Program Description
Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU) has developed a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN) Program offering direct entry admission. The BSN curriculum includes 29 courses, totalling 121 credits. These courses include general education and pre-nursing courses, foundational nursing courses, and upper-level courses. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education are integrated throughout the curriculum (AACN, 2021).
Students complete general education and pre-nursing course requirements in the first year of the program.
The nursing curriculum plan for years two and three includes a progressive order of nursing course sequencing wherein competencies increase in complexity and build upon foundational concepts
The scaffolding of these courses is intentional and creates a strong infrastructure culminating in competent, entry-level nursing professionals prepared for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) and transition to clinical practice.
Mission
The Mission of the SON is to prepare ethical, compassionate, and culturally competent nursing professionals to impact the health of the communities we serve. SON provides students with high-quality interprofessional, innovative, and technology-driven global education. Our goal is to improve the health of vulnerable populations by practicing scientific, evidence-based clinical care and applying effective promotion, prevention, and intervention strategies.
Vision
The Nursing Program’s vision statement is future-oriented. It supports the Vision of PHSU by aspiring to be recognized for excellence and innovation in education, leadership, advocacy, research, and culturally competent nursing practice.
Values
Compassion
PHSU SON genuinely cares about others and raises relationships with empathy, dignity, and respect, promoting a caring environment in the healthcare system.
Diversity
PHSU SON promotes the representation of unique perspectives and supports an environment where unity and differences contribute to individuality.
Trust
PHSU SON promotes a respectful environment in and out of the classroom based on communication and mutual understanding, with confidentiality and respect for the students’ needs.
Ethics
PHSU SON mission reflects humanistic ideals and upholds everyone’s inherent dignity and worth.
Excellence
PHSU SON encourages the highest quality in everything our faculty, students, and staff do with a commitment to integrity.
Holism
PHSU SON has a holistic method of nursing education that sees the student as a whole and prepares the student to deal with the patient’s holistic needs.
Creativity
PHSU SON encourages the use of technological and evidence-based innovation.
Respect
PHSU SON encourages positive, productive, and professional relations and inspires individuals to speak differing viewpoints effectively and respectfully. Distinguish the range of perceptions and talents among students, faculty, staff, and our community.
Courage
PHSU SON promotes our faculty, students, and staff to challenge existing paradigms to advance health equity and achieve health justice.
Commitment
PHSU SON promotes public service and advocacy for the unprivileged communities and persons as a resource for personal, educational, cultural, and economic development in the advancement of a healthy environment.
Professionalism
PHSU SON promotes competency, systematic use of the nursing process, leadership, clinical judgment, and lifelong learning, leading to ethical, safe, quality patient care.
Philosophy
The Nursing Faculty and Administration support the Guiding Principles of PHSU. They are committed to supporting the core values of the Nursing Program as recommended by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) for Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice and the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics. Nursing education’s core values are based on science and the arts that support providing caring and compassionate patient-centered care. The baccalaureate graduate nurse is prepared to practice with patients, including individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations across the lifespan and the continuum of healthcare environments. The baccalaureate graduate understands and respects the variations of care, the increased complexity, and the increased use of healthcare resources inherent for patients.
The core values of the Nursing Program serve as the foundation of nursing practice at the BSN entry level and are applicable for advanced practice nursing as well. The “caritive values” that guided the curriculum development for the Nursing Program are based on the nursing theorist Jean Watson (2001). The following are the core values shared by the faculty:
- Caring
- Diversity
- Trust
- Ethics
- Excellence
- Holism
- Spirituality
- Evidenced-Based Decision-making
- Patient-Centeredness
- Transformative Power of Technology
- Willingness to Embrace Change
Nursing Program Graduate Competencies
The graduate competencies are individual graduate behaviors and are defined as program learning outcomes. These competencies align with the program’s mission and are consistent with relevant standards and guidelines for the preparation of nursing professionals. The graduate competencies are as follows:
- Integrate foundational, disciplinary, and nursing knowledge to support clinical judgment and professional nursing practice.
