Pre-Nursing Options and FAQs

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Any Vanderbilt undergraduate student interested in nursing at Vanderbilt and meeting admission requirements may apply for admission.

Pre-Nursing Studies at Peabody College

Peabody students interested in nursing typically choose one of these undergraduate majors:

  1. Child Development—The Department of Psychology and Human Development. This major is recommended for students interested in pediatric primary care, family or psychiatric mental health.
  2. Human and Organizational Development/Health and Human Services Track—The Department of Human and Organizational Development, HOD. This major is strongly recommended for students interested in nursing from a community (including counseling and working in health/human service organizations), organizational, administrative, or public health perspective or students who are unsure of their specialty area.
  3. Child Studies—For information, contact Dr. Vicki Harris at vicki.s.harris@vanderbilt.edu.

Pre-Nursing Studies in the College of Arts and Science

Students enrolled in the College of A&S and interested in a career in nursing can select any undergraduate major. However, the undergraduate program of studies must include satisfactory completion of human anatomy and physiology I and II, microbiology, nutrition, statistics and lifespan development. See section of prerequisite courses for details.

Frequently Asked Questions about Pre-Nursing

  • What should be my major? There is not a preferred major for applicants applying to the MN or MN Prespecialty programs. All students need to complete a BA/BS degree and prerequisite courses prior to enrolling. There are a variety of undergraduate majors that naturally complement the nursing profession. Examples include psychology, women’s studies, medicine, health and society, child development or child studies. Students interested in the Pre-Nursing program at Peabody College usually major in Human and Organizational Development, Child Development or Child Studies. Students in Arts and Science often consider Medicine, Health and Society.
  • Should I apply to the MN or the MN Prespecialty? If you are interested in practicing as a Registered Nurse for your career, or you are interested in practicing as a Registered Nurse before you return to school to become an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (or other options), the MN program would be a great fit for you, as it is designed for those interested in entering nursing as Registered Nurses.

Select the Master of Nursing Prespecialty if you are only, or primarily, interested in becoming an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse such as a nurse practitioner or nurse-midwife.

Regardless of which you choose, the overall Master of Nursing program will prepare you as a well-qualified, master’s prepared RN. It will also provide you with advanced skills in interprofessional teamwork, health equity, clinical judgment, informatics, and prepare you with the foundational knowledge and experience needed to function as a clinical teacher or preceptor for new nurses once you are in practice or as an instructor for nursing students at a school of nursing.

  • If I choose to continue my education by getting a Post-Master’s Certificate after I receive my MN degree, which specialty area should I apply to? You are eligible to apply to one of these nursing specialties: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP), Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Nurse-Midwifery (NM), Nurse-Midwifery/FNP (dual specialty), Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care (PNP-PC), Women’s Health/Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner (WHGRNP) or WHGRNP/AGPCNP (dual specialty). There are additional specialties available after obtaining RN clinical experience (e.g., Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP), and Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Acute Care (PNP-AC)). A nurse anesthesia specialty is in development and will also require nursing experience.

If you are not sure what you would like to specialize in, it is important to investigate the diverse options to make your specialty choice. It is recommended that you interview an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in the area of interest as well as spend time volunteering in hospital and clinic settings to learn more about health care delivery and your areas of interest.

For information on the specialties, visit the Vanderbilt School of Nursing webpage at https://nursing.vanderbilt.edu and schedule a visit with an admissions officer. You can find links to schedule your visit by visiting the VUSN Admissions webpage:

  • When should I apply? Undergraduate students should complete their application by October 15 of their final year. Students admitted to the MN degree program at VUSN can complete all course requirements to be eligible for the registered nurse licensing exam in four semesters. They can then practice as a RN while also considering when and where to continue to advance their education. Those who select the MN Prespecialty program also complete all course requirements to be eligible for the NCLEX in four semesters, but they then continue to their specialty education and receive a Post-Master’s Certificate in 3 to 4 semesters (longer for dual programs). 
  • How do I learn more about the Pre-Nursing options at Vanderbilt? There are several ways to learn more about the Pre-Nursing options at Vanderbilt:
  1. Visit the Pre-Nursing Studies webpage.
  2. Join the Vanderbilt Pre-Nursing Society. Contact the PNS Co-presidents, Briana Washington (briana.m.washington@vanderbilt.edu) & Olivia Seong (olivia.j.seong@vanderbilt.edu), for more information.
  3. Attend information sessions. Programs host different information sessions both virtually and in person throughout each term. Please visit the Nursing Admissions webpage for a list of all upcoming events and whether they will be held virtually or in-person.
  4. Set up a meeting with the Pre-Nursing Advisor, Brandee Madden, brandee.j.madden@vanderbilt.edu.
  5. Make an appointment to meet with your admissions officer. You can meet virtually, in person, or over the phone. Based on your preferences, you can register to attend on the Nursing Admissions website.

International Applicants

Are you an international applicant who needs an I-20 or DS-2019 issued to study in the United States? The Master of Nursing (MN) does satisfy the requirements for F-1 or J-1 study. However, due to federal guidelines, the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Post-Master’s Certificate (PMC), and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs do not satisfy the requirements for F-1 or J-1 study. The federal regulations restrict the number of courses that can be delivered via an online format within a program of study for F-1 and J-1 students. As these programs have a significant online component, the educational format is not compatible with the structure required by the federal government for F-1 and J-1 students. Please contact Vanderbilt International Student & Scholar Services for more information.