Pre-nursing Program
Western Oregon University

The Pre-nursing Program at Western Oregon University provides students with the opportunity to complete pre-requisite coursework necessary for entrance into a Bachelor of Science degree program in nursing. The WOU pre-nursing program is a two-year program (~ 90 credit hours) with students applying to nursing schools during their second year. Once accepted into a nursing school, students typically spend two or three additional years completing the requirements necessary for a Bachelor of Science degree in the field of nursing.

Western Oregon University provides its approximately 4500 students with all the benefits of a small to mid-size liberal arts university. The academic year is divided into three quarters with additional courses available during the summer. Courses, including laboratories, are taught primarily by faculty holding terminal degrees (e.g., Ph.D.) and recognized both locally and nationally for high quality instruction, research, and public service. Class sizes are kept small (average ~ 24 students / class) allowing for close faculty / student interactions not observed at larger institutions.

The pre-nursing program at Western Oregon University is primarily designed for entrance into the major nursing programs in the state of Oregon. Below is a list of the Oregon-based nursing programs into which WOU pre-nursing students have applied and successfully transferred:

Although a majority of WOU pre-nursing students do transfer to Oregon-based nursing programs, our program is not limited to preparing students only for Oregon nursing schools. Graduates from our program have successfully gained admittance to nursing schools as far away as North Carolina and Hawaii.

The courses taken by pre-nursing students at WOU are a blend of the life sciences (e.g., biology) and liberal arts studies (e.g., literature). Most nursing programs in Oregon, and across the country, require similar pre-requisites. Following is an example of a two-year schedule for a pre-nursing student interested in applying to the nursing programs in Oregon:

It is important for students to carefully plan their course of study in the pre-nursing program. Some courses in the program require pre-requisites before they can be taken. To assist students at Western Oregon University in minimizing the time necessary to complete their coursework for application to nursing schools, a pre-nursing advisor works closely with students, meeting with each student a minimum of once each quarter.

"REAL-WORLD" EXPERIENCE

Over the last decade, nursing programs have shown an increased reliance on an applicant's extracurricular experience in the field of nursing when making final decisions on which students will be accepted into the various programs. For this reason, we strongly encourage students in the WOU pre-nursing program to seek out such opportunities during their tenure at WOU. These opportunites include job-shadowing, volunteering at a hospital / medical clinic, or becoming a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA). CNAs are able to gain valuable experience while receiving pay for their activities, a great option for those students who need to financially support their undergraduate education. CNA training programs in Oregon can be found at the following link - Oregon CNA Training Programs.

Please do not hesitate to contact the pre-nursing advisor at Western Oregon University if you have questions or would like more information about our pre-nursing program:

Pre-nursing Advisor:
Phone:
E-mail:

Michael P. LeMaster, Ph.D.
(503) 838 - 8136
lemastm@wou.edu

Additional information about Western Oregon University, including the scheduling of campus tours and receiving application materials, can be obtained by contacting the WOU admissions office ((503) 838 - 8211; wolfgram@wou.edu) or by visiting the Western Oregon University web-site at www.wou.edu.

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Last Updated: July 31, 2009

Michael P. LeMaster, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biology
Western Oregon University