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Nursing Program Admission and Progression

Options for Admission to the Nursing Major

Students seeking admission to Carroll’s Nursing major have four options for entry, depending on their status: 1) Direct Entry, 2) Pre-Nursing Admission, 3) Transfer Admission, and 4) Accelerated Nursing track for post-baccalaureate students.

Direct Entry into the Traditional Track

When applying to Carroll, a student will be considered for Direct Entry to Carroll's nursing major if the student submits a completed application by the priority deadline, indicating NURSING as the first major of interest, and if the student meets the eligibility criteria outlined below. 

Direct Entry to the nursing program requires no additional application process once the student is admitted to Carroll. As a Direct Entry nursing student, students will enroll in the pre-licensure BSN nursing curriculum beginning their first semester. Direct entry students must meet all the progression criteria to progress and maintain their placement in the nursing major. (See criteria for Progression in the Nursing Major)

Students who wish to be considered for direct entry into the nursing major must meet the following criteria:

  1. Minimum 3.30 GPA
  2. Completion of, or enrollment in, two years of science (Biology and Chemistry recommended)
  3. Completion of, or enrollment in, mathematics through Intermediate Algebra (Algebra II)
  4. Submission and completion of application (receipt of all supporting credentials) by November 1, listing NURSING as the first major of interest

*Please note that not all candidates meeting the minimum eligibility criteria will be selected for the Direct Entry Option.

Pre-Nursing Admission into the Traditional Track

Students admitted into the pre-nursing licensure curriculum will have the opportunity to apply to the nursing major during their first year at Carroll. Pre-nursing students must be formally accepted to the nursing major in order to register for nursing courses. Applications for Admission to the nursing major are accepted in the spring semester each year for admission into the major the following fall semester. All students who currently have listed Pre-Nursing as their major will receive notification regarding the admission process via Carroll College email. Final decisions regarding admission to the nursing major will be made after grades from the spring semester are available. Spring grades are posted by the Friday after graduation and students will have until the following Friday to notify the nursing department and/or Registrar of any grade changes. Please note that if there are more applications than spaces available, a Priority Ranking System will be used.

Pre-nursing students seeking admission into the nursing major must meet the following criteria:

  1. Be admitted to Carroll College as a degree-seeking student.
  2. Complete, or be enrolled in, the following courses with a “C-” or better at the time of application: BI 201, BI 202, CH 111, CH112, CORE 110 or ENWR 102, Oral Communication course (e.g. CO 101 or FR 101 or SP 101), PSY 105, PSY 203.
  3. BI 201, BI 202, CH 111, CH 112, and BI 214 (or the equivalent of these courses) must have been completed within 5 years of admission to the nursing program at Carroll College. Any of these courses, taken prior to the five-year limit, may be analyzed by the nursing department for possible use depending on individual circumstances.
  4. Have an overall college career Grade Point Average of 3.0 or higher on a 4-point scale. (This includes all attempted credits at an accredited college or university.)
  5. Repeat or withdraw from no more than two (2) courses considered pre-requisite to nursing or nursing courses taken either at Carroll or other institutions.
  6. Complete all required course work, to include independent study or “incompletes”, by established deadlines.
  7. Students with an academic integrity violation on file at Carroll College will be evaluated individually to determine whether they will be admitted to the nursing major.
  8. Provide documentation noting completion of and compliance with the expectations and requirements of the nursing program clinical affiliates to include, but not limited to, official documentation for specific immunizations, a criminal background check, a 10-panel urine drug screen, maintenance of current health insurance, and American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers certification. Costs to complete these clinical readiness requirements are to be paid by the student.
  • Instructions for completing these requirements will be provided by the Department of Nursing after acceptance to the nursing major. Students with background checks that reveal a record and/or urine drug screen that reveal a positive result will be evaluated individually to determine whether they will be eligible to progress in the nursing major. Inability to comply with the outlined clinical readiness requirements may interfere with a student's ability to participate in the nursing program clinical requirements, making the student ineligible to progress in the major. Alcohol and drug violations may interfere with Montana Board of Nursing approval to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam.

* Please note that meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the nursing program.

The Carroll College Department of Nursing has a primary responsibility to the education of future professional nurses—a responsibility seriously recognized by the Admissions Committee, charged with selection of those candidates who best demonstrate the academic achievement, emotional maturity, integrity, and motivation necessary for consideration for admission.

The Department of Nursing reserves the right to accept for admission into the major the number of students for whom a quality educational program can be provided and in order to fulfill the accreditation guidelines mandated by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. If there are more applications than spaces available, the Department will use a Priority Ranking System based on the following criteria to select students for admission. Criteria will be applied after spring grades become available.

