Bachelor of Science in Nursing

• Demonstrate synthesis of practice theories and evidence-based concepts from nursing and the arts, sciences, and humanities to provide comprehensive nursing care in a variety of settings.
• Demonstrate leadership skills in evidence-based practice to promote continuous improvement in the quality and safety of healthcare.
• Integrate nursing research findings in planning, implementing, and evaluating nursing practice and patient-centered outcomes.
• Incorporate knowledge and skills related to information management and patient care technologies to deliver safe and effective care.
• Incorporate legislative, regulatory, ethical, and professional standards to define a professional identity and scope of nursing practice.
• Organize and facilitate the delivery of comprehensive, efficient, and appropriate patient-centered care across the healthcare continuum.
• Communicate, collaborate, and negotiate using effective communication as a member of the interprofessional health team.
• Demonstrate personal and professional responsibility and accountability for safe and effective nursing practice, incorporating health promotion and illness prevention.
• Participate in the discipline of nursing to promote its contribution to society through professional organizations, political process, collegiality, collaboration, and continual growth toward expert clinical practice.

Major Courses: In addition to AIC Plan for Excellence (APEX) requirements, students must complete all courses listed here to receive a Bachelor of Science in Nursing:

• BIO1200/1201: Human Anatomy and Physiology I, with Laboratory
• BIO1210/1211: Human Anatomy and Physiology II, with Laboratory
• BIO1300/1301: Principles of Microbiology, with Laboratory
• CHE1210/1211: Chemistry for Nursing with Laboratory
• NUR2540/2541: Introduction to Professional Nursing, with Laboratory
• NUR2755: Pathophysiology/Pharmacology I
• NUR2756: Pathophysiology/Pharmacology II
• NUR2840/2841: Fundamentals of Professional Nursing Practice, with Laboratory
• NUR3540: Nursing Research
• NUR3740/3741: Adult Medical-Surgical Nursing, with Laboratory
• NUR3940: Family Centered Nursing
• NUR3942: Family Centered Nursing Process
• NUR4340/4341: Community Focused Nursing, with Laboratory
• NUR4351: Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing, with Laboratory
• NUR4533: Senior Seminar
• NUR4540: Trends and Issues in Nursing
• NUR4940: Complex Medical-Surgical Nursing
• NUR4941: Nursing Leadership
• PSY2302: Statistics
• PSY1401: General Psychology I
• PSY2450: Developmental Psychology
• ENG1201: English Composition
• ENG1202: Analytical Writing
• SPA1100: Spanish for Health Professionals
• SOC1100: Introduction to Sociology

Please reference the current catalog for all course descriptions.

The undergraduate nursing program accepts candidates for first-year admission in the fall and spring semesters. Students who have not completed any college-level coursework are admitted as full-time first-year students into the four-year program.

Incoming first-year candidates must satisfy the college’s admissions requirements, including:

• Successful completion of a laboratory science course in chemistry within the last five years.
• An official high school transcript demonstrating a minimum GPA of 2.8 (on a 4.0 scale) with a strong academic record in science and math courses.

First-year applicants who do not meet the minimum GPA and prerequisite requirements for
nursing, but do have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher, may be admitted as a pre-nursing student.

Guaranteed admission for pre-nursing students into the nursing program will occur if the student completes one year of coursework at AIC with a minimum GPA of 2.5.

Exceptions to minimum requirements may be made in conjunction with the Dean of the School of Health Sciences or the individual program director, where appropriate. Meeting the minimum admissions criteria is not a guarantee of admission.

For Current AIC Students

Current AIC students seeking admission to the nursing program must complete a formal application process as an internal transfer. Internal transfer applications are reviewed in spring semesters only for fall admission into the program.

It is recommended that all students who are applying as internal candidates complete at least one lab science course during their first year. Additional information on the internal transfer process can be obtained through the Office of the Dean of the School of Health Sciences.

Transfer candidates will be evaluated for admission based on the record of their college studies. Transfer candidates, with or without reasonable accommodations, are expected to demonstrate academic readiness at the post-secondary level by submitting an official college transcript that demonstrates a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or above (on a 4.0 scale).

Transfer applicants who are applying to AIC from another institution are accepted on a space-available basis for both the fall and spring semesters. How you apply and your entry status are based on the prerequisites you have completed to date:

First-Year Admissions

The undergraduate nursing program accepts transfer candidates for first-year admission in the fall and spring semesters. Transfer students who have not completed all required prerequisite courses at the time of admission, or who have outdated coursework per the listed prerequisite parameters, will be admitted as first-year nursing transfer students.

Sophomore Admissions

The undergraduate nursing program accepts transfer candidates for sophomore admission for the fall semester only. Only students who have met all prerequisite requirements will be admitted as sophomores into the nursing program.

Conditional Admissions

Candidates with prerequisite coursework documented as in progress at the time of application will be admitted conditionally into sophomore nursing. If conditional admission is granted for sophomore entry, all prerequisites and conditions must be verified as met prior to the start of the program entry semester.

Official documentation confirming prerequisite and condition completion in accordance with program policy should be submitted directly to the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Although the deadline requires submission 30 days prior to entry, immediate submission upon completion of outstanding or outdated prerequisite coursework is preferred.

