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The UA Little Rock School of Nursing offers both pre-licensure and post-licensure programs. Pre-licensure students can earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in preparation for RN licensure and stop there or continue seamlessly into a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. These programs include a transition option for students with LPN, LPTN, or Paramedic licenses. Students who already have an RN license can enter an RN to Bachelor of Science of Nursing Completion program.

Nursing Program Options

• ​Nursing, Traditional Option A.A.S.  
• Nursing, LPN/Paramedic to RN Option, A.A.S  
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing  
• RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing Completion  

Accreditation

The Associate of Applied Science (AAS) program is approved by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. Upon completion of the curriculum, the graduate is eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). 

The School of Nursing at UA Little Rock located in Little Rock, AR is accredited by the: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) located at 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta, GA 30326 (404) 975-5000.

The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Associate of Applied Science Program is Continuing Accreditation.

View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program.

Nursing Program Options

Initial Licensure and LPN/Paramedic-to-RN Transition Options

Associate of Applied Science in Nursing

Traditional RN (24 months) and Accelerated Traditional RN (18 months) options are available for students seeking initial licensure. An LPN/Paramedic to RN transition (12-month fast-track) Option is also available for qualified LPN/LPTNs and paramedics. Courses are taught in settings ranging from the classroom, campus skills and simulation laboratories, major area hospitals, outpatient facilities, and other healthcare facilities. The graduate is eligible to apply to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam upon completion of lower-level nursing courses and is prepared to enter professional practice settings such as hospitals, long-term care facilities, physicians’ offices, and community settings. The course of study includes 27 credit hours in liberal arts and sciences and 33 credit hours in lower-level nursing. Students who wish to earn the BSN can be admitted to the BSN and begin coursework in the program before completion of the AAS for a seamless transition.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program begins with campus and clinical-based coursework concentrating on essential nursing skills and concludes in an online setting with the option of working full-time as a registered nurse. The goal is to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and have one year of work experience as a registered nurse. The UA Little Rock BSN program differs from traditional BSN programs as it combines the core competencies of the registered nurse with online courses focused on research, community health, and leadership that are necessary for career and academic progression.

Students will progress through lower-level nursing courses while completing core courses required for the BSN. Upon satisfactory completion of lower-level nursing courses, students will graduate with an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing and be eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN State Board Exam. The final 34 credits are taught online with students having the option of working as registered nurses.

Post-licensure Option

Bachelor of Science in Nursing: Online RN to BSN Completion

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Completion Option offers students who already hold an RN license an avenue to pursue a BSN. It is available as an online program. The course of study contains 53 core credit hours, which include the UA Little Rock CORE; and 34 credit hours of upper-level nursing coursework. All courses required for this program are offered on the online campus. Students who meet admissions requirements are eligible to complete this program in 12- or 18-month formats.

Background Check/Drug Screening

Students who are considering a career in nursing should be aware that Arkansas law requires applicants for initial licensure to submit a state and federal criminal background check. If an applicant has pleaded guilty, nolo contendere to, or been found guilty of any offense listed in ACA §17-3-102, he/she is not eligible for Arkansas licensure. ACA §17-3-102 provides an opportunity to request a waiver of eligibility criteria related to a criminal background in certain circumstances. For details refer to the Arkansas State Board of Nursing information on Criminal Background Checks. The School of Nursing requires a state/national criminal background check and drug screening on all students upon admission and annually. Results may prohibit entry and/or progression in the program. Clinical agencies used for nursing clinicals may require additional criminal background checks, scheduled drug screening, and/or random drug screens for nursing students. Results of agency screening may prohibit participation in clinicals. If a student is not eligible to participate in any clinical experience due to criminal background check results, the student will be required to withdraw from the program. Students who are prohibited for any reason by clinical affiliates from participating in clinicals are not eligible to continue in the nursing program unless clinical reassignment is an option. Clinical reassignment will be based on available space and facility acceptance.

Admissions: New, Continuing, and Transfer Students

Requirements for Traditional RN Option for Associate of Applied Science in Nursing and Bachelor of Science in Nursing

To be admitted students must:

1. Be admitted to UA Little Rock with regular or conditional admission status and maintain a 2.0 GPA at UA Little Rock. Transfer students currently enrolled in other universities at the time of application will be considered for admission into the nursing program if the following documents are on file in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions:
   • Completed UA Little Rock application form
   • Valid ACT or SAT scores completed high school transcript or GED scores, and official college transcripts through the previous fall semester
   • Required immunization records.
2. Obtain application advice from the School of Nursing before applying.
3. Have completed  MATH 1302 , RHET 1311   or their equivalents, and 4 credit hours of Anatomy and Physiology, either BIOL 1433   - Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology or BIOL 1411   - Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology I or BIOL 1412  - Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology II. If a student has completed BIOL 1411 - Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology I by the time they apply for admission, BIOL 1412 - Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology II must be completed by the end of the fall semester following their admission into the program. If a student has completed BIOL 1412 - Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology II by the time they apply for admission, BIOL 1411 - Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology I must be completed by the end of the fall semester following their admission into the program. A three-hour course will not meet this requirement
4. Have a minimum cumulative UA Little Rock GPA of 2.0, and a minimum GPA of 2.6 in required core courses (detailed below); GPA in required core courses is based solely on the courses completed at the time of application.
5. Submit a completed School of Nursing Application Form between December 15 and January 31. Submit all college/university transcripts and scores for credit by examination in required core courses to UA Little Rock Office of Admissions.

Students will be accepted from this pool of applicants and will be ranked by the required core course GPA. Seating is limited for the Traditional RN Option. Admission preference is given to first-time freshmen students and students who have met ALL admission requirements by the end of the fall semester preceding the start of the application period. Additionally, preference is given to students who have not repeated, withdrawn, or failed required Core Courses.

Students who are offered acceptance into the Traditional RN Option will initially be conditionally admitted to the nursing program. Upon completion of the following, students will be officially admitted to the nursing program:

• Submission of required documents by designated date (specified on letter of conditional admission)
• Maintenance of required GPA (required core course(s) and UA Little Rock.
• Attendance at the scheduled School of Nursing orientation session 

Students will receive information regarding the Accelerated Traditional RN Option in the first spring semester of the program. Students who are interested in the Accelerated Option must have all AAS-required core courses (detailed below) completed by the end of the first spring semester of the program. Students who are interested and have met all requirements will be offered placement based on GPA and program seat availability.

Students have the option of continuing into upper-level BSN coursework upon successful completion of NURS 2550  and NURS 2250 .

Requirements for LPN/Paramedic-to-RN Option for Associate of Applied Science in Nursing and Bachelor of Science in Nursing

To be admitted, LPNs/LPTNs must:

• Have completed by the time of application MATH 1321  or MATH 1302 , RHET 1311 , RHET 1312 , PSYC 2300  or SOCI 2300 , and BIOL 1411 /1412  or  1433  (or their equivalents for transfer students. Successful completion of one of the following: CHEM 1405 - Fundamentals of GOB Chemistry  or its equivalent or a higher-level chemistry course (excludes CHEM 1409 - Chemistry and Society ),  BIOL 2401 - Microbiology , or US History core requirement.
• Be a graduate of a state board of nursing-approved LPN or LPTN program. Have a current, unencumbered LPN or LPTN license in the State of Arkansas or mutual recognition licensure recognized by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing Nurse License Compact, and
• Have proof of active employment (minimum of 1,000 hours) as an LPN/LPTN over the last 2 years. Volunteer work is not considered active employment. Submit an employment verification letter with the application. Employment verification letter must be on official letterhead. It must include either the number of hours worked by the applicant OR a statement that the applicant has worked a minimum of 1,000 hours over the past 24 months. Applicants who work as an LPN or LPTN in more than one facility may submit more than one employment verification letter if all worked hours total a minimum of 1,000 hours over the past 24 months.

OR

• Completed the AAS core course requirements listed above.
• A new LPN/LPTN graduate who has the authorization to test for LPN licensure is eligible for conditional admission to the LPN/Paramedic-to-RN transition option. After completing the NCLEX-PN will be eligible for admission into the LPN/Paramedic-to-RN transition option. LPN or LPTN licensure must be obtained before entering nursing courses with a clinical component.
• Meet advanced placement testing and work experience requirements: Less than 12 months after LPN/LPTN graduation: No testing required for admission to the LPN/Paramedic-to-RN transition option.
• Greater than 12 months after LPN/LPTN graduation: No entry testing is required if during the past 24 months have had at least 1,000 hours of nursing employment. Employment verification letters must be provided with the application. LPN/LPTNs who graduated greater than 12 months and who have not had at least 1,000 hours of nursing employment must complete the Elsevier HESI LPN-ADN Entrance Exam. Exam results will show areas of weakness as remediation materials. LPNs/LPTNs are strongly encouraged to complete all remediation materials to improve their chances of success in the nursing program.