- Provide compassionate, person-centered, and culturally competent care to persons from diverse sociocultural backgrounds.
- Partner with stakeholders to promote equitable health outcomes throughout the healthcare delivery continuum.
- Utilize evidence-based knowledge to inform nursing practice and improve client outcomes.
- Integrate principles of quality and safety into nursing practice and resource coordination within complex health systems.
- Collaborate effectively with professional partners to provide team-based, person-centered care.
- Utilize health informatics and emerging technologies to enhance the delivery of nursing care.
- Foster a sustainable professional identity grounded in core nursing characteristics and values.
- Demonstrate a commitment to self-reflection and lifelong learning that advances personal, professional, and leadership growth.
Admission Requirements
Admissions Criteria
The following list outlines the specific criteria for acceptance and enrollment in the BSN program:
- Proof of citizenship i.e. birth certificate, certificate of naturalization, or alien registration card;
- Submission of official high school transcripts or General Equivalency Examination (GED);
- Final grade point average (GPA) 2.5 or higher;
- Satisfactory completion of all general education and pre-nursing courses (grade of C or better) prior to beginning nursing courses;
- * English proficiency test if applicable;
Additional requirements include:
- Submission of a criminal background check
- Registration with the Family Care Safety Registry
- Completion of a 16-panel urine drug screen
- Proof of current immunization status
- Basic life support certification
*English Second Language Students
- Students whose primary language is not English must pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination as an indicator of English proficiency. Acceptable scores are noted below:
- A minimum score of 85 is required on the internet-based test (IBT) with a score of 21 required on the reading section and a score of 23 required on the writing section.
- The score requirement for the computer-based test is 240, with a minimum score of 4.5 on the test of Written English.
- The score requirement for the paper-based test is 575
Conditional Admission
A holistic review is conducted for prospective students whose cumulative GPA is 2.40 to 2.49. Students must submit an essay that may include highlights of their work skills and volunteer experiences applicable to nursing, compassion for others and commitment to nursing. In addition, faculty will interview these prospective students to better understand their individual experiences and attributes as they relate to nursing. If a conditional admission is extended, the student must enroll in general education and core courses and achieve a minimum GPA of 2.50. A conditional admission is generally granted for the first trimester only. If the student successfully completes the conditional admission requirements, the student will be granted regular admission status.
Graduation Requirements
To receive a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing, every student must fulfill the following requirements:
- Have completed all coursework and clinical requirements.
- Have met all the requirements for satisfactory academic progress.
- Have settled all financial and library obligations with PHSU.
Grading System
The nursing program defines grades of nursing and support courses based on the following system:
| Percentage |
Grade |
Honor Points |
| 100-94 |
A |
4 |
| 89-80 |
B |
3 |
| 79-70 |
C |
2 |
| 69-60 |
D |
1 |
| 59-0 |
F |
0 |
| W |
Withdrawal |
|
| AW |
Administrative Withdrawal |
|
| I |
Incomplete |
|
| IP |
In Progress |
|
| P |
Pass |
|
| NP |
Not Pass |
|
To remain in good academic standing and progress in the program, students must achieve a 78% or higher score in all courses and maintain a 2.5 GPA. Failure to meet this benchmark will result in academic probation and/or dismissal from the program.
General Requirements
A nursing student will be allowed a maximum time frame of two years of enrollment beyond the standard of three years required to complete the program. Summer enrollment is considered part of the academic year for this measure.
To ensure that a student is making sufficient academic progress to meet the maximum timeframe requirement, the student must complete 67% of all credits attempted. Development and skill courses are included in the timeframe calculation but not in the rate of progress calculation.
This policy also ensures that the Student Financial Aid requirements set forth by federal regulations have been met. The SAP applies to all nursing students enrolled in Ponce Health Sciences University School of Nursing. A student’s academic progress is evaluated each quarter of the academic year.
