Victoria Niederhauser, Dean
Mary Gunther, Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Gary Ramsey, Chair of Undergraduate Program
Tamie Wyatt, Chair Graduate Programs
https://nursing.utk.edu
Professors
Beebe, L., PhD – Kentucky
Farr, G., PharmD – Tennessee
Hall, J., PhD – California (San Francisco)
Niederhauser, V., DrPH – Hawaii
Thomas, S., PhD – Tennessee
Thompson, K., PhD – Maryland
Associate Professors
Brown, M., PhD – Tennessee
Callen, B., PhD – Wisconsin
Gaylord, N., PhD – Tennessee
Gunther, M., PhD – Tennessee
Hutson, S., PhD – Pennsylvania
Roman, M., PhD – Kentucky
Wyatt, T., PhD – Virginia
Assistant Professors
Blackburn, L., DNP – Tennessee
Bland, T., DNP – Tennessee
Bonom, J., DNP – Tennessee
Brown, A., MSN – Alabama (Birmingham)
Chyka, D., DNP – Tennessee
Davis, S., DNP – Tennessee
Durbin, T., DNP – Tennessee
Evans, G., MSN – Tennessee
Embler, P., PhD – Tennessee
Helton, S., MSN – Texas Woman’s
Hodges, M., DNP – Tennessee
Holston, E., PhD – New York
Lasater, K., DNP – Tennessee
Lindley, L., PhD – North Carolina
McArthur, P., PhD – Tennessee
Mixer, S., PhD – Northern Colorado
Mountain, B., DNP – Tennessee
Myers, C., PhD – Tennessee
Newnam, K., PhD – Virginia
Ramsey, G., DNP – Tennessee
Swift, S., PhD – Tennessee
Taylor, S., DNP – Tennessee
Umberger, R., PhD – Tennessee
Wright, K., DNP – Loyola (New Orleans)
The College of Nursing at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, was established in July 1971 in response to a long recognized and well-established need for nurses prepared at the collegiate level. The undergraduate program combines the unique resources of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, campus with those of the university’s comprehensive teaching hospital and other health care agencies in a manner that enables both faculty and students to participate fully in all facets of the health care delivery system. The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education at One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036, phone (202) 887-6791. The program is also unconditionally approved by the Tennessee Board of Nursing.
The baccalaureate nursing program has as its central foci the person, health, environment, and nursing. General education courses, nursing courses, and electives are organized in a manner designed to promote and develop creative thinking and other cognitive, affective, and psychomotor processes that are essential for effective nursing practice and for full and meaningful involvement as a contributing member of society. A broad base of general education, a thorough study of human behavior, an emphasis on health maintenance, health promotion, and health restoration, and a strong family and community orientation are essential components of baccalaureate education in nursing. By maintaining a high-quality, relevant program that is responsive to the increasing complexity of health care delivery, the ever changing health needs of society, and the changing and expanding role of the nurse, graduates of the program are able to assume beginning leadership positions in nursing in a variety of settings; work collaboratively with other health professionals; function as socially conscious and contributing citizens; and pursue advanced education on either a formal or an informal basis.
The following courses are open to all university students NURS 351 and NURS 406 .
General Requirements
In order to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree students are required to successfully complete eight semesters of full-time study or the equivalent in part-time study, of prescribed coursework, for a total of 123 semester hours. The minimum number of credits required for graduation is 123 hours. The program also accommodates registered nurses who hold associate degrees in nursing or who are graduates of diploma nursing programs. All upper-division courses, with the exception of NURS 351 and NURS 406 , are restricted to students who have been approved for progression. (See Progression Policies and Procedures.) Students pursuing the nursing major are expected to take NURS 319 prior to NURS 351 .
Nursing Substitutions
CFS 210 * or PSYC 300 ; CHEM 100 *, CHEM 110 * or CHEM 120 *, CHEM 130 *; MICR 210 * or BIOL 220 with BIOL 229 lab.
