Frequently Asked Questions – BSN & ABSN

Undergraduate BSN (UPPER DIVISION) & ABSN Program

General Information
  • What is the Lower Division and the Upper division in the nursing program? 
    • The lower division (pre-nursing) consists of the prerequisite courses that need to be completed with a required grade to be eligible to apply to the upper division. Please see the prerequisites below! 
  • What are the prerequisites for the Upper Division Nursing program and ABSN?
    • Intro to General, Organic and Biochemistry I (with Lab) – B or higher
    • Intro to General, Organic and Biochemistry II (with Lab) – B or higher
    • Anatomy & Physiology I (with Lab) – B or higher
    • Anatomy & Physiology II (with Lab) – B or higher
    • Fundamentals of Microbiology (with Lab) – B or higher
    • General Nutrition – B or higher
    • Human Growth & Development – B or higher
    • Writing and Inquiry I
    • College Algebra or higher 
    • Introduction to Statistics
    • General Psychology
    • In addition, students must have a current certificate as a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA I) and be listed on the NC Nurse Aide Registry prior to beginning classes in the Upper Division.

**You do not have to be a CNA I to apply to the Upper Division Nursing program.**

  • Do I have to be finished with all of the pre-requisite courses before I apply to the Upper Division Nursing program?
    • Yes, pre-requisite courses must be completed or in progress when you apply to the Upper Division Nursing program.
    • Three (3) out of the five (5) science courses and their labs must be completed with a B or higher prior to applying. That also includes the two required nursing courses.
    • If you are applying for Fall admission, all remaining pre-requisite courses must be completed satisfactorily (grade of C or better) by the end of the preceding Spring semester.
    • Applicants for Fall admission may not complete pre-requisite courses in the summer immediately prior to beginning Upper Division coursework.
    • Students applying for Spring admission may be enrolled in the final pre-requisite courses during the preceding Fall semester.
    • There are no exceptions to this policy. 
  • Do I have to be finished with all of the pre-requisite courses before I apply to the ABSN program?
    • Students applying for the Fall ABSN admission option should complete required prerequisite courses by the end of the Spring semester preceding their admission. 
    • In addition, students must have a previous bachelor’s degree, Associate in Arts degree, or Associate in Science degree to be eligible for the ABSN Option.
  • Who can be admitted to the Upper Division Nursing program?
    • Once a student has completed all of the required nursing pre-requisite courses (with a grade of B or better for Science/labs/Nursing classes and C’s or higher remaining prerequisites) and has achieved a minimum pre-requisite GPA of 3.0, he or she is eligible to apply to the Upper Division Nursing program.
    • Not all applicants who meet the minimum requirements will be admitted. Consistent with University policy, the School offers admission to applicants whose credentials present the best qualifications among those meeting minimum requirements.
  • How do you determine who is admitted to the Upper Division BSN program?
    • The Upper Division Pre-Licensure Nursing Program admits 64 students each semester.
    • For each applicant, the pre-requisite GPA is calculated based on grades earned in the pre-requisite courses.
    • Additional consideration (points) is given to students with 30+ credit hours completed at UNC Charlotte, 50+ hours of paid or volunteer experience in a human-based health care environment and/or a previous bachelor’s or master’s degree.
    • The point accumulations for all of the applicants are numerically ranked from highest to lowest and the top 64 students are admitted to the Upper Division program.
    • Eligible applicants not admitted may re-apply for future terms.
  • What grades are taken into consideration when you calculate the pre-requisite GPA?
    • When calculating the pre-requisite GPA, only grades from the pre-requisite courses are taken into consideration, regardless of where you completed the courses.
    • If you have taken related science courses that are not pre-requisites for the Upper Division program, they will not be included in your pre-requisite GPA.
  • Will being an EMT or a Certified Medical Assistant help me be admitted into the nursing program?
    • EMT or Certified Medical Assistant experience cannot substitute the CNA requirement when starting upper division courses. 
    • It’s possible these positions will likely have provided you with a realistic knowledge base and valuable hours of health care experience for which you may earn points when you apply to the Upper Division Nursing program.

*You may check with N.C. Department of Health and Human Services to check if you’re able to receive a training waiver. However, we do not advise that being an alternative to going through a state approved CNA program. 

