All nursing bachelor's programs require at least two semesters of anatomy and/or physiology, usually with labs. It is also typical to require up to three semesters of biology, including microbiology, introduction to psychology and developmental psychology, and up to three semesters of chemistry, often including organic chemistry and/or biochemistry. Some nursing schools require that you take introductory physics or show a high school equivalent.
Virtually all BSN programs require a statistics or biostatistics class. If you did not complete intermediate algebra in high school, you should reach that level before you take the statistics course.
Just about any BSN program you attend will require you to take two or three semesters of introductory nursing classes, which include nursing theory and professional issues, as well as one semester of basic nursing skills, often called health assessment. You will take at least one semester of pathophysiology or pathology, and you will probably also be required to take one or two semesters of health administration or nursing management. Commonly required courses also include one to three semesters of nursing research courses, one to three semesters of family care courses, two to three semesters of adult care courses and one or two semesters of community health or health promotion.
You will most likely have to perform an externship or field practice in a medical setting in order to fullfill requirements for the registered nurse license. The length of this field experience might depend on your previous experience as a licensed practical nurse, the nature of the externship and your state.
Each BSN program is unique and has its own set of additional requirements. For example, you might be required to take a course in mental health nursing, nutrition, vulnerable populations or pharmacology. None of those courses is unusual, but they are not required everywhere.
Less common courses you might have to pass include home health, dying with dignity, care of newborns, and public speaking. Your university might also require courses that fit with its mission, such as ethical or religious issues in health care, or international health issues.
Virtually all nursing schools have "breadth" requirements, which means you will have to take several courses outside the field of nursing. You will almost certainly have to take between one and three semesters of writing or communications. Additionally, you are likely to have to take two to four semesters of a foreign language and several semesters of electives such as history, art, sociology, anthropology, philosophy, music and the like. As many nursing schools have a Christian affiliation, you may have to take religion classes. Most universities also require all undergraduates to take one or two semesters of a physical education class.