Mind Your Major

An essential part of the healthcare team, registered nurses make up the largest healthcare occupation.  According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth for registered nurses is projected at a rate faster than average.  It is actually the occupation expected to add the most jobs between 2010 and 2020.  The list of specialties within the field of nursing is almost endless.  Registered nurses can specialize by type of patient, employment setting, disease, organ or body system.  Hospitals employ 60% of registered nurses, so students who particularly enjoy volunteering in the hospital setting might consider this a viable career path.

Baylor students can declare a Pre-Nursing major.  Students must complete a series of prerequisite courses (including chemistry, anatomy and physiology, and statistics) and earn a grade of C or better to be eligible for admission to the Louise Herrington School of Nursing.  The Undergraduate Catalog states that “admission is competitive and not guaranteed.”  Students should be aware that the last two years of nursing courses are completed at the campus in Dallas, Texas.  An alternative to the traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is the FastBacc program, designed for students who complete a Bachelor’s degree in another area.

For additional information on a career in nursing, such as many of the areas of specialization, visit the Occupational Outlook Handbook.