School of Nursing: Academic Rules, Regulations, and Information

Print this Page

About

Academic Rules

Programs/Courses

Click on a link to be taken to the entry below.

First Year Entry

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing in the School of Nursing is a full time four year program built for traditional entry from high school. Application deadlines are November 1^st for Early Action and January 1^st for Regular Decision.  Please visit the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for Admission Requirements.

Intra-University Transfer

Students from other Schools within the University can transfer to the School of Nursing through the Internal Transfer process.  In order to be eligible to apply for Internal Transfer one must successfully complete the prerequisite courses of Microbiology, Chemistry, Human Anatomy and Physiology I, and Human Anatomy and Physiology II.  The application deadline for Internal Transfer is February 1^st and accepted students will start in the second year of the Nursing curriculum. For more information, please visit the School of Nursing admissions pages: http://nursing.virginia.edu/programs/bsn/transfer_internal_uva_students/.

External Transfer

Students from other colleges and universities can apply to transfer into the UVA School of Nursing.  In order to be eligible to apply for admission one must successfully complete 30 transferable college credits.  Within those 30 credits the applicant must have completed the prerequisite courses of Microbiology, Chemistry, Human Anatomy and Physiology I, and Human Anatomy and Physiology II.  The application deadline for Transfer is March 1^st and accepted students will start in the second year of the Nursing curriculum.  Please refer to this link for more information.

RN to BSN 

The RN to BSN program at the UVA School of Nursing is a 21 month, part time program for Associates degree  or diploma prepared nurses to obtain their BSN.  Classes meet one day per week. The University of Virginia has a Guaranteed Admission Agreement with all schools in the Virginia Community College System for the RN to BSN program.  Please refer to this link for more information.

Nursing students are required to meet with their faculty advisor once every semester. An advising hold, preventing enrollment in the following semester’s courses, is placed on the student’s account and cannot be lifted until that meeting has taken place. This hold can only be lifted by the student’s faculty advisor.

Good Academic Standing

First-year students in the pre-professional component of the program are considered to be in good academic standing if they earn no more than one grade below C-. Additionally, first year nursing students are required to earn a minimum C- grade in anatomy and physiology, chemistry for health professionals, and microbiology. Students who do not earn a C- or higher in either semester of anatomy and physiology, chemistry for health professionals, or microbiology are required to retake the course(s). This may alter the planned sequence of courses and may lengthen the time for completion of the program.

Second, third, and fourth year students in the professional component of the program are considered to be in good academic standing if they have a semester average of at least 2.000 and no grades below a C- in required nursing courses regardless of the semester average. Grades of D and F are failing grades for all required nursing courses in the professional component of the program. Students earning a grade of D or F in a required course in the professional component will be placed on academic probation and must successfully repeat the course with a grade of C- or above. This may alter the planned sequence of courses and may lengthen the time for completion of the program.

First year students must maintain a semester GPA average of 1.8. Students who do not meet these standards will be placed on academic probation.Nursing students in years two, three, or four will be placed on academic probation if their semester grade point average falls below 2.0. A grade of D is included in the student’s GPA and counts toward credits earned. An F grade is included in the student’s GPA but does not count toward credits earned.

A nursing student is subject to suspension if (1) the student earns a total of two D’s or one F at any time in the professional component of the program (years two through four), (2) the student’s GPA is below 2.000 for two semesters, or (3) the student has been placed on academic probation two semesters.

Statement of Policy

The University of Virginia School of Nursing expects all students to meet established academic standards satisfactorily for all course requirements, including meeting learning objectives, clinical practice objectives/standards, and professional standards of behavior for safe and quality nursing practice.

The purpose of this policy is to promote academic achievement, maintain academic and professional standards, and to achieve fairness and consistency in decisions regarding students with academic or professional deficiencies. Faculty members as course professors/clinical instructors are responsible for assessing and monitoring each student’s academic and professional progress, including knowledge gained, skills acquired, and professional behavior as well as adherence to policies and procedures concerning clinical education and the health system/clinical facility policies.