  • What if, after being offered admission to the Upper Division program, I don’t pass a nursing pre-requisite course in the current semester? May I re-take it and still progress into the Upper Division program?
    • No. All Nursing pre-requisite courses must be completed satisfactorily (meeting grade requirements of B/C or higher) by the end of the semester in which you are applying.
    • For instance, if you are admitted to the Upper Division Nursing program for the Fall, that admission is “conditional,” pending successful completion of your Spring pre-requisite courses.
    • If you are admitted for the Spring, that admission is “conditional,” pending successful completion of your Fall pre-requisite courses. (Pre-requisite courses cannot be completed in the Summer for Fall admission.)
    • The grades of pre-requisite courses enrolled at the time of application will be verified prior to “unconditional” admission to the Upper Division Nursing program.
    • Those who are not successful in one or more of the pre-requisite courses will have their admission rescinded and are eligible to re-apply for a future term.
  • May I take my general education and nursing pre-requisite courses at a North Carolina community college?
    • Yes. However, since additional consideration is given to students with 30+ credit hours completed at UNC Charlotte, completing the pre-requisite and general education courses at another school disadvantages your application to the Upper Division program.
    • If you are a current student at UNC Charlotte at the time you decide to take a course(s) at other schools, you are required to complete a Petition for Transient Study form prior to enrolling in the course(s).
  • Do I really need to see an academic advisor? I already know what the pre-requisite courses are.
    • Yes, you should see an Academic Advisor on a regular basis (at least once a semester).
    • Your Advisor can help you through the various situations of college life, assist you in making appropriate course selections, and answer questions about University and College of Health and Human Services policies.
    • Ultimately, you are responsible for your academic plan of study, but an Academic Advisor is an excellent resource.
  • What clinical requirements must I fulfill once I am admitted to the Upper Division BSN and ABSN program?
  • If I am admitted to the Upper Division BSN and ABSN program, what additional costs should I expect?
Apply to the Nursing Program
  • When can a student apply to the Upper Division Nursing program?
    • The Upper Division selection process admits students into both the Fall and Spring semesters. For the class entering in Fall, applications will be available the previous November 15th. The deadline to apply is January 31st. For the class entering Spring, applications will be available June 15th and the deadline to apply is August 31st.
  • When can a student apply to the ABSN program?
    • The School of Nursing (SON) admits to the Accelerated BSN nursing program option in the Fall semester only.
    • The application deadline to apply for a Fall start is January 31st.
Current Students
  • I am a current UNC Charlotte student and want to change my major to Pre-Nursing. How can I declare? 
    • Students who are not admitted as a pre-nursing major and were not denied during the initial admission process can change their major based on the following criteria:
      • Freshmen: Must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA and 30 credit hours by the end of their second semester at UNC Charlotte 
      • Transfers: Must have completed 15 credit hours at UNC Charlotte and have a 3.0 cumulative GPA.
      • Non-CHHS Students must attend the Change of Major Orientation to meet with an advisor to determine eligibility. Current CHHS students must meet with their assigned advisor to determine eligibility. 
    • If eligible, the student will be referred to the School of Nursing for a final review and major change request. It may take 2 to 4 weeks for a change of major request to be processed.
Prospective Students
  • I am a prospective student interested in applying to the BSN program, but I do not have all prerequisites completed. 
    • If you are interested in applying to the BSN program and don’t have all prerequisites completed, you must first apply to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and declare Pre-nursing as your intended plan of study.
    • If you already have a degree, you will need to apply as a second degree seeking student. 
  • I am a prospective student interested in applying to the BSN program, I have completed all of the prerequisites. 
    • If you have completed all of the prerequisites, you must still apply to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and declare Pre-nursing as your intended plan of study. 
    • You must also submit your application to the upper division nursing program. 
  • I am a prospective student and I already have a degree. Can I apply to the BSN and ABSN program?
    • Yes, if you have a previously earned degree, you can apply to both programs. However, if you are admitted, you will only be offered admission into one of the programs. 
  • I have been admitted into UNC Charlotte, am I in the nursing program? 
    • All admitted students begin as a pre-nursing major. Meaning, you must successfully complete the required lower division prerequisites to apply to our upper division nursing program.
  • I have AP credit, what courses will my scores satisfy? 
    • Please see the AP Credit webpage to see if your scores satisfy any of the prerequisites.
  •  How can I tell if my transfer credit will satisfy the prerequisite courses?
  • Can I meet with someone to discuss my transfer credit?
    • Yes, you can meet one-on-one with a Pre-Transfer Advisor to review your credit transfer and how they will come in, in addition to identifying helpful courses to take before applying.