Pre-Nursing FAQ

Pre-Nursing Information for OSU students

Information and FAQs for Oregon State University students interested in becoming a nurse.

Does Oregon State University have a nursing program?

No, OSU does not have a nursing program.

However, we offer the prerequisite courses that will allow you to apply to nursing schools in Oregon and elsewhere.

Can I get a bachelor’s degree in Pre-Nursing at OSU?

No. Students are encouraged to major in a subject that interests them and add in general prerequisites.

Schools in Oregon vary, let alone across the United States, so it will require some investigation into specific schools to make sure you are getting the courses need for the program(s) you are interested in.

Although it is possible to simply do the prereqs to get into nursing school, the admissions process is highly competitive, and students should have a major they will enjoy pursuing should they not be accepted on the first or second try.

The College of Health, and College of Liberal Arts have majors that incorporate many of the prereqs:

Do I need to take OSU bacc core courses if I want to go to nursing school?

Many of the prerequisite courses for nursing school also fulfill OSU bacc core categories. Students who intend to complete a four-year degree at OSU before pursing nursing school should choose courses that will meet both the pre-nursing requirements as well as the Bacc Core.

Students who hope to transfer to nursing school after two or three years at OSU do not need to focus on additional bacc core courses; however, many of the prereqs can easily fulfill categories of the bacc core simultaneously. Students who complete their degree at another institution will have to meet that school’s general education requirements, not OSU’s.

If I complete my undergrad degree at OSU, can I apply to both direct-entry MSN and ABSN programs

Yes, both ABSN and direct-entry MSN programs are appropriate for people with a bachelor’s degrees in other areas. The American Association of Colleges of Nurses (AACN) states that "the demand for nurses with a master’s degree or doctoral degree is a great deal higher than the supply. As of 2008, 13% of nurses in the U.S. had a master’s or doctoral degree." By not requiring a BSN be obtained first, more highly trained MSN nurses will be able to start working sooner.

What are the BSN programs in Oregon?

Visit the BSN program pages to learn more about application requirements, deadlines and program details.

Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) offers programs at its Portland campus as well as its partner universities in the Oregon Consortium for Nursing Education (OCNE) around the state (see below).

Several community colleges in Oregon are partners in the Oregon Consortium for Nursing Education (OCNE) and in addition to the ADN offer the OHSU bachelor’s degree on their campus with similar prerequisite and entry requirements.

  • Clackamas Community College (Oregon City)
  • Mt. Hood Community College (Gresham)
  • Lane Community College (Eugene)
  • Southwestern Oregon Community College (Coos Bay)
  • Rogue Community College (Grants Pass)
  • Umpqua Community College (Roseburg)
  • Portland Community College (Portland)
  • Blue Mountain Community College (Pendleton)

There are three private nursing schools in Oregon, all in the Portland area:

What are my options if I don’t get into nursing school?

Because of the competitive nature of nursing school admissions, it’s possible that even a strong applicant may not be admitted on their attempt. It’s a good idea to have a back-up plan in case this happens. For most pre-nursing students, this means completing a bachelor’s degree at OSU and then trying to go to nursing school. See above for some of the more common majors that students have chosen. A bachelor’s degree can provide a broader educational background and more maturity before nursing school, as well as an opportunity for students to raise their GPA and gain more work or volunteer experience.

Do out-of-state BSN programs accept Oregon residents?

Admission into some out-of-state public institutions is more competitive than in-state schools. For example, many public universities in the University of California/California State University systems do not accept applications from out-of-state residents. Private nursing schools usually give out-of-state students the same admissions consideration as in-state students. OSU students have recently been accepted to out-of-state nursing schools at Johns Hopkins University, Hawaii Pacific University and Nevada State College (among others). The requirements listed for Oregon nursing schools will meet MOST of the prerequisites for out-of-state schools. Students are responsible for checking the requirements of any school to which they wish to apply.