A student’s failure to meet the established academic, clinical and/or professional standards requires faculty documentation of a plan of action on an academic deficiency form and may be initiated any time.

Faculty should refer to the SON Faculty/Staff Handbook for procedures with Academic Deficiency Notices.

Grade Appeals

Students who wish to appeal a course grade must first attempt to resolve the issue with the instructor of the course. Absent a satisfactory outcome, the student consults with their faculty advisor prior to meeting with the Senior Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Services. 

The student will be advised by the Senior Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Services to file a formal appeal to the Associate Dean of Academic Programs.  The appeal letter must address the grounds for the appeal including any claims of grading errors, perceived inequities based on policies/syllabi discrepancies or extenuating circumstances. The documentation for the appeals process does not include email; it must be printed and presented to the Office of the Associate Dean of Academic Programs.

For grades awarded for the fall semester, the written appeal must be submitted no later than 14 calendar days after the beginning of the spring semester. For grades awarded for the spring semester or summer sessions: the written appeal must be submitted no later than 14 days after the first day of the fall semester. For January term, a written appeal must be submitted no later than 14 days after the end of that session or term. Appeals submitted after the deadline will be heard only in exceptional cases, as determined by the Senior Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Services.

The Associate Dean of Academic Programs shall make a final decision after full consideration of the materials submitted and/or a committee’s recommendation.  The student will be notified of the decision within three weeks of receipt of the student’s appeal.

Dean’s List 

The School of Nursing recognizes exceptional academic achievement attained by undergraduate nursing students each semester. The requirements for this honor include:

1. No grade below D
2. No grade of NC, NG, IN or U
3. 15 hour minimum number of graded credits
4. Minimum grade point average of 3.700

Distinguished Majors 

Nursing students who demonstrate superior academic performance (GPA of 3.4 or above) are encouraged to apply for the School’s Distinguished Majors Program (DMP) to pursue a substantive project of their own that they would not have the opportunity to develop as part of their regular program of study. The application process requires students to define a detailed research project and to obtain agreement of a faculty member to guide the research. The research should be focused and well-defined, but it should also shed light on broader themes and questions within the general field in which the thesis falls. The final project should result in a manuscript, suitable for publication, and a public presentation.

Graduation with Distinction 

Diploma with Distinction: Diplomas inscribed “with distinction” are awarded to graduates who have earned a cumulative UVA grade point average of 3.400 and successfully completed the distinguished majors program, or to students with a cumulative UVA GPA of 3.750 who have not completed the distinguished majors program.

Diploma with Highest Distinction 

Diplomas inscribed “with highest distinction” are awarded to graduates who have earned a cumulative UVA GPA of 3.750 and have successfully completed the distinguished majors program.

