General Policies

For transfer nursing students, registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses and other applicants with health profession backgrounds.

Transfer students who have not yet started nursing courses should apply as any other student for the program, meeting all prerequisites as outlined in the University catalog and Standard Curriculum Chart for the nursing major.

Applicants planning to challenge nursing courses must first be accepted by and fulfill all matriculation requirements of Biola University. The Department of Nursing should be contacted at the time of application to the University.

Separate application must be made to the Department of Nursing. A $25.00 nonrefundable application fee made payable to Biola University, Department of Nursing must accompany the application. It is recommended that this be done concurrently with application to the University. Final acceptance into nursing will not be made until official acceptance to the University is granted.

To be considered for acceptance into the nursing program, all applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (may be admitted provisionally with a GPA of 2.8-2.99 if space is available).

English 110A and 110B must be completed before starting clinical. All other required non-nursing prerequisites are completed as outlined in the standard curriculum chart for the nursing major before entering clinical nursing courses (except 30 unit option). Transfer credit for non-nursing courses will be granted by the Registrar's Office as indicated in the university catalog. If a given nursing course from a regionally accredited nursing program is comparable in content and level to a given course offered by the Department of Baccalaureate Nursing, transfer credit will be granted.

All candidates will participate in a transition seminar course (Nursing 300: Professional Nursing Seminar) designed to facilitate socialization into baccalaureate professional nursing. This course must be successfully completed prior to enrollment in any clinical nursing course.

It is recommended that all transfer-challenge students take Nursing 303 Assessment of the Client-Theory and Clinical; however, students may challenge these courses by examination if they feel they have knowledge of the course content. Comparable courses will be evaluated for transfer credit.

Students receiving financial assistance may need to take 12 units while they are challenging nursing courses.

Following notification of acceptance into the Department of Nursing, the candidate may begin the challenge process. The process consists of examination with theory and clinical components. Contact the Department of Nursing for specific details.

Prior to going to the clinical agency, all challenge students must have a current CPR certificate. The Department of Nursing health form required of all nursing majors must be submitted prior to clinical challenge and admission to clinical nursing courses. This is necessary for Biola to meet agency contract requirements.

Candidates for the challenge process have the option of scheduling the examinations in such a way that if unsuccessful, subsequent enrollment in the course is possible.

Course credit will be granted upon successful completion of the challenge exam. Courses may be challenged one time only. (C*) denotes that a class can be challenged for the units listed.

Specific policies related to RNs, LVNs, or LPNs follow. Transfer challenge students from other nursing programs or other health profession backgrounds will be evaluated individually.

Additional Policies: Registered Nurse and Students Transferring from RN Programs

Applicants must meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Hold current licensure in the United States.
• Be a graduate of a regionally accredited program.
• Must have one year of full time work experience as an RN.

Placement of students and course credit is based upon individual portfolio evaluation. The portfolio will consist of: nursing course outlines, official transcripts, references from two nursing faculty members (one from last year of nursing courses), one work recommendation from an immediate supervisor, and an educational and work résumé. The portfolio evaluation fee is $300.

All candidates will take a minimum of 5 upper division nursing courses, including the writing competency requirement, designed to facilitate socialization into baccalaureate professional nursing. These units will be taken during the first year following acceptance into the nursing program. The content will vary with individual needs, depending upon prior education experiences and the number of units that have been transferred. These units must be successfully completed prior to enrollment in any other clinical nursing course.

Theory and clinical courses for which credit may be given: 201, 202, 204, 303, 340, 342, 344, 362, 364, 366, 450.

Licensed Vocational Nurse

The applicant must hold current registration in the U.S. Graduates of regionally accredited nursing programs in the process of obtaining licensure will be admitted on provisional status.

The applicant may take the 30 unit curriculum or the transfer-challenge curriculum.

Option I: Thirty Unit Curriculum

This option permits the LVN to take nursing and related science courses in order to qualify for the California registered nurse licensing examination. Transfer into the degree program is possible.

The applicant's portfolio will be evaluated on an individual basis. Academic credit earned in regionally accredited institutions of higher education for comparable pre-licensure courses will be accepted for transfer.

The following theory and clinical courses must be completed prior to taking the R.N. licensure examination:

• Biology 281 Physiology* (4)
• Biology 282 Microbiology* (4)
• Nursing 300 Professional Nursing Seminar (3)
• Nursing 340 Mental Health Nursing of the Client/Family-Theory/Clinical (4)
• Nursing 344 Nursing of the Older Adult Client/Family-Theory/Clinical (4)
• Nursing 364 Advanced Nursing of the Client/Family-Theory/Clinical (4)
• Nursing 450, 451, 452 Leadership/ Management in Nursing (7)

*Transfer credit will be granted.