Conditionally admitted candidates who fail to complete prerequisite-related conditions in the stated timeframe above but who meet criteria for admission as a transfer first-year nursing candidate will automatically be placed in the first-year nursing cohort in lieu of the sophomore nursing cohort.

AIC does not admit students as junior or senior candidates into the undergraduate nursing program.

Prerequisite Courses

A minimum grade of C+ or better is required for the listed prerequisite courses in order for them to be transferred into AIC; courses marked with an asterisk (*) must have been completed within the last five years prior to admission:

• *BIO1200/1201: Anatomy and Physiology I w/Laboratory (4 cr.)
• *BIO1210/1211: Anatomy and Physiology II w/Laboratory (4 cr.)
• *BIO2430/2431: Microbiology w/Laboratory (4 cr.)
• *SOC1100: Introduction to Sociology
• *PSY1200: Introduction to Psychology
• *ENG1201/1601: English Composition I/Advanced First-Year Composition
• *ENG1202/1602: English Composition II/Advanced First-Year Composition and Literature

How to Transfer Credits

The Program Administrator makes all determinations regarding transfer credits of any nursing courses (NUR) after a review of the course being considered for transfer, including year taken (five years or less), grade received (C+ or greater), course description, course objectives, methods of evaluation, and credit hours (didactic and/or clinical).

Determination of transfer eligibility is made based on congruency with a comparable course within the Division of Nursing curriculum. Transfer of nursing course credit will not be accepted after sophomore-level nursing courses.

In order to complete their admissions file, transfer students must submit a copy of their current class schedule, if they are currently enrolled in courses.

For first-year transfers (spring semester), students must have evidence of having successfully completed a college-level anatomy and physiology or microbiology course.
First-year nursing applicants must submit an official high school transcript.

The number of course withdrawals and/or repeats will be considered in making admission
decisions. Candidates who demonstrate evidence of successfully completing full-time college coursework (minimum of 12 credits/semester) will be given preference in the admission process.

All minimum requirements for sophomore transfer status in the nursing program must be
completed prior to admission.

Transfer Agreements

AIC’s transfer partnerships with Holyoke Community College (HCC) and Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) provide an uninterrupted path from community college to our Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, as well as a $4,000 per year joint admissions scholarship.

If you have questions on transferring from one of our partner schools, please contact the admissions office at 413.205.3201.

In addition to prerequisites and cumulative GPA, meeting certain physical and background requirements enables a student to successfully complete the BSN program and qualify for the NCLEX-RN exam.

Review tuition rates and fees for the upcoming academic year.

Scholarships and Grants

In addition to all need- and merit-based awards open to AIC undergraduates, BSN students may qualify for:

• The Massachusetts High Demand Scholarship Program, geared toward students pursuing careers in healthcare and other fields that are currently experiencing a skills shortage. Learn more about this program.

Approval

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Regulations (CMR) require that the Board of Registration in Nursing review annually each nursing program in the Commonwealth for compliance with the Board’s Regulations. The Division of Nursing has received approval status annually from the Board of Registration in Nursing since 1982.

Department of Public Health
Bureau of Health Professions Licensure
Board of Registration in Nursing
250 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02108-4619
Web: http://www.mass.gov/dph/boards/rn
Email: nursing.admin@state.ma.us

Accreditation

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, the master’s degree program in nursing, and the post-graduate APRN certificate program at American International College are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

If you have any program-related questions, please contact:
Director of Nursing
Ellen Furman
ellen.furman@aic.edu
413-205-3561

Click here for access to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN).
Click here for access to the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA).

The post-graduate APRN certificate program at American International College is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org). The accreditation decision was made by the CCNE Board of Commissioners during its April 25-28, 2023, meeting, and the effective date of accreditation October 5, 2022.

Graduation Year: 2023

Number of Graduates: 28
NCLEX First-Time Test Writers Pass Rate: 90%

Graduation Year: 2024

Number of Graduates: 52
NCLEX First-Time Test Writers Pass Rate: 94%

Graduation Year: 2025

Number of Graduates: 32
NCLEX First-Time Test Writers Pass Rate: 94%

Build upon your studies with opportunities to grow your network, accomplishments, and qualifications for entry into the healthcare field:

• Beta Zeta At-Large: This local chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing connects academically and professionally driven students from AIC, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Elms College. Entry is by invitation only and is open to students who are at least halfway through the BSN program. Learn more about the organization.
• Student Nurse Association (SNA): Discuss where you could be in a few years while serving the Greater Springfield community alongside your classmates. Participants regularly sponsor toy and clothing drives and have opportunities to engage in the national-level organization. Learn more about SNA.
• A Collaborative School: The School of Health Sciences strives to mimic the dynamics of a care team through everything we do. In 2025, Nursing and Health Sciences students partnered to promote wellness initiatives at the Interactive Health Fair hosted by the Scantic Valley YMCA in Wilbraham. On campus, Occupational Therapy students introduced Nursing undergraduates to the role of assistive technologies in cerebrovascular accident recovery.
• Stop the Bleed Certification: Improve your response to traumatic injuries with training that equips you to effectively control bleeding during an emergency.