Nursing programs require a mix of science prerequisites, general education courses, and upper-division nursing classes. The exact list varies by school and degree type, but the core requirements are remarkably consistent across programs. You’ll spend roughly the first two years completing prerequisites and general education, then move into nursing-specific coursework with hands-on clinical rotations.
Science Prerequisites
Science courses form the backbone of your nursing preparation. Nearly every program requires these core classes, each typically worth 4 credits because they include a lab component:
- Anatomy: Covers the structures of the human body at both visible and microscopic levels. Most programs want this completed before you take Physiology, and some won’t let you take both in the same semester.
- Physiology: Focuses on how body systems actually function. Some schools combine Anatomy and Physiology into a two-semester sequence (A&P I and A&P II) rather than teaching them as separate courses.
- Microbiology: Introduces bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms, along with basic principles of infection and immunity. This is essential for understanding how diseases spread and how the body fights them.
- Chemistry: Covers atomic structure, chemical bonding, solutions, and chemical reactions. Some programs accept a single introductory chemistry course, while others (particularly at the bachelor’s level) may also want organic chemistry or biochemistry.
- Introduction to Biology: Required by some programs as a foundation before you move into the more specialized sciences above.
All of these courses include a lab, whether in person or virtual. Labs are not optional. Programs want to see that you’ve done hands-on work with specimens, slides, or simulations, not just read about them.
General Education Courses
Beyond the sciences, you’ll need a set of general education classes that build communication, math, and behavioral science skills. These typically include:
- English Composition: Usually one or two semesters covering academic writing and critical reading.
- Introduction to Psychology: Gives you a foundation for understanding patient behavior, mental health, and therapeutic communication.
- Statistics: A single course in elementary or applied statistics. Some schools accept biostatistics, psychology statistics, or business statistics to fill this requirement.
- Nutrition: Covers the basics of how diet affects health, which directly applies to patient care and education.
- Human Growth and Development: Sometimes called Lifespan Development or Developmental Psychology. This covers physical, cognitive, and emotional changes from infancy through old age.
- Sociology: Required by some programs to help you understand social structures, cultural factors, and health disparities.
The credit hours add up quickly. A program like Northeastern State University’s, for example, requires 9 credit hours of writing and communication courses alone, another 9 in social and behavioral sciences, and 3 in statistics, all before you start nursing classes.
Upper-Division Nursing Courses
Once you’re admitted to the nursing program itself, the coursework shifts entirely to nursing-specific content. These upper-division classes build on the science foundation you’ve already completed and teach you to apply that knowledge to patient care. A typical program includes around 32 credits of courses like:
- Health Assessment: How to perform physical exams, take patient histories, and identify abnormal findings.
- Pathophysiology: How diseases disrupt normal body function. This is where your anatomy and physiology knowledge becomes directly clinical.
- Pharmacology: How medications work in the body, their side effects, and how nurses safely administer them.
- Medical-Surgical Nursing: Care of adult patients with acute and chronic conditions. This is often the largest single course in the program.
- Pediatric Nursing: Care specific to infants, children, and adolescents.
- Psychiatric Nursing: Mental health assessment and therapeutic approaches.
- Community Health Nursing: Population-level health, disease prevention, and public health principles.
- Nursing Leadership and Management: Delegation, team dynamics, and healthcare systems.
- Evidence-Based Practice: How to read nursing research and apply it to clinical decision-making.
- Capstone: A final course or project that integrates everything you’ve learned.
BSN programs also include coursework in nursing theory, ethics, and broader public health topics that ADN programs typically don’t cover in as much depth.
Clinical Rotations
Clinical hours are a graduation requirement in every nursing program. In Florida, for example, state standards require clinical experience to make up at least 50% of the total program. You’ll rotate through different healthcare settings (hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, community health sites) to practice skills with real patients under supervision.
Simulation labs, where you practice on high-fidelity mannequins and virtual scenarios, can replace some of that time. Florida allows up to half of your clinical hours to come from simulation. The exact ratio varies by state, so your program’s balance of bedside and simulated experience will depend on where you go to school.
ADN vs. BSN: How the Course Load Differs
An Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is a two-year program, usually offered at community colleges. It covers the same core prerequisites (chemistry, anatomy, biology, psychology, English) and focuses on fundamental nursing skills, but the overall curriculum is shorter and more narrowly clinical. You’ll still take medical-surgical nursing, pediatrics, psychiatric nursing, and community health.
A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is a four-year program that includes everything in an ADN plus additional coursework in nursing theory, public health, pathophysiology, research methods, and leadership. The broader education is one reason many hospitals now prefer or require BSN-prepared nurses. If you start with an ADN, RN-to-BSN bridge programs let you complete the remaining bachelor’s coursework while working.
Accelerated Programs for Second-Degree Students
If you already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field, accelerated BSN (ABSN) programs let you finish in 12 to 18 months. The prerequisite science courses are still required. Penn State’s second-degree program, for instance, requires Anatomy and Physiology I and II, introductory chemistry with lab, microbiology with lab, nutrition, statistics, and lifespan development. You can take these at any accredited college before applying.
ABSN programs compress the nursing coursework into an intensive schedule, so having your prerequisites fully completed before you start is essential. There’s no time built into the program to finish them alongside your nursing classes.
Grades and Entrance Exams
Most nursing programs require a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for traditional BSN admission. RN-to-BSN completion tracks tend to be slightly more flexible, with minimums closer to 2.5. Competitive programs often look at your science GPA separately, so earning strong grades in anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and chemistry matters more than your overall average.
Many programs also require a nursing entrance exam, either the TEAS or the HESI A2. The TEAS tests reading, math, science, and English language usage. The HESI A2 covers math, reading, vocabulary, grammar, and anatomy and physiology, with some schools adding additional sections. Your prerequisite coursework directly prepares you for these exams, so taking them after you’ve finished your science classes gives you the best shot at a strong score.
Putting It All Together
A full nursing degree includes roughly 60 to 90 credit hours depending on the program type. For a BSN, expect about 30 to 35 credits of prerequisites and general education, another 30 or more credits of nursing coursework, and hundreds of hours of clinical practice. For an ADN, the total is closer to 60 to 70 credits with a heavier proportion spent on direct clinical skills.
Prerequisites can be completed at community colleges, four-year universities, or even online through programs like those offered at Johns Hopkins, which provides instructor-led prerequisite courses with virtual labs. Wherever you take them, confirm with your target nursing program that the courses will transfer and meet their specific requirements. Small differences in course titles or credit hours can cause headaches during the application process if you don’t verify ahead of time.