Online Certificate in

Pre-Health Professions

You First Step to a Nursing Career

Being a nurse is considered one of the most rewarding careers. With the demand for such professionals growing 38.8% by 2032, you can get started toward reaching your goal with Abilene Christian University’s online Pre-Health Professions Certificate, a unique program designed to help fulfill your prerequisite requirements to enter into any associate degree in Nursing program in the state of Texas.

Being a nurse is considered one of the most rewarding careers. With the demand for such professionals growing 38.8% by 2032, you can get started toward reaching your goal with Abilene Christian University’s online Pre-Health Professions Certificate, a unique program designed to help fulfill your prerequisite requirements to enter into any associate degree in Nursing program in the state of Texas.

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Beginning your career can start today, on your time and schedule. Allowing you to take your prerequisites to apply toward an associate’s degree in nursing, this certificate is ideal for those interested in pursuing a nursing career in a virtual, Christ-centered community while balancing work, life, and other commitments.

Locked-In Tuition

Introducing
Locked-In Tuition.

Our Locked-In Tuition program guarantees you’ll pay the same price for your entire certificate program.

About the Program

Nursing and Pre-Health Professions Curriculum

 

Nursing is a great calling for anyone looking to care for patients in a variety of settings. Through our online Pre-Health Professions Certificate, you can take the prerequisite courses needed to fulfill the requirements to enter an associate degree in Nursing (ADN) program or other healthcare-related undergraduate program in Texas. This program also significantly improves your success in transferring into a nursing program upon completion. This certificate will help you get into the workforce sooner, regardless of whether you have little or no college credit.

 

Program Structure

ALL THE DETAILS ON YOUR CERTIFICATE

Throughout the certificate, you will take the necessary courses required of applicants for most Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) programs in Texas. Within three semesters, the program features coursework related to the various science credits needed to excel in an associate’s degree program, including anatomy, physiology, and microbiology, along with social science coursework, such as composition, psychology, and human growth and development. The focus of this certificate is to prepare you to serve and lead in your careers and communities while simultaneously developing a patient-care mindset.

Required Hours

33-42 hours
16 Months

Example Coursework

Biology: Human Perspective
Introductory Chemistry
Anatomy & Physiology
Introduction to Ethics

UPCOMING START DATES

October 15, 2024
January 14, 2025

Curriculum and Format

Complete Your Pre-Nursing Courses Online

Pre-Health Professions Certificate pathway to nursing career

Helping you become the health professional you want to be, ACU’s online Pre-Health Professions Certificate program is designed to equip you to enter any nursing program in Texas. In the program, you will learn a variety of skills and information to further expand your knowledge of the nursing field:

  • Identifying and explaining anatomical structures of and physiological processes that occur within the body, including exploring musculoskeletal, nervous, endocrine, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, and genitourinary systems.
  • Understanding how to use professional language and medical terminology to communicate clearly and ethically with patients, physicians, and other healthcare professionals.
  • Discussing the physical, social, and cognitive domains in relation to biological, cognitive, moral, and psychosocial development.

Refine and broaden your career opportunities in a shorter time frame with this certificate. It is a fantastic solution to meet your needs as a student, maximize your time and education, and ultimately prepare you to earn an ADN at any program in the state.

Meet the Program Director

Dr. Marcia Sotelo, Pre-Health Professions Certificate

Dr. Marcia Sotelo is the program director for the Pre-Health Professions Certificate and is also an Associate Professor for Abilene Christian University’s online BSN to DNP program and Doctor of Nursing Practice program. Having earned her Baccalaureate Degree in Communications from Baylor University, she decided to return to school and pursue nursing after the birth of her first daughter. She received her ADN from Austin Community College, her BSN from The University of Texas at Arlington, her MSN from Western Governors University, and her DNP from Samford University. All of these nursing education programs were completed online. This has enabled her to understand both the benefits and the challenges of learning in the online setting.
Professionally, Dr. Sotelo has worked in a wide variety of clinical areas, including medical-surgical, outpatient surgery, GI lab, PACU, and Women’s Services. As a National League of Nursing Certified Nurse Educator, she has extensive experience teaching in and leading both traditional and online programs at all educational levels. She loves her job of guiding students as they pursue further education and looks forward to working with each student as they achieve their personal and professional goals by pursuing their BS in Nursing all the way to their doctorate.

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Pre-Health Certificate pathway career outlook pre-nursing prenursing nursing

According to the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies, the demand for registered nurses will increase by 38.8% while the supply will only grow by 30.5%. In 2023, over 250,000 people were employed in the state of Texas as registered nurses with an average salary of $79,000. However, in Texas – as elsewhere throughout the U.S. – there remains a significant and critical need for nursing professionals.

pre health pre nursing

To be considered for admission, students must:

  • Submit official high school and/or college transcripts.
  • Complete the online program application accompanied by a non-refundable processing fee
  • Submit a 250-word (minimum) purpose statement addressing your career goals and which nursing school(s) or health-related program you intend to apply to once you complete the certificate.

Students are not required to submit ACT or SAT test scores.

The Success Pathway includes six courses (three courses that are part of the Pre-Health Professions Certificate and three that are additional). Students will take these courses in this sequence and must earn a B or better to continue in the program:

  • Term 1: UNIO 101 and PSYO 120
  • Term 2: UNIO 102 and BIOO 120
  • Term 3: HCAD 111 and MAWO 123

Students can bypass the three additional courses in the Success Pathway (UNIO 101, UNIO 102, HCAD 111) by submitting the following test scores or grades:

  • ACCUPLACER 
    • Arithmetic ≥276 AND Reading ≥263
  • TSI (Texas Success Initiative)
    • TSI (before 1/11/21): Mathematics  ≥350 AND Reading  ≥351
    • TSIA2 (after 1/11/21): Mathematics  ≥950 AND ELAR  ≥945
  • SAT
    • Math ≥440 AND
    • Reading and Writing (new SAT) ≥500 OR Critical Reading (old SAT) ≥470
  • ACT
    • Math ≥17 AND English ≥19
  • Previous College Credit
    • For Arithmetic: Any college-level math course (at the level of MATH 120 or above) with a grade of B or higher
    • For Reading: Any of the following college courses with a grade of B or higher:
      • English composition course
      • Psychology course
      • Philosophy or Ethics course 
      • History Course  
      • Literature Course  
      • Government Course
SACSCOC Stamp Color

Abilene Christian University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Ga. 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of ACU.

Abilene Christian University enjoys a strong national reputation as one of the leading private Christian universities in the west and southwest, indicated by various ratings (such as U.S. News and World Report and other reports).


Important Information for Prospective Students

If you are pursuing a BSN or ADN, please be aware that the Texas Board of Nursing determines the criteria for eligibility for licensure. Students should access the Board of Nursing website to examine the Nurse Practice Act and its regulations. Here is a list of Essential Performance Standards for the professional nursing program. All students pursuing a career in nursing must be able to adhere to and perform these essential performance standards with or without reasonable ADA accommodations.