School of Nursing
Introduction
The School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is nationally recognized as one of the premier nursing schools in the United States. With a trifold mission of excellence in nursing education, research, and service, the School of Nursing offers a full complement of nursing education programs, including bachelor’s and master’s of science in nursing, an R.N.–M.S.N. option, a post-master’s program, a doctor of nursing practice, and a Ph.D. program, as well as pre- and postdoctoral fellowships. Since its inception in 1950, the school has led nursing education in North Carolina, and today boasts one of the highest nationwide passing rates on the NCLEX licensure examination and a rich tradition of cutting-edge nursing science. The School of Nursing is one of only a handful of schools in the country to house a Biobehavioral Laboratory for the promotion of nursing discovery, and one of only three schools in the nation to be selected to participate in the Hillman Scholars Program for Nursing Innovation.
Program of Study
The School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offers an undergraduate program of study designed to provide students with the knowledge, skill, and understanding necessary to function effectively in all areas of professional nursing. The curriculum leading to the bachelor of science in nursing (B.S.N.) degree offers two options for study:
- two years of upper-division courses in the School of Nursing, which follow two years of lower-division courses in the General College (or equivalent courses completed at another college/university);
- an accelerated second degree option for students with a previous bachelor’s degree (A.B.S.N. Option).
Students are subject to the requirements in place when they are admitted to the School of Nursing; consequently, the requirements described in this Catalog particularly apply to students admitted to the School of Nursing during the 2023–2024 academic year.
Admission to the program is required.
Advising
All first degree students intending to major in nursing have a primary academic advisor in the Academic Advising Program. Students are strongly encouraged to meet regularly with their advisor to learn the latest course requirements necessary to become an outstanding candidate for a career in nursing, and to review their Tar Heel Tracker each semester. In addition, students can visit the Health Professions Advising Office soon after entering the University for specific guidance on career preparation. Advising information, advising hours, and information about joining the pre-health listserv may be found on the office’s website.
Facilities
The School of Nursing is located in Carrington Hall. The Education-Innovation-Simulation Learning Environment (EISLE) provides undergraduate students with a simulated clinical environment in which to practice and acquire fundamental psychomotor and psychosocial skills necessary for clinical application. Under the close supervision of nursing faculty and teaching assistants, students learn therapeutic techniques and procedures, utilize problem-solving approaches, and prioritize patient care in simulated situations.
Graduate School and Career Opportunities
The school offers a master of science in nursing (M.S.N.), a doctor of nursing practice (D.N.P.) degree in five advanced practice areas, and a Ph.D. degree in nursing science. B.S.N. graduates may pursue the M.S.N. or D.N.P. after one year of clinical practice, or they may pursue the Ph.D. directly following the B.S.N., prior to completion of any master’s-level coursework. For further information on the graduate program, contact the Office of Student Affairs as noted below or see the school website.
The school works closely with University Career Services to prepare all B.S.N. graduates for the transition from student to professional practitioner. A preparatory career development series and career fair are offered annually. Additionally, the school cooperates with clinical agencies across the country to make available to students an array of information on employment opportunities in a myriad of settings and entry-level roles.
Requirements Lower-Division Courses in the General College
Students are admitted to the baccalaureate nursing program at the upper-division level. All lower-division courses must be completed by the end of the spring semester. Lower-division courses taken at another college or university must be approved for transfer by the UNC–Chapel Hill Office of Undergraduate Admissions as comparable to the courses offered on this campus. Prospective students can request an unofficial transfer evaluation to determine the status of compliance with lower-division requirements. Prospective students may submit their transcripts for review through the School of Nursing transcript evaluation request form.
Students must complete all First-Year Foundation requirements, all Reflection and Integration requirements, and complete at least six (6) Focus Capacity requirements (plus the Empirical Investigation Lab requirement) as part of the IDEAs in Action General Education curriculum. Special Note: Applicants must complete the two-course combination, Anatomy and Physiology I and Anatomy and Physiology II sequence from the same college/university, OR a complete course in anatomy and a complete course in physiology. If these courses are not completed on this campus, they must be approved equivalents to the courses offered at UNC–Chapel Hill.
