Regardless of where you go to nursing school, you will need to complete your general education requirements in conjunction with your nursing degree courses. This is true for both an associate and a bachelor's degree, both of which can lead to a license to practice as a registered nurse (RN). General education classes may vary somewhat by institution, but many of the core courses will be similar. You can expect to complete courses in English composition, general psychology, speech and communication, chemistry and biology. Most nursing programs will require that you take anatomy and physiology along with organic chemistry prior to taking any nursing classes. Some nursing programs even require that you maintain a minimum GPA in these classes before they will formally accept you to the nursing school.
Once you have formally been admitted to a nursing program, you can begin to take the courses necessary to qualify you to work as an RN. These core nursing courses generally introduce you to basic concepts in nursing, such as nursing theory, basic aspects of nursing practice, and patient care. In addition to these types of courses, undergraduate programs in nursing also require you to take more advanced science courses that pertain to the nursing field. Courses can include areas of study such as epidemiology, pathophysiology, human development and growth and pharmacology.
Some registered nurses go on to pursue master's degrees so that they can specialize in a particular area of nursing practice. Courses required for these master's degree programs can vary based on the area of specialization. Most master's degree programs in nursing will require you to take courses in biostatistics, nursing leadership and nursing research. Specialization courses usually include various areas of study in fields like gerontology, pediatric nursing, mental health nursing and nursing leadership or administration.