Freshman Admission
Selection is highly competitive and based primarily on academic achievement at the high school level and scores on the ACT and/or SAT, as well as interest in and commitment to nursing. Students admitted into the College of Nursing must (1) achieve a minimum 3.20 grade point average at the conclusion of all required lower-division work, (2) achieve a minimum grade of C or better in all courses, (3) maintain full-time study at UT in order to begin upper-division nursing coursework, and (4) submit an intent to progress by January 20 of the sophomore year.
Change of Major or Transfer Students
Students currently enrolled at the University of Tennessee in another college/major may apply for an open position in the nursing program. Students will be selected on the basis of the following criteria:
- Cumulative GPA for courses completed (minimum 3.20 GPA required to be eligible)
- Cumulative GPA for required science, social science, math, and English courses
- Number of course withdrawals and repetitions
- Grade improvement over time
- Probability of completing all required courses in the freshman and sophomore curriculum prior to fall semester
- Interest in and commitment to nursing
- Availability of space
The admissions process is highly selective, with more qualified applicants than spaces available. In recent years, the number and competitiveness of applicants have increased dramatically; therefore, students are encouraged to continue to progress in their current major while completing prerequisite courses.
If a student is selected for admission but then fails to successfully complete all required courses in the freshman and sophomore curriculum (with exception of Arts and Humanities and Cultures and Civilizations) with a grade of C or better prior to the fall semester, the student will not progress and must submit another application the following year.
For admission into the upper division nursing courses (which only begin each fall semester), students must:
- Complete all required courses in the freshman and sophomore curriculum prior to the fall semester.
- Submit a BSN Application to UT’s College of Nursing Student Services Office by January 20.
- Attach transcript(s) of all college/university coursework to application.
- UTK Students: Attach an Academic History Report (available via MyUTK)
- Transfer Students: Attach official or unofficial transcript(s)
- Participate in a 15-20 minute interview with College of Nursing faculty.
- Applicants who fail to submit a required application item by the deadline or fail to schedule or attend the interview will be ineligible for consideration.
Accelerated Track Admission
Students will be selected on the basis of the following criteria:
- Cumulative GPA for all courses completed.
- Cumulative GPA in required prerequisite courses.
- Number of course withdrawals and repetitions.
- Grade improvement over time.
- Probability of completing all required prerequisite courses prior to fall semester.
- Interest in and commitment to nursing.
- Availability of space.
The admission process is highly selective, with more qualified applicants than spaces available. If a student is selected for admission but then fails to successfully complete all required prerequisites with a grade of C or better prior to the fall semester, the student will not progress into the accelerated BSN program.
Readmission
Students enrolled in upper-division nursing courses who left in good standing may be readmitted to the nursing major. An Intent to Return form must be submitted to the College of Nursing Student Services Office by designated deadlines. Dismissed students may not continue in the nursing program. Policies and procedures regarding academic dismissal and readmission are found in the College of Nursing Undergraduate Student Handbook.
Students who were enrolled in lower-division nursing courses when they left the University in good standing will be ineligible for readmission into the nursing major. Dismissed lower-division students may no longer pursue a major in the College of Nursing.
uTrack Requirements (for students entering Fall 2013 or later)
Universal Tracking (uTrack) is an academic monitoring system designed to help students stay on track for timely graduation. In order to remain on track, students must complete the minimum requirements for each tracking semester, known as milestones. Milestones may include successful completion of specified courses and/or attainment of a minimum GPA. uTrack requirements only affect full-time, degree-seeking students who first entered Fall 2013 or later. uTrack does not apply to transfer students who enter prior to Fall 2015.
Progression Policies and Procedures
Current standards are available from the Director of Student Services, College of Nursing, Room 203.
- If a student is selected for progression but then fails to successfully complete all lower division requirements (except for arts and humanities and cultural civilizations electives) prior to the fall semester, the student will not progress and must submit another application the following year.
- Registered Nurses must be licensed to practice in the state of residence and/or employment.
- Prior to enrollment in junior courses, students must successfully complete a criminal background check, drug screen, and specific health requirements.