Beginning with the fall 2020 application cycle (fall 2021 matriculation), the 5-semester B.S.N. option is open to first degree applicants only. Students holding a bachelor’s degree in another field may apply to the 4-semester accelerated B.S.N. option or the Military Pathway.
First Degree Applicants
Students seeking a first bachelor’s degree are admitted to the upper-division (junior/senior) B.S.N. (five-semester) option, typically in the spring semester of the sophomore year. Students must complete all lower-division (first-year/sophomore) courses by the end of the spring semester prior to matriculating into the School of Nursing. The first nursing courses begin in the fall of the junior year.
Students seeking a first bachelor's degree who are Armed Forces Veterans or Active Duty service members from any branch, including past service in the Reserves or National Guard, may choose to apply to the Military Pathway. The requirements for the Military Pathway are the same as those for the B.S.N. (5-semester) option.
Admission Criteria
Admission to the School of Nursing is competitive. The minimum cumulative grade point average for admission to the B.S.N. option is a 2.8 on a 4.0 scale. Admission to UNC–Chapel Hill as a first-year student or sophomore transfer does not guarantee admission to the School of Nursing as a junior. Applicants must be eligible to return to all institutions previously attended.
At the time of application, applicants to the B.S.N. option must have completed at least three of the five key science courses.
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Prerequisite Courses | ||
BIOL 101 & 101L |
Principles of Biology and Introductory Biology Laboratory H, F | 4 |
CHEM 101 & 101L |
General Descriptive Chemistry I and Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory I H, F | 4 |
or BIOC 107 | Introduction to Biochemistry | |
CHEM 102 & 102L |
General Descriptive Chemistry II and Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory II H, F | 4 |
or BIOC 108 | Introduction to Biochemistry | |
Key Science Courses | ||
BIOL 252 & 252L |
Fundamentals of Human Anatomy and Physiology and Fundamentals of Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory 1,4, H | 4 |
BIOL 253 & 253L | Advanced Human Anatomy and Physiology and Advanced Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory 1,4 | 4 |
MCRO 251 | Introductory Medical Microbiology 1,4 | 4 |
PSYC 101 | General Psychology 2,5, F | 3 |
One course from the following: | 3 | |
Introduction to Data Analysis 2,5 | ||
Introduction to Data Models and Inference 2,3,5, F |
H | Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply. |
F | FY-Launch class sections may be available. A FY-Launch section fulfills the same requirements as a standard section of that course, but also fulfills the FY-SEMINAR/FY-LAUNCH First-Year Foundations requirement. Students can search for FY-Launch sections in ConnectCarolina using the FY-LAUNCH attribute. |
- 1
A grade of B- or better is required.
- 2
A grade of C or better is required.
- 3
STOR 155 is strongly recommended for students interested in graduate study.
- 4
Must have been completed within the past five years.
- 5
Must have been completed within the past ten years.
The admissions committee critically evaluates each applicant’s academic performance, descriptive essays, community service history, and special skills and abilities that have the potential to affect care delivery or contribute overall to the nursing profession. The ideal applicant will clearly demonstrate a strong academic history as well as a commitment to the ideology of nursing and service to others. Performance in required science courses is particularly important.
Second Degree Applicants
Students who have completed a bachelor’s degree in a subject other than nursing may pursue admission to the accelerated and intensive A.B.S.N. (four-semester) option. Second degree students will have 60 credit hours from their previous degree counted toward the B.S.N. degree. Applicants must complete (or verify completion as part of their previous degree) only five courses from the lower-division requirements.
Students who have completed bachelor's degree in a subject other than nursing who are Armed Forces Veterans or Active Duty service members from any branch, including past service in the Reserves or National Guard may choose to apply to the Military Pathway.
