Coursework and Clinicals
Besides the admission pre-requisite courses, what other courses are required?
There are three additional courses that must be complete with a C (2.0) or higher before starting the Second Degree program in May. You can take these courses in the Winter semester and apply in January.
Additional courses that must be complete before starting:
STA 215: Introductory Statistics
BMS 310: Basic Pathophysiology
BMS 305: Clinical Nutrition
Second Degree students are waived from needing to complete the General Education coursework at GVSU since they’ve earned a prior bachelors degree or higher.
Do you accept courses that are similar to the prerequisites?
We only accept courses that transfer in as the exact course based on our course equivalency guide. If you don't see the course listed or want to appeal a course you took for equivalency, contact the Records Office and your Auditor can help you through the equivalency appeal process. Records Office: (616) 331-3327
We accept the following course substitutions:
BIO 375 Genetics for BIO 355 Human Genetics
BMS 208 Human Anatomy, BMS 309 Cadaver Lab, BMS 290 Physiology, BMS 291 Physiology Lab for BMS 250 A&P I and BMS 251 A&P II. Students must either have all four separate courses or the combined two A&P courses.
CHM 231 and CHM 232 for CHM 230.
CHM 241 or 242 and CHM 461 for CHM 230.
How do I know which prerequisite courses I still need?
To determine which prerequisites have been met with your previous education, you must apply to Grand Valley State University as a degree seeking undergraduate student, pay the application fee (if applicable), and have official transcripts from every school attended for college credit be sent to the GVSU Admissions Department for review.
You can look at the GVSU Course Equivalency Guide to get an idea of how your courses may transfer: GVSU Course Equivalency Guide
Can I apply for the second degree program if I have only one prerequisite remaining after the application deadline?
No. All admission pre-requisite courses must be completed prior to submitting the nursing application.
Admission pre-requisite courses:
BMS 250: Anatomy and Physiology I w/ lab
BMS 251: Anatomy and Physiology II w/ lab
BMS 212: Microbiology
CHM 230: Organic and Biochemistry w/ lab
PSY 364: Lifespan Development Psychology
BIO 355: Human Genetics
Is there a time limit on eligibility of completed courses?
No.
Where are the courses offered?
All of the pre-requisite courses are available on the Allendale Campus, and some are available on the Grand Rapids Pew Campus. The only pre-requisite course that is offered in an online or hybrid format is STA 215.
All of the courses in the nursing program are offered in the Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences building, located on “Medical Mile” in downtown Grand Rapids.
Can I take the prerequisite courses at another school?
Courses can be taken at another school if they are equivalent to the GVSU course. However, it is recommended that students take as many of the pre-requisite courses as possible at GVSU to earn a full Laker Score. The student is responsible for forwarding official transcripts to the Registrar upon completion of course work from other institutions.
You can verify the transferability of classes on the GVSU course equivalency guide found at: https://www.gvsu.edu/studentapps/mtn/
What clinical sites will I be at?
The location of the GVSU health campus along Medical Mile was intentional — students in the Kirkhof College of Nursing take classes and then walk across the street for clinical rotations at Spectrum Health Medical Center which includes Butterworth Hospital, Fred and Lena Meijer Heart Center, Helen DeVos Children's Hospital and Lemmen-Holton Cancer Pavilion.
Two additional top health care systems are in close proximity to the health campus which provides GVSU students with a breath of clinical experiences. Mercy Health Saint Mary's Hospital is one mile from the health campus and the University of Michigan Metro Health Hospital is twelve miles from the health campus.
In addition, we partner with many clinics, non profit and community organizations in the greater Grand Rapids area. Some students may get the opportunity to travel to Mercy Health Hackley Hospital in Muskegon and Holland Hospital in Holland.