Prepare for a rewarding career at the forefront of health care with an associate degree in pre-nursing from Dean College.

Program Overview

If you are interested in entering a four-year program in nursing then the Pre-Nursing program is for you! This associate degree is designed to provide you with the foundation of coursework in sciences and liberal arts. Students choosing this major will have opportunities to transfer into numerous nursing programs. If you are intending to major in Pre-Nursing, it is required that you have a strong science background and a recommended high school cumulative 3.000 Grade Point Average (GPA) based on core academic courses. 

Associates Degree 

Through the course of study in the Associate Degree in Pre-Nursing, you will be provided the opportunity to learn how to explain physiological functions of human body organ systems, homeostasis and disorders resulting from homeostatic imbalances, infection and environmental influences. You will also be able to recognize principles of general chemistry, including chemical bonding and structure, atomic theory, equilibrium, acids and bases, radioactivity, organic nomenclature, properties and reactions of functional groups and the role of biological molecules in the human body.

Request Information 

Request more information about the Associates Degree in Pre-Nursing. 

Courses 

Below you will find a table of course numbers, course names and the credits required to earn an Associate Degree in Pre-Nursing.

Course Number  Course Name  Credit Required Total Credits 
ENG 111 Composition I 3  
ENG 112 Composition II  3  
SPC 101 Communication Fundamentals  3  
Core Distribution  Mathematics Elective  3  
Core Distribution  Arts Elective  3  
Core Distribution  Humanities Elective  3  
Core Distribution  Natural Sciences and Mathematics Elective 3  
BIO 171  Anatomy and Physiology I  4  
SOC 113 Introduction to Sociology  3  
  Total Core   28
HSCI 111 Introduction to Health Sciences  3  
BIO 172 Anatomy and Physiology II 4  
CHM 151 Chemistry I  4  
CHM 152 Chemistry II  4  
BIO 211 Microbiology  4  
SFL 234 Nutrition and Food Science 3  
PSY 202 Human Development  3  
MTH 130  Introductory to Statistics  3  
PHL 115 Ethics  3  
PSY 111 General Psychology  3  
  Total Major    34
       
  Total Credits    62

View the School of Continuing Studies Academic Catalog for more program information and requirements. 

Curriculum Overview 

Offering a blend of liberal arts and natural sciences, courses in the Health Sciences program are sequenced to provide you with prerequisite content requirements to prepare you for a smooth transition to a four-year program in many health-related fields either through a concentration in pre-nursing or general health with classes including anatomy, chemistry, microbiology, ethics and psychology. 

Skills Acquired 

As an Associate degree graduate, numerous opportunities await. You will have earned all prerequisite content requirements to prepare you for a smooth transition in programs such as nursing, health science, exercise physiology, health education, medical laboratory science, respiratory therapy or nutrition.  

Uniquely Dean 

  • Integrate theoretical learning with hands-on experience in the field.
  • Exposure to real-world learning opportunities. 
  • Hear from allied health practitioners who come to campus to share their experiences and offer career advice.