Prerequisites

Nursing Prerequisite Requirements

Please see the Course Equivalency Chart for course transferability from other Washington State schools. For credits earned outside Washington State or courses not listed on the Course Equivalency Chart, please contact the nursing program office to obtain the proper waivers well in advance of applying to the nursing program.

Note: These courses have other prerequisites that cannot be waived, for example, CHEM& 100, PSYC& 100, BIOL& 160 and a possible Math or English series. Please work closely with the nursing advisor.

Nursing Program Prerequisite Changes Effective Fall 2027

Beginning with the Fall 2027 Nursing Program admission cycle, MATH& 146 (Introduction to Statistics) will be a required prerequisite course for all applicants. Applicants must complete MATH& 146 with a minimum grade of 3.0 (B) by the quarter in which they apply.

The Nursing Program will also implement limitations on prerequisite course retakes. Applicants may attempt each required prerequisite course a maximum of two times (one original attempt plus one retake) within the five years preceding the application deadline. For admission purposes, the Nursing Department will use the highest grade earned within that timeframe.

Minimum Qualifications (pre-Fall 2027)

• CHEM& 121 – Introduction to Chemistry (with lab)
• BIOL& 241 – Human A&P 1 (with lab)
• BIOL& 242 – Human A&P 2 (with lab)
• BIOL& 260 – Microbiology (with lab)
• ENGL& 101 – English Composition I
• PSYC& 200 – Lifespan Psychology

We no longer have an age out for required or extra point classes. Students are allowed as many retakes as necessary to meet the minimum grade of each course.

Applicants must earn a 3.0 (B) or better in each course.

An Associate Degree in Pre-Nursing/DTA is not required to apply to the Pierce College Nursing Program. The Pre-Nursing DTA does meet our academic coursework for prerequisites but contains some additional courses that are not on our required prerequisite list. The Associate Degree in Pre-Nursing does make a candidate eligible to apply to multiple colleges and universities in Washington State that offer nursing degrees.

Additional Application Points

Students who have taken the following prerequisite courses may be awarded 0.5 additional points on their application with a 3.2 - 3.7 grade in the course, or one additional point for grades above 3.7:

• BIOL& 241 – Human A&P 1
• BIOL& 242 – Human A&P 2
• BIOL& 260 – Microbiology

Next: Application Process