English 
Major Details
This program is semester based and consists of 8-week courses offered fall, spring and summer.
- Students are required to enroll in a minimum of 6-credit hours per term to meet Department of Education financial aid requirements.
- For progression within the RN-to-BSN program, an enrolled student must maintain an overall GPA of 2.0 or above.
- The minimum number of undergraduate credit hours (transfer general education courses, prior nursing classes, and all RN-to-BSN in-house nursing courses) must total at least 122-credit hours prior to graduation.
- A minimum of 32 credit hours in upper level (300- or 400-level) nursing courses must be completed at William Woods University in order to receive a BSN degree.
The BSN completion program is fully online and asynchronous, allowing associate degree and diploma prepared nurses the opportunity to obtain their BSN. There are required clinical components within the program which can be completed near the student’s residence.
Major Requirements
Core Credits: 31.00
| This course facilitates the development and implementation of strategies to enable the synthesis of professional development for the nurse. The course enables students to engage in a thoughtful process of inquiry to more intentionally and consciously develop their knowledge and nursing practice, develop their confidence and ability to act in alignment with their nursing values, and to navigate the complexities of contemporary health care settings as they care for patients and families. Prerequisite: Admission to the BSN or BSN completion program for registered nurses. credits: | Transition to Professional Nursing | 3 |
| This course provides the students with the knowledge and skill necessary to perform a comprehensive nursing health assessment utilizing the skills of history taking, inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation. Normal assessment findings across the lifespan as well as frequently seen variations from normal expected results and cultural differences will be presented. Prerequisite: Admission to the BSN or BSN completion program for registered nurses. credits: | Health Assessment | 3 |
| This course includes information required for examination of ethical decision-making in professional nursing practice. The focus is on values clarification, ethical theory, ethical decision-making models, professional ethical standards and the legal implications of professional nursing practice. Emphasis is on ethical obligations of professional nurses in their roles as citizens, members of a profession, providers of care, and designers and managers of care. Prerequisite: Admission to program credits: | Ethical Legal Nursing | 3 |
| This course provides a basic understanding of nursing science, computer science, and information science to prepare students to effectively and efficiently use technology to identify, collect, process, and manage health care information. A focus on technology based health applications which support clinical, administrative, research, and educational decision-making to enhance the efficacy of nursing is provided. Prerequisite: Admission to the BSN or BSN completion program for registered nurses. credits: | Nursing Informatics | 3 |
| Applying a family centered approach, this course focuses on health promotion, acute and chronic health conditions, and rehabilitative needs of individuals and family units. Emphasis is placed on developmental, physiological, psychosocial, cultural, and spiritual care of the individual within the family unit. Using the nursing process, strategies are formulated for promoting and maintaining optimal functioning of the individual-family unit and for enhancing the strengths of the family unit. Prerequisite: Admission to the BSN or BSN completion program for registered nurses credits: | Individual and Family Assessment | 3 |
| Application of the nursing process with emphasis on critical thinking, therapeutic nursing interventions, and effective communication and interpersonal skills as they relate to persons with psychiatric mental health conditions. Challenges of access to care, social stigma and alternative providers of care will be explored. Prerequisite: NUR301 and NUR320 credits: | Issues in Mental Health Nursing | 3 |
| This course provides students with the knowledge and skills for a beginning leadership position (team leader, module leader and primary nurse), applicable to the care of patients in a health care environment. This course provides students with opportunities to synthesize their nursing knowledge and collaborate with their clinical mentor in preparation for their professional nursing role. Clinical experience of 48 hours is required. Prerequisite: NUR301 credits: | Advanced Leadership and Management | 3 |
| This course will serve the Rn-to-BSN completion program by having a course that is flexible enough to serve students in the program with particular topics, like mental health, family and community nursing, or other topics that might arise at a deeper level than our existing coursework. This can only be taken for a maximum of 3 credit hours. Prerequisite:9 hours in the program. credits: | Special Topics in Nursing | 3 |