  1. Successful completion of the above admission criteria.
  2. Overall college career Grade Point Average (this includes all attempted credits at an accredited college or university).
  3. Selected GPA from the following Carroll courses: BI 201, BI 202, CH 111, CH112, Oral Communication course, CORE 110 or ENWR 102, PSY 105, PSY 203. A course from another institution must be accepted at Carroll as an equivalent course to be calculated in this selected GPA.
  4. Completion of Core or nursing prerequisites without need for repeating courses (no D’s or F’s) or withdrawals.
  5. Current enrollment and the number of credits completed at Carroll College. Students who have completed 24 or more Carroll credits by the end of the spring semester will be ranked higher on this criteria than students who have completed at least 12 Carroll credits.
  6. No academic integrity violations on file in the Registrar’s Office at Carroll College.
  7. A standardized exam to measure aptitude for nursing success, to be paid by the student, may also be required.
  8. Interviews by the Department of Nursing faculty may be required.

Transfer Admission into the Traditional Track

Carroll College may accept a select number of Running start, Dual-enrollment, and/or external transfer students directly into the nursing program. Interested transfer students should contact the Office of Admission for current requirements and to apply to the college and nursing major. Accepted students will enroll in classes beginning in the fall semester following their acceptance into the college and nursing major, completing a bachelor’s degree in 3 years.

Accelerated Nursing Track for Post-baccalaureate Students

The 15-month accelerated nursing track is designed for those who have earned a baccalaureate or higher degree in a non-nursing field. Students in this track build on their previous degree(s) to achieve a second bachelor’s degree that would enable them to become a Registered Nurse. Applicants to the accelerated nursing track must have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university prior to their enrollment in the program. 

Students admitted to the accelerated nursing track must: 

  1. Complete, or be enrolled in, the following prerequisites (or their equivalent) with a “C -” or better at the time of program enrollment. This coursework needs to be completed prior to program start, with official transcripts on file with the Registrar's office.  
    • Anatomy & Physiology I and II with labs
    • Essentials of Chemistry with lab
    • Organic & Biochemistry
    • Microbiology with lab
    • Intro to Sociology
    • Statistics
    • General Psychology
    • Developmental Psychology
    • Written Communication
    • Oral Communication
  2. May be completed prior to application or taken concurrently with the accelerated nursing classes. 
    • One theology class
    • One philosophy class
    • Note: For the theology or philosophy classes, one must be an ethical reasoning course
  3. Other requirements:
    • Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.
    • Have an overall college career Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a 4-point scale (This includes all attempted credits at an accredited college or university).

Progression in the Nursing Major

To progress in the nursing major, the student must:

  1. Have a grade of “C-” or better in all required nursing classes and the following co-requisites: BI 214, CH 112, MA 207, PHIL 205 or PHIL 208 (or other Ethical Reasoning course), SO 101. All nursing courses must be taken at Carroll College unless the nursing department grants an exception. Direct Entry nursing students must also have a “C-“ or better in all nursing prerequisites (BI 201, BI 202, CH 111, CORE 110 or ENWR 102, Oral Communication course - e.g. CO 101/FR 101/SP 101, PSY 105, PSY 203) to maintain their placement in the nursing major.
  2. Maintain a minimum cumulative Carroll GPA of 2.75 at the end of each semester after admission into the nursing major.
  3. Pass/Fail grades may be acceptable for courses not co-requisite to nursing courses as long as the student is within the parameters of the guidelines of the Academic Policies as stated in the Carroll College Catalog currently in effect.
  4. In the event of a college academic integrity violation, the student’s ability to progress in the nursing major will be determined on an individual basis.
  5. Provide documentation noting completion of and compliance with the expectations and requirements of the nursing program clinical affiliates to include, but not limited to, official documentation for specific immunizations, a criminal background check, a 10-panel urine drug screen, maintenance of current health insurance, and American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers certification. Costs to complete these clinical readiness requirements are to be paid by the student. Instructions for completing these requirements will be provided by the Department of Nursing prior to 200-level nursing courses. Students with background checks that reveal a record and/or urine drug screen that reveal a positive result will be evaluated individually to determine whether they will be eligible to progress in the nursing major. Inability to comply with the outlined clinical readiness requirements may interfere with a student's ability to participate in the nursing program clinical requirements, making the student ineligible to progress in the major. Alcohol and drug violations may interfere with Montana Board of Nursing approval to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam.
  6. Students who receive any legal action that would appear on a criminal background check, such as a misdemeanor or felony charge or conviction, must immediately inform the chair of the Nursing Department, and will be evaluated individually to determine whether they will be allowed to progress in the nursing major.
  7. Students must demonstrate the academic achievement, emotional maturity, integrity, and motivation necessary for progression in the nursing major.

If the student does not meet the above progression criteria, they may not continue in the nursing major. If a student does not pass required nursing course(s), they must demonstrate competency in the failed course(s) with a grade of "C-" or better prior to taking any other nursing courses.

The policy related to Student Withdrawal and Re-application/Re-entry to the Nursing Major is found in the Department of Nursing Student Handbook.

The Carroll College Department of Nursing reserves the right to make changes to these admission and progression criteria.