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ASCEND

Program Overview

Aggie Student-Centered Express Nursing Degree, or ASCEND, is an RN-to-BSN program exclusively for Blinn College nursing students.

Students complete an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree from Blinn and Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Texas A&M University while co-enrolled in both institutions. ADN courses are completed in person at Blinn, while BSN courses are finished completely online through Texas A&M.

Students may apply to ASCEND during their first, second or third semester of the Blinn ADN Program. Depending on their Blinn entry term, students can earn their BSN from Texas A&M in as few as one semester after completing their ADN at Blinn. ASCEND graduates are eligible to receive an Aggie Ring upon graduation from Texas A&M.

For information on Blinn's ADN program, visit blinn.edu/ascend or email adn@blinn.edu.

 

CURRICULUM

Students enter ASCEND in the fall or spring at Blinn and co-enroll at Texas A&M to complete their BSN courses.

Blinn ADN Fall Entry

Institution

Course Number

Course Title

Credit Hours

Blinn

RNSG 1513

Foundations for Nursing Practice

5

Blinn

RNSG 1215

Health Assessment

2

Blinn

RNSG 1301

Pharmacology

3

 

Semester total

 

10

Instituion

Course Number

Course Title

Credit Hours

Blinn

RNSG 1341

Common Concepts of Adult Health

3

Blinn

RNSG 1260

Clinical - Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse/Common Concepts of Adult Health

2

Blinn

RNSG 2213

Mental Health Nursing

2

Blinn

RNSG 2160

Clinical - Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse/Mental Health Nursing

1

Blinn

RNSG 1144

Nursing Skills II

1

 

Semester total

 

12

Institution

Course Number

Course Title

Credit Hours

TAMU

NURS 460

Nursing Dimensions and Informatics for the RN

3

TAMU

NURS 464

Health Promotion Across the Lifespan for the RN

3

TAMU

NURS 465

Care of the Older Adult

2

 

Semester total

 

8

Institution

Course Number

Course Title

Credit Hours

Blinn

RNSG 1343

Complex Concepts of Adult Health

3

Blinn

RNSG 2261

Clinical - Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse/Complex Concepts of Adult Health

2

Blinn

RNSG 1412

Nursing Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family

4

Blinn

RNSG 2261

Clinical - Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse/Nursing Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family

2

TAMU

NURS 468

Professional Practice Issues for the RN

2

 

Semester total

 

13

Institution

Course Number

Course Title

Credit Hours

Blinn

RNSG 2231

Advanced Concepts of Adult Health

2

Blinn

RNSG 2262

Clinical - Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse/Advanced Concepts of Adult Health

2

Blinn

RNSG 2263

Clinical - Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse/Preceptorship

2

Blinn

RNSG 2121

Professional Nursing: Leadership and Management

1

TAMU

NURS 463

Health Assessment for the RN 

3

 

Semester total

 

10

Institution

Course Number

Course Title

Credit Hours

TAMU

NURS 466

Community Health for the RN

5

TAMU

NURS 461

Application of Evidence-Based Practice for the RN

3

 

Semester total

 

8

Institution

Course Number

Course Title

Credit Hours

TAMU

NURS 462

Pathophysiology and Pharmacology for the RN

4

TAMU

NURS 467

Leadership and Management for the RN

5

 

Semester total

 

9

 

Blinn ADN Spring Entry

 

Institution

Course Number

Course Title

Credit Hours

Blinn

RNSG 1513

Foundations for Nursing Practice

5

Blinn

RNSG 1215

Health Assessment

2

Blinn

RNSG 1301

Pharmacology

3

 

Semester total

 

10

Institution

Course Number

Course Title

Credit Hours

TAMU

NURS 460

Nursing Dimensions and Informatics for the RN

3

TAMU

NURS 464

Health Promotion Across the Lifespan for the RN

3

TAMU

NURS 465

Care of the Older Adult

2

 

Semester total

 

8

Institution

Course Number

Course Title

Credit Hours

Blinn

RNSG 1341

Common Concepts of Adult Health

3

Blinn

RNSG 1260

Clinical - Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse/Common Concepts of Adult Health

2

Blinn

RNSG 2213

Mental Health Nursing

2

Blinn

RNSG 2160

Clinical - Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse/Mental Health Nursing

1

Blinn

RNSG 1144

Nursing Skills II

1

TAMU

NURS 468

Professional Practice Issues for the RN

2

 

Semester total

 