Time Frame for Completion of the Academic Program
| Program |
Standard |
Maximum |
| Bachelor of Science in Nursing |
3 Years |
5 Years |
Classification of Nursing Students
Nursing students at PHSU are classified for financial aid purposes as follows:
- Full-time student - student enrolled in 12 or more credits/quarter.
- Half-time student - student enrolled in 6 to 8 credits per quarter.
- Part-time student -student enrolled in less than 6 credits per quarter.
Course Requirement
Students must complete all courses within the established time frame.
Professional Behavior Requirement
The students must conduct themselves according to the norms for professional conduct set forth by Ponce Health Sciences University and the corresponding accreditation agencies.
Grade Requirements
To remain in good academic standing and progress in the program, students must achieve a 78% or higher score in all courses and maintain a 2.5 GPA. Failure to meet this benchmark will result in academic probation and/or dismissal from the program.
Appeal Policies & Procedures
Grade Appeal
Students dissatisfied with a grade must first discuss their concerns and attempt to resolve the matter with the course instructor. If the instructor and student cannot resolve the grade dispute, the student may appeal to the program coordinator. If the matter remains unresolved, the student may submit a formal complaint to the dean within ten (10) business days of grade notification/posting. Based upon the facts at hand, the dean will issue a decision. The decision of the dean is final. This information will be accessible to applicants, students and faculty online on the SON website.
Appealing Academic Dismissal
A student wishing to appeal a dismissal must submit a request, in writing, within ten (10) business days of the dismissal notification. The student may submit any documentation/information they deem relevant to support their appeal of the dismissal decision.
The Student Appeals Committee will review the facts and evaluate the merit of the appeal. The student will be notified of the committee’s decision within four (4) weeks of the dismissal notice. The dean will be notified of the committee’s decision.
If the appeal is approved by the committee, the student will be placed on probation and will continue in the program the following trimester. The potential of the student to complete the program shall be reassessed prior to readmission to the program. Failure to meet the requirements for progression will result in dismissal from the program
If the committee upholds the dismissal, the student can appeal to the dean. The appeal must be submitted in writing within seven (7) business days of receiving the committee’s notification of decision. The dean will evaluate documents submitted by the student and the committee and make a final determination. The student will be notified of the dean’s decision in writing. The dean’s decision is final. This information will be accessible to applicants, students and faculty online on the SON website.
Non-Academic Appeal Policy
The exact process described above will be followed if a student is dismissed for non-academic reasons, such as unacceptable professional behavior. The Dean of Nursing, or the Director of Student Affairs, will refer the case to the Student Affairs Committee. If the Committee recommends the student’s dismissal from the program, the appeal process described above would be activated.
The student’s 2nd level of appeal is to the dean. If the dean upholds the dismissal, the student may further appeal the decision to the Vice President (VP) of Student Affairs.
Financial Aid Eligibility
Financial Aid eligibility is contingent upon satisfactory academic progress. Please refer to the institutional policy on Satisfactory Academic Progress published by the Office of
Enforcement
The Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs shall have primary responsibility for overseeing this policy. It will provide all nursing students with a copy of this document upon admission to Ponce Health Sciences University School of Nursing. The President, Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Vice President for Student Affairs, the Dean of Nursing, Registrar, and Financial Aid Manager will receive all pertinent data to ensure proper policy enforcement.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
Federal and state regulations require that Ponce Health Sciences University, School of Nursing (PHSU-SON), implement a policy to measure satisfactory academic progress toward the baccalaureate degree in nursing (BSN).
The Standards of Academic Progress (SAP) apply to the following programs:
- Federal Title IV Programs: Pell Grant and the Direct Loan Program (Stafford Loan Program), and the Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students
- Veteran’s Educational Benefits: All Chapters and Post 9/11 Benefits
- Completion Rate and Grade Point Average Requirement
All students must maintain good academic progress to remain in attendance at PHSU-SON. All courses attempted in a specific quarter can be used to measure academic progress. Course withdrawals may affect educational progress if the hours earned do not meet the criteria for quantitative and/or qualitative measures of satisfactory progress. Not meeting good academic progress will impair student aid eligibility.