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
BIOL 252 & 252L |
Fundamentals of Human Anatomy and Physiology and Fundamentals of Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory 1,4, H | 4 |
BIOL 253 & 253L | Advanced Human Anatomy and Physiology and Advanced Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory 1,4 | 4 |
MCRO 251 | Introductory Medical Microbiology 1,4 | 4 |
PSYC 101 | General Psychology 2,5, F | 3 |
One course from the following: | 3 | |
Introduction to Data Analysis 2,5 | ||
Introduction to Data Models and Inference 2,3,5, F | ||
a U.S. diversity or global issues Connections course | 3 |
H | Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply. |
F | FY-Launch class sections may be available. A FY-Launch section fulfills the same requirements as a standard section of that course, but also fulfills the FY-SEMINAR/FY-LAUNCH First-Year Foundations requirement. Students can search for FY-Launch sections in ConnectCarolina using the FY-LAUNCH attribute. |
- 1
A grade of B- or better is required.
- 2
A grade of C or better is required.
- 3
STOR 155 is strongly recommended for students interested in graduate study.
- 4
Must have been completed within the past five years.
- 5
Must have been completed within the past ten years.
Admission Criteria
Admission to the School of Nursing is competitive. The minimum cumulative grade point average for admission to the B.S.N. option or Military Pathway is a 2.8 on a 4.0 scale, and the minimum cumulative grade point average for the A.B.S.N. option is a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. All applicants seeking admission as second degree students must have earned the first degree prior to submitting the nursing application. Applicants must be eligible to return to all institutions previously attended. At the time of application, applicants to the A.B.S.N. option must have completed all five key science courses noted above, while applicants to the B.S.N. or Military Pathway option must have completed at least three of these courses. BIOL 252/BIOL 252L, BIOL 253/253L, and MCRO 251 must have been completed within the past five years. PSYC 101 and STOR 151 or STOR 155 must have been completed within the past ten years. The admissions committee review is as described previously.
Beginning June 2021 (May 2022 application cycle), A.B.S.N. applicants must also have a GPA of at least 3.0 in the five key science courses at the time of applying.
Application
Applications for the B.S.N. option and B.S.N. Military Pathway option may be submitted by the December deadline for fall (August) matriculation, while applications to the A.B.S.N. option may be submitted by the August deadline for summer (May) matriculation. All first and second degree applicants, including current UNC–Chapel Hill students, must complete a two-phased electronic nursing application. The application link, instructions, deadlines, and decision timeframe can be found on the School of Nursing website.
Following the faculty member's name is a section number that students should use when registering for independent studies, reading, research, and thesis and dissertation courses with that particular professor.
Tenured/Tenure Track
Distinguished Professors
Jada Brooks (141)
Ashley Leak Bryant (143)
Cheryl Giscombe (31)
Cheryl B. Jones (112)
Saif Khairat (155)
Shawn Kneipp (134)
Jennifer Leeman (133)
Sheila Santacroce (51)
Suzanne Thoyre (45)
Mark Toles (142)
Professors
Ashley Leak Bryant (143)
Cheryl Giscombe (31)
Cheryl B. Jones (112)
Saif Khairat (155)
Shawn Kneipp (134)
Jennifer Leeman (133)
Mary Lynn (84)
Sheila Santacroce (51)
Brent Small
Suzanne Thoyre (45)
Marcia Van Riper (120)
Margaret C. Wilmoth (167)
SeonAe Yeo (108)
Associate Professors
Jada Brooks (141)
Leslie Davis (23)
Eric Hodges (16)
Cathi Propper
Mark Toles (142)