11

Institution

Course Number

Course Title

Credit Hours

Blinn

RNSG 1343

Complex Concepts of Adult Health

3

Blinn

RNSG 2261

Clinical - Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse/Complex Concepts of Adult Health

2

Blinn

RNSG 1412

Nursing Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family

4

Blinn

RNSG 2261

Clinical - Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse/Nursing Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family

2

TAMU

NURS 463

Health Assessment for the RN 

3

 

Semester total

 

14

Institution

Course Number

Course Title

Credit Hours

TAMU

NURS 466

Community Health for the RN

5

TAMU

NURS 461

Application of Evidence-Based Practice for the RN

3

 

Semester total

 

8

Institution

Course Number

Course Title

Credit Hours

Blinn

RNSG  2231

Advanced Concepts of Adult Health

2

Blinn

RNSG 2262

Clinical - Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse/Advanced Concepts of Adult Health

2

Blinn

RNSG 2263

Clinical - Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse/Preceptorship

2

Blinn

RNSG 2121

Professional Nursing: Leadership and Management

1

TAMU

NURS 462

Pathophysiology and Pharmacology for the RN

4

 

Semester total

 

11

Institution

Course Number

Course Title

Credit Hours

TAMU

NURS 467

Leadership and Management for the RN

5

 

Semester total

 

5

Cost of Attendence

For cost of attendance, including estimated cost of tuition and fees, books and supplies, housing, etc., visit the Aggie One Stop website.

Application Deadlines

Applicants for the ASCEND program must be enrolled in their first, second or third semester of the Blinn ADN Program. Texas A&M School of Nursing prerequisites and verification of Blinn ADN are required for ASCEND admission. Students begin taking Texas A&M courses during the summer term.

Texas A&M entry term Summer
Application opening date Step 1: NursingCAS
Nov. 1
Step 2: ApplyTexas
Jan. 1
Application deadline Nursing CAS
Jan. 15
ApplyTexas
March 1
First class day May
Mandatory orientation date April 26, 2024

 

Prerequisite Coursework

Courses may be in progress during the application cycle; however, all courses must be completed by the first class day. See below for a list of required courses. All courses are subject to approval by the School of Nursing when the student applies for admission.

In addition to the required prerequisites listed below, students receiving a bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University must satisfy the coursework requirements of the Texas A&M University Core Curriculum. All prerequisite coursework must be completed by the first class day with a minimum grade of "C."

By the application deadline, applicants must have completed a minimum of 40 prerequisite course credit hours of the 59 hours required. Of those 40, 12 credit hours must be from the following Nursing Science courses: Lifespan Psychology (3), Nutrition (3), Statistics (3), Chemistry (4), Anatomy & Physiology (8), and Microbiology (4).

Students may repeat prerequisite courses, however, grades earned from both the first and the second attempts will be used to determine the final GPA. Any additional attempts will not be considered. If a grade of "C" is not earned within 2 attempts, the student will not be eligible for admission.

Nursing Science courses are in italics.

 

Subject Course Name Texas Common Course Number Semester Credit Hours TAMU Course
Communications Composition, Technical Writing, Public Speaking Any two courses from core list 6 See TAMU Core Curriculum
History 1 US History I or TX History HIST 1301 or 2301 3 HIST 105 or 226
History 1 US History II or TX History HIST 1302 or 2301 3 HIST 106 or 226
Government Federal Government GOVT 2305 3 POLS 206
Government TX Government GOVT 2306 3 POLS 207
Social and Behavioral Science General Psychology PSYC 2301 3 PBSI 107
Creative Arts Art, Dance, Music, Drama, or Theater Any acceptable course from core list 3 See TAMU Core Curriculum
Language, Philosophy and Culture Intro to Ethics or Intro to Philosophy PHIL 2306 or 1301 3 PHIL 111 or 251
Science
Introductory Biology BIOL 1406 or 1413 4 BIOL 111 or 107
Psychology Developmental Lifespan Psychology PSYC 2314 3 PBSI 227
Statistics Statistics MATH 1342 3 STAT 201
Math2 See footnote below   3 See TAMU Core Curriculum
Nutrition Nutrition BIOL 1322 3 NFSC 202, 203, or 222
Science Anatomy & Physiology I
BIOL 2401 4 BIOL 319 or VIBS 305
Science Anatomy & Physiology II
BIOL 2402 4 BIOL 320 or VTPP 423
Science General/Introductory Chemistry I with lab CHEM 1405/1105 or 1411 4 CHEM 101 and 111
Science
Microbiology BIOL 2420 or 2421 4 BIOL 206, 351, or VTPB 405

 1 Two history courses are required, one of which may be dedicated to Texas history.

2 Students applying from other Texas public institutions may take up to three hours of math which meet that institution's core curriculum requirements. Out-of-state or private university applicants must have three hours of math from the Texas A&M Core Curriculum.

