Degrees type: Associate, Bachelor
Main Campus
The nursing curriculum for the combined Associate of Science and Bachelor of Science degree option is designed to be a two-plus-two program. This option allows students to progress seamlessly through both programs and all students in the Associate of Science in Nursing program are considered to be in the 2+2 Associate of Science/Bachelor of Science program as the intent is that students will continue on to complete the BSN degree.
The Associate of Science Degree in Nursing is earned within the first two years or five semesters and is designed to provide graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to enter the field of nursing, pass their licensure examination and obtain employment as a valued Registered Nurse. Progress to the Bachelor of Science Degree is sequenced according to individual needs and preferred scheduling options.
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More than 50 Years of Nursing Excellence
Nursing grads from Mount Aloysius are part of a proud tradition of clinical excellence that is more than 50 years old. Mount Aloysius Nurses enjoy a stellar reputation for clinical excellence and compassionate patient care and is proud to supply a large portion of local nurses.
Program Highlights
State-of-the-art simulation labs
One of the largest sources of locally-hired nurses
Named a top nursing program in PA by Nursing Journal and a College of Distinction
High program graduation rates
High demand job-market
- Hospitals
- Physician Offices
- Home Health Care Services
- Nursing Care Facilities
- Correctional Facilities
- Schools
- NUAS 130 – Adult Nursing I 7 credits
- NUAS 240 – Nursing of the Family 5 credits
- NUAS 220 – Nursing Pharmacology 3 credits
- NUAS 260 – Adult Nursing II 7 credits
- NUAS 275 – Mental Health Nursing 3 credits
- NUAS 330- Adult Nursing III 8 credits
- NUAS 300 – Transition to Nursing Practice 1 credit
- NUBS 302 – Health Assessment 3 credits
- NUBS 304 – Pathophysiology 3 credits
- NUBS 305 – Into to Research 3 credits
- NUBS 430 – Nursing Informatics 3 credits
- NUBS 403 – Community Health Nursing 3 credits
- NUBS 440 – Organizational Behavior 3 credits
- NUBS 401 – Capstone 3 credits
- NUBS 440P – Leadership Practicum 3 credits
The demand for registered nurses is expected to rise 16% from 2014 to 2024, an increase of 439,300 jobs.*
The average median wage for a registered nurse, who holds an Associate Degree, is $65,572; the average median wage for a BSN is $73,388.*
- Patient-Family Centered Care – Recognize the patient and family as a full partner in providing coordinated, compassionate, age- and culturally-appropriate care.
- Teamwork and Collaboration – Function effectively as a member of the interdisciplinary team fostering interprofessional and intraprofessional communication, mutual respect, and shared decision making to provide coordinated quality care.
- Evidence-Based Practice – Evaluate and integrate current research and evidence with clinical expertise in the delivery of quality healthcare and the improvement of health care processes and outcomes.
- Informatics – Employ information systems to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision-making.
- Quality Improvement – Evaluate outcome data of patient care processes and employ improvement methods to improve the quality and safety of health care.
- Safety – Anticipate and minimize risk of harm to patients and other healthcare providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance.
- Professionalism – Demonstrate the values, ethics, and legal standards of the nursing profession; responsibility and accountability for own behaviors and decisions; and competent performance in nursing practice to ensure quality patient-centered care.
Nursing Resource & Simulation Center (NRSC)
A four-bed simulation nursing unit
Life-like CAE computerized mannequins
Top-of-the-line simulation equipment
A nursing environment modeled after real-world settings
More Information
The Associate of Science in Nursing program at Mount Aloysius College located in Cresson, Pennsylvania is accredited by the: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 975-5000
The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Associate of Science in Nursing program is Continuing Accreditation.
All decisions regarding admission to the nursing program at Mount Aloysius College are made by the Department of Nursing. To begin nursing coursework in the fall, all admission and pre-requisite requirements must be completed and submitted to the Department of Nursing by July 1st. To begin nursing coursework in the spring, all admission and pre-requisite requirements must be completed and submitted to the Department of Nursing by November 1st. Students requesting admission to the Associate of Science Degree in Nursing Program must meet be admitted to the College and meet the following admission criteria:
- First-time college student applicants who have graduated from high school and have less than 24 credits of post-secondary education must:
- Have been admitted to the College;
- Achieve a combined SAT Critical Reading and Math Score of 1000 or ACT Composite Score of 22 or a composite score of 59% on the designated pre-entrance nursing exam (ATI Test of Essential Academic Skills – TEAS). The applicant has a maximum of two attempts on the TEAS exam to achieve a satisfactory score, whether the exams are taken at MAC or another location and a maximum of three combined attempts at the SAT/ACT;
- Completed work equal to a standard high school course inclusive of a minimum of 16 units, including:
- Four units of English;
- Three units of social studies;
- Two units of mathematics (one of which is Algebra); and
- Two units of science with a related laboratory, (Biology and Chemistry recommended). The two units of science with a related laboratory and Algebra must be completed with a minimum grade of “C;”
- Minimum high school GPA of 2.50;
- If math remediation is required based on TEAS Math Sub Score of <60%, must complete NursingABC MAT091 with a C or better, which is prerequisite to admission to the major; and
- Have completed BIOL 201 – Anatomy and Physiology I or its equivalent with a minimum grade of “C” in both theory and lab. All science courses must have been completed within the past seven (7) years;
- NOTE: An applicant who has not met one or more of the stated admission requirements will be identified as a pre-nursing student until the requirements are met. Once met, the student must complete the Internal Nursing Application Form.
