University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) · Edinburg, TX · school's own site (opens the school's website in a new tab)
Activelast verified Oct 2026
Prerequisites
The courses UTRGV says you need before you start, as published on its own pages. Credits, labs, and minimum grades are shown where the school states them.
- 01Anatomy & Physiology IAnatomy and Physiology I · BIOL 2401Application eligibility course; must be completed before the cycle closes. The roadmap lists it at 4 credits.
source · utrgv.edu
“BIOL 2401 Anatomy and Physiology I”
credits4min gradeC - 02Anatomy & Physiology IIAnatomy and Physiology II · BIOL 2402Application eligibility course; must be completed before the cycle closes.
source · utrgv.edu
“BIOL 2402 Anatomy and Physiology II”
credits4min gradeC - 03General ChemistryGeneral Chemistry I · CHEM 1311The separate lab, CHEM 1111, is also required.
source · utrgv.edu
“CHEM 1311 General Chemistry”
credits3labrequiredmin gradeC - 04General ChemistryGeneral Chemistry I Lab · CHEM 1111Application eligibility course.
source · utrgv.edu
“CHEM 1111 General Chemistry Lab”
labrequiredmin gradeC - 05MicrobiologyClinical Microbiology in Health Care · CLSC 2429Application eligibility course.
source · utrgv.edu
“CLSC 2429 Clinical Microbiology”
credits4min gradeC - 06StatisticsElementary Statistical Methods or Introduction to Biostatistics · MATH 1342 / MATH 1343Strategic course; application eligibility.
source · utrgv.edu
“MATH 1342 Elementary Statistical Methods or MATH 1343 Introduction to Biostatistics”
credits3labnomin gradeC - 07General PsychologyGeneral Psychology · PSYC 2301Strategic course; application eligibility.
source · utrgv.edu
“PSYC 2301 General Psychology”
credits3labnomin gradeC - 08Lifespan / Human Growth & DevelopmentPsychology of Lifespan · PSYC 2314Strategic course; application eligibility.
source · utrgv.edu
“PSYC 2314 Psychology of Lifespan”
credits3labnomin gradeC - 09SociologyIntroduction to Sociology or Introduction to Cultural Anthropology · SOCI 1301 / ANTH 2351Strategic course; application eligibility.
source · utrgv.edu
“SOCI 1301 or ANTH 2351 Introduction to Sociology”
credits3labnomin gradeC - 10English CompositionCommunication (010) core · ENGL 1301Part of the 63 hours required by admission.
source · utrgv.edu
“Option: ENGL 1301”
credits3labnomin gradeC - 11English CompositionCommunication (010) core, second course · ENGL 1302 / ENGL 1305Part of the 63 hours required by admission.
source · utrgv.edu
“Options: ENGL 1302 or ENGL 1305”
credits3labnomin gradeC - 12History / GovernmentU.S. History I · HIST 1301Part of the 63 hours required by admission.
source · utrgv.edu
“3B/E HIST 1301U.S. History I C060”
credits3labnomin gradeC - 13History / GovernmentU.S. History II · HIST 1302Part of the 63 hours required by admission.
source · utrgv.edu
“3B/EHIST 1302U.S History II C060”
credits3labnomin gradeC - 14History / GovernmentU.S. Federal Govt & Politics · POLS 2305Part of the 63 hours required by admission.
source · utrgv.edu
“3 B/E/OPOLS 2305U.S. Federal Govt & Politics C070”
credits3labnomin gradeC - 15History / GovernmentTexas Government & Politics · POLS 2306Part of the 63 hours required by admission.
source · utrgv.edu
“3 B/E/OPOLS 2306”
credits3labnomin gradeC - 16Humanities / Fine Arts / LiteratureCreative Arts (050) coreChoose 1; part of the 63 hours.
source · utrgv.edu
“Creative Arts”
credits3labnomin gradeC - 17Humanities / Fine Arts / LiteratureLanguage, Philosophy, Culture (040) coreChoose 1; part of the 63 hours.