| Examination of how evidence-based research influences nursing practice. Critical examination and reflection of qualitative and quantitative evidence and interpretation of the results will be emphasized. Prerequisite: Admission to the BSN or BSN completion program for registered nurses credits: | Evidence Based Practice | 3 |
| This course examines the theoretical and practicum basis for community-oriented population nursing practice. Promoting and protecting the health of the public using health promotion, risk reduction, and disease management and control strategies with vulnerable persons and populations. Community assessment, epidemiologic, environmental, change, political action, and case-management frameworks are used to guide evidence-based nursing care delivery to persons, families, and populations in community settings. Clinical experience of no less than 48 hours is required. Prerequisite: Admission to the BSN or BSN completion program for registered nurses. This course is to be taken the final semester of the degree program credits: | Community/Public Health Capstone/Clinical | 4 |
Program Prerequisites - 26 Credits
Freshman English Composition - 3 Credits
| Students learn to summarize and critique the ideas, theories, and arguments found in college level academic and non-academic articles. Basic research skills and critical thinking skills are also components of the course. Furthermore, the student will recognize the ways in which plagiarism may be prevented through appropriate and accurate documentation of source material. Prerequisite: English ACT 19-27 or ENG 099 credits: | English Composition I - W | 3 |
| Students learn how to draft, revise, and edit multiple-source papers that have reflective analysis, sound argumentation, clear organization, well developed paragraphs, and correct sentences. Furthermore, students will recognize the ways in which plagiarism may be prevented through appropriate and accurate documentation of source material. Prerequisites: ENG101 credits: | English Composition II -W | 3 |
College Level Math or Algebra - 3 Credits
| An introductory course in applied mathematics. This course focuses on math used in everyday life. Specific math topics typically include: algebraic equations & inequalities, consumer and personal finance, voting systems, fair division, elementary probability and statistics. Prerequisite: MAT 099 or equivalent. credits: | Survey Of College Mathematics -M | 3 |
| An introductory course in statistics. Topics include: elementary probability, measures of central tendency and variation, normal distributions, sampling, confidence intervals, estimation, hypothesis testing, regression and correlation. Emphasis on the use of graphing calculators and the utility of mathematics as a problem-solving tool. Extensive discussion of applications in natural science, social science, and business. Prerequisite: MAT 099 or equivalent. credits: | Elementary Statistics -M | 3 |
| A rigorous and in-depth introductory course in Algebra designed to prepare students for higher level courses in math, and/or science and business courses. Specific topics include linear & quadratic equations and inequalities, logarithmic and exponential functions, and polynomials. Emphasis on the use of graphing calculators and the utility of algebra or modeling language for solving real-life problems. Prerequisite – MAT 099 or equivalent credits: | College Algebra -M | 3 |
| An introduction to the concepts of limits, continuity, differentiation of elementary functions, definite and indefinite integrals, and the Fundamental Theorem. Emphasis on use graphing calculators and the utility of mathematics as a problem solving tool. Extensive discussion of applications in natural science, social science, and business. Prerequisite: MAT 118 or MAT 120 credits: | Calculus I -Q | 5 |
Basic Chemistry with lab - 4 Credits
| A study of the fundamental principles and theories of chemistry with emphasis on stoichiometry and atomic theory and bonding. Must be taken concurrently with CHM115. Prerequisite -MAT099 or Math ACT/SAT of 22/520 or higher credits: | General Chemistry I -N | 4 |
| Concurrent enrollment in CHM 114 required. Meets three hours per week. (Lab fee) credits: | General Chemistry I Lab | 0 |
| Includes laboratory exercises selected to reinforce and augment the chemistry lecture course that students earned credit for at a previous institution. Available only to students with posted transfer credit for CHM114 at time of enrollment. (lab fee) credits: | General Chemistry I Lab transfer st | 1 |
Introductory Biology with lab - 4 Credits
| Survey for non-majors introduces some of the most significant concepts in the study of the biological sciences, including human/environmental interactions, impact of new DNA biotechnology on society, health issues, and some plant and animal systems. Concurrent enrollment in BIO106 required. Prerequisites: MAT 099 and ENG 099 or equivalent. credits: | Introduction to Biological Princ | 4 |
