Houston Baptist University Nursing School Review

Houston Baptist University (HBU) opened its doors in 1963 after many years of work and planning by the Baptist General Convention of Texas. It currently has six colleges, offers over 40 majors, and has 2500 students enrolled.

HBU’s first 50 years have been chronicled in a book, An Act of Providence, written by Vice President Emeritus Dr. Don Looser. This book has won the History Writing Award for Institutional History, given by the Texas Baptist Historical Society.

Nursing Programs

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

This program is designed to prepare students to care for families, individuals, and communities. Students that successfully complete the program will graduate with a BSN degree, and will be able to take the state Registered Nurse (RN) licensing exam.

To be able to apply students must be admitted to HBU, have attended a nursing information session, have at least a 3.0 GPA in their science courses and cumulatively, complete the HESI entrance exam, complete all prerequisites with a grade of C or higher, complete the HBU proficiencies in Writing, Math, Computer, and Reading, and have a clear background check.

The prerequisites for this program are Writing for Wisdom I and II, Introduction to Microbiology, Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II, Introductory Chemistry, Math for Critical Thinking (or a higher level Math course), General Psychology, Introductory Statistics for Behavioral Science, Human Growth and Development, American and Texas Government I, Christianity, and Humanities and Fine Art electives.

The program is a total of 127 semester hours. To graduate, students may not earn a grade lower than a C in their nursing core courses. They must also maintain at least a 2.5 GPA.

BSN – Honors

This is a program for students who have been selected into the Honors College (HC). It combines classes from the HC curriculum with the BSN program. Students will meet with an advisor to receive their course information.

RN to BSN

This program is for RNs that want to earn their bachelor’s degree. It allows students with a nursing background to document their previous education and experience. This will allow them to enter the BSN program with advanced placement.

Students must be currently licensed as an RN, and have at least six months work experience as a nurse. They will need to meet the eligibility requirements for the BSN program, be certified both in CPR and AED, have health insurance and a recent physical exam, meet with the Dean or an advisor, have a GPA of at least 3.0, take the HESI admission exam, pass the Math for Nurses test, and meet HBU’s requirements for proficiency in Math, Writing, Reading, and Computer.

RNs will also take the HESI exit exam. If they score above a 900, they will be awarded 25 semester hours of credit for prior courses. If they do not achieve a 900 on the test, they will have to enroll in the courses that they are deficient in.

Students will also have to take the following prerequisites: Pathophysiology, Care of Individuals III, Care of Vulnerable Populations, Nurses in the Community and Nursing in the Community, Senior Seminar: Applied Nursing Research and Externship, and Professional Issues and Nurse Leadership.

Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) to BSN

This program is for LVNs that wish to earn a bachelor’s degree and become licensed RNs. Students applying must be currently licensed as LVNs, and have at least six months of recent LVN work experience. They will also need to meet the eligibility requirements for the BSN program, be certified in CPR and AED, have a recent physical exam and health insurance, meet with the Dean or an advisor, have a GPA of at least 3.0, take the HESI admission exam, pass the Math for Nurses test, and meet the HBU requirements for proficiency in Reading, Math, Writing, and Computer.

Students applying under this program will be allowed to challenge Care of Individuals I and II for credit. Otherwise, they will need to meet the remainder of the BSN program’s requirements for classes.

Transfer and Re-Entry Students

Students that are transferring from another program or re-entering HBU’s nursing program are allowed to challenge any nursing courses that they have received a grade of at least a C in. Students will need to be admitted to HBU, and submit course descriptions and syllabi for any course they wish to challenge to the Dean. Once approved, students will be allowed to take a challenge exam for each course they wish to transfer. Those who score a 75% or above on the challenge exam will have their transfer credit accepted.

Nursing Scholarships

There are a number of scholarships available to students enrolled in nursing or health related programs. While many are available through outside organizations and are open to students at other schools, there are several that are only open to HBU nursing students. These include:

  • Margaret C. Clendenin
  • C. Gus Glasscock, Jr. Nursing Scholarship
  • Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital Auxiliary Scholarship
  • Memorial Hermann School of Nursing Alumni
  • Gwen A. and Michael J. Mellinger Endowed Scholarship for Nursing
  • Myrtle Heiman Endowed Scholarship
  • The Reverend D.R. Pevoto Scholarship

Contact:
Houston Baptist University
7502 Fondren Road,
Houston, TX 77074