Victoria Niederhauser, Dean
Shelia Swift, Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Tami Wyatt, Associate Dean for Research
Nan Gaylord, Associate Dean, Practice and Global Affairs
Allyson Neal, Assistant Dean, Graduate Programs
Phillip Moore, Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Programs
Kathryn Jones, Director of TBSN Program
Robin Harris, Director of RN-BSN Program
Lynn Beeler, Director of ABSN Program
Tracy Brewer, Director of DNP Program
Sandra P. Thomas, Director of PhD Program
https://nursing.utk.edu/
Professors
Barton, D., PhD - Indiana (Indiana University)
Beebe, L., PhD – Kentucky
Brewer, T., DNP – Ohio (Case Western Reserve)
Gaylord, N., PhD – Tennessee
Groer, M., PhD - Illinois
Hardesty, P., PhD – Barry University
Hutson, S., PhD – Pennsylvania
Lasater, K., DNP – Tennessee
Niederhauser, V., DrPH – Hawaii
Thomas, S., PhD – Tennessee
Thompson, K., PhD – Maryland
Wyatt, T., PhD – Virginia
Associate Professors
Abdoli, S., PhD – Iran (Shadid Beheshti)
Anderson, J., PhD – Wake Forest
Arring, N., DNP, PhD – Massachusetts, Oregon (Oregon Health & Science)
Bailey, C., PhD – Tennessee
Barroso, C., PhD – Texas
Bonom, J., DNP – Tennessee
Davenport, L., PhD – Tennessee
Harris, R., PhD – Tennessee
Lindley, L., PhD – North Carolina (Chapel Hill)
Moore, P., DNP – Tennessee
Neal, A., DNP – Tennessee
Newnam, K., PhD – Virginia
Norris, C., DNP – Alabama (Huntsville)
Swift, S., PhD – Tennessee
Assistant Professors
Ahn, S., PhD – Minnesota
Alberding, J., DNP – Tennessee
Alspaugh, A., PhD – South Carolina
Bauer, S., DNP – Nebraska (Nebraska Methodist College)
Beeler, L., PhD – Tennessee
Berg, T., PhD – Tennessee
Brown, C., DNP - Tennessee
Brown, K., DNP – Tennessee
Bulgin, D., PhD – North Carolina (Duke)
Carr, C., DNP – Tennessee
Crawford, K., DNP – Tennessee
Embler, P., PhD – Tennessee
Gibson, J., DNP – Alabama (Birmingham)
Harper, A., DNP - Tennessee
Hessock, M., DNP – Tennessee
Johnson, M., DNP – Tennessee
Jones, K., DNP - Tennessee
Malone, M., DNP – Illinois (Chamberlain)
Miller, J., PhD – Tennessee
Morgan, K., PhD – Tennessee
Neller, S., PhD – Utah
Nugent, N., PhD – Ohio (Case Western Reserve)
Roberson, P., PhD – Tennessee
Sagherian, K., PhD – Maryland
Sarkar, A., PhD – Manipal University (India)
Smith, J., PhD – Kentucky
Son, H., PhD – North Carolina (Duke)
Starkey, C., DNP – Virginia (Marymount)
Svynarenko, R., PhD – Kentucky
Talley, Thomas, DNP – Tennessee (King University)
Yoo, J., PhD – Kyunghee University (South Korea)
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 at The University of Tennessee partners with multiple 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.
General Requirements
Students enrolled in the Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (TBSN) program 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 120 semester hours. The minimum number of credits required for graduation is 120 hours.
All upper-division courses are restricted to students who have been approved for progression. (See Progression Policies and Procedures.) Second degree students enrolled in the Accelerated BSN (ABSN) program are required to successfully complete 47 credit hours after completing all prerequisite requirements. The program also offers a completely on-line degree completion program for registered nurses (RNs) who hold an associate degree in nursing or who are graduates of diploma nursing programs. RN students starting upper division coursework will receive proficiency credit for select clinical nursing courses and then must complete 34 credit hours of coursework.
Nursing Substitutions
HDFS 210* or PSYC 300 ; CHEM 102* and CHEM 103* , CHEM 112* and CHEM 113* or CHEM 122* and CHEM 123* or CHEM 128* , CHEM 132* and CHEM 133* or CHEM 138* ; 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) successfully complete all required courses in the freshman and sophomore curriculum by the end of the spring term prior to the fall of junior year (2) earn a minimum of 3.20 cumulative grade point average (GPA) at the end of the spring term of sophomore year (3) earn a minimum grade of “C” or better in the following courses: anatomy, physiology, human development, microbiology (4) earn a minimum grade of “C” or better in all nursing courses (5) maintain the proper sequencing each semester to progress into the upper division clinicals as outlined in your academic plan.
Change of Major or Transfer Students
Students currently enrolled at the University of Tennessee in another college/major may apply for an open seat in the nursing program. Students will be selected on the basis of the following criteria:
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 is required (note: meeting this does not guarantee acceptance).
- Completion of Human Anatomy and Human Physiology. This applies to both the didactic and lab portion. Anatomy and Physiology courses must be equivalent to EEB 250/251 and BCMB 230.
- These courses must be completed no later than the Fall term to be ready for a Spring start. Admission will not be offered to students completing these courses in a mini-winter term.
- For year-long Anatomy & Physiology courses (e.g., “Anatomy & Physiology I” and “Anatomy & Physiology II”), both must be completed to meet requirements. These cannot be mixed with standalone “Anatomy” or “Physiology” courses (e.g., “Anatomy & Physiology I” + “BCMB 230 Physiology” does NOT qualify). Use the transfer equivalency guide to check how your courses transfer.
- Note: Some courses will only transfer if the full sequence is completed (e.g., “Anatomy & Physiology I” and “II”).
- Only one of the following courses can be outstanding and taken in the term of admission: Microbiology or Human Development. Micro must be equivalent to MICR 210 or BIOL 220/229 and Human Dev must be equivalent to HDFS 210 or CFS 210 or PSYC 300.
- 44 credit hours of VolCore (general education) courses must be completed. Of these 44 credits, students may have up to 2 outstanding VolCore courses that they take during the Spring term before entering upper division coursework. For guidance, please see the BSN catalog page. From this page, students must complete all requirements for Terms 1, 2, and 3 prior to admission. For credit transferring from other institutions, please check UTK’s transfer equivalency guide.
- Students graduating after July 1, 1978, must have completed one unit of American history in high school or 6 semester hours of collegiate American history, as required by Tennessee law. UT’s History 221-222 courses fulfill this requirement if not completed in high school.
- Virtual interview with UTMC (Scholar’s pathway)
- 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 meet progression requirements, the student will be released from the nursing program but may be eligible to reapply the following year.
Accelerated Track Admission
Students will be selected on the basis of the following criteria:
- Completion of a non-nursing baccalaureate or higher degree
- A minimum overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required (note: meeting this does not guarantee acceptance).
- Completion of the following pre-requisite courses with a minimum grade of C or higher: Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, Human Development, and Microbiology. This applies to both didactic and lab where applicable. Please see the Prerequisite Requirements for specific course equivalency details.
- Anatomy and Physiology can be a combined class, but 2 semesters will be required (8 credit hours total both with labs).
- Students graduating after July 1, 1978, must have completed one unit of American history in high school or 6 semester hours of collegiate American history, as required by Tennessee law. UT’s History 221-222 courses fulfill this requirement if not completed in high school.
- 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 beginning the nursing sequence, 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. A Reinstatement 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 eligible for readmission into the nursing major. Dismissed lower-division students may no longer pursue a major in the College of Nursing.
uTrack Requirements
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 include successful completion of specified courses and/or attainment of a minimum GPA. uTrack requirements only affect full-time, degree-seeking students.
Progression Policies and Procedures
- If a student is selected for admission but then fails to meet progression requirements, the student will be released from the nursing program but may be eligible to reapply.
- Prior to the start of upper division 300 level courses, students must successfully complete a criminal background check, drug screen, and specific health requirements.
- Students in the RN to BSN Track must be licensed to practice in the state of residence and/or employment prior to enrollment in clinical courses.
Grading and Continuation Policies
Please refer to the BSN Handbook
- The minimum acceptable grade for all nursing 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.
- 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 better.
- 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. ** If a student fails to achieve the minimum 75% 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 |
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- If a student’s clinical performance for any nursing course is found to be unsatisfactory, the student will fail the Clinical Immersion course regardless of grades earned. 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.
- If a student fails a clinical immersion course or fails to achieve a 75% or better in its associated lecture, they may repeat the course once. However, to ensure continued competency and relevance in the field, the student is required to retake both the clinical course and the lecture, even if one was previously completed with an acceptable grade.
- 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.
- Students must also adhere to all policies and procedures outlined in the BSN handbook (https://tiny.utk.edu/ughandbook).
** Grading for NURS 250 and 251 will be consistent with grading requirements established by the Departments of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Anthropology; students are required to receive a “C” in the course.
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 10-11 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
