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 1. 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 1. 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 completed high school and have less than 24 credits of post-secondary education must demonstrate the following to be admitted to the nursing program:

1. Have been admitted to the College;
2. Any student whose native language is not English will need to take one of the English language proficiency examinations listed below:
   • TOEFL iBT of 84 or higher total score with a minimum speaking score of 26
   • TOEFL PBT of 540 or higher total score
   • IELTS Academic score of 6.5 or higher with a minimum of 6.0 in each module
   • PTE Academic score of 55 or higher overall, with no Communicative Skills sub-scores lower than 50 in each part
   • MELAB with Speaking score of 81 or higher overall total score and a minimum score of 3 on the speaking test is required as part of the application for an individual whose primary language is not English.
3. 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”;
4. Minimum high school GPA of 2.50

Transfer Student

Applicants who graduated from high school and completed 24 or more credits of post-secondary education must demonstrate the following to be admitted to the nursing program:

1. For any student whose native language is not English will need to take one of the English language proficiency examinations listed below:
   • TOEFL iBT of 84 or higher total score with a minimum speaking score of 26
   • TOEFL PBT of 540 or high total score
   • IELTS Academic score of 6.5 or higher with a minimum of 6.0 in each module
   • PTE Academic score of 55 or higher overall, with no Communicative Skills sub-scores lower than 50 in each part,
   • MELAB with Speaking score of 81 or higher overall total score and a minimum score of 3 on the speaking test is required as part of the application for an individual whose primary language is not English.
2. Demonstrate a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average (CGPA) on most recent post-secondary education as verified by official transcript;
3. 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 (Theory – 5 credits/Clinical – 2 credits)
• NUAS 240 – Nursing of the Family (Theory – 3 credits/Clinical – 2 credits)
• NUAS 220 – Nursing Pharmacology (3 credits)
• NUAS 275 – Mental Health Nursing (3 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 for theory courses. Skills challenge components for clinical are completed in the simulation lab.

Matriculation into the first Nursing Course:

1. Demonstrate a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average on most recent post-secondary education as verified by official transcript;
2. Completed BIOL 201 – Anatomy and Physiology I or equivalent with a minimum grade of “C” (2.00). All sciences courses must have been completed within the past seven (7) years
3. 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) within the past two years. The applicant has a maximum of two attempts per calendar year, whether the exams are taken at MAC or another location, on the exam to achieve a satisfactory score; the student must obtain a Math Subscore of 60%. The TEAS requirement is waived if the applicant holds an associate degree or a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a CGPA of 2.75 or higher

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.

• LIBA 150 College Success & the Mercy Experience*
• CORE 100 – Effective Thinking and Communication
• ART, MUSC, THEA, ENGL – Aesthetics Course
• RLST/PHIL – Faith and Reason Course
• MATH 111 – The Three C’s*
• CORE 200 – Global Understanding: Strategies for Changemakers I
• ENGL 110 – Rhetoric I

* Must have a minimum “C” grade

Courses Required for ASN

• Adult Nursing I Theory (5 credits)*/Adult Nursing I Clinical (2 credits)**
• Nursing Pharmacology (3 credits)*
• Nursing of the Family Theory (3 credits)*/Nursing of the Family Clinical (2 credits)**
• Adult Nursing II Theory (4 credits)*/Adult Nursing II Clinical (3 credits)**
• Mental Health Nursing (3 credits)*
• Transition to Nursing Practice (1 credit)*
• Adult Nursing III Theory (4 credits)*/Adult Nursing III Clinical (4 credits)**

* Must have a minimum 75% or better
** Must receive a P for the course

• BIOL 201 – Anatomy and Physiology I*
• BIOL 202 – Anatomy and Physiology II*
• BIOL 210 – Microbiology*
• PSYC 101 – General Psychology*

* Must have a minimum “C” grade

View the ASN Program Outcomes

View the BSN Program Outcomes

View the Nursing Student Handbook (PDF)