationale to support expectation of success upon readmission

Students meeting the above criteria are considered for readmission on a space-available basis. Students have the right to appeal unfavorable decisions.

Leave of Absence

A leave of absence from the nursing program of up to two semesters may be requested in writing by a student in good standing. Readmission following the leave of absence is granted only on a space-available basis.

Appeal Process

Although the faculty members of the nursing program are generally the best judges of a student's professional performance, in some instances a student may feel that their judgment of readmission or dismissal is unfair. In such cases, the student should ask the assistant dean for undergraduate programs to reconsider the decision. If the student remains dissatisfied, the matter may be appealed to the dean. If the dean believes that the student may have a legitimate complaint, the dean will appoint a committee of three faculty members and a student peer to review the decision. After the committee thoroughly reviews the student's case, it will issue a written recommendation to the dean with a copy to the assistant dean.