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The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program is designed for both first-time freshman and transfer students who want to earn a bachelor's degree in nursing.

192 students are selected for the BSN program annually, 96 students for the fall semester that starts in September, and 96 students are selected for the spring semester that starts in January.

Minimum Criteria:
All minimum criteria must be met by the application deadline.

  • 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher
    • Students may use their last 60 semester unit GPA if their cumulative GPA is not eligible
  • 2.8 GPA or higher in prerequisite science courses
    • Anatomy & Physiology I with Lab
    • Anatomy & Physiology II with Lab
    • Human Microbiology with Lab
    • Fundamentals of Chemistry
    • Organic and Biochemistry with Lab
  • Completion of ATI's Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) within one year of application deadline and receive a minimum score of 60% composite
  • Acceptance as a pre-nursing student to CBU
  • Submission of NursingCAS application with all required elements (see application requirements webpage for details) by the application deadline

Selection is made through holistic admission, and includes a combination of metrics, attributes, and experiences. The committee evaluates applications based on the strength of evidence of the items that are represented on the student’s submitted application. Note: none of the following items that are being evaluated are required outside of the minimum criteria.

Metrics evaluated include:

  • Cumulative GPA
  • Science GPA
  • TEAS composite score
  • TEAS science score
  • C- or below on first attempt of a science prerequisite

Experiences evaluated include:

  • Healthcare experience- paid or volunteer
  • Community enrichment experience- community service volunteer, non-nursing
  • Awards- academic, service, achievement, military, etc.
  • Leadership experience- formal or informal
  • Military experience
  • Certifications or licenses in healthcare (BLS not considered)

Attributes evaluated include:

  • Professionalism
  • Resilience/grit
  • Critical thinking
  • Writing ability
  • Multi-lingual abilities

Students can showcase their personal and academic achievements through the various application requirements such as transcripts, test score reports, letters of recommendation, experience and employment history, essay questions, and interviews.

CBU Residency:

Students with a minimum of one full-time semester (12 units) of coursework completed at CBU prior to the start of the nursing program have CBU residency. These students are considered for admission prior to considering non-resident applicants. Historically, we have accepted approximately 95% CBU Resident students, and 5% non-resident students. To establish residency and gain priority, students must take 12 units at CBU prior to the start of the BSN program. These units may be prerequisites, general education, or minor courses. Please talk with Academic Advising for assistance with a plan to establish CBU residency.

Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN):

BSN applicants with an LVN license in the state of California must apply for the program and meet the above minimum criteria. An LVN license is a benefit to your application in both the healthcare experience, and the certifications and licenses category. Once admission is granted, the nursing student services team can consider advanced placement based on the accepted transfer courses, and/or challenging courses by examination. These decisions are made on a case by case basis in accordance with the policy listed in the Undergraduate & Pre-licensure handbook.

A 30-unit LVN option is available on a space and course available basis. 

Military Healthcare Education & Experience:

Nursing students with relevant military healthcare coursework and experience may be granted credit for previous education or other acquired knowledge through a validation process. This process will be completed upon acceptance to the BSN program. For more information, please see the Undergraduate & Pre-licensure handbook.

 

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