To be admitted, Paramedics must:

• Have completed by the time of application MATH 1321  or MATH 1302 , RHET 1311 , RHET 1312 , PSYC 2300  or SOCI 2300 , and BIOL 1411 /1412  or  1433  (or their equivalents for transfer students. Successful completion of one of the following: CHEM 1405 - Fundamentals of GOB Chemistry  or its equivalent or a higher level chemistry course (excludes CHEM 1409 - Chemistry and Society ),  BIOL 2401 - Microbiology , or US History core requirement.
• Be a graduate of a paramedic program affiliated with an accredited college or university.
• Hold current certification from the Arkansas Department of Health as an Arkansas Paramedic and be currently registered as a paramedic with the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.
• Have proof of active employment as a paramedic for a minimum of 1,000 hours over the last 24 months. Volunteer work is not considered active employment. Submit employment verification with the application. The employment verification letter must be on official letterhead. It must include either the number of hours worked by the applicant OR a statement that the applicant has worked a minimum of 1,000 hours over the past 24 months. Applicants who work as a Paramedic for more than one entity may submit more than one employment verification letter if all worked hours total a minimum of 1,000 hours over the past 24 months.
• Paramedics who do not have proof of a minimum of 1000 hours of active employment over the last 24 months must complete the Elsevier HESI EMS-ADN Entrance Exam. Exam results will show areas of weakness as remediation materials. Paramedics are strongly encouraged to complete all remediation materials to improve their chances of success in the nursing program.

Students who are offered acceptance into the LPN/Paramedic-to-RN transition option will initially be conditionally admitted to the nursing program. Upon completion of the following, students will be officially admitted to the nursing program:

• Submission of required documents by designated date (specified on letter of conditional admission)
• Maintenance of required GPA (required core course(s) and UA Little Rock.
• Attendance at the scheduled School of Nursing orientation session
• Students have the option of continuing into upper-level BSN coursework upon successful completion of NURS 2550 and NURS 2250.

To be admitted as a Transfer Student:

• Students previously enrolled in another nursing program must forward a letter requesting a transfer and attach copies of all college/university transcripts. Letters and transcripts should be sent to the school’s chairperson.
• Students who are requesting a transfer from another nursing program are also required to provide a letter of eligibility to re-enter their previous nursing program to be eligible for consideration for entry into the UA Little Rock nursing program.
• If a student has failed a nursing course the transfer request is classified as an academic re-entry request and re-entry policies apply. Students who have failed or withdrawn from more than one nursing course are not eligible for consideration for entry into the UA Little Rock nursing program.

Transfer equivalency information for required core courses is available on the Arkansas Department of Higher Education website. The transfer student is responsible for confirming that transfer courses are equivalent to the required core courses.

Program Progression Requirements

Initial Licensure and LPN/Paramedic-to-RN Options (Associate of Applied Science and Bachelor of Science in Nursing)

To progress beyond NURS 1202 , students must successfully pass the NURS 1202  course and complete the following requirements:

• Submission of required documents by designated date (specified on letter of acceptance)
• Complete the required criminal background check and have no records of crimes that prohibit licensure as a registered nurse or prohibit attending clinicals at any of the facilities with whom the School of Nursing has an affiliation agreement.
• Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 on all work attempted at the UA Little Rock.

Students have the option of continuing into upper-level BSN coursework upon successful completion of NURS 2550  and NURS 2250 .

LPN/Paramedic-to-RN transition option students initially enroll in NURS 1130 - Transition to RN Scope & Role  & NURS 1330 - Concepts of Adult Nursing , which prepares them for their role as a registered nurse (RN). Upon completion of the AAS program, students are awarded 10 credit hours in nursing for NURS 1200, NURS 1202, NURS 1310, and NURS 1320. Students enter in May and complete the program the following May.

Completion of the Associate of Applied Science degree in nursing requires a minimum grade of C in all courses. Upon completion of all AAS-required courses, students can apply to sit for NCLEX-RN state board exams. Students must apply for reentry if they withdraw or do not earn a C or higher in any nursing course. The Reentry Committee will review applicants for reentry and accept students based on clinical space availability. Students are allowed one re-entry per three (3) years.

Completion of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing requires a minimum grade of C in all required courses. Students must progress through all lower-level nursing courses with a C or better. It is recommended that students complete lower- and upper-level core coursework while completing lower-level nursing courses to graduate within four years. Students must complete NURS 2550  and NURS 2250  to progress into upper-level nursing courses. Students will be eligible to graduate with an associate of applied science in nursing and apply to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam upon completion of lower-level nursing courses. Students must hold a valid, unencumbered RN license before enrollment in some upper-level nursing courses. A minimum UA Little Rock cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 on all work attempted at the University must be maintained. Students must complete upper-level nursing courses within 3 years of enrollment into NURS 3310 .

Traditional RN Option and Accelerated Traditional RN Options

LPN/Paramedic-to-RN Transition Option

Programs

• Nursing, LPN/Paramedic to RN Option, A.A.S
• Nursing, Traditional Option A.A.S.

• Nursing RN to BSN Completion, B.S.N.
• Nursing, B.S.N.