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Pre-Nursing

Pre-nursing at Houghton College can give you the prerequisites you need for institutions offering a BS in Nursing (BSN), an accelerated BSN, the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or accelerated MSN degrees. Our optional intercultural studies emphasis can prepare you for nursing in global service careers.

Nursing is one of the largest and fastest-growing professions in our nation. Typical paths to registered nursing include completion of a BSN degree or, for clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners, an MSN degree.

Houghton students interested in nursing typically pursue one of three paths: a) enroll in an accelerated BSN degree after completing a BA or BS in another field at Houghton College, b) enroll in an accelerated MSN degree after completing a BA or BS in another field at Houghton College or c) transfer to a BSN degree after completing two years at Houghton College.

Most students interested in pursuing nursing major in biology or chemistry, though many other majors are possible. An advantage to studying at Houghton College prior to pursuing the nursing degree is the availability of intercultural studies courses. These classes, including those related to public health, prepare students for global service opportunities in missions, NGOs, public health organizations and educational institutions. For further information, contact Dr. Jamie Potter.

Why Study Pre-Nursing at Houghton?

  • Be mentored, supported and cared for by invested faculty members who care about your academic success as well as your spiritual, emotional, and professional growth.
  • Serve as a volunteer EMT with the local fire department.
  • Volunteer at an inner-city clinic in Buffalo with Jericho Road Ministries.
  • Travel to a developing country to study foundations of health development.
  • Conduct, publish and present real research with one or more of Houghton College’s faculty members.

Personal Attention from Invested Faculty

With a departmental emphasis on personalized teaching and close relationships among faculty and students, pre-nursing students have many opportunities to get to know their professors on a personal level. Professors teach the labs as well as lectures instead of relying on teaching assistants to teach the laboratory sessions, and class sizes are deliberately capped to maximize interaction between faculty and students.

Undergraduate Research

Many motivated students do real research with one or more of the faculty at Houghton College. Some of these students publish their findings in peer-reviewed journals or present talks and posters at regional and national conferences. Opportunities for research include the Collaborative Research in Biology course, independent study, senior honors projects and the Summer Research Institute. Students have also traveled with faculty to work with collaborators (e.g., Cornell University and the Sierra Nevada mountains of California).

Typical Course Requirements Credits
BIOL 217 and BIOL 218 – Human Anatomy and Physiology 4, 4
CHEM 151 and CHEM 152 – General Chemistry 4, 4
BIOL 242 – Microbiology 4
CHEM 187 and CHEM 188 – Nutrition 4
PSY 307 and PSY 308 or PSY 309 or MATH 131 – Statistics 3 or 4
PSY 213 – Developmental Psychology 3

Other courses that may be required by specific BSN or accelerated nursing degrees (either BSN or MSN) include Introduction to Psychology, Pathophysiology, Theology/Religious Studies, Medical Ethics, Human Growth and Development, Sociology, and Pharmacology.

Pre-Nursing Interest with Intercultural Studies

Students interested in the nursing profession in global service careers might consider taking the following courses.

Typical Course Requirements Credits
INCL 201 – Introduction to Global Issues 4
INCL 243 – Cultural Anthropology 4
INCL 310 – Intercultural Competencies 4
INCL 311 – Intercultural Experience 0–4
Note: Completion of these four Intercultural Studies courses would constitute a minor in Intercultural Studies.
Other helpful courses for students interested in nursing and missions or related international careers Credits
INCL 348 – Foundations of Health Development 4
MISS 241 – History of the Global Christian Movement 4
MISS 242 – Missions and the Global Church 4
MISS 341 – Biblical and Theological Foundations of Mission 4
Various Bible Courses
Note: Completion of these three courses and an elective course constitutes a minor in missions.