Nursing Education

San Antonio College (SAC) has been providing our community with a steady stream of nurses for over 50 years. Each semester, some 300-400 students are enrolled in SAC's Nursing program. Due to the outstanding curriculum and dedicated faculty, the program has become highly competitive admitting fewer than 100 new students each semester. Students attending the San Antonio College nursing program come primarily from the Bexar County Metropolitan area. Graduates from the programs fill nursing positions within many acute and long‐term healthcare facilities in the area.

In Fall 2021, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Texas Board of Nursing, and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges have approved the RN to BSN Bridge Program at San Antonio College. We have initiated the process of candidacy with the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.

The faculty members of the Department of Nursing Education uphold the mission of San Antonio College in supporting the educational and lifelong learning needs of culturally, ethnically, and socially diverse communities. The mission of the Department of Nursing Education is to prepare professional nurses who, as members of an interdisciplinary healthcare team, use nursing judgment to provide safe, evidence-based, patient-centered care to promote quality patient outcomes.

The Department of Nursing Education offers the Associate of Science in Nursing (A.A.S.) and the RN to BSN bridge program. The A.A.S. program has two tracks, the Generic track, and the Career Mobility track for LVN/LNP. Once the student completes the program, takes and passes the NCLEX licensing exam, and becomes a Registered Nurse, the student can then apply and transition into the RN to BSN Bridge Program. The RN to BSN Bridge Program offers both Hybrid (in-person and online) and Online courses.

The nursing program is an approved by the Texas Board of Nursing (TBON), the contact information for the TBON:

Texas Board of Nursing (BON)

333 Guadalupe #3-460, Austin, Texas 78701

Phone: (512) 305-7400 fax: (512) 305-7401

Accreditation

AAS Nursing Program

The Generic Associate of Applied Science and the Career Mobility nursing program at Alamo Community Colleges District at San Antonio College located in San Antonio, Texas is accredited by the: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the San Antonio College nursing program is Continuing Accreditation. ACEN is located at 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30326 and can be reached at (404) 975-5000.

Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science Program

The RN-BSN baccalaureate nursing program at San Antonio College located in San Antonio, Texas is accredited by the:
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta, GA 30326

The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the RN-BSN baccalaureate nursing program is initial accreditation.

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. (ACEN)

3343 Peachtree Road NE Suite 850, Atlanta Georgia, 30326

Phone (404) 975-5000 fax: (404) 975-5020

Department of Nursing Education Program Tracks

Generic Track

The Generic Track serves the education needs of students who want to become nurses but who have no prior medical or healthcare education background. The generic track nursing course work is planned to be completed in a four-semester time frame. A student entering this track has three (3) years from initial enrollment date to complete degree requirements.

The Generic Track degree curriculum plan is located on the website: Nursing: Generic, A.A.S.

Career Mobility Track

The Career Mobility Track serves the education needs of students with prior education and work experience in the medical field who wish to become registered nurses. The Mobility Track requires a one-year time frame, to include three (3) consecutive semesters. Theory course work is done online, however, all clinical and labs are supervised by nursing faculty in local healthcare facilities. Students admitted to the Kerrville campus have both course work and clinical laboratory work provided in that area unless some optimum learning experiences can only be provided through the San Antonio campus or San Antonio clinical facilities.

The Career Mobility Track offers a nursing study option for (1) Licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) or licensed practical nurses (LPNs) with a current Texas nurse license and a practice record in good-standing with the Texas Board of Nursing; or (2) Military service members and U.S. military veterans who completed training within the last ten years as Army Combats Medics, Navy Corpsmen, or Air Force Medics.

Associates Nursing Program Admission

Admission to the nursing program occurs two (2) times for the Generic track in Fall and Spring and three (3) times for the Career Mobility track in Fall, Spring and Summer per each academic year. In order to coordinate admissions with the Texas Board of Nursing, application deadlines for either a Fall, Spring or Summer admission are set to accommodate Board review. The Admission Committee reviews applicants and determines conditional admission based on multi-criteria that includes degree-required prerequisite courses with a minimum GPA of 2.8 or higher at the time of application. We accept grades of “C” or better.

The steps for admission to the nursing program include the following:

