CA Board requires a Sociology course? HUH?!

caliotter3 · Jan 29, 2010

As I recall my BSN program required sociology, but I didn't know it was a BRN requirement. This is weird. I see lots of places where the requirement is sociology or something else. So I wonder how the people who choose something else get around the sociology requirement. Or is it a requirement? I have trouble trusting anything coming from the CA BRN employees. Where is your school in all of this? It is their responsibility to insure their students meet requirements for licensure.

50caliber · Jan 29, 2010

I'm surprised at how your school can screw this up. Shouldn't they know that this is a requirement if indeed it is necessary in order to sit for the board.

NorthBay · Jan 29, 2010

I completed my nursing degree (BSN) in New York, not California. BUT, I talked with the CA Board before I applied to the NY school to confirm that the degree would count in CA. They said yes, of course, as long as it's a certified/registered nursing school, which is certainly it. There was never a mention of a sociology class requirement. I called the school and they said they've never heard of this requirement and that their degree has always been enough to register in California.

...Now I'm just confused. I really wish the CA Board person would return my call.

caliotter3 · Jan 30, 2010

I completed my nursing degree (BSN) in New York, not California. BUT, I talked with the CA Board before I applied to the NY school to confirm that the degree would count in CA. They said yes, of course, as long as it's a certified/registered nursing school, which is certainly it. There was never a mention of a sociology class requirement. I called the school and they said they've never heard of this requirement and that their degree has always been enough to register in California.
...Now I'm just confused. I really wish the CA Board person would return my call.

Don't expect them to return your call. I've been waiting since 2006! If you want an answer from them, your best bet is to go in person, otherwise, you are in for an indeterminate length of time being ignored.

NorthBay · Jan 30, 2010

Amazingly so, she returned my call yesterday afternoon! Basically, she wanted my transcripts for my prerequisites. It took about 10 attempts to get her to understand that my school didn't require sociology, but eventually she got it. Apparently, this is the first time she's ever encountered an applicant without sociology (which is hard to believe since I know of at least 20 graduates from my school who got their RN in California last year). She told me to just send my transcripts that had the social science and liberal arts requirements and she'd find a class that she could count as sociology such as Cultural Anthropology or Social Psychology.

Case closed! Thanks for your help, everyone :)

HeartsOpenWide, RN · Jan 30, 2010

Glad it worked out. I took a Chem class that is not accepted by all schools but because my nursing program accepted it it counted

caliotter3 · Jan 30, 2010

Someone from the CA BRN returned your call! Amazing! How extraordinary! You should have transcripts of the incoming call recorded and placed upon a plaque, line it with 18K gold and send it to the Governator himself. This has got to be a first. Too bad they don't respond to everyone that way. Glad to hear your problem is solved.

NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN · Jan 31, 2010

Most schools will accept cultural anthropology as a substitute for sociology. IMO, I think it's stupid to accept one and not the other. I took cultural anthropology and found it to be very boring, not my cup of tea. Now as for the CA BRN I have no idea what to tell you except that I had many friends who took cultural anthropology and the BRN accepted it with out having to take one sociology class. Hope this helps and hope you get your license soon. Good Luck

wendy99 · Mar 7, 2010

Hi, glad your problem was solved. I am now in ABSN program as well. I just wonder if it'n not for the sociology class, do you have to send your first bachelor transcript to BRN as well? Because my first bachelor was earned outside the states, it's very troublesome to get transcript. So I hope I dont have to send it in, since all my prerequisites for nurisng are done here.

Wawanurse · Mar 12, 2010

the CA BoN is asking me for a Microbiology course ... I was educated in Canada and took the NCLEX (as well as the CNA/CNO Exam - over a decade ago, have had my license endorsed to over half a dozen states and now CA is asking for this course.

When I look at the outline for Microbiology, some of it was included in Nursing Theory .. the CA Board also returned my call after I left a message, sent an email and a fax!!

I would like to know if my studies were acceptable to CGFNS/Visa Screen and for writing the NCLEX, why now this?? I have really lost interest ... it took them 3 months to issue me with an endorsement.

They are going through a tough time, with non-paid days off (and so far it has added up to a month of pay less), so I sympathize with them on that, but don't pass that onto me ... like good nurses, we have to treat our "clients" with respect, but I think that the CA BoN is scrutinizing every little course ... I would feel very different if I was newly licensed ... but not under my circumstances. :clown:

Yumi2019 · Apr 7, 2022

For anyone reading this, the CA BON will accept the following social science courses in place of a sociology course: Human development, life span development, anthropology, gender studies, or a second psychology course.