• Clinical Agency Requirements Students must meet the required competencies of the clinical agency to which they are assigned as outlined in the clinical agency contract.  This may include requirements such as respiratory mask fit, infection control training, criminal background investigations, and mandatory drug screening.
• CPR Certification Students are required to obtain certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation for adults, children, and infants prior to entering clinical courses. Certification must be maintained throughout the program, and validation must be presented each year. Students must complete the American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers course.
• Criminal Background Check (CBC) and Drug Screening All students are required to complete a criminal background check prior to course enrollment in the School of Nursing. The Office of Admissions and Student Services communicates this requirement to students. Additionally, different clinical agencies may require students to undergo a criminal background investigation and/or drug examination using their own vendor when students are assigned to clinicals beginning in the second year. This expense is covered directly by the student.
• Student Assessment Program for NCLEX Preparation Starting in the second year, all pre-licensure nursing students are required to purchase the Elsevier Student Assessment Program (ESAP), prorated, in semester installments. ESAP is a special assessment program that includes learning and assessment activities, such as case studies, supplemental review materials, and practice exams. ESAP specialty exams and case studies are assigned in selected courses as a prescribed percentage of the course grade. The program includes a cumulative examination (Exit Exam) in the final year of the program that assesses student readiness for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX).  Students scoring below the benchmark on a specialty exam are required to complete an individualized remediation (review) plan, submit appropriate documentation of their work, and retake the exam, if applicable. Students scoring below the benchmark on the Exit Exam must complete an individualized remediation plan, submit appropriate documentation, and retake that exam prior to graduation. Students who do not show substantial improvement upon remediation and retake of the Exit Exam will be required to submit a study plan, detailing their individual approach to NCLEX preparation, to the Academic Dean for approval prior to graduation.
• Insurance All students must be covered by year-round health insurance. Each student must be insured under the University Health Insurance Plan or by another insurance contract that the student and/or his parents consider to be comparable in benefits to the University Plan. All students must present proof of insurance with their Pre-Enrollment health forms. See the Student Health Requirements in the University Regulations: Non-Academic section of the Undergraduate Record for more details.
• Clinical Competencies and Compliance Students are required to complete screenings, trainings, immunizations, and infection control training such as annul PPD and flu vaccinations
• Uniforms Students are required to follow the School of Nursing uniform policy for pre-licensure student clinical attire: www.nursing.virginia.edu/current-students/uniform/.
• TYPHON The School of Nursing uses the TYPHON NSST system for student portfolio development and student clinical activity tracking throughout the BSN curriculum. Access to this system is required for all students. Pre-licensure students pay a one-time access fee. Initial training to TYPHON will be provided for all students. Following the training, students will be provided with individual log-on and password information. Students are introduced to TYPHON in their first clinical course. Ongoing use of TYPHON will continue throughout the program and for three years after graduation.
• EPIC Training EPIC is the electronic medical record used at the UVA Health System. All second year students are required to complete a one-time mandatory classroom training.
• NetLearning Throughout your educational experiences at the University, you will be required to complete competencies on a yearly basis. These competencies are delivered on the internet through the NetLearning system. All students are required to complete all the assigned and mandatory learning modules and must log onto the NetLearning system to complete this requirement. The NetLearning web site can be accessed at: http://netlearning.nursing.virginia.edu. Students are assigned modules to complete. Hospital employees may be requested to provide copies of their NetLearning transcripts to the School of Nursing Registrar periodically for tracking purposes.
• Respiratory Mask Fit (RMF) All pre-licensure nursing students assigned to clinicals at the UVA Health System are required to be fitted for special masks to protect both you and your patients when you work with certain respiratory infections. You must complete this requirement prior to enrollment in clinicals. The cost for the fit test is covered via the Clinical Services Fee. The student is responsible for any cancellation fees.
• Patient Confidentiality Guidelines The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) has important personal and professional implications for SON faculty, staff, and students. The regulations prohibit the disclosure, intentional or otherwise, of patients’ Protected Health Information (PHI). These regulations apply to information contained in any format, including electronic and hardcopy health records. Patient information may not be reproduced (copied and pasted, photographed) from any electronic or written medium. When collecting data for an academic clinical assignment, students and faculty must consider carefully what clinical data is absolutely necessary for effective learning. The following excerpt is from the United States Department of Health and Human Services website. Faculty, staff, and students are referred to the website for additional information (http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/summary/).

Class Scheduling

Students change their class schedules via SIS (www.virginia.edu/sis). If instructor permission is necessary for admission to a course, a form signed by that instructor is submitted to the School of Nursing Registrar’s office. Students may add and drop full-semester courses through the deadlines stated in the University Registrar’s Academic Calendar.

Overload of Credit Hours

Traditional BSN students who wish to enroll in more than the allowed maximum hours for their program must gain approval to do so (more than 17 credits). In order to receive approval, a student must complete a Request for Increased Course Load form(available at: http://www.nursing.virginia.edu/registrar/). Students will be required to complete a request for overload form and have the Senior Assistant Dean’s approval before the overload courses can be added into the student’s schedule. The student needs to turn in the signed request to the School of Nursing Registrar’s Office for processing. RN-BSN students are part-time students and enroll in 6-7 credits/semester.

Transfer of Courses

The University of Virginia School of Nursing accepts a maximum of 60 credits of transfer credit from institutions other than the University of Virginia toward the baccalaureate degree.

Students who receive advanced standing for a required course transferred into the University of Virginia from another institution will be responsible for replacing the credits not earned in that course with another course at the University.