  1. Applicants for nursing studies must apply first to San Antonio College (SAC). Applications are submitted at ApplyTexas.
  2. Once admitted to SAC, the three degree-requirement courses essential for admission (BIOL 2401, 2402 & 2420 or 2421), if completed at other colleges or universities, must be transferred to San Antonio College and posted to the student’s academic record by the Office of Admissions & Records. If biology courses are being transferred from another college or university, completion must be NO more than 5 years old. Allow up to six weeks for the processing of transfer credit. Having all course work posted to the applicant record will allow nursing program admissions officials to access course grades for the consideration of the applicant. Lack of grades for required course work means the applicant will not be considered for admission. It is the applicant’s responsibility to make certain all transcripts reflecting degree-requirement courses are evident in the admissions record.
  3. Applicants will need to complete and submit an online application to the nursing program. Click HERE to apply to the Nursing Program
  4. Admission to the nursing program is competitive, with applicants providing evidence of previous successful educational accomplishments awarded higher standing in admission consideration. Applicants need to provide evidence of successful high school completion, satisfactory scores on the Testing of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) entrance examination (effective Spring 2016), successful completion of the BIOL 2401, 2402, and 2420 or 2421 college science courses, and successful completion of at least 3 other degree requirements (ENGL 1301, PHIL 2306, PSYC 2301, PSYC 2314) is also required for the nursing program admission. Students requesting to enroll in BIOL 2420 Microbiology & Pathology/BIOL 2421 must complete Chemistry I successfully prior to enrolling into BIOL 2420 or BIOL 2421. Chemistry 1405 or Chemistry 1305 & Chemistry 1105 may also be required by transfer Universities for completion of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
  5. Applicants to the Career Mobility Track need to meet the same admission requirements as the Generic track. Plus, applicant will also need to provide evidence of current Texas vocational nurse licensure or certification of medical military specialties. Military mobility applicants must provide official military training transcripts indicating completion of programs for Army Combat Medics, Navy Corpsmen, or Air Force Medics within the last ten (10) years. In addition, official documents which validate clinical experiences in military medical-technical roles advantage the applicant for consideration. Completion of degree requirements are due at the end of semester II of the Nursing Program. Beginning with Spring 2019 applicants. All applicants applying to the Career Mobility track are required to take the National League for Nursing (NLN) Nursing Acceleration Challenge Exam (NACE) in Foundations of Nursing as part of the application process. The email confirmation sent after applying to the Nursing program contains details regarding the NLN exam and test dates.
  6. Applicants meeting nursing program academic and other requirements will have their records forwarded to the Texas Board of Nursing for further consideration. The Texas Board of Nursing requires applicants to all nursing programs in Texas to have a criminal background screen completed through a Board-designated vendor. Only those applicants whose criminal background check is cleared through the Board will be offered admission to the nursing program. If the applicant fails the criminal background screen, the applicant can file declaratory orders with the Board of Nursing, and after an investigation that results in successful resolution, the applicant can seek admission in a subsequent time frame.
  7. After clearing the Board of Nursing criminal background screen, applicants will be asked to provide proof of good health (current immunization status and proof of no active tuberculosis), holding a current Health Care Provider cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) card, proof of a negative drug screen, and proof of current medical insurance coverage.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing - RN to BSN Program at San Antonio College

The RN-BSN Bridge program consists of three semesters of nursing courses to be completed in one year. The intent of the program is to allow graduates from the San Antonio College Associate Degree in Nursing who have obtained licensure, to begin working, and then continue higher education while working in the community. There are two program tracks offered: hybrid and online. The hybrid option requires 50% face to face and 50% online instruction. The online option offers instruction remotely. The program contains clinical, however the clinical courses for the RN-BSN program are project based and allow students an opportunity to utilize their work-based experiences to identify a problem and use research to support change.

RN to BSN Program Admission

All applicants must be in good standing with the Texas Board of Nursing and have an active nursing license. All prerequisite courses must be completed; however, the admissions committee will review the transcripts and develop a plan to complete any missing prerequisites. All transfer credit must be submitted to the College for approval. We encourage all to apply for consideration regardless of completion status with prerequisites. All prerequisite courses have earned transfer credit if an individual is transferring from another institution.

The admission requirements for the RN-BSN Bridge program is:

  1. Photocopy of Texas Board of Nursing RN Licensure and verification of license status on the state Board of Nursing Website.
  2. Copy of official transcripts and all official transcripts need to be sent to Admissions and Records
  3. One letter of recommendation
  4. Proof of completion of an Associate Degree in Nursing.

Applying to the RN-BSN Bridge program:

  1. Applicants for nursing studies must apply first to San Antonio College (SAC). Applications are submitted at ApplyTexas.
  1. Once admitted to SAC, if any degree required courses were completed at other colleges or universities, must be transferred to San Antonio College and posted to the student’s academic record by the Office of Admissions & Records. Allow up to six weeks for the processing of transfer credit. Having all course work posted to the applicant record will allow nursing program admissions officials to access course grades for the consideration of the applicant. Degree-requirement courses are MATH 1342, ENGL 1302 English Composition, HIST 1301 US History I, HIST 1302 US History II, GOVT 2305 US Government, GOVT 2306 Texas State and Local Government, a Speech course, CHEM 1405 Intro. to Chemistry or CHEM 1305 and CHEM 1105, BIOL 1322 Nutrition Introduction and 1 course from the LANGUAGE, CULTURE, PHILOSOPHY core. Please see SAC eCatalog for a complete list acceptable courses.

Applicants need to complete and submit an online application to the nursing program. Click HERE to apply to the Nursing Program

Programs