Quantitative and qualitative standards are used to evaluate satisfactory academic progress in the BSN Program and are measured every term. Quantitative standards include grades on quizzes, exams, and care plans, among other measurement tools.
These standards are for financial aid purposes only and do not replace or override the academic policies of Ponce Health Sciences University.
Note: All students must meet the same minimum Standards regardless of eligibility for Title IV funding.
Quantitative Measure - Pace of Completion:
PACE, or pace of progression, is the quantitative standard for Satisfactory Academic Progress, measuring the percentage of attempted cumulative hours completed. The completion rate is decided by dividing the total number of credit hours earned by the total number of credit hours attempted. The US Department of Education requires all college students to have completed at least 67% of all courses attempted for undergraduate level, and 70% for graduate students, to maintain eligibility for federal financial aid.
PACE is calculated by dividing the earned credits by the attempted credits. If you made 45 credit hours and attempted 65, your PACE is 69% (45/65 * 100), and you retain eligibility. Credit hours tried at other colleges may be included in the PACE calculation.
| PROGRAM |
PACE PERCENTAGE |
| Bachelor’s in Sciences of Nursing (BSN) |
67% |
Cumulatively
A student must complete a minimum percentage of all credit hours to stay on pace for completing their program before reaching the maximum time frame allowed. Attempted credit hours include any credit hours the student was enrolled in after the refund period.
Maximum Time Limit for Completion of Degree
Once a student enrolls in a course at PHSU-SON, the degree requirements must be completed within three (3) consecutive academic years for a full-time student and six (6) consecutive academic years for a part-time student. Completion time may vary for students changing from full-time status to any other status and/or withdrawing from courses. A student will never have more than six (6) years to complete the BSN degree requirements.
Time Limit for Completion of the Academic Program
| Program |
Standard |
Maximum |
| Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing |
3 Years |
6 Years |
Classification of Nursing Students
Nursing students at PHSU-SON are classified for financial aid purposes as follows:
- Full-time student - student enrolled in 12 or more credits/quarter.
- Half-time student - student enrolled in 6 to 8 credits per quarter.
- Part-time student -student enrolled in less than 6 credits per quarter.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is based on three components:
- Completion Rate
- A student must have completed 67% of all hours attempted for financial aid eligibility. This is decided by dividing the total hours earned by the total hours tried. Attempted hours will include grades of F, W, I. Yet, these grades will NOT count as earned hours.
- Repeating courses will add to the total number of attempted hours but will only count once as earned hours.
- If a student chooses to retake a course that he/she has already passed at some point, he/she can do this once and receive financial aid. Financial aid cannot fund three or more attempts to take a previously passed course.
- Time limit
- A student can only receive financial aid for a maximum of 1.5 times the total credit hours needed for his/her degree program.
- For the BSN, which requires 161 credit hours for graduation, this equals a maximum of 241.5 hours that can be attempted.
- Any hours attempted, but not completed, will count.
- Transfer credit hours must be included in the maximum of 241.5.
- Repeats, failures, and withdrawals will also count toward the maximum.
- Any student who has exceeded the maximum time limit allowed due to transfer hours or a major change must submit an appeal.
Appeal Process
Students notified by the Dean of Nursing regarding the Students Promotion Committee’s decision that he/she must repeat failed courses during the next academic year, or be dismissed from the nursing program, have the right to appeal the decision within five (5) working days after having received the notification.
- Student Financial Services will review the credits that apply toward the student’s program of study to decide future financial aid eligibility. An academic plan signed by a Financial Services representative will be needed.
- GPA
- All Graduate programs require a 3.0 minimum GPA throughout the course of study.
- An undergraduate student must achieve a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.50.
- Repeated and failed courses will also count toward the cumulative GPA.
