Pathways to Nursing

At UIC, aspiring nurses can attain their goals in a number of different ways! Starting in Fall 2025, the UIC College of Nursing offers admission to incoming first-year students to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. However, because of the interest and demand in nursing, not all eligible students can be admitted. Many students elect to enroll in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with a declared educational goal of Pre-Nursing.

LAS Pre-Health Advising assists pre-nursing students who are enrolled in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to prepare for a future in a nursing career. LAS Pre-Health advisors work with students to determine which pre-nursing pathway is the best option for them, whether that is preparing to apply to a BSN or Master’s in Nursing (MSN) program after receiving a bachelor’s degree from UIC or applying to transfer to the BSN major at UIC or another institution. While students can pursue any major in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Bachelor of Science Integrated Health Studies: Concentration in Behavioral Health major includes all of the prerequisites for nursing preparation and is a popular major with LAS students.

Being a pre-nursing student involves taking many challenging math and science courses and the expectations are high. UIC's College of Nursing requires transfer applicants to have a minimum 2.75 overall GPA to be considered for admission, along with a minimum 2.5 GPA in all required science courses. Other nursing programs have similar minimum GPA standards.

There are many pathways into the nursing profession. Students are strongly encouraged to work with their pre-nursing advisor to determine which is the best path for them.

Nursing Pathways from the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

There are two options for pursuing pre-nursing coursework in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: the General Pre-Nursing pathway and the BSN Transfer Pre-Nursing pathway. Prerequisite courses for both pathways and more information can be found in the UIC Undergraduate Catalog Pre-Nursing page.

LAS General Pre-Nursing Pathway

The General Pre-Nursing pathway includes common coursework required by nursing programs in the Chicagoland area. While this course of study is longer, it allows more flexibility in major selection and broader applicability of courses. The rigorous preparation of this pathway allows students to choose any science or non-science major in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. This path is ideal for students who are exploring a variety of health professions and/or who are interested in pursuing a science-based career. It also allows students to more easily change between preprofessional and other interests if they are not fully committed to a nursing career. This is the recommended course of study for students pursuing Pre-Nursing in LAS.

Students who pursue the General Pre-Nursing pathway can elect to transfer to a BSN program after completing their prerequisite courses. However, many students choose to complete their LAS major and apply to accelerated BSN programs and/or Master’s Entry Nursing programs. While students can pursue any major in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Bachelor of Science Integrated Health Studies: Concentration in Behavioral Health major includes all of the prerequisites for nursing preparation and is a popular major with LAS students.

BSN Transfer Pre-Nursing Pathway

The BSN Transfer Pre-Nursing pathway includes coursework specific to the UIC College of Nursing BSN and presumes interest in transferring to the College of Nursing. Transfer admission to the BSN is competitive and completion of the Pre-Nursing curriculum does not guarantee admission to the UIC College of Nursing or another BSN program. This pathway is shorter and the most targeted but provides fewer options for alternative majors to the BSN if a student is not admitted to the UIC College of Nursing.

The BSN Transfer Pre-Nursing pathway offers a shorter route to completion of nursing prerequisite coursework compared to the General Pre-Nursing pathway. However, it will make it more difficult for students to change to a science major due to differences in chemistry coursework if they are not admitted to the BSN in the UIC College of Nursing or another BSN program. Switching to an alternate science major may add up to approximately one year to the graduation timeline due to the differences in chemistry curriculum.

As an exception, the coursework in the BSN Transfer Pre-Nursing pathway will count towards major requirements for the LAS Bachelor of Science in Integrated Health Studies: Concentration in Behavioral Health major. Otherwise, students who wish to consider an alternate science major are recommended to utilize the General Pre-Nursing pathway.

Entry Points to Nursing from the LAS General Pre-Nursing Pathway

Individual students have individual needs. One of the advantages to the nursing profession is that there are currently many points of entry beyond the traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Below are other common pathways to nursing.

Associate's Degree in Nursing & RN to BSN

An associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) is often the fastest pathway to becoming a Registered Nurse. This degree does not require a bachelor’s degree. Some students with a bachelor’s degree will elect to pursue an associate’s degree in nursing due to cost or not performing as well as they might have liked in their undergraduate science courses. Some hospitals or locations may require a BSN or higher degree for employment. There are many reasons to elect to pursue an associate’s degree in nursing and pre-nursing students are encouraged to meet with their advisor to discuss the options that are best for them.

An RN to BSN program is designed for individuals who have already completed their nursing coursework and hold a registered nursing license. Most RN to BSN programs are online or designed to accommodate individuals who plan to work while completing their BSN. This pathway is most frequently selected by individuals who have completed an associate’s degree in nursing and who wish to receive a bachelor of science in nursing degree. The College of Nursing at UIC does have an RN to BSN program.

Accelerated BSN

Students who elect to follow this option, complete their degree (B.A. or B.S.) in any major at UIC while completing their required pre-nursing courses. They then apply to a nursing program that offers an “accelerated BSN” which typically takes two years to complete. UIC College of Nursing offers this as an option as a part of their BSN for Transfer Students. The overall timeline is generally six years to completion of a nursing degree (4 years for first bachelors degree + 2 years for bachelor of nursing degree) and students will hold two bachelor’s degrees at completion.

Graduate Entry Nursing - MSN

For students who receive a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing, there is a Graduate Entry Nursing option. This option is typically pursued by students who had strong grades in undergraduate coursework, including pre-nursing coursework. Students who are most competitive for this option have exceptional maturity and drive. The MS in Nursing for non-RNs in the UIC College of Nursing is considered an advanced generalist nursing degree. Applicants are not expected to hold an RN license or have completed a bachelor’s degree in nursing; they will sit for the NCLEX exam at the completion of the program.