source · utrgv.edu
“3 B/E/OChoose 1Language, Philosophy, Culture C040”
credits3labnomin gradeC - 18OtherIntegrative & Experiential (090) coreChoose 1; part of the 63 hours.
source · utrgv.edu
“3 B/E/OChoose 1Integrative & Experiential C090”
credits3labnomin gradeC - 19Medical TerminologyMedical Terminology · HRPT 2303Part of the 63 hours required by admission.
source · utrgv.edu
“3B/OHRPT 2303Medical TerminologyC”
credits3labnomin gradeC - 20NutritionIntroduction to Clinical Nutrition · NUTR 2351Part of the 63 hours required by admission.
source · utrgv.edu
“3ONUTR 2351Introduction to Clinical NutritionC”
credits3labnomin gradeC - 21OtherFree Elective · 12XX-42XXPart of the 63 hours required by admission.
source · utrgv.edu
“2 B/E/O12XX-42XXFree ElectiveC”
credits2labnomin gradeC
Minimum prerequisite grade
C
All 63 required hours must also be passed with a C or higher.
source · utrgv.edu
“I completed all the following required application criteria courses with a minimum grade of C.”
Courses in progress
The 9 ranked eligibility courses must be finished before the cycle closes; the remaining 63-hour courses may be finished before admission
A courtesy secondary review of eligibility courses finished before the committee meets may be given, but it is not guaranteed.
source · utrgv.edu
“All the following courses must be completed before the application cycle closes. These are the required application eligibility courses.”
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
Do prerequisites expire?
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
GPA and grades
Overall GPA for admission
Overall GPA is not considered; a 3.0 GPA is required across the 63 required prerequisite hours
The 3.0 minimum applies to the prerequisite/core courses only.
source · utrgv.edu
“I understand that a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA is required for the BSN prerequisite courses for admission to the program and that SON does not utilize or consider an overall GPA.”
Science GPA
No separate minimum is stated; science GPA (A&P I/II, General Chemistry + lab, Clinical Microbiology) is 40% of the rank score
Strategic course GPA counts 20% of the rank score.
source · utrgv.edu
“A. GPA for Science Courses - 40%”
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
Is there an entrance exam?
Entrance exam
HESI A2 with Critical Thinking: 75 minimum on each required component and 750 on Critical Thinking
Cumulative score has no minimum but counts 20% of rank; Critical Thinking counts 20%.
source · utrgv.edu
“The HESI A2 Examination is required for all ABSN and Generic BSN applicants.”
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
Where can courses be taken?
Credit by exam
Accepted if evaluated by UTRGV Undergraduate Admissions before the closing deadline and shown on an official transcript
No cap on credit-by-exam credits is stated.
source · utrgv.edu
“I understand that UTRGV Undergraduate Admissions must evaluate my Credit by Exam credits or scores.”
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
Application deadlines and start dates
Upcoming cycles UTRGV publishes. A date without a year on the school's page is noted rather than guessed.
No upcoming application dates published. Confirm with the school.
Application system
NursingCAS, plus a separate UTRGV application via ApplyTexas.org
source · utrgv.edu
“One application is for the School of Nursing via NursingCAS.”
NursingCAS verification deadline
Verified status is required by the closing deadline or within the 14-business-day grace period
source · utrgv.edu
“All applicants must ensure their Verified status is received by this deadline or within the 14 business days grace period after the application cycle closes. Additional extensions are not provided.”
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Cost
Tuition and fees as the school publishes them. Living costs vary; the source link has the full table.
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
Other requirements
What the school asks for beyond courses and scores.
Prior degree
Non-nursing bachelor's degree or higher, held by the program start date
source · utrgv.edu
“Important: Applicants with a bachelor's degree or who will have one by the program start date should apply the the ABSN (2nd degree BSN) program.”
References
Not used or required
source · utrgv.edu
“I understand that the NursingCAS "Supporting Information" section with achievements, licenses, references, and similar items is not utilized or required, and applicants are to skip that section for this application.”
UTRGV admission required
Must apply via ApplyTexas and be accepted to UTRGV by the nursing closing deadline
source · utrgv.edu
“All applicants must submit all official transcripts to Undergraduate Admissions and be accepted to UTRGV by the program's application closing deadline, or their application will be incomplete and not considered.”
