Study in the US: Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (A.A.S.N.)

The Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (AASN) degree is designed to prepare graduates to provide and manage direct care for individuals with well-defined, common problems. AASN graduates function as a team member using nursing diagnoses and established protocols for individuals in acute care and community settings. In addition, students in this associate degree program participate as members of the profession in specialty nursing organizations and appropriate policy-focused activities.

Career opportunities include a variety of work settings such as hospitals, clinics, home health care settings, schools, industry, rehabilitation facilities, nursing homes, and public health units.

Curriculum

Curriculum and degree requirements can be found in the most recent University Bulletin.

Undergraduate Bulletin Reference

• 2024-25 Undergraduate Bulletin – Click here.
• 2023-24 Undergraduate Bulletin – Click here.
• 2022-23 Undergraduate Bulletin – Click here.

Visit the bulletins page >>

Prerequisites

Prerequisites for applying to the traditional AASN degree program include:

• A cumulative GPA of 2.00 including all college credit hours
• Completion of required coursework
• Required courses prior to acceptance into the AASN degree program can be found in the most recent University Bulletin.

Prerequisites include the following courses:

• BIO 2203 AND 2201, Human Anatomy and Physiology I and Lab
• ENG 1003, Composition I
• MATH 1023, College Algebra (or a MATH course that requires MATH 1023 as a prerequisite)

Required courses can be found in the most recent University Bulletin.

All required courses must be completed with a minimum grade of "C" in each course.

How to Apply

Class size is limited, and not all applicants are accepted into the program. Interested individuals are encouraged to seek advising early in their college career to ensure that all prerequisite courses are completed in a timely manner.

Applicants for admission will be ranked based on completeness of the application, GPA for the 10 prerequisite credit hours, and entrance exam scores. We will consider students who complete prerequisite courses by the end of the fall semester.

Under recent Arkansas law, students admitted to professional programs leading to licensure after graduation must successfully pass a background check to complete the formal admission process.

The online application will be available from August 31 to October 15.

Applicants Must Complete

• Application for Admission to Arkansas State University
• Online application for Admission to the School of Nursing, available beginning August 31. The application link is available on the School of Nursing website (when available). Application checklist: Click here
• Take the HESI A2 entrance exam. The link is available on the School of Nursing website (when available). Payment for the entrance exam is non-refundable. You are only allowed to take the entrance exam once per academic year. The entrance exam is timed, with a 3-hour time limit, and will include three sections – Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, and Anatomy & Physiology. Email Brenda Goodwin for more information.
• Smarter Measure Assessment. The link, username, and password will be provided after you complete the application. You will only be allowed to take the assessment once per admission cycle. This online readiness tool helps indicate a student's suitability for distance learning and/or learning in a high-technology environment. This assessment requires students to answer questions and complete several activities. It takes approximately 35 minutes to complete. The competencies assessed include: reading speed and recall, technical competency, technical knowledge, typing speed, and accuracy.
• Official transcripts: Submit official transcripts showing all coursework completed at the college level, including grades for courses taken during the final semester of enrollment, to the Office of the Registrar (PO Box 1570, State University, AR 72467).
• Submit a list of prerequisite courses currently being taken along with the application.
• Documentation of English proficiency, if applicable.

Entrance Exam

The entrance exam is required for the traditional AASN Program. Exam dates and times are listed below. The exam has a 3-hour time limit. Please do NOT pay for the exam unless you are applying to the traditional AASN Program. This payment is non-refundable. Due to limited testing availability, you are only allowed to take the exam once per admission cycle.

The registration link is available on the School of Nursing website (when available)

Study Guide

A study guide is available from Elsevier for the HESI A2 exam.

Note: the following exams will be administered for the traditional AASN program: Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, and Anatomy & Physiology.

Program Application

The program application for the traditional AASN program will be available from August 31 to October 15 and can be found on the School of Nursing website.