Pre-Nursing

Pre-Nursing at a Glance

Beginning in the Fall 2025 semester, Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston will offer up to 27 hours of nursing science prerequisites for students seeking a BSN. Students who earn a grade of “B” or better in each required science course in the Pre-Nursing pathway will be eligible to apply for direct admission to the accelerated Pacesetter BSN program without taking nursing school entrance exams.*

Prerequisites for Pre-Nursing

As a leading health science center, UTHealth Houston offers curriculum focused on preparing the next generation of health professionals. Students admitted to our undergraduate programs must complete several freshman- and sophomore-level courses at other institutions before admission to UTHealth Houston.  

Prior to admission to the pre-nursing pathway at Cizik School of Nursing, students must complete at least 24-30 hours of general education courses at another institution, including 13 hours in these specific subjects:

• English (6 hours)
• General Chemistry with labs (4 hours)
• Introduction to Psychology (3 hours)

A grade of “B” or better in the courses listed are required for admission to the pre-nursing pathway, as well as a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in all prerequisite courses, and a grade of “C” or better in each prerequisite taken at accredited higher education institutions. Applicants must be TSI (Texas Success Initiative) complete.

To plan which additional courses to take before applying to the Pre-Nursing pathway, please review the 60 hours of prerequisites that are required for admission to the Pacesetter BSN program.  

Learn more about pre-requisites for the Pre-nursing pathway.

^*Students who complete Cizik School of Nursing’s Pre-nursing curriculum with a GPA lower than 3.0 are not eligible for direct admission. They may apply through the regular admissions process to the Pacesetter BSN program. Admission requirements are here.

Pre-Nursing Curriculum

• Semester 1

  Course	Credit hours
  Human Anatomy & Physiology I	4 credit hours
  Introduction to Statistics	3 credit hours
  Human Growth and Development across the Lifespan	3 credit hours
  Communication in Health Care Settings (elective)	3 credit hours

• Semester 2

  Course

  Credit hours

  Human Anatomy & Physiology II	4 credit hours
  Introduction to Nutrition	3 credit hours
  Ethics	3 credit hours
  Microbiology for Science Majors	4 credit hours
  TOTAL	24 or 27 (with elective) credit hours