For in depth information about the USM Core Curriculum see the Core Website.
If the USM Core is waived for as student it will show as such in their Mainestreet Degree Progress Report.
Accelerated Nursing Majors do NOT need to meet core requirements at USM. They have already completed a prior bachelors degree so USM Core is waived.
Undergraduate Nursing Majors in Traditional Program
If the student has a prior bachelors degree the USM Core is waived.
Occasionally core may be waived for a student with an associates degree. See the above core website for details.
If a nursing major needs to meet the USM Core Curriculum some nursing coursework will overlap with and satisfy the core as follows.
Writing, Reading, and Inquiry I (WRI1)
ENG 100 - required by the nursing major
Writing, Reading, and Inquiry II (WRI2)
Not met by nursing degree - student must complete outside of the nursing major (typically ENG 102 or HON 215)
Writing, Reading, and Inquiry III (WRI3)
NUR 321 - required by the major
Quantitative Reasoning (QR)
MAT 120 (or LOS 120) - required by the nursing major
Creative Expression (CE)
Not met by nursing degree - student must complete outside of the nursing major
Cultural Interpretation (CI)
Not met by nursing degree - student must complete outside of the nursing major
Science Exploration (SE)
BIO 111 & BIO 112 - required by the nursing major
Sociocultural Analysis (SA)
SOC 100 or HRD 200 - required by the nursing major
Ethical Inquiry, Social Responsibility, and Citizenship (EISRC)
Satisfied in the major through the following combination of NUR courses required by the nursing major: 270 (or 100, or 200 in older catalog years), 306, 321, 356, 325, 331, 341, 422 or 428, 425, 429 (or 424 in older catalog years), 470.
If any course is waived by the School of Nursing the requirement will still be met
Culture, Power, and Equity (CPE)
NUR 341 - required by the nursing major
International (Int)
NUR 200 and NUR 356 - required by the nursing major, both must be taken to meet the requirement
NUR 100 or NUR 200, if taken before the department moved to NUR 270 may be substituted for NUR 270, CON 356 if taken before the department moved to NUR 356 may be substituted
Engaged Learning (EL)
Met in the major by all clinical courses
Capstone
NUR 480 - required by the nursing major
If you are a student seeking to appeal a course grade, follow these steps:
Initial Appeal to the Instructor
Submit a written appeal to your course instructor within 30 days of the grade being posted.
Clearly state what you are appealing and provide specific details or evidence supporting your claim.
Course grade appeals are typically based on claims of unfair or inequitable treatment, conflicts between the grade and syllabus policy, or related concerns.
The instructor will review your appeal and provide a response.
Appeal to the Associate Dean
If you are not satisfied with the instructor's decision, you may submit a written appeal to Dr. Brenda Petersen, Associate Dean of Nursing at brenda.petersen@maine.edu.
Note: Dr. Petersen will not review appeals unless you have first appealed to the instructor. If you have not done so, she will redirect you to Step 1.
Further Appeals
If you wish to appeal beyond Dr. Petersen’s decision, she will provide guidance on the next steps and appropriate contacts.
If you are a student appealing dismissal from the nursing major or a course progression policy, follow these steps:
Submit Your Appeal
Appeals must be submitted within 30 days of the progression letter being emailed to you.
Complete the UGAA Appeal Form, which provides space for you to type or paste your appeal letter.
It is recommended that you draft your letter in a separate document before submitting it in the form.
Review and Decision Process
The UGAA Committee will review your appeal and send a decision via email.
Since the committee meets once per month, it may take several weeks to receive a response.
Writing Your Appeal Letter
To strengthen your appeal, consider the following guidelines:
It is strongly recommended that you meet with your nursing faculty advisor before submitting your appeal.
Proofread your letter to eliminate grammatical errors and typos.
Include the Following in Your Letter:
The Specific Policy Being Appealed - Clearly state the policy you are appealing. Example: “I am writing to request permission to take Course XYZ while retaking Course ABC.”
Reason for the Appeal - Explain why you are appealing and present compelling reasons why the committee should consider an exception.
Plan for Overcoming Challenges - Describe how you will address the issues that led to the progression concern.
Strategies for Academic Success - Outline the specific strategies you will use to succeed in the program, especially given the rigorous nursing coursework.
Students who are not admitted to the School of Nursing and want to appeal that decision should contact the Director of the Office of Admissions, Britney Mitchell, britney.walker@maine.edu.
If a student wishes to appeal any of the criteria for the 32-credit change of major to nursing process, they should follow these instructions.
Discuss the appeal with their professional academic advisor.
Submit the UGAA Appeal Form.
Note that the form will provide space for you to type or paste in the content of your appeal letter. You may want to draft the letter in a document so that you can more easily paste it into the form.