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
Good to know
What the school says about the program that is not a requirement: how it selects, how many it admits, what to expect.
Format
In person: face-to-face classes, campus labs and hospital clinicals
The 2026-2027 roadmap lists some nursing courses (e.g., NURS 3101, 3202, 3203, 4101, 4203, 4302, 4306) with campus code 'O' (offered online).
source · utrgv.edu
“The accelerated 15-month program has classes with face-to-face classroom instruction, campus labs, and in-hospital clinical labs.”
Start terms
The roadmap is laid out for a Fall start; it notes that some students start in other terms
The specific second-degree start terms are not stated. The generic BSN starts each Spring and Fall.
source · utrgv.edu
“Students starting in a term other than the Fall will still begin the Nursing Program with the first-semester courses outlined under the Fall term.”
Ranking formula
Science GPA 40%, strategic course GPA 20%, HESI cumulative score 20%, HESI Critical Thinking 20%
source · utrgv.edu
“Students will be evaluated for admission based on space availability after being rank-ordered using the total points obtained from the following criteria:”
Enrollment
Continuous enrollment, including summers
source · utrgv.edu
“Continuous enrollment is required, and 2nd Degree BSN students must attend the summer session(s) until graduation.”
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
Sources
Every page we read for UTRGV, with when we last checked it. Tier 1 is the program's own pages; tier 2 the nursing school's general pages; tier 3 university-wide pages.
- BSN Program Overview, Application Eligibility and Admission Requirements | UTRGVtier 1 · program page · checked Oct 15, 2026
- When and How to Apply | UTRGVtier 1 · how to apply · checked Oct 15, 2026
- HESI Requirements and Information | UTRGVtier 2 · how to apply · checked Oct 15, 2026
- Student Policies | UTRGVtier 3 · policy · checked Oct 15, 2026
- Frequently Asked Questions | UTRGVtier 2 · faq · checked Oct 15, 2026
- Catalogs | UTRGVtier 3 · catalog · checked Oct 15, 2026
- https://www.utrgv.edu/_files/documents/required/sb18-implementationreport-utrgv.pdftier 1 · pdf · checked Oct 15, 2026
- https://www.utrgv.edu/hop/policies/adm-03-300.pdftier 1 · pdf · checked Oct 15, 2026PDF text truncated (48 pages)
- https://www.utrgv.edu/advising/_files/documents/roadmaps/2627/e-26-27-nursing-bsn-second-degree.pdftier 1 · pdf · checked Oct 15, 2026
- https://www.utrgv.edu/nursing/_files/documents/bsn-2nd-degree-and-generic-application-checklist-9.25.252.pdftier 1 · pdf · checked Oct 15, 2026
- How Generic and 2nd Degree BSN Applicants are Ranked | UTRGVtier 1 · catalog · checked Oct 15, 2026
Open questions we're still checking
- No application cycle dates (opening, deadline, or start) are printed on the provided pages.
- The specific start terms for the second-degree program are not stated; the roadmap only implies non-Fall starts are possible.
- The program page describes face-to-face instruction, but the roadmap lists several NURS courses as online ('O'). The format may actually be partly hybrid.
- Tuition and application fee for the second-degree BSN are not published on these pages.
- No application open/close dates or start dates are published on these pages.
- The 2nd-degree start terms are not stated (the roadmap implies non-Fall starts are possible).
- The online checklist is dated 9/11/2027 while the NursingCAS checklist says 9/11/2026; the dates may be typos.
- It is unclear whether a prior bachelor's degree satisfies the Texas core courses in the 63-hour roadmap.
- Tuition for the 2nd-degree program is not published.
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ABSNcheck summarizes requirements that schools publish on their own websites, with a link to each source and the date we last verified it. Schools change requirements, sometimes contradict themselves, and make individual decisions. Results show whether you meet published minimums; they are not an admission decision or a guarantee, and are not official advice from any school. Always confirm requirements with each program before you apply or enroll in a course.
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