Prerequisites / GE Requirements
Nursing Program Prerequisites
All prerequisites must be completed with a grade of C or better before you can apply to the Nursing program.
ADN Prerequisites taken prior to Application. Courses must be completed and posted on transcripts, NOT IN PROGRESS at time of application.
| Course | Units | Prerequisite |
|---|---|---|
| Communication 101 - Public Speaking | 3 | None |
| English 101 - College Reading and Composition | 3 | None |
| Psychology 1 - Introductory Psychology | 3 | None |
| Psychology 41 - Lifespan Psychology: From infancy to old age | 3 | None |
| Math 227 - Statistics (or transfer level math) | 3 | None |
| Sociology 1 - Introduction to Sociology | 3 | None |
| CORE SCIENCE COURSES | ||
|
Microbiology 1 - Introductory Microbiology
OR [Select ONE Option]
Microbiology 20 - General Microbiology |
5
4 |
Prerequisite - Chemistry 51
Prerequisite - Bio 3/5 & Chemistry 51 |
| AND | ||
|
Anatomy 1 (Introduction to Human Anatomy) & Physiology 1 (Introduction to Human Physiology)
OR [Select ONE Option]
Biology 20 (Human Anatomy and Physiology) |
4
4
8 |
Prerequisite - Bio 3 or Bio 5
Prerequisite - Anatomy 1
Prerequisite - Bio 3 or Bio 5 |
Prerequisite Criteria
- Completion of prerequisite courses: see course list above. Courses must be completed and posted on transcripts, NOT in progress at time of application.
- Overall cumulative 2.5 GPA: In all general education college courses required and applicable to the Associate Degree in Science (graduation requirements) with a major in Nursing; and a 2.5 in designated sciences, Anatomy, Physiology, Biology 20 and Microbiology with not more than one repeat in any of these science courses, including “W’s” (withdrawals).
- Candidates who meet the prerequisite criteria may submit applications:
- January 15th through February 15th for the Fall candidate pool;
- July 15th through August 15th for the Spring candidate pool of the following year.
Official Documentation
- U.S. High School Graduation diploma or its equivalent –
- If you have a High School diploma, submit your official high school transcripts.
- If you didn’t graduate from high school, you can meet this requirement by having taken the GED test, or the California High School Proficiency Examination. Submit your official transcripts.
- A degree from a U.S. college or university may also meet this requirement. You must submit official college or university transcripts.
- Official Transcripts showing completion of prerequisite courses – these prerequisites are listed above in the Nursing Program Prerequisites section.
ALL transcripts must be submitted with the Nursing application. Please DO NOT mail transcripts to the Admissions Office.
LACCD-GE: Associate Degree General Education Requirements
CSU-California State University General Education Requirements
IGETC-Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum Requirements
Health & Other Requirements
If you have been officially accepted to the RN program, you must attend a mandatory New Student Orientation. During this orientation, you will learn about all of the program requirements, such as official transcript submission, personal background checks and the different health requirements needed, and we’ll also review LASC’s student support services. Since you must be in adequate health to perform the duties of a nurse, you are required to have a physical examination.
All health requirements must be submitted to your CastleBranch account by the deadline (this information is usually given an acceptance email/letter). If you do not meet this requirement by the deadline, your seat will be forfeited and you will not be allowed to continue in the program. You’ll receive detailed information about this at the New Student Orientation.
During clinical rotations, you will perform activities that involve direct contact with the potential to be exposed to blood or bodily fluids. To maintain a safe clinical environment and be able to safely participate in any clinical activities, you must meet the ADN Program health requirement. As part of your application, you must submit the following health requirement to your CastleBranch account.
It is important to begin working on your health record requirements as soon as possible. Depending on your immunity status to each disease and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guidelines, it can take up to 2 months to meet compliance.
Positive Surface Antibody Titers
You must submit proof of a positive surface antibody titer for each of the following:
- Hepatitis B (Quantitative anti-HBs)
- Mumps (Quantitative IgG)
- Measles / Rubeola (Quantitative IgG)
- Rubella (Quantitative IgG)
- Varicella (Quantitative IgG)
A surface antibody titer is a lab test that is conducted on a sample of your blood. The purpose of the test is to determine if you have immunity to a specific disease after the vaccination series.
Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis Vaccination
You must submit proof of the following:
A Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (TDap) vaccine administered within the last 10 years
CPR & First Aid Certification
You must submit proof that you have a CPR & First Aid certification that meets the following requirement:
- Issued by the American Heart Association
- A card issued by any other organization will NOT be accepted
- Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers
CastleBranch Registration
All Health record requirements must be submitted to your CastleBranch account by the given deadline. If you do not meet this requirement by the deadline, your seat will be forfeited and will not be allowed to continue in the program.
As part of your application you are required to purchase a health requirement tracker from CastleBranch, a document tracking service, and submit your health requirements electronically through your CastleBranch account. Hard-copy health records are NOT accepted.
Learn how to use your CastleBranch account at https://discover.castlebranch.com.
CastleBranch Health Requirement Tracker – Account Setup
Follow the directions below to create your account and purchase your tracker as directed by the nursing office:
- Go to: www.castlebranch.com
- On the top menu at the right, select Place Order
- Type in the LASC Package code: This will be provided upon admittance
- Select Submit
- Read and agree to the terms and conditions of use
- Select Continue
- Complete the required fields and purchase your tracker
If you have any issues contact CastleBranch by clicking I Need Student Support. If your issue is not resolved you can contact the Nursing Office front desk at (323) 241-5461.
Liability Insurance
You are required to carry liability insurance and will need to show proof of this before you can take part in the clinical portion of all the clinical nursing courses. We will give you the application for liability insurance during the New Student Orientation.
Criminal Background Check
You will need to complete a criminal background check from CastleBranch once you have been admitted into the Nursing program. If you have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, it could affect your eligibility for getting your California state nursing license. If you have any questions about this, you will need to contact the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) before you start the Nursing program.