Called to be a nurse?
If nursing feels like YOUR CALLING, we look forward to visiting with you about earning your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at the The University of Texas Permian Basin School of Nursing.At UTPB, we are committed to preparing the next generation of highly skilled and compassionate healthcare professionals. To support student success and meet the growing demand for nurses in the Permian Basin, we are implementing exciting changes to our nursing program.
Pre-Health Pathway: A Strong Start to Your Nursing Career
Starting in Fall 2025, all incoming nursing students will begin their journey in the Pre-Health Pathway. This two-year track is designed to provide students with a solid academic foundation in science and general education courses before applying to the clinical phase of the nursing program in their junior year. The Pre-Health Pathway ensures that students are well-prepared for the demanding clinical phase of nursing school and the future challenges they will face in the healthcare field.
What You Need to Know About the Pre-Health Pathway:
Eligibility for Clinicals: To transition into the clinical phase of the nursing program, students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 and meet academic milestones during the Pre-Health Pathway.
Academic Foundation: The Pre-Health curriculum provides essential coursework in science and general education to ensure academic preparedness for the clinical phase.
Ongoing Support: Students will receive regular academic check-ins, advising, tutoring, and support services to stay on track.
Exploring Other Fields: The Pre-Health Pathway offers flexibility to explore other healthcare-related fields, such as Psychology and Social Work, if students decide to change their career path.
Conditional Status Update
UTPB’s nursing program is currently under conditional approval by the Texas Board of Nursing due to NCLEX first-time pass rates falling below the 80% benchmark. Our 2024 pass rate for first-time testers was 72%. The program is on track to achieve full approval as early as January of 2026. We are confident in the improvements made to support student success.
While the program is under conditional status, UTPB’s Nursing Program remains fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) through 2030. This status does not impact our ability to educate and graduate students but means the Texas Board of Nursing is closely monitoring our progress.
New students may begin in the Pre-Health Pathway and apply for the clinical phase once we regain full approval. This model, used successfully nationwide, ensures students are well-prepared for clinicals. Students who start as Freshmen in the Fall of 2025 will not start clinicals until the Fall of 2027.
We are confident that with the program enhancements in place, we will return to full approval as early as January 2026, but not later than Fall 2027.