Natalia Rodriguez Villegas (26)
Jessica Williams (168)
Jessica Zegre-Hemsey (144)
Assistant Professors
Lorinda Coombs (30)
Rachel Hirschey (11)
Matthew LeBlanc
Lisa Mansfield
Rebecca Salomon
Karen Sheffield-Abdullah (002)
Grace Wu (12)
Rose Xavier (19)
Research Associate Professors
Jamie Crandell
Todd Schwartz
Fixed Term Track
Professors
Rumay Alexander (020)
Jennifer D'Auria (085)
Carol Durham (111)
Louise Fleming (013)
Theresa Raphael-Grimm (121)
Shielda Rodgers (021)
Victoria Soltis-Jarrett (126)
Meg Zomorodi (070)
Associate Professors
Jennifer Alderman (145)
Maureen Baker (007)
Margaret Carman (003)
Suja Davis(014)
Jean Davison (114)
Julie Jacobson-Vann (131)
Ashley Kellish (005)
Maureen Kelly (040)
Rebecca Kitzmiller (150)
Rhonda Lanning (146)
Carrie Palmer (049)
Audra Rankin (024)
JoAn Stanek (158)
Elizabeth Stone
Megan Williams (022)
Lisa Woodley (164)
Assistant Professors
Susana Barroso (027)
Kandyce Brennan
Amanda Brinson (86)
Michael Bury
Susan Catchings (025)
Beth Cosgrove
Cathy Crawford (032)
Stephanie Fisher
Grace Hubbard (062)
Sharon Jackson
Ann Marie Jones (017)
Stephanie Machalicky (028)
Rachel McInerney (018)
Leigh Mullen
Katherine Peppers (173)
Leslie Sharpe (159)
Brandy Reardon
Nancy Thompson
Tracy Vernon-Platt (147)
Instructors
Marlena Brokob
Marco Castro
LaTonia Chalmers
Bethany Davis
Ryan Lewis
Krystal Pendergraft-Horne
Megan Ross
Erin Stanley
Cara Winstead
Nurse Specialists
Laura Livingston
Patrick McMurray
Lonna Patel
Samantha Sheets Mapel
Scotty Switzer
Faculty Emeriti
Ruth Anderson
Linda Beeber
Beth Black
Barbara Bunker
Margaret E. Campbell
Linda Cronenwett
Jo Ann Dalton
Molly C. Dougherty
Margery Duffey
Catherine I. Fogel
Cynthia M. Freund
Sandra G. Funk
Barbara Germino
Edward Halloran
Joanne Harrell
Donna Havens
Carol C. Hogue
Margaret F. Hudson
George Knafl
Kathleen Knafl
Betty H. Landsberger
Patricia Lawrence
Vickie Lester
Barbara Mark
Deborah Mayer
Laura McQueen
Margaret Miles
Nancy Milio
Helen M. Murphy
Betty Nance-Floyed
Virginia Neelon
Sonda Oppewal
Julie Page
Mary Palmer
Nilda Peragallo Montano
Susan Pierce
Barbara C. Rynerson
Margarete Sandelowski
Mary Schuler
Anne Skelly
Lixin Song
Ingrid Swenson
Eleanor Taggart
Anita Tesh
Debbie Travers
NURS–Nursing
Undergraduate-level
Special topics course. Content will vary each semester.
This course provides socialization into relationship-centered nursing practice. All Carolina Core tenets are introduced; however, diversity and inclusion, relationship-centered care, and scholarly communication are a central emphasis. Students will obtain a beginning ability to act as a therapeutic agent. Majors Only.
This course focuses on research, ethics, and health innovations as a basis for scientific inquiry to address problems that require solutions. All Carolina Core tenets are examined; however, nursing inquiry, evidence-based nursing practice, and ethical conduct in research are central foci. Majors Only.
The first in a series of four on campus clinical courses, this course introduces foundational clinical nursing skills and integrates knowledge and skills of comprehensive health assessment for the adult and older adult. The clinical environment is simulated to provide the application of nursing principles and skills. Majors Only.
This is the second in a series of four on-campus clinical courses with application of advanced clinical nursing skills and comprehensive health assessment to specialized populations. This course emphasizes application of mental health and reproductive health concepts. The clinical environment is simulated to provide the application of nursing principles and skills. Majors only.
Relationship of culture to health and health care practices. Role of culture in structure and delivery of health care in selected countries, and with selected indigenous and minority populations. Majors only.
