BSN Program

 

The BSN program is designed for students who enter the Nursing program with no prior nursing knowledge, experience, or skills. Following the prerequisite courses, completion of this program requires 5 semesters of full-time study.  Students complete the BSN through taking courses Fall and Spring or year around.  The admission requirements and the curriculum are the same. 

BSN Program Information Sheet (PDF)

Basic Nursing BSN -Recommended Plan (PDF)

Fall Admission

  1. : October 1st - December 2nd

Important: The degree objective is "Nursing BS鈥  (NOT "Nursing BS - RN"). This program is for students seeking their first nursing degree.  After completion of this program, students are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN to be licensed as Registered Nurses.  If you apply for the Nursing BS-RN program, you application cannot be processed. 

2. 色中色 Enrollment Services Supplemental Application (for Transfer applicants only): February

3.  October 1st - February 1st.

4. All Fall applicants must register for and take the Casper Situational Judgement test by the School of Nursing BSN Program Application deadline of February 1st. Please indicate CSU Long Beach as the university to send your results鈥攔esults are automatically forwarded to the school.  The Casper tests are administered only on specified dates鈥攑lease check the Casper drop down menu for more information. 

Spring Admission

  1. : August 1st - August 31st

Important: The degree objective is "Nursing BS鈥  (NOT "Nursing BS - RN"). This program is for students seeking their first nursing degree.  After completion of this program, students are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN to be licensed as Registered Nurses.  If you apply for the Nursing BS-RN program, you application cannot be processed. 

2. 色中色 Enrollment Services Supplemental Application (for Transfer applicants only): September

3. : August 1st - September 21st.

4. All Spring applicants must register for and take the Casper Situational Judgement test by the School of Nursing BSN Program Application deadline of September 21st each year.  Please indicate CSU Long Beach as the university to send your results鈥攔esults are automatically forwarded to the school. You do not need to submit the Casper test results to us. The Casper tests are administered only on specified dates鈥攑lease check the Casper drop down menu for more information.   

Instructions

There are three categories of applicants for the BSN Program:

  • Current 色中色 undergraduate students (pre-nursing majors),
  • Transfer Undergraduate Applicants (students without a BA or BS),
  • Second Bachelor's Degree Applicants (students with a BA or BS degree in other fields).

All applicants are required to complete Casper as part of their application for the 2024/25 admissions cycle.  is an online, open-response situational judgment test that takes 90-110 minutes to complete.

Casper measures different personal and professional skills that we believe are important for successful students and graduates of our program. It will complement the other tools we use for applicant review and evaluation, and we require Casper as part of our efforts to enhance fairness and objectivity in our selection process. 

Visit  to create an account, register to complete Casper, and learn more about this assessment, including important dates and technical requirements.

You will register for Undergraduate Health Sciences (CSP-10106) exam. 

General Information

  • All application materials are online. All communication is via email. Due to the volume of inquiries, we are not able to answer questions about the communication exercise, your submitted application, and/or admissions status.
  • Please note: the School of Nursing does not offer transcript review, counseling, or advising for prospective students - we can only answer questions about the nursing program and/or the application process.
  • Prospective students and applicants should read the information below thoroughly.
  • Admissions notices will be sent via email in late April (for Fall applications)/late November (for Spring applications).
  • If you have any questions about the program or application process that are not answered below, please email nursing@csulb.edu.

Applications Required based on Applicant Category:

 

CalState Apply

色中色 Supplemental Application

SON BSN Application

Casper Test
Current 色中色 Undergraduate Students

You have already completed this as a pre-nursing

You have already completed this as a pre-nursing

REQUIRED

REQUIRED

Transfer Undergraduate Applicants

REQUIRED

(Apply for Nursing BS program)

REQUIRED

REQUIRED

REQUIRED

Second Bachelor鈥檚 Degree Applicants

REQUIRED

(Apply for Nursing BS program)

NOT REQUIRED

REQUIIRED

REQUIIRED

 

Current 色中色 Undergraduate Students (Pre-Nursing majors):

  • Current 色中色 Undergraduate Pre-Nursing Majors should reach out to CHHS Academic Advising for more information. 
  • 色中色 students with fewer than 75 Timely Graduation Units may apply - if you are a 色中色 student with more than 75 Timely Graduation Units, please see your current college advisor for further guidance (CHHS Academic Advising).

Transfer Undergraduate Applicants and Second Bachelor鈥檚 Applicants

  1. More information is available from 色中色 Admissions.
  2. If admitted or waitlisted, follow up with 色中色 Admissions to submit documents before their deadlines. Please note that admission into the School of Nursing is contingent on being offered admission by the University, therefore, applicants must also meet the admission eligibility requirements for 色中色.

All applicants are required to complete Casper as part of their application for the 2024/25 admissions cycle.  is an online, open-response situational judgment test that takes 90-110 minutes to complete.

Casper measures different personal and professional skills that we believe are important for successful students and graduates of our program. It will complement the other tools we use for applicant review and evaluation, and we require Casper as part of our efforts to enhance fairness and objectivity in our selection process. 

Casper Test Dates: 
October 17, 20245:00PM PDT
November 14, 20245:00PM PDT
December 5, 20245:00PM PDT
January 14, 20255:00PM PDT



Casper is administered by Acuity Insights.

How to sign up for Casper 

  • Go to  to create an Acuity Insights account and register to complete Casper. 
    • You will register for Undergraduate Health Sciences (CSP-10106) using your student identifier and a piece of government-issued photo ID. 
    • Please register with the email address you are using for your application and check it regularly, as there may be updates to the test schedule.
  • Select a Casper test date from the available testing , which have been approved in line with our admissions timelines. 
    • These are the only testing dates for applying to our program and no additional tests are likely to be scheduled. 
  • Register for your test at least 3 days before your preferred test date and time to allow time to perform a system requirements check and take the sample test in your account. Last-minute bookings are not recommended.
  • Ensure you have selected <insert program name> for distribution before the distribution deadline listed on the . 

