Pre-Licensure Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
School of Nursing
2 years · 4 semesters · 60 credit hours · 540 clinical practicum hours
The Associate of Applied Science in Nursing prepares students for entry into professional registered nursing practice through on-campus instruction, clinical labs, and direct patient-care experiences.
Program overview
This intensive ADN curriculum integrates foundational biological sciences, nursing therapeutics, pharmacology, mental health care, adult health nursing, and clinical practicum. Students complete 540 total contact hours of direct patient care, simulation lab practice, and preceptor-led clinical rotations across Semesters 2 through 4.
Graduates are prepared to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) through the Texas Board of Nursing and may continue into RN-to-BSN baccalaureate pathways.
Program learning outcomes
- Deliver safe patient-centred nursing care: Apply clinical judgment, nursing process frameworks, and biological science principles to deliver individualized, evidence-based care across the lifespan.
- Execute precise pharmacological and clinical skills: Calculate medication dosages, administer therapeutics safely, manage intravenous lines, and maintain infection control standards.
- Perform comprehensive clinical assessments: Conduct head-to-toe assessments, monitor vital physiological parameters, interpret diagnostic findings, and respond to patient deterioration.
- Apply medico-legal and ethical standards: Practice within the Texas Nursing Practice Act, follow HIPAA privacy guidelines, maintain accountability, and demonstrate bioethical decision-making.
- Achieve NCLEX-RN readiness: Master essential test-plan domains, complete predictor examinations, and demonstrate professional readiness for RN licensure.
Admissions requirements
- High school diploma or GED equivalent with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale.
- Completion of high school or college-level Chemistry, Biology, and Algebra with a grade of C or higher.
- ATI TEAS composite score of 65% or higher, or HESI A2 cumulative score of 70% or higher.
- Background and health clearance, including Texas Board of Nursing clearance, 10-panel drug screening, physical health clearance, immunization records, and AHA CPR/BLS certification.
Clinical clearance
Before clinical rotations begin in Semester 2, students must maintain active clearance in the following areas:
- Texas Board of Nursing background check and FBI fingerprinting verification
- Negative 10-panel drug screen within 30 days before initial placement
- Active AHA Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers certification
- Immunization passport: Hepatitis B, MMR, Varicella, Tdap, annual influenza vaccine, and annual TB clearance
- Hospital orientation, EHR training and logins, and clinical facility photo ID badging
Curriculum by semester
Semester 1: Fall · 15 credits
- BIOL 2401 Human Anatomy & Physiology I with Lab · 4 credits
- ENGL 1301 Composition I · 3 credits
- PSYC 2301 General Psychology · 3 credits
- MATH 1314 College Algebra and Dosage Calculations · 3 credits
- RNSG 1119 Introduction to Nursing & Professional Ethics · 2 credits
Semester 2: Spring · 15 credits
- BIOL 2402 Human Anatomy & Physiology II with Lab · 4 credits
- BIOL 2420 Microbiology for Nursing with Lab · 4 credits
- RNSG 1301 Pharmacology for Nursing Practice · 3 credits
- RNSG 1413 Foundations of Nursing Practice with Skills Lab · 4 credits
Semester 3: Fall · 15 credits
- RNSG 2404 Integrated Care of the Adult Patient I · 4 credits
- RNSG 2360 Clinical Nursing Practicum I: Adult Health · 135 hours · 3 credits
- RNSG 1343 Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing · 3 credits
- RNSG 1261 Clinical Nursing Practicum II: Psychiatric Nursing · 45 hours · 2 credits
- PSYC 2314 Lifespan Growth and Development · 3 credits
Semester 4: Spring · 15 credits
- RNSG 2432 Integrated Care of the Adult Patient II · 4 credits
- RNSG 2361 Clinical Nursing Practicum III: Advanced Adult & Specialties · 180 hours · 3 credits
- RNSG 2301 Maternal, Newborn, and Pediatric Nursing Care · 3 credits
- RNSG 2438 NCLEX-RN Examination Preparation & Capstone Seminar · 3 credits
- GOVT 2305 Federal Government · 2 credits
Study and clinical schedule options
The program offers part-time or full-time study options. Students may choose an 8-hour or 12-hour clinical course schedule while completing the same 540 total practicum hours.
8-hour clinical schedule
Clinical rotations use 8-hour day shifts. The schedule includes two weekly 8-hour shifts for adult health and advanced adult or maternal-child rotations, with a three-day weekly capstone immersion.
12-hour clinical schedule
Clinical rotations use 12-hour shifts for adult health, psychiatric nursing, advanced adult and maternal-child care, and capstone immersion. The foundations skills lab remains scheduled as 4-hour labs twice weekly.
Licensure and career pathway
- Eligibility to sit for the NCLEX-RN through the Texas Board of Nursing.
- American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers certification.
- Career settings may include acute care hospitals, medical-surgical units, long-term care facilities, ambulatory surgery centers, and outpatient clinics.
- Academic articulation toward RN-to-BSN programs and advanced nursing studies.