| A hands-on approach to the methods and materials of biology. Emphasis is placed on experimental and scientific approaches to solving problems. Concurrent enrollment in BIO 105 required. Required Lab fee credits: | Intro To Bio Lab | 0 |
| This course will introduce the broad underpinnings of biological science with a focus on the subcellular level. Students will be expected to describe fundamental molecular topics – such as water, DNA, and shape – and begin integrating them in the context of overarching principles such as scientific method, biological systems, and evolution. This course is geared toward science majors and pre-health professions students. Concurrent enrollment in BIO115 required. credits: | Biology I for Majors -N | 4 |
| The purpose of this lab is to offer a hands-on investigative experience with some of the content addressed in BIO 114. Topics include measurement and microscopy, structure and function of the cell, the fundamental chemistry of life, photosynthesis, cellular respiration, Mendelian genetics, and an introduction to molecular biology. Experimental design, use of scientific equipment, and critical thinking are emphasized, culminating in the execution and analysis of a student-designed experiment during the second half of the course. Concurrent enrollment in BIO 114 required. credits: | Biology I Lab for Majors | 0 |
| Students conduct laboratory exercises selected to reinforce and augment the biology lecture course that students earned credit for at a previous institution. Experiments illustrate basic life principles and structures. Available only to students with posted transfer credit for BIO114 at time of enrollment. (Lab fee) credits: | Gen Bio I Lab for Transfer students | 1 |
Anatomy and Physiology with lab (I and II) - 8 Credits
| Students in this course will explore human anatomy and physiology through the lens of modern scientific literature. Cellular physiology and the structure and function of the nervous, endocrine, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and special sensory systems will be addressed. Emphasis will be placed on learning the normal functions of these by accurately assessing pathologies in real clinical case scenarios. Students will synthesize their understanding of the integration of these systems through a composition in the style of a modern scientific review with concomitant seminar. Concurrent enrollment is BIO 314 required. Prerequisites – BIO114/115 and CHM114/115 (*BIO231/232 or EXS245/246 should be completed prior to or concurrent enrollment with BIO313/314) credits: | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| This course is the laboratory extension of BIO 313. Students will gain practical experience in tissue sample preparation for histological examination. The organ systems examined in BIO 313 will be observed via the dissection of preserved specimen. Students will also gain practice in modern clinical assessments of human organ systems by examining cases of their dysfunction/pathology. Concurrent enrollment in BIO 313 required. Required Lab Fee credits: | Human Anatomy and Physiology I Lab | 0 |
| This course is a continued study of human biology from BIO 313. Students will investigate the structure and function of the endocrine, circulatory, immune, respiratory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems. The normal functions and integration of these systems will be explored in the context of their dysfunction through pathological case studies. This course takes a notably more cellular approach than BIO 313, and students will gain practice in assessing chemical physiological indicators, and researching the associated primary clinical literature. Concurrent enrollment in BIO 324 required. Prerequisites: BIO114/115 and CHM114/115 (*BIO231/232 should be completed prior to or concurrent enrollment with BIO323/324) credits: | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| This course is the laboratory extension of BIO 323. Students will gain practical experience in tissue sample preparation for histological examination. The organ system examined in BIO 323 will be observed via the dissection of preserved specimens; Students will also gain practice in modern clinical assessments of relevant physiological indicators, and draw functional physiology conclusions based upon the analysis of pathology case studies. When possible, these systems will be studied via observation and dissection of cadaver specimens, therefore students should prepare for this possibility. Concurrent enrollment in BIO 323 required. Required Lab Fee credits: | Human Anatomy and Physiology II Lab | 0 |
Microbiology with lab - 4 Credits
| This course serves as an introduction to the structure, physiology, pathogenicity, and ecology of microorganisms, particularly the bacteria and viruses. Concurrent enrollment in BIO 304 required. Prerequisites: BIO114/115, BIO124/125 and CHM124/125 credits: | Microbiology | 4 |
| Laboratory work involves effective use of the microscope, staining procedures, handling of pure cultures, analysis of bacterial physiology, and identification of unknown bacteria. Concurrent enrollment in BIO 303 required. Lab Fee credits: | Microbiology Lab | 0 |