Grading and Continuation Policies
- The minimum acceptable grade for all courses in the curriculum is a C.
- Satisfactory/No Credit grading option is not permitted to meet degree requirements in nursing unless that is the only way the course is offered.
- No nursing course may be repeated more than once NURS 496 may be repeated twice to earn a passing grade). If a C–, D, F, or NC grade is earned on the second attempt the student will be required to withdraw from the program.
- Any student who receives a grade of C–, D, F, or NC for more than one nursing course will be required to withdraw from the program even if the previous course for which C–, D or F was awarded has been repeated with a grade of C or higher NURS 496 may be repeated twice to earn a passing grade).
- If a student receives an Incomplete (I) in a nursing course, the I must be removed prior to enrolling in any course for which the uncompleted course is a prerequisite.
- For undergraduate nursing students, 75% is the passing average grade in all nursing courses. To pass any clinical course, a student must achieve a minimum 75% weighted average across all examinations in the course, regardless of any other grades earned in other components of the course. If a student fails to achieve the minimum 75% weighted average on course examinations, the final course grade will be either C– (70-74), D+ (68-69), D (62-67), D– (60-61), or F (59 and below). The following grading scale applies to all undergraduate nursing courses.
A = 92-100
A– = 90-91
B+ = 88-89
B = 82-87
B– = 80-81
C+ = 78-79
C = 75-77
C– = 70-74
D+ = 68-69
D = 62-67
D– = 60-61
F = 59 and below
- If a student’s clinical performance for any nursing course is found to be unsatisfactory, the grade for that course will be an F regardless of any other grades earned in other components of the course. If the unsatisfactory clinical performance is characterized by unethical, unprofessional, or unsafe behavior, behavior that actually or potentially places the client in jeopardy, the student will be required to withdraw from the program.
- Requirements for competence in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation are included in the Undergraduate Student Handbook.
- At periodic intervals specified by the faculty, students must take comprehensive examinations designed to predict success on the NCLEX (licensure) examination. Any student scoring less than 850 at the end of the junior year must take a one-hour independent study course during the summer before starting the senior clinical courses. Seniors will have two opportunities to achieve 850 on an exit exam given prior to graduation. A student who does not score 850 on the second exit exam at the end of spring term will be given a grade of Incomplete in NURS 496 (Preparation for Professional Practice). The student will be given the opportunity to remediate and take a third exit exam no sooner than six weeks after the second exit exam. If the student does not score 850 on the third exit exam, the student will receive a failing grade for NURS 496 and may be eligible to retake NURS 496 in the fall term. NURS 496 twice, the Academic Review Committee will review the student data and make recommendations to the dean regarding the student’s standing in the program.
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is designed to fulfill The University General Education Requirements. Please see the current catalog for courses acceptable in the arts and humanities and cultures and civilizations categories.
College of Nursing Honors Program
The Nursing Honors Program will complement the Chancellor’s Honors Program and provide for the 2+2 design of the university program. Students can continue in the Nursing Honors Program after their first two years in the Chancellor’s Honors Program. Students entering upper division who have not been in the Chancellor’s Honors Program can apply for acceptance into the Nursing Honors Program for their junior and senior years. In addition to continuing Chancellor’s Honors students, a maximum of 10% of the junior class may be admitted to the Nursing Honors Program through an application/acceptance process. Students will be able to take 11-14 credits in upper division nursing honors courses, depending on the courses they select. The difference in the total will allow for student options depending on the number of credits completed toward the 25 credits required for the Chancellor’s Honors Program during their first two years as freshmen and sophomores. For the Nursing Honors Program only, a student must complete a minimum of 11 credits in honors courses.
Insurance Requirements
Students must meet specific physical examination and immunization requirements as specified by state law and by the rules and regulations set forth by the various clinical agencies. All students must participate in the university’s group professional liability insurance program. Specific information concerning these requirements will be provided to the students at appropriate times by the nursing faculty and/or the Director of Student Services.
Course Load
The maximum credit hours per semester for which a nursing student may register without special permission is 19.
Academic Programs
