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Discussion

BSN rant/inquire

Are there BSN programs out there that don't require you to take two history and two government classes!? I think my jaw dropped when I saw a BSN course requirement list for a particular school. I was disgusted actually. Why on earth would you need to take multiple history and government classes for a BSN. What a way for them to just make more money!!!! It's ridiculous. *off my soapbox*

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    • Featured Replies

    Yes, there are BSN programs that do not require those classes. But regardless of the school, you will have to complete their general ed requirements to earn that BSN.

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    Maybe because the institution believes that a person who earns a baccalaureate degree should be an educated and well rounded individual?

    When I completed by BSN, I had to take a religion course, fine arts and literature, psychology.

    Look at different schools, but you may find that you actually enjoy learning something outside your comfort zone.

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    I know that in certain states, government classes are required for all baccalaureate programs.

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    • Expert

    A college-educated citizen has a wide repertoire of knowledge in many different topics, not just whatever their major or degree concentration covered. In essence, the extra knowledge widens a person's worldview.

    American history came in handy whenever I'd receive a patient who was a veteran or came of age in a different generation. Sociology is useful when interacting with disadvantaged patients as well as their upper crust counterparts. Psychology has utility because we manage an array of human behaviors on a daily basis.

    If you do not like the idea of taking coursework that seems unrelated to your major or concentration, there are trade schools that cater to this narrow mindset.

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    I know TX mandates each student take a TX history/government course (even if taking the class online or distance) in order to graduate regardless of major

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    I don't really understand what is so disgusting about a well-rounded education.

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    • Author

    I have taken sociology and psychology and I agree those are important to take because they both

    have to do with the mind and the body. I just didn't see why government and history classes

    were needed. Because I don't agree with it, doesn't make me narrow minded. Everyone is entitled

    to their opinion.

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    • Guides

    General Education requirements are pretty standard, aren't they?

    When I decided to go back to college in my late 30's to get my ADN, I had to take a few classes that I hadn't taken with the General Education part way back at age 18-19 but they were related to nursing (micro, physio, anatomy). My prior major was Social Work so I had a lot of psych/soc classes already. (I didn't have to take chemistry though - I took it in high school and they gave me credit for it!).

    I did a RN to BSN program 4 years ago (had to take statistics class first) and all the classes were nursing (except 2 religion classes since it was a religious institution), since I already had a General Education background and university classes as well.

    I think it is just normal for college to include a well-rounded education. Plus, some recent stats I read say that the two years of community college classes are more like high school now because we are not doing a good job in high schools teaching kids fundamentals. Like reading and math for instance. :sarcastic: But that's another subject.

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    Much will depend on the school's individual requirements for BSN: there are wide variances among them, so YES you can find schools with more and less requriements than others. Some may require a government course (State mandated), some may require a spirituality course (school mandated), among other things.

    If you have an Associates now, you may or may not have already completed some of the requirements you are seeing for the BSN program. Some credits transfer, some don't....some schools will approve as transfers only those with a grade of B or above. Up to the school.

    In my search for a BSN program that best matched my needs, I found that courses taken for prior degrees completed most of those GE requirements, but I'd still need the school-specific ones. I just looked for the school(s) that I felt were the best match/value, etc.

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    I always find humanities and social science classes much easier than actual science classes, so I don't really understand why you are so bothered by them. They should be the classes that could be used to boost your cumulative GPA.

    BSN is a full undergraduate degree that requires four years of college education however you think. People who go to ABSN schools already had BS/BA in non-nursing fields. People with ADN/ASN who apply to BSN schools are required to complete certain credit numbers of or a number of specific general education courses before they can start BSN schools.

    Humanities courses are required to be taken for almost everybody if he/she wants to obtain a bachelor's degree in any field.

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    That's the type of education expected of a bachelor's degree graduate...well-rounded. Use it as a learning opportunity.

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    Possibly they want their graduates to have an idea about the formation of health policy given it impacts on how we practice as nurses.

    I have taken sociology and psychology and I agree those are important to take because they both

    have to do with the mind and the body. I just didn't see why government and history classes

    were needed. Because I don't agree with it, doesn't make me narrow minded. Everyone is entitled

    to their opinion.

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