How many classes?

Students Texas (UTA)

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I was just wondering how many classes graduates or current students took per term. I just got my course map today (yay!) and will have to enroll in the November 5th start dates for Technical Writing and Prof Nursing A&B because the closer dates were closed. I'm also planning to take college algebra and British Lit.

Are these too many courses at once? I will be starting a residency program, but that is just one to two classes per week and working on the unit. I don't want to get overwhelmed.

ETA: I'm receiving veteran's benefits and would like to be as close to full-time as possible.

Just1nRN

77 Posts

Specializes in Progressive Care.

I work full time, but I'm not a new grad or in any residency/internship program. I have been an RN for a few years. This is my experience:

I finished absolutely ALL prerequisite courses ONLINE at a community college, which I would recommend unless you do not live in Texas (Texas colleges and universities will only accept government that includes teachings regarding Texas government, and UTA is sometimes pickier with out of state transfer courses). This is much, much cheaper.

You will most likely find that the prerequisite courses are easier as well at a community college, and many of them also offer the 8 week course format that UTA does. (It is my understanding that the prereqs at UTA are 8-week courses, since I never took any of them at UTA I cannot 100% confirm this, but I do know and can confirm that all nursing courses are 5 weeks, with the exception of Prof. Nursing A/B which totals 10 weeks in length).

After finishing all prerequisite courses, I enrolled in UTA's online RN-BSN by taking two courses at a time except for the last course, which they will not let you take with another nursing course (the capstone). The order I took them in was professional nursing a/b and older adults, then health promotion and health assessment, then research and vulnerable populations, then leadership by itself, and finally capstone by itself.

The courses that I found easiest were:

-Professional Nursing

-Older Adults

-Health Promotion

The harder or more time consuming courses were:

-Health assessment (very time consuming assignments)

-Research (probably the most difficult)

-Vulnerable populations (very time consuming assignments)

Leadership and management was fairly easy; however, part of the course involves you shadowing a nurse leader which may be difficult to schedule in between your internship classes and your scheduled shifts on the floor. I would save that course for later.

The capstone is extremely easy; however, it must be taken by itself.

If I were you, I would pair one of the easier courses I listed here with one of the harder ones.

Also, I took introductory philosophy instead of technical writing (also took at a local community college), and there are several other courses that qualify as a substitute for technical writing (look at the UTA website or consult your advisor). You may find that this is an easier option.

clewi102

64 Posts

LGJMan, I just checked my email and say my course map, I was able to register for the courses you mention. There are like 180 slots left in each class, so please try again they do have open classes. If needs be PM me and I'll guide you through the registration process. The classes begin Aug 13.

LGJMan

17 Posts

Thanks Just1nRN for your assessment of the classes! It will definitely help me in my future decision making.

Clewi102, I have to complete Technical Writing before I can sign up for Prof Nursing A&B. The next open course wasn't until November and I thought you had to take them at the same time...

Thank you, both, for your help.

clewi102

64 Posts

You can take Technical Writing with Prof. Nursing A.

Just1nRN

77 Posts

Specializes in Progressive Care.

LGJMan,

Clewi102 is correct, Tech Writing (or equivalent) can be taken concurrently with Professional Nursing A/B. You may have to get your academic advisor to manually register you for this if the online system is prohibiting it. Sometimes the system isn't "smart" enough to know that you are actually meeting the requirements, and it just sees that you haven't done Tech Writing and stops you. I would email your advisor.

LGJMan

17 Posts

Tech Writing is completely full until November 5th. I thought you had to be enrolled in both courses at the same time (Tech Writing and Prof Nurs A&B), so I enrolled in the November course for both of them. I'll email my advisor on Monday to get a definitive answer. I really don't mind waiting until November though. It'll give me a chance to get used to the Blackboard program with Algebra.

I'd been thinking about going to a local school for most of the pre-reqs that I have remaining (about 5) but I quite honestly don't have the money to pay OOP for those classes right now.

Just1nRN

77 Posts

Specializes in Progressive Care.

If Tech Writing is full, see if you can't take speech, philosophy, or an additional literature course instead. Your advisor will let you know if any of these courses are available that qualify as a substitute for tech writing.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN

4 Articles; 7,907 Posts

Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

I've been taking two classes at a time: one nursing class and one non-nursing class. However, this summer I took both of the politics classes together...which worked out surprisingly well, since there was a LOT of material crossover. I decided to take the pre-reqs through UTA than through a local school since online works a lot better for me and my work schedule than having to show up in person for classes. I work full-time.

The prereq classes are 8 weeks.

One thing I recommend: the prereq classes DO NOT have the ongoing admissions that the nursing classes do. You MUST register for the prereq classes by the semester's registration deadline or you can't get into the prereq class for that semester. I found this out the hard way...and that's why I had to take both politics classes at the same time this summer. So look at course calendar and plan ahead.

NurseZani

5 Posts

Were you able to take Nursing A&B at the same time as Older Adults?

Just1nRN

77 Posts

Specializes in Progressive Care.

I took Professional Nursing A&B along with Medical Terminology (elective) and Older Adults. Made A's in all of them and didn't stress either. Totally doable.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN

4 Articles; 7,907 Posts

Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
Were you able to take Nursing A&B at the same time as Older Adults?

From what I understand, Nursing A&B have to be completed before you can take any other nursing course. You can take non-nursing courses with it, though.

I'm taking History I with Older Adults (and now Management since Older Adults just ended)

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