- Transfer applicants, who graduated from high school and/or completed 24 or more credits of post-secondary education must:
- achieve a composite score of 59% on the designated pre-entrance exam (ATI Test of Essential Academic Skills – TEAS). The applicant has a maximum of two attempts on the exam to achieve a satisfactory score. The TEAS requirement will be waived if the applicant holds an associate degree or a bachelor degree from an accredited institution and completed the degree with a CGPA of 2.75 or higher;
- demonstrate a minimum 2.50 cumulative grade point average (CGPA) on most recent post-secondary education as verified by official transcript;
- have completed BIOL 201 – Anatomy and Physiology I or its equivalent with a minimum grade of “C” in both theory and lab. All science courses must have been completed within the past seven (7) years;
- have completed a college-level writing course with a minimum “C” grade.
- Transfer applicants who have had previous nursing education courses are required to meet the admission requirements as stated above for transfer students and sign and send to the previous nursing program(s) a request for a confidential reference. In addition, the applicant may apply to take a challenge* exam(s). To begin the challenge exam process, the applicant must submit a course syllabus and calendar to the Department Chairperson at least five (5) weeks prior to the start of the semester or earlier. An applicant wishing to challenge a course must have successfully completed a comparable course (including clinical if applicable) at an accredited school within the past three (3) years. The following Associate of Science Degree nursing courses may be challenged –
- NUAS 130 – Adult Nursing I (7 credits)
- NUAS 240 – Nursing of the Family (5 credits)
- NUAS 220 – Nursing Pharmacology (3 credits)
- NUAS 275 – Mental Health Nursing (2 credits)
- Note: Challenge exams need to be taken no later than 1 month prior to the start of the semester the student is enrolling for.
- Students granted readmission to the nursing program may be required to challenge* or retake nursing courses that were successfully completed at Mount Aloysius College within the past three (3) years prior to re-admission. However, skills remediation will be required for all clinical nursing courses previously completed. Courses taken more than five years prior to readmission cannot be challenged and must be repeated.
- Note: Challenge exams are accomplished by using standardized exams.
Pre-Nursing Status
An applicant is identified as pre-nursing when he/she has not met all admission and/or pre-requisite requirements. Once requirements are met the applicant must complete the Internal Nursing Application Form.
Course / Credits
- Adult Nursing I (7 credits)**
- Nursing Pharmacology (3 credits)**
- Nursing of the Family (5 credits)**
- Adult Nursing II (7 credits)**
- Mental Health Nursing (2 credits)**
- Transition to Nursing Practice (2 credits)**
- Adult Nursing III (8 credits)**
** Must have a minimum 75% or better
Course / Credits
- College Foundation (2 credits)*
- Communication/Writing  (6 credits)*
- General Psychology (3 credits)*
- History/Political Science (3 credits)
- Anatomy & Physiology I (4 credits)*
- Technology (2 credits)
- Religious Studies (3 credits)
- Cultural Diversity (3 credits-included in Adult Nursing III)**
* Must have a minimum “C” grade
- Anatomy & Physiology II (4 credits)*
- Microbiology (4 credits)*
- Human Growth & Development (3 credits)*
* Must have a minimum “C” grade
LPN candidates articulating directly as well as those validating competencies are required to meet the requirements of the College along with the ASN program admission criteria and complete all pre-enrollment and enrollment requirements. In addition, applicants must submit official transcripts and LPN license as a requirement for admission.
LPN applicants meeting the articulation criterion may be granted a maximum of twelve (12) credits in nursing, seven (7) credits following successful completion of NUAS 115 – LPN to RN Transition and the Fundamentals Skill Challenge and five (5) credits for Nursing of the Family Challenge.
In order to receive the seven (7) credits, the applicant must have graduated within the past three years from an LPN program or have work experience as an LPN equivalent to 1000 hours in the past three years, or have completed an approved refresher course. Applicants must submit employer verification of work experience. If the applicant meets this criterion, seven (7) credits will be given after successful completion of NUAS 115 – LPN to RN Transition and successful completion of the Fundamentals Skill Challenge. If the applicant does not meet the articulation criteria, the applicant must take the NLN PN-RN Nursing Accelerated Challenge Exam (NACE I) Foundations of Nursing and obtain a passing score of 79%, complete NUAS 115 with a grade of “C” or better, and successfully complete the Fundamentals Skill Challenge to receive the seven (7) credits.
