Pre-Nursing
Chart Your Course
prepare to BECOME A NURSE
Nursing degrees are highly specialized, hands-on, and patient-care focused. Your pre-nursing classes should be too! At Mercy College of Health Sciences, your journey begins with high‑quality, healthcare‑focused prerequisite courses taught by experienced health science faculty. These classes build the knowledge and expertise you’ll rely on throughout your nursing education and career.
Median Wage*
Start Dates (Fall, Spring & Summer)
Pre-Nursing Classes
OUR BODY OF WORK
ABOUT OUR NURSING prerequisites
Your path to becoming a skilled, confident nurse begins with the right academic foundation. Classes like Human Anatomy, Physiology, and Nutrition introduce essential concepts that underpin safe, effective nursing practice. These are more than just program admission requirements; they are the cornerstone to the content you will build on throughout your nursing education. Completing your prerequisites at Mercy College ensures you’re ready for the academic rigor and robust clinical experiences that set Mercy College apart.
Our admissions and advising teams will help you understand your specific pre‑nursing requirements and create a personalized plan that keeps you moving toward your goals. With flexible course formats designed to fit your life, you’ll receive the support, structure, and preparation you need to thrive once you enter your nursing program.
Why Take Your Nursing Prerequisites at Mercy College?
Our classes are built for future nurses, not just for meeting requirements. This plays out in a few key ways:
- Healthcare‑Focused General Education
At most colleges, general education courses are broad and theoretical. At Mercy College, every course, from math to composition, is intentionally crafted for students entering medical careers.
Math courses teach you medication dosage calculations, dimensional analysis, and real clinical problem‑solving. Science courses emphasize human health, disease processes, and clinical relevance. Writing and communication courses prepare you for documentation, charting, and patient‑centered interactions.
No matter the subject, you’ll learn how to apply concepts through the lens of a healthcare professional.
- Expert Nursing Education
Mercy College has been educating nurses since 1899. Our faculty know what nursing programs require, both academically and clinically. Completing your prerequisites at Mercy College ensures you are learning the right content at the right depth, paced and structured to prepare you for:
- Anatomy & Physiology success
- Pharmacology readiness
- Medication math competency
- Clinical reasoning development
- Professional communication
- Flexible Course Options
We know your life is busy, especially if you’re working while preparing for nursing school. That’s why Mercy College offers:
- Online and on‑campus courses
- Full‑term and accelerated formats
- Evening and daytime options
- Fall, spring, and summer classes
You can complete your prerequisites around your schedule without sacrificing quality.
- Small Classes, Big Support
With a 10:1 student‑to‑faculty ratio, you’ll never be just a number at Mercy College. On top of faculty office hours for every class you take, our Norkaitis Student Success Center offers the following free and unlimited resources:
- Individualized support via our Academic Learning Specialist
- Virtual and in-person tutoring
- Teletherapy mental health services
- Dedicating academic advising
- Student food pantry
- Emergency needs fund
- Private testing center
- ADA accommodations
APPROVED BY THE IOWA BOARD OF NURSING (IBON)
The associate degree program is approved by the Iowa Board of Nursing.
Faculty in the nursing program are highly motivated and skilled healthcare practitioners comfortable with the latest technology and evidence-based practices in their specialty areas of healthcare. They average more than 23 years of clinical experience! In addition, our full-time liberal arts and science faculty members are PhD-prepared and adept at integrating their subject matters into a comprehensive health science curriculum. As a student, you will receive an exceptional level of personalized instruction from experienced educators dedicated to your success.
The ASN program at Mercy College offers a well-rounded curriculum paired with meaningful clinical rotations, which has prepared me for a smooth transition into nursing practice. Earning my LPN license while completing the program has helped me grow both professionally and personally. This journey has been challenging, fulfilling, and empowering, and I’m excited to begin my career as a nurse!
Morgan D., ASN Candidate
COMPLETE AN APPLICATION ONLINE!
Ready to begin? Mercy College of Health Sciences makes it easy to start your journey, whether you’re a first‑time college student, a transfer student, or returning to school after time away. Learn more about admission to Mercy College. To get started, complete the online Mercy College application. If you are transferring credits, please visit our transfer page to learn more.
The following courses are prerequisites to our nursing programs:
BIO 180 – Human Anatomy w/ Lab (4 cr)
BIO 185 – Human Physiology w/ Lab (4 cr)
BIO 203* – Microbiology w/ Lab (4 cr)
NTR 205* – Nutrition (3 cr)
MAT 102 – Math for General Studies (3 cr)
STA 165* – Fundamentals of Statistics (3 cr)
ENG 101 – English Composition I (3 cr)
PSY 101 – General Psychology (3 cr)
*Accelerated BSN prerequisite only. Not required for ASN or BSN program admission.
Mercy College offers start dates in the fall, spring, and summer. View our full academic calendar for exact semester start dates.