Technical requirements for Casper 

To take the assessments, you will need a:

  • Valid email address (the same one you will use to submit your application).
  • Desktop or laptop computer, ideally using Windows or macOS.
    • Smartphones and tablets are not supported.
  • Working webcam and microphone.
    • Wired inputs or your computer鈥檚 built-in microphone are recommended.
  • Reliable high-speed internet connection with download speeds of at least 1.5 Mbps and upload speeds of at least 2 Mbps.

Learn more about .

Accommodations

Applicants requiring testing accommodations to complete Casper should submit an Initial Request Form (Part 1 and 2) at least four (4) weeks prior to your scheduled Casper test date. 

Learn more about the .

Help with Casper 

If you have any questions, please contact the Acuity Insights team via the chat bubble on the bottom right of your Acuity Insights account or on . You can also review their collection of .

The basic baccalaureate program is the traditional track designed for students who enter the Nursing program with no prior nursing knowledge, experience, or skills. Applicants with an Associate's Degree in Nursing, please review the information for ADN/RN-to-BSN Program "Nursing BS - Registered Nurse."

Important: The degree objective is for this program is "Nursing BS" (NOT "Nursing BS - Registered Nurse"). The School of Nursing can only evaluate applicants under the major they applied for and cannot edit incorrect applications. 

  • Prerequisites and program information can be found on the .
  • All prerequisite courses must be taken as a letter grade unless AP/IB credits are accepted. For all other admission requirements including general education courses, please consult with University Admissions Team. 
  • Applications are reviewed, scored, and ranked based upon the following information.
  • Please note that admission into the School of Nursing is contingent on being offered admission by the University, therefore, applicants must also meet the admission eligibility requirements for 色中色.

 

Application ComponentCriteria and Minimum Requirements
Natural Science Prerequisites GPA

There are four natural science prerequisite courses to be completed prior to application.

Each course must be completed with a "C" or better grade; when all prerequisites are completed the GPA for the prerequisite courses must be "B" or better (3.0 or better).

Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25.

  1. Human Anatomy Lecture and Lab (4 semester units minimum) - 
  2. Human Physiology Lecture and Lab (4 semester units minimum) - 
  3. Chemistry Lecture and Lab (4-5 semester units/6-10 quarter units):  An introductory or preparatory chemistry course is not acceptable.  The School of Nursing recently changed its chemistry department requirement.  A course in General, Organic, Inorganic, Biochemistry, Allied Health Chemistry, or Integrated Chemistry with a lab meets this criterion.  Chemistry courses from community colleges that articulate to 色中色 CHEM 111A, 111B, 112A, 112B, 140, 220A or 220B are acceptable.  Please refer to  for articulated courses.  
  4. Microbiology Lecture and Lab (4 semester units minimum) 鈥 
General Education Prerequisites GPA

There are four general education prerequisite courses to be completed prior to application.

Each course must be completed with a "C" or better grade; when all prerequisites are completed the GPA for the prerequisite courses must be "B" or better (3.0 or better).

Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25.

  1. Statistics or AP Statistics - 
  2. Oral Communication (any communications course that meets GE requirements)
  3. Written Communication/College Composition (any composition course that meets GE requirements, including AP English)
  4. Critical Thinking (any critical thinking course that meets GE A3 requirements)
General Assessment (Casper Test)

All applicants must register for and take the Casper Situational Judgement Test and have results reported out to CSU Long Beach on or prior to the program application deadline鈥攏o exceptions will be made for deadline extensions. 

  • Please see Application Deadline information above (Feb 1st for Fall admission cycles, and September 21st for Spring admission cycles). 
  • Applicants should plan early to take the test on a preferred date. There are dates in Fall semester for the following Fall application cycle and there are dates in Spring for the following Spring application cycle. 
  • Applicants should allow 90-110 minutes to complete the Casper test.
  • Go to  to create an account, register to complete.
  • Casper tests results are automatically if the applicant indicates 色中色 as the university in the system
Communication Exercise

After applications are submitted, applicants with the highest-ranking cumulative scores will be contacted (via email) and must participate in a mandatory School of Nursing Communication Exercise.

  • This is a timed evaluation of both written and oral communication skills.
  • The School of Nursing receives applications from hundreds of highly competitive, qualified applicants.
  • Approximately 120 applicants will participate in the Communication Exercise.
  • Thus, not all qualified applicants will be contacted for the Communication Exercise.
  • The Communication Exercise will be held approximately 30-45 days after the nursing application deadline (Fall term: late March/early April, Spring term: late October/early November). At the time of your application, these dates are not yet scheduled. Please do not inquire as to when they will be held.
  • The School of Nursing may conditionally admit or waitlist any qualified applicants pending successful completion of the Communication Exercise at a later date.
  • After the Communication Exercise is completed, applicants will receive notifications regarding their admissions status via email in late April (for Fall applications)/late November (for Spring applications).

All application materials are online. All communication is via email. Please do not call the School of Nursing regarding the Communication Exercise, your submitted application and/or admissions status.

Please note: The School of Nursing does not offer transcript review, counseling, or advising for prospective students.  We can only answer questions about the nursing program and/or the application process. Students who would like more assistance prior to completing their Cal State Apply application can contact University Outreach and School Relations for more information. Once you have applied to Cal State Apply and have questions about your application to the university, please reach out to Beach Central for assistance.   

UNDERGRADUATE BSN FAQ & APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS