;

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.

Suggested Summer Term 1

Course NumberTitleCredits
BIOL 107Fundamentals of Microbiology

4

HEAL 105Drug Calculations

1

OR

Gen Ed Core Mathematics Core Course

3

Suggested Summer Term 2

Course NumberTitleCredits
BIOL 203Anatomy and Physiology I

4

Suggested Semester 1

Course NumberTitleCredits
BIOL 204Anatomy and Physiology II

4

NURS 122Foundations of Nursing Practice

8

PSYC 101General Psychology

3

Suggested Semester 2

Course NumberTitleCredits
ENGL 121College Composition

3

NURS 134Family Centered Nursing I

4

NURS 135Medical-Surgical Nursing I

4

PSYC 200Lifespan Development

3

Suggested Summer Term

Course NumberTitleCredits
NURS 140Advanced Concepts in Practical Nursing

5

Total Credit Hours: 43

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.

HEAL 105 or mathematics core course: Students planning to apply for entry into the associate degree nursing program should consider taking MATH 132, MATH 138 or higher in place of HEAL 105, if eligible.


For important information about this program, including the graduation rate and median debt of students who completed, please visit www.howardcc.edu/disclosure-nursing-licensed-practical-nursing.