In order to receive the five (5) credits, the applicant must successfully obtain a Level 2 proficiency on the ATI RN Nursing Care of Children AND the ATI RN Maternal Newborn. Both of these exams must be successfully completed by the end of NUAS 115 – LPN to RN Transition. If unsuccessful on the exams, the applicant will be required to take NUAS 240 – Nursing of the Family.
The NLN (NACE I) required for LPN Advanced Standing placement requires fee payment prior to taking the exam.
Prior to enrolling in Level III Nursing courses, NUAS 260 – Adult Nursing II and NUAS 275 – Mental Health Nursing, the student must have completed the following:
- BIOL 201 – Anatomy and Physiology I
- BIOL 202 – Anatomy and Physiology II
- ICT 101 – Information Literacy
- ICT 230 – Technology for the Nursing Professional
- ENGL 109 – Rhetoric I with Corequisite Writing Lab (placement based on SAT/ACT scores or by College Placement testing scores) or EN 110 – Rhetoric I
- LIBA 150 – College Success and the Mercy Experience
- PSYC 101 – General Psychology
- PSYC 102 – Human Growth and Development
- NUAS 115 – LPN to RN Transition
- NUAS 220 – Nursing Pharmacology
- NUAS 130 – Adult Nursing I – advanced credit following successful completion of NUAS 115 and the Fundamentals Skill Challenge or satisfactory score on the NACE 1 Foundations of Nursing and successful completion of the Fundamentals Skill Challenge
- NUAS 240 – Nursing of the Family – or advanced credit upon completion of the ATI exams (ATI RN Nursing Care of Children and the ATI RN Maternal Newborn)
- All required pre-requisite courses (Nursing ABC Math 091 if required by TEAS Math Sub-Score)
Spring 2019 96% |
Fall 2019 97% |
2019 93% |
Spring 2018 92% |
Fall 2018 99% |
2018 96% |
Spring 2017 94% |
Fall 2017 100% |
2017 91% |
Annual RN Program Completion Rate
Annual Program Completion Data by Entering Cohort and Academic Year
Fall 2017 48% |
Spring 2018 64% |
Academic Year 2017 – 2018 55% |
Fall 2016 45% |
Spring 2017 47% |
Academic Year 2016 – 2017 46% |
Fall 2015 45% |
Spring 2016 50% |
Academic Year 2015 – 2016 47% |
Fall 2014 62% |
Spring 2015 50% |
Academic Year 2014 – 2015 57% |
Source: Excludes withdrawals before freeze date and students included in a previous cohort
* The benchmark for nursing program completion is 50% of students who begin the first nursing course will complete the ASN program within 150% of the time frame allotted, or three years.
Watch a video to learn which nursing path is best for you.
Watch a video with Ms. Christina Schilling, a professor in the nursing department, showing how to stop bleeding.
Watch a video with Ms. Desiree Bepppler, a professor in the nursing department, showing the benefits of the newborn swaddle.
Watch a video with Dr. Nicole Custer, a professor in the nursing department, discussing hemodynamic monitoring in nursing.
Watch a video to learn about improvised simulation performance at the Mount.
Watch a video with Brian Smith, a professor in the nursing department, talking about social distancing.
Watch a video about becoming a nurse at the Mount.
Watch a video about what to expect when visiting Mount Aloysius.
Watch a video to learn more about why students choose Mount Aloysius College for their nursing educations.
Faculty & Staff
Desiree Beppler
Simulation Coordinator in the School of Nursing
Jennifer Bopp
Instructor in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences
Julie Bowser
Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences
Sue Clark
Assistant Professor
Nicole Custer
Chairperson, Department of Nursing
Julie Decker
Assistant Professor of Nursing
Alrene Gorsuch
Assistant Professor of Nursing
Wesley King
Director of Nursing and Health Technology
Chris Lovett
Dean - School of Nursing & Health Sciences/Assistant Professor
Celeste McCoy
Administrative Coordinator in the School of Nursing
Emilea Rippin
Instructor of Nursing
Christina Schilling
Instructor of Nursing
Brian Smith
Assistant Professor of Nursing
Leslie Syrett
Instructor of Nursing
Cara L. Tomallo
Professional Tutor for Nursing & Allied Health Professions
Heather Zonts, Ph.D, RN, CNE
Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing
Upcoming Admissions Events
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Still have questions?
A member of the admissions team would love to get connected with you!
Admissions Office
Main Administration Building
7373 Admiral Peary Highway
Cresson, PA 16630
(814) 886-6383
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