Nursing–Licensed Practical Nursing - Certificate (Career)
Application Code 111
For curriculum information, contact the Health Sciences Division – Room HS-236—443-518-1560.
This certificate is a curriculum track within the Nurse Education Program for persons interested in becoming a licensed practical nurse. Students learn through lectures, individualized study, and practice in a nursing skills laboratory. With the guidance and supervision of nursing instructors, students provide patient care in a variety of health care settings. The graduate functions as a member of a health care team and provides care to patients with commonly occurring health problems. The coursework overlaps the registered nurse (associate of arts degree in nursing) curriculum to ensure a theory-based practitioner and to facilitate educational mobility within the nursing career field. The certificate is approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing, 4140 Patterson Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21215, 410-764-5124, and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326, 404-975-5000. Graduates who successfully complete the courses of this certificate are eligible to be considered by the Maryland Board of Nursing to write the National Council Licensing Examination for Practical Nurse licensure. By law, the Maryland Board of Nursing may deny admission to sit for licensure for a variety of reasons. These include conviction of a misdemeanor or felony, if the offense bears directly on the fitness of the person to practice nursing.
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
| ENGL-121 | College Composition | 3 credits |
| PSYC-101 | General Psychology | 3 credits |
| BIOL-107 | Fundamentals of Microbiology | 4 credits |
| - | MATH-105 or higher Drug Calculations | 1-4 |
| HMDV-200 | Life Span Development | 3 credits |
| BIOL-203 | Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 credits |
| BIOL-204 | Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 credits |
| NURS-122 | Foundations of Nursing Practice | 8 credits |
| - | or | |
| NURS-123 | Foundations of Nursing Practice for the Experienced Health Care Provider | 7 credits |
| NURS-134 | Family Centered Nursing I | 4 credits |
| NURS-135 | Medical-Surgical Nursing I | 4 credits |
| NURS-140 | Advanced Concepts in Practical Nursing | 5 credits |
Admission to the Practical Nursing Certificate track in the Nursing program is based upon successful completion of required prerequisite courses. BIOL-107 and BIOL-203 must be completed with a minimum GPA of 2.5. Contact the office of Admissions and Advising to register for an information session regarding the Practical Nursing Certificate track.
A grade of “C” or better is required in nursing, mathematics, and science courses.
Admission requirements also include a minimum overall HCC GPA of 2.0 and successful completion of a nursing entrance exam.
BIOL-107 and BIOL-203: Anatomy and Physiology prerequisite courses must be completed within five years prior to admission to the first nursing course. If coursework exceeds the five year limit, a student may take an exam(s) to demonstrate competence or repeat the course(s). BIOL-107 prerequisite courses must be completed within ten years of admission to the first nursing course.
MATH-105 or higher: Students planning to apply for entry into the associate degree nursing program should consider taking MATH-122, MATH-138 or higher in place of MATH-105, if eligible.
For important information about this financial aid-eligible program that leads to gainful employment, please visit www.howardcc.edu/disclosures.