SAP Review
After each Spring Quarter/payment period, Financial Aid will review the completion rate, time limit, and GPA for each student enrolled in that quarter/payment period. Depending on the student’s status compared to these factors, the student’s progress for financial aid purposes will be decided as follows:
- Satisfactory Academic Progress
This applies to any student who passed the number of earned hours to attempted hours, has not exceeded the maximum total attempted hours allowed for their program, and whose GPA meets the requirements listed above.
- Financial Aid Warning
- This applies to any student who does not meet the requirements for completion, time limit, and GPA listed above for the quarter/payment period.
- A warning letter will be sent to the student at the end of the quarter/payment period to show why he/she is receiving a warning and what must be done within the next semester/payment period to be back in accordance with the SAP rules.
- If the student does not meet these requirements, the student’s federal, state, and institutional financial aid will be suspended for future quarters/payment periods.
- The student must bring the hours and/or GPA back to good standing or appeal to regain eligibility for financial aid. A student cannot have two consecutive semesters/payment periods on warning.
- Unsatisfactory Academic Progress
This applies to a student who has not met the requirements for completion rate, GPA, and attempted hours after his/her warning period. This student is not eligible for federal, state, or institutional financial aid until the student meets the requirements in the three areas listed above or completes, and is approved for, an SAP Appeal.
- Financial Aid Probation
This applies only to a student who has failed to meet SAP requirements and has had an appeal approved by Student Financial Services. A student may be on probation for one semester/payment period only. If a student has not met the SAP requirements above, he/she should work with a Financial Services Representative to understand what options exist to regain eligibility.
- Academic Plan
This status applies to any student who has submitted an academic plan as part of an SAP appeal and has completed the goals for that quarter/payment period outlined by the plan. The student stays eligible for federal and state financial aid but does not meet the definition of an SAP-eligible student.
Grade Requirements
Students who do not reach Satisfactory Academic Progress will be referred to the PHSU Students Promotion Committee to be considered for dismissal if any of the following occur:
- Earning an “F” in two or more courses in one quarter
- Earning an “F” in a nursing course after having had two “F’s” in previous quarters
- Earning an “F” in the second attempt at a nursing course
- Earning less than a 2.50 GPA in two consecutive quarters
Students receiving one “F” in one quarter, but having a quarter GPA of 2.5 or greater, will be given an academic warning and placed on “Probation.” Students on probation must meet with the Associate Dean of Nursing at the beginning of, and throughout, the quarter.
Due Process for Appeal presented below must be followed.
- The student will appeal in writing to the PHSU Promotion Committee (PC) and include all relevant documentation to support the request.
- The Committee will evaluate the reasons and evidence to decide if they change their first decision.
- The PC has 48 working hours to send its decision to the Dean of Nursing, who will notify the Committee’s decision to the student.
- If the PC sustains the adverse decision, the student can appeal to the Dean of Nursing.
- The appeal must be submitted in writing within seven working days of having received the notification.
- The Dean of Nursing will evaluate the request along with the student’s academic record.
- Rejection of the appeal by the Dean is final.
- Any decision made by the Dean of Nursing will be reported to the student in writing and is final.
The exact process described above will be followed if the adverse decision made by the Committee is for non-academic reasons, such as unacceptable professional behavior. The Department Chairperson, the Dean of Nursing, or the VP for Student Affairs will refer the case to the PC. If the PC recommends dismissing the student, the appeal process described above may be activated.
In the case an adverse decision is made due to non-academic reasons, and the Dean of Nursing sustains the decision after the appeal process, the student may appeal to the Vice President for Academic Affairs, and then to the President.
Financial Aid Eligibility
Financial Aid eligibility is contingent upon satisfactory academic progress. Please refer to the institutional policy on Satisfactory Academic Progress published by the Office of Financial Aid.
Tuition and Fees
For more details on PHSU tuition and fees, please refer to Tuition and Fees 2024-2025.pdf
ALL TUITION AND FEES ARE PAYABLE ON OR BEFORE REGISTRATION.
*Ponce Health Sciences University reserves the right to increase the tuition or other fees as necessary.
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