Lamar University Nursing School Review

Lamar University (LU) is one of the fastest growing universities in Texas. It enrolls 14,000 students each semester, and offers 100 programs of study. Founded as South Park Junior College in 1923, it became Lamar College in 1932, and a state supported four year college in 1951. It became Lamar University in 1991, and entered the University of Texas system in 1995.

Lamar University has a 19 to 1 student to faculty ratio, was awarded an A for the quality of its core curriculum, and has been named a doctoral research university by the Carnegie Foundation.

The JoAnne Gay Dishman Department of Nursing is the first endowed program at the university.

Nursing Programs

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)

This program is designed to train students to become beginning nursing practitioners. The program is two years long, and a total of 69 credit hours. Students that successfully complete the program will earn an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree, and will be allowed to take the state Registered Nurse (RN) licensing exam.

To apply to the program, students will need to be admitted to Lamar University, take the HESI entrance exam, meet the TSI requirement, complete all prerequisite classes with a grade of at least a C, and have a GPA of at least 2.5 both cumulatively and in science courses.

The prerequisites for this program are Anatomy and Physiology I and II, Microbiology, Pathophysiology, English Composition, and College Algebra. It is also recommended that students take the class Nursing as a Profession prior to admission.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

Students are admitted into this four year program every fall and spring semester. To apply, students must take Pathophysiology and Theories in Nursing, as well as all prerequisite classes, have at least a C in all prerequisites, a 2.5 GPA or higher in all prerequisites and in all science courses, and take the HESI admission test.

The prerequisites for the BSN program are Anatomy and Physiology I and II, Microbiology, English Composition I and II, Nutrition, College Algebra, Chemistry for Allied Health Sciences, Philosophy of Knowledge, Lifespan Development, and US History I and II.

Students will begin their nursing core courses in their sophomore year of studies.

RN to BSN

This program is for nurses who already have an ADN degree and are currently licensed RNs. Students’ ADN transcripts will be evaluated prior to admission in the program, to determine where they are in the BSN sequence.

RN students applying to the BSN program must meet the same entrance requirements as traditional BSN students. The prerequisites for this program are the same, except RN students are not required to take American History.

RN students are given 32 credit hours of upper division classes in escrow that will be added to their transcript in the last semester of the program.

Masters Degree in Nursing (MSN)

The masters program at Lamar University has two tracks, Nursing Administration and Nursing Education. Both of these tracks are available online.

Nursing Administration is designed to prepare nurses to be leaders in the rapidly changing healthcare field. This program is a total of 37 credit hours, and may be taken either full time or part time.

Nursing Education is for nurses who wish to become nursing faculty. This is also a 37 credit hour program that may be taken full or part time.

To be able to apply for either program, students must have taken an undergraduate Statistics course with a grade of C or higher, have a GPA of at least 3.0 for all previous college coursework, GRE or MAT scores from within the last five years, a current RN license, and a background check.

There are also Post-Master’s certificates in both Nursing Administration and Education. Each program requires 20 credit hours of study, and students must have an MSN degree, a 3.0 GPA, a clear background check, and an RN license to be able to apply.

MSN/Master of Business Administration (MBA) Dual Degree

This program is for nurse executives who want to become well-rounded leaders with a background in business, finance, nursing administration, and managerial roles. Students that wish to pursue this degree program will need advising by both departments. This program requires 61 credits to complete. The admission requirements are the same as for the other MSN programs.

The Caring Place

This is an initiative started by the Department of Nursing, designed to support nursing students and help them achieve success in their programs. It provides a central place for information about the programs and courses, offers facilitated learning, and helps students take an active role in their own learning.

The Caring Place is located in the Mamie McFadden Ward Health Sciences Building, and selected resources are also available online at the Virtual Caring Place.

Contact:
Lamar University
4400 S M L King Jr. Parkway,
Beaumont, TX 77710