Policies and Procedures

The University of Minnesota has many policies pertaining to academic work and student life on campus. Students at the University of Minnesota is responsible for complying with these policies, the following is a summary of relevant policies.

Academic Alerts and BSN Success Plan

The purpose of Academic Alerts and Success Plans are to facilitate student growth towards achieving program outcomes by providing honest, direct and immediate feedback to students about areas in which faculty are concerned.

When a student exhibits behaviors that indicate concerns related to academic performance, technical ability, integrity, professionalism, or communication, faculty provide feedback to the student so that, together, the student and faculty can develop a plan for success. This is a constructive process to help the student achieve success in a course. The Academic Alert is initiated by course faculty and will be shared with the student and their Academic Advisor via email. Sometimes an Alert will require a meeting to develop a written Success Plan. In these cases, copies of the Success Plan are given to the student, the course faculty, academic advisor, and the program director(s) for the course in question. This document does not become part of students’ official University of Minnesota academic record.

BSN Dismissal Policy_Dec 2023.pdf

BSN Dismissal

The BSN dismissal policy is separate from the University Probation/Suspension policy and exists to clearly communicate the academic expectations of BSN students to remain in good academic standing with the School of Nursing. The dismissal policy, definitions, and answers to most FAQs can be found in the BSN Dismissal Policy document.

Additional FAQ

Q: Can students take foundational courses over the summer and still remain in progression?
A: Students are expected to complete their foundational coursework during the traditional academic year (fall and spring). Those who are interested in taking summer courses should work with their Advisor to develop a progression plan.

Q: Can students take foundational courses at other institutions?

A: Once enrolled, students are encouraged to complete all foundational courses at the U of M. Those who are interested in taking courses elsewhere should work with their Advisor to develop a progression plan and confirm transferability.

Q: What is the GPA requirement for BSN students after year one?
A: After year one, there is not a specific GPA requirement for Nursing outside the University's requirements -- students will be placed on Academic Probation if their term or cumulative GPA falls below 2.0, they will be suspended at the end of the probation term if both the term and cumulative GPA are below 2.0. Students need a 2.0 cumulative GPA to graduate.

Q: What happens when a student does not successfully complete their first Nursing required course?

A: Prior to dismissal, when a student does not successfully complete a Nursing major required course (either because they earned a grade lower than C- or withdrew), the student is out of progression and required to have a progression plan approved by their BSN Academic Advisor. Failure to complete an approved progression plan could result in dismissal from the BSN program.

First Year Progression

Advanced Progression

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree follows a cohort model -- it is a structured, highly sequenced program with capacity limits due to the practical nature of lab and clinical requirements. A BSN degree takes four years for students admitted from high school (first year students) and three years for students admitted from another college or University (transfer students).

First year students who have completed all of their first year foundational courses prior to enrollment are eligible to petition for advanced progression and join the second year cohort. They must have completed all of the following, without exception: Biology, Chemistry, First Year Writing, Lifespan/Human Growth and Development, Nutrition, and Psychology. Petitions from eligible students are not guaranteed to be approved and are dependent upon a variety of factors including available space in a given cohort. First year students who have not completed all first year foundational courses are not eligible to petition to advance their progression. Transfer students are not eligible for advanced progression.

Students who are interested in exploring the possibility of advanced progression should speak with their Advisor during Orientation. The Advisor will guide eligible students through the petition process which must be completed prior to the first day of Fall term in the student's first year.

First Year Progression FAQs

Q: Can I take one of my foundational courses over the summer and still remain in the Nursing program?
A: First Year students must have a progression plan on file with their Academic Advisor if they want to take a foundational course over the summer. If at the end of Spring semester a foundational course is incomplete and no progression plan is on file, students will be dismissed. Speak to your Advisor before making changes to your registration and planning a summer course!

Q: Can I take one or more of my foundational courses at a community college?
A: Once they are enrolled, students are strongly encouraged to take foundational courses at the U of M since these are best suited to prepare students to be successful in U of M Nursing required courses. There are some cases in which it makes sense for students to take a foundational course elsewhere in which case you will need a progression plan on file. Speak to your Advisor before registering for courses at another institution!