Exception: Upon completion of selected courses, RN to BSN students receive 41 hours of advanced standing credit for equivalent course credit earned in their basic RN program. Therefore, not all prior credit hours may be transferable for credit. For example, pharmacology, assessment, life span, and nutrition are all part of the 41-credit-hour package of advanced credit hours; therefore, these credits do not transfer in as additional credits.

B.S. in Nursing (BSN)

The University of Virginia offers two tracts leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing: A traditional BSN program and an RN to BSN completion program. The degree is awarded after satisfactory completion of a prescribed program of study. All students at the School of Nursing take courses in anatomy and physiology, growth and development, pharmacology, pathophysiology, leadership, and nursing practice. Graduates of the program are eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination.

Degree Requirements

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree is conferred by the general faculty upon candidates recommended by the School of Nursing faculty as having completed a prescribed course of study of no less than 120 credits with a cumulative grade point average of 2.000 (C).

Residence Requirement

The residence requirement for a degree in nursing is three academic years. Students transferring from other schools of nursing and students with advanced standing credit may, with permission of the Associate Dean for Academic Programs, meet residence requirements in two academic years. The residence requirement for RN to BSN students is 30 credit hours.

RN to BSN Residency

30 credit hours are taken in residency at the University of Virginia. Students must complete the professional nursing program of study, as listed in this Record, and with a final cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0.

Final examinations are given in regularly scheduled courses during a designated period of time at the end of each semester.  Final exams in courses may be given only at the times listed on the UREG (Office of the University Registrar) website. Examinations in courses not fitting the regular class times are scheduled by UREG in consultation with the instructor.  Faculty members are not authorized to change the announced times of their examinations.  Such changes may be authorized only by the Senior Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Services, and then only for compelling reasons.  All students must have the opportunity to take the exam at the time announced on the UREG website.

Students are not permitted to take a final exam before its regularly scheduled time.  When a student has three exams scheduled over two consecutive days, the student may request a postponement of one of their exams.  The student must file the exam postponement request, endorsed by the instructor of the course, no later than one week prior to the first day of the examination period.

Credit/No Credit Grades

Students have the option of receiving the grades CR (credit) or NC (no credit) in place of the regular grades, A through F, for a given course except for courses in the major or those that fulfill basic area requirements. Courses used to fulfill area requirements must be taken on a graded basis.

This option is selected when students register for courses. The last day to change the CR/NC option is the same as the last day to add a course. Instructors may deny students permission to take courses on a CR/NC basis. If this occurs, students may either change back to the regular grading option or drop the course entirely. Students may not use a CR/NC course to repeat a course in which a grade has already been given.

Grade Changes

No final grade may be changed without the approval of the School of Nursing after it has been submitted to the University Registrar (UREG). The School of Nursing is not authorized by the faculty to change a grade already submitted to UREG except when an instructor certifies that, because of errors in calculation or transcription, an incorrect grade has been submitted. Extra work to raise a final grade, once submitted, is not permitted.

Grades

An undergraduate student’s work in a course is graded on the basis of A+ (100), A (95-99), A- (90-94), B+ (87-89), B (83-86), B- (80-82), C+ (77-79), C (73-76), C- (70-72), D+ (67-69), D (63-66), D- (60-62) and F (59-0).

Incomplete Grades

A grade of incomplete is a non-grade designation given for a course. A grade of IN becomes a grade of F 30 days after the end of the examination period unless a form requesting an extension of time has been signed by the course instructor and approved by the Senior Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Services. The faculty has adopted a policy that, unless authorized by the Dean’s office, students must complete all course work before taking the final examination. Instructors are not authorized to extend the time for completion of course work without the Dean’s approval. Forms for securing extensions are available from the School of Nursing website. Prior to the end of the course, students must initiate the request for a grade of IN and secure the instructor’s approval.

Students with two or more outstanding incomplete designations (in the same semester or cumulatively) may not enroll in courses in subsequent terms. A student’s degree cannot be conferred with a grade of Incomplete (IN) on record.

Leave of Absence

A student in good standing may request a leave of absence from the School of Nursing for up to two semesters. Requests for leaves of absence must be submitted in writing to the Senior Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Services of the School of Nursing. Refer to the “Leaving and Returning to the University” section of the “University Regulations: Academic” section of this Record for more information.

Readmission to the SON after Suspension or Withdrawal 

Students should consult “Leaving and Returning to the University” in the “University Regulations: Academic” section of this Record for policies that govern their readmission to the University. Students in the School of Nursing who have been suspended must wait one full fall term and one full spring term before being eligible to apply for readmission. A student who has been readmitted following suspension will be permanently dropped from the school if she or he becomes subject to suspension a second time. Nursing students on an approved leave of absence who wish to return do so by writing to the Senior Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Services at least 30 days prior to the first day of classes for the semester in which they want to re-enroll.

Students who decide to complete requirements for a minor or a second major must contact the department to request information on that course of study. Once a minor or second major has been declared, a declaration of major/minor form must be signed by someone in the major/minor department and then submitted to School of Nursing Registrar. The second major or minor must be completed prior to or at the same time as the nursing major. Students may not return to the University to complete a second major/minor after the nursing curriculum has been completed.

The UVA School of Nursing boasts a revolving door to the world. We are enthusiastic about preparing our nursing students to embrace both the challenges and the exciting opportunities of our global community and to be enriched by programs that involve them with the people, cultures, and healthcare of our neighbors worldwide. We especially value programs that intertwine education, research, practice, and service.

The School of Nursing offers a variety of semester exchange programs. All UVA students can pursue opportunities for study abroad through the International Studies Office.

The School of Nursing faculty will consider requests for transfer of credit from other fully accredited two or four year colleges or universities for courses which may be equivalent to those in the baccalaureate or master’s nursing programs. Other University of Virginia faculty may evaluate courses equivalent to those in other areas. Implementation of this policy will not negate the residency requirement policy.

Undergraduate students may not transfer courses that are a required part of their curriculum in the Nursing school. Students may only transfer in courses that fulfill their general education requirements.

Dual Enrollment

If you have taken dual enrollment courses while in high school, you must arrange to send an official transcript to the BSN Program Manager, University of Virginia, School of Nursing, PO Box 800782, Charlottesville, VA  22908. Transcripts will be evaluated as they arrive and the credit will be posted in SIS. If dual enrollment credit is not posted by October of the first semester, check with the BSN Program Manager to see if transcripts have been received. You may not transfer in your first writing requirement through dual enrollment.

International Baccalaureate

Pre-approved departmental equivalencies for qualifying higher-level IB examination scores can be found here: http://college.artsandsciences.virginia.edu/iclec. The School of Nursing accepts only IB scores sent directly from IB North America (http://www.ibo.org). We award no credit for subsidiary-level examinations.

Advanced Placement Credit

The University of Virginia participates in the College Board’s Advanced Placement Program by awarding advanced standing (course exemption and academic credit hours) or advanced placement (course exemption without credit hours) to entering students who have qualifying scores on the Advanced Placement (AP) tests. Students may receive credit in any academic discipline in which an AP test is offered and which is taken prior to matriculation at UVA or another college. If you did not take an AP test in high school, you cannot take one once you matriculate to the University. Also, if you take a course equivalent to that of your advanced placement course, you must waive the Advanced Placement credit. If you have placed out of a course without having received credit hours, you normally may not take that course for degree credit.

Course exemptions (without credit) are also granted for qualifying scores on the SAT II Subject Tests in English composition and foreign language. The University does not award credit or exemption based on College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests.

Accepted students should have AP score reports sent directly to the Office of Admissions at the University (College Code 5820) in the summer following the senior year of high school. Be sure to ask that tests you took prior to your senior year are also sent. Questions regarding advanced placement policies and procedures should be directed to the Office of Admissions, University of Virginia, P.O. Box 400160 Charlottesville, VA 22904, 434-982-3200.

To predict an assessment of your AP credit course equivalent, go to: http://saz- webdmz.eservices.virginia.edu/asequivs/.