Proficiency in a foreign language is required to graduate from Texas A&M. This requirement can be met by having completed two years of the same foreign language in high school, by completing two semesters of the same foreign language at the university level or by demonstrating proficiency in a foreign language by examination.

For questions about what courses may or may not transfer from other institutions, see the Texas A&M University Transfer Course Equivalency Matrix. If a course is not listed in the matrix or is listed as "TRNS" (transfer by title), email nursingadmissions@tamu.edu to identify the appropriate course of action to determine course transferability.

Admission Criteria

Applicants for the ASCEND program must fall under the following conditions: 

  • Enrolled and attending their first, second or third semester in the Blinn ADN Program 
  • Earned a minimum of a 3.0 GPA in Texas A&M School of Nursing prerequisite, nursing science and Blinn ADN coursework 
  • Verification of good standing in Blinn ADN Program, signed by the appropriate official

Repeated Course Policy

Students may repeat prerequisite courses, however, grades earned from both the first and a second attempt will be used to determine the final GPA. Any additional attempts will not be considered. If a grade of "C" is not earned within 2 attempts, the student will not be eligible for admission.

When deciding to repeat a course, consider the impact the course will make on your GPA. Courses from the Nursing Science prerequisites (Nutrition, Lifespan Developmental Psychology, Chemistry, Statistics, Anatomy & Physiology, and Microbiology) may make an impact on your GPA when repeated, versus courses repeated that are non-nursing science prerequisites (i.e. English, History, etc.). For example, repeating Biology where one earns a “C” the first attempt and an “A” the second attempt, may not significantly impact the prerequisite GPA since this calculation includes all grades for completed prerequisite coursework. Applicants must consider the time and cost of repeating courses as it can be difficult to greatly improve one’s GPA.  

Please visit How to Calculate GPA  for assistance in determining your prerequisite coursework and nursing science course GPA.

Admissions Decisions

All applicants will be notified of admission decisions via the Texas A&M Applicant Information System (AIS) in March.

Criminal Background Check

Criminal background checks are required of all applicants. Prior criminal convictions may cause one to be ineligible for licensure as a registered nurse. Applicants will be responsible for obtaining a background check and paying appropriate fees to be fingerprinted for the Texas Board of Nursing. The board will provide applicants with notification of their eligibility (or not) for future RN licensure following their successful completion of a nursing degree. Results are typically returned within six weeks of fingerprinting if there is no record of criminal history.

In order to apply for licensure as an RN, students must declare any eligibility issues with the Texas Board of Nursing. The board will notify applicants who may not meet conditions for future RN licensure after results of the fingerprinting are received. Individuals who have significant criminal history will likely be ineligible for licensure. If there is any history of criminal charges, alcohol or drug abuse or mental health concerns, students must file a declaratory order petition to the Board of Nursing. The time required to review a petition can be lengthy so students are encouraged to begin the process early in the application process.

An offer of admission from the School of Nursing will not be final until the completion of the background check with results that are deemed favorable. Admission may be denied or rescinded based on the review.

Application Requirements

  1. NursingCAS application and nonrefundable application fee
  2. Completion of prerequisite coursework with a minimum GPA of 3.0 by the first class day
  3. Minimum of 3.0 GPA in Blinn ADN fall and/or spring semester(s)
  4. Verification letter of admission/good standing from the Blinn ADN program by the application deadline
  5. Official transcripts from each institution attended sent to NursingCAS; this includes Texas A&M University, if applicable
  6. ApplyTexas application and nonrefundable application fee as required for students not currently enrolled at Texas A&M University or for currently enrolled students who will earn their first degree prior to nursing (complete this upon notification through NursingCAS)
  7. International applicant credentials (if applicable)

Information Sessions

Interested students are invited to attend an information session to learn more about our programs of study. These sessions provide details on admission requirements, prerequisite coursework, student life, clinical experiences and other opportunities. Students are required to attend an information sessions prior to requesting an individual appointment.

  • Reservations are required to attend a session.
  • Guests of registered attendees are welcome.
  • Sessions last approximately 60-90 minutes.