Q: What factors are taken into consideration for my appeals to advance my progression?
A: A holistic approach will be used to make decisions about approve requests to advance progression. Among other things, the committee will evaluate a student's preparedness for second year classes by looking at their GPA, total credits completed, rigor of course loads taken, and type of courses completed (e.g. AP, IB, PSEO, CIS). The committee will also consider the student's academic progress and whether they have enough coursework to complete during first year or if it is reasonable for them to complete remaining requirements within a reduced timeframe.

Q: Outside of an approved petition to advance progression, is it possible to graduate early from the BSN program?
A: No, due to course sequencing in the BSN program, the BSN program takes four years for all NHS students and the only possibility to graduate early is through an approved petition for progression advancement. The BSN program takes three years for all transfer students; there are no exceptions.

Q: What policies apply for first year students who are approved to advance their progression?
A: A mixture of first and second year policies -- both first year dismissal and second year to graduation policies will apply and these students will be required to complete NURS 1030 and 1031. Non-honors students will be required to complete First Year Advising.

Progression

The BSN major is a structured, highly sequenced program; coursework is scaffolded in a way that courses must be taken in order and at specific times, with few exceptions. Students need a documented progression plan to take courses out of sequence and should speak with their Advisor if that is something they are interested in exploring. Incoming first year students should refer to the First Year Progression policy for more information.

Promoting Safe Learning Environments for Students Policy & Procedure_Jan 2023.pdf

Promoting Safe Learning Environment

The University of Minnesota recognizes its responsibility to its students, faculty, staff,

preceptors, and community to maintain the highest ethical standards. As part of this obligation,

the University of Minnesota School of Nursing believes faculty, staff, students, and preceptors

are responsible for ensuring a safe, respectful and supportive learning environment for students.

For more information, please refer to the Promoting Safe Learning Environments for Students Policy & Procedure.

Withdrawing from a Course

Nursing Courses

Students who would like to withdraw from one or more courses required in the nursing program (e.g. NURS and foundational courses) must discuss their plans with their academic advisor and contact the Office of Student and Career Advancement Services prior to dropping the course registration. Students will need to discuss their progression plan and failure to have your withdrawal approved could result in dismissal from the program.

Non-Nursing Courses

Students do not need approval to withdraw from courses outside the major (e.g. electives and courses for liberal education, minor, or double majors), unless they are withdrawing after the University drop deadline. More information and instructions can be found about dropping a class on the One Stop website.

Returning to the BSN Program

Return from Leave of Absence

Students on an approved leave of absence or with an approved progression plan do not need to apply for readmission to the BSN program. Simply fill out the Return to the University form and contact BSN Advising to discuss registration.

Return from Inactive Status

Students whose absence from the nursing program exceeds two years, or students who do not have an approved leave of absence, must re-apply for admission to the BSN program through a petition. Consult with BSN Advising to discuss eligibility and related policies prior to submitting an Application for Readmission.

Return from Dismissal

Students who have been dismissed from the BSN program may petition to be reinstated after a minimum of one year and within ten years of the initial term of dismissal. Reinstatement is not guaranteed to be approved, consult with BSN Advising prior to submitting the Academic Policy Petition.

University Policies and Procedures

School of Nursing students are held to University policies and procedures in addition to those outlined in this Handbook that are Nursing specific. The following are high-level overviews of a few selected University policies:

Conflict Resolution

The first step of any resolution should be at the lowest unit level, between the parties involved or the parties and an appropriate third party (e.g., other faculty, department chair, director of graduate studies, administrator). You may wish to consult the Student Conflict Resolution Center or similar support services for advice and possible mediation. If no informal resolution is reached at the lowest unit level, you may seek informal resolution at the collegiate level with the other party and higher level administrators. If the issue is not resolved informally, you may seek formal resolution. Read the full Addressing Student Academic Complaints policy for more information.

Scholastic Misconduct

Every undergraduate student attending the School of Nursing is expected to adhere to the Regents of the University of Minnesota Student Conduct Code as well as the School of Nursing Behavioral Standards when they accept an offer of admission. Any violation of the above is considered an act of misconduct and warrants disciplinary action appropriate to the violation. A student has the right to contest any allegation of misconduct or disciplinary action. Whenever possible, allegations of misconduct should be settled at the lowest possible level—between the individuals involved—and resolved as quickly as possible. Read more about the disciplinary process on the Office for Community Standards website.