Practicum addressing needs of individuals, families, or communities in a global or "local as global" setting.
This course considers how nursing influences the health and healing capacities of adults. Students will attain the knowledge necessary to complete a comprehensive assessment of the older adult's physical, functional, psychosocial, and cognitive capacities. Clinical experiences in post-acute care settings provide opportunities for clinical reasoning, clinical care, and knowledge integration. Majors only.
Part one of a two-part course series focusing on the physiologic changes that occur as a result of select disease processes. Additionally, the clinical manifestations of altered health and related pharmacotherapy are addressed. Majors only.
Part two of a two-part course series focusing on the physiologic changes, the clinical manifestations of altered health, and the pharmacotherapy used to treat complex disease processes. Safe and effective medication administration by the Registered Nurse will be explored. Majors only.
This course emphasizes evidence-based care of the older adult across the care continuum and examines resources available for caregivers of this population.
This course focuses on the essential competencies in genetics and genomics for all registered nurses. A family perspective is used to help students relate advances in genomics to nursing care. Majors Only.
Advanced Undergraduate and Graduate-level
This course focuses on systems thinking and complexity, development of leadership roles and skills, and interprofessional communication and teamwork. All Carolina Core tenets are examined; however, leadership, quality and safety, and informatics are central foci. Majors Only.
In this course, all Carolina Core tenets are explored; however, there is a focus on population health and global health as essential components of nursing. Students will examine global health challenges as well as policy strategies of promoting health for all. Majors Only.
The third in a series of four on campus clinical courses with application of advanced clinical nursing skills and comprehensive health assessment to specialized populations. This course emphasizes application of leadership, pediatric and community health concepts. The clinical environment is simulated to provide the application of nursing principles and skills. Majors Only.
Fourth in a series of four on-campus clinical courses with application of advanced clinical nursing skills to specialized populations with a focus on transition to practice. The clinical environment is simulated to provide the application of nursing principles and skills.
Centers on management of adults experiencing complex health problems and focuses on application of evidence based practice and skill acquisition needed to care for acutely ill patients through transitions in an illness experience. Clinical experience in acute care settings provide application for clinical reasoning, clinical care, and knowledge integration. Majors Only.
This seminar allows students to explore how social determinants of health affect the health of populations.
Using selected theories of human psychosocial development, psychopathology, and psychotherapy, this course requires students to advance their use of therapeutic communication skills, examine the range and complexities of human emotional suffering, and apply methods of effective intervention. Majors Only.
The course emphasizes development of caring and critical thinking skills in providing evidence-based nursing care focused on reproductive health and care of childbearing families. Majors Only.
This course emphasizes development of caring and critical thinking skills in providing evidence-based, family centered, culturally responsive nursing care to infants, children, and adolescents throughout the care continuum. Majors Only.
Students apply evidence-based public health concepts to community practice to improve health and reduce disparities across the life span, emphasizing interventions using partnership strategies at individual, family, organizational, and policy levels. Majors only.
Majors only. The focus of this course is the development of knowledge and experience related to research or service learning and its application to the practice of nursing and health care.
This course will assist students in preparation for the NCLEX-RN examination through a strategic and systematic individualized plan of study that utilizes testing programs and other relevant resources.
This hybrid course, offered in collaboration with UNC Hospitals, focuses on collaborative management of critically ill adult patients. Students will gain advanced skills and demonstrate critical thinking to apply evidence based practice to care for critically ill patients across the continuum of care.
This course focuses on the cancer experience of individuals and families across the lifespan (pediatric to older adults). The cancer control continuum framework will guide content focused discussions on prevention and risk reduction, screening, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and end-of-life care.
This course, offered in collaboration with UNC Hospitals, focuses on the collaborative care of pediatric patients in the emergency department and in critical care units (NICU, PICU). Students will be introduced to advanced assessments and interventions utilized in these environments. Students will also discuss interdisciplinary challenges specific to pediatric emergency and critical care and investigate evidence-based solutions to some of these challenges. Majors only.
This course provides service-learning opportunities to apply nursing practice within the context of interprofessional care for vulnerable populations by participating with Student Health Action Coalition (SHAC) activities.
This course provides experiential educational opportunities to apply nursing practice through volunteer participation in select communities. Majors only.
Majors only. This interprofessional course focuses on understanding roles, teamwork, and communication to improve patient safety within the health care environment. National standards and initiatives will be the foundation of the course. Pass/Fail only.
A faculty-led experiential learning opportunity focusing on development and knowledge related to research, health care systems, or service learning and its application to nursing and health care. Majors only or permission of the instructor.
This course is intended for students who know no Spanish or so little that they feel the need to start over. Students with more than two semesters of college Spanish are not eligible. The course covers the curriculum of first-semester Spanish taught within a health context, with a focus on speaking.
Application required. An interprofessional, service-learning approach to studying maternity care. Students will receive professional doula training and volunteer as birth doulas within the Volunteer Doula Service Program at North Carolina Women's Hospital.
This intermediate course is the equivalent of the third semester of college Spanish. Students will hone their listening and speaking skills in class primarily through role-playing activities and class discussion. Activities center on an original film set in a health clinic in rural North Carolina.
Required preparation, third semester Spanish or equivalent. This advanced course reviews the grammar of the third and fourth semester of college Spanish. Students hone their listening and speaking skills through role-playing activities and class discussion. Activities center on an original film set in a Latino-run health clinic.
This course provides experiential educational opportunities to apply nursing practice through volunteer participation in select communities associated with UNC Health. Admission to the undergraduate nursing program required.
This course provides experiential service opportunities for career exploration with select communities and populations associated with UNC Health. Students will be assigned to a role within the health system and will complete service hours within their assigned role. Class sessions will include topics related to healthcare and will develop skills in reflection, communication, and teamwork for career development. Does not count as an elective in the BIOL major or minor. Permission of instructor.
This course is designed to introduce students to rationale, research, and practices of mindfulness and self-compassion. Upon course completion, students will exhibit knowledge and skills related to mindfulness/contemplative practice/training, research evidence on mindfulness for enhancing provider self-care, patient/client engagement, and wellness (e.g., reducing stress, burnout, and fatigue; increasing resilience). Majors only; permission of the instructor for non-majors.
This course uses a case-based approach to assist students to identify and critically examine challenging issues in health care, develop presentation skills as well as critical thinking from an interprofessional perspective. Students will work in interprofessional teams on a global complex case. Using this approach, students will attain the knowledge necessary to analyze and present results for a comprehensive case at the individual, organizational, and community levels. Open to undergraduate students with permission from instructor.
Introduction to scientific inquiry, evidence-based practice, and nursing/healthcare innovations. Emphasis on: theory; ethics; problem identification; question development; design selection; data analysis and interpretation; statistical applications; and appraisal of research reports. Admission to an undergraduate BSN program and eligible to take required undergraduate nursing research course; the Hillman Scholars program; or PhD in Nursing Program required.
Cultivates students' development as nurse scientists, scholars, and leaders to improve health care quality, safety, and delivery, and to influence policies that promote health and strengthen health systems outcomes. Admission to the Hillman Scholars Program in Nursing Innovation is required.
Pilot test for new courses in the nursing program.
Students from a variety of health sciences-related disciplines gain an understanding of issues in working with dying and bereaved individuals of all ages and their families.
Permission of the program director. Majors only. Preparation of a two-semester honors project under the direction of department advisors.
Permission of the program director. Majors only. Preparation of a two-semester honors project under the direction of department advisors.
Students will incorporate previously learned leadership concepts, clinical skills, therapeutic communication, and critical thinking to deliver quality nursing care, using evidence based practice, in varied settings with faculty and RN guidance. Preparing for the NCLEX-RN examination and strategies for successful transition from student nurse to registered nurse will be explored. Majors only.