Associate of Applied Science in Nursing

The Associate of Applied Science in Nursing programme is designed to prepare students for entry-level positions in the healthcare field as registered nurses. Offered through face-to-face and hybrid education delivery, it combines foundational nursing theory with hands-on clinical practice so that graduates are equipped to provide safe, ethical, and compassionate care across diverse healthcare settings.

Students gain a comprehensive understanding of human anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, patient care techniques, and evidence-based nursing practices. The curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, clinical judgment, and effective communication to support holistic patient care and interdisciplinary collaboration. Graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Southern Careers Institute is authorized by the Texas Board of Nursing to offer the Registered Nurse degree programme.

The programme is a structured pathway from the sciences to bedside practice, with hands-on labs and supervised clinical courses built in throughout, preparation for RN licensure, and 23 skill badges. Clinical hours are required by regulatory and accrediting bodies, and competencies are mastered in the classroom and skills lab before being applied at assigned clinical sites.

Southern Careers Institute was founded in 1960 and received its initial accreditation from the Council on Occupational Education in 1991. It trains students at eight Texas campuses and online, and its campuses are authorized testing sites for the National Healthcareer Association and Certiport. Students earn skill badges as they progress, and SCI Connect, the school’s career services portal, lets students build a profile with their resume, skill badges and videos of them performing job tasks for employers who post jobs there.

Before you start. Prior to the start date, you must visit the school and tour the campus (if you are enrolling in a programme with on-campus classes) and complete an interview with a licensed representative in the Admissions department.

Age and education. You must be at least 16 years of age. An applicant who is under 18 at the time of admission must provide proof of a high school diploma or GED and have written permission from a parent or legal guardian, who co-signs the enrollment agreement. You must provide verifiable official documentation of completion of secondary education within 21 calendar days of starting school: a high school diploma or transcript showing the graduation date, a home school transcript, a recognised high school equivalency certificate, an associate degree from an institution accredited by an agency recognised by the US Department of Education, or a foreign credential evaluated by a NACES member or a TEA-listed evaluation service.

Criminal history. Prospective students must provide criminal history information. Anyone with a convicted or pending felony violent crime, a convicted or pending serious felony drug crime, any sex offense conviction or pending felony sexual case, or who is a registered sex offender is not eligible for enrollment in any programme. SCI reserves the right to conduct criminal background checks.

English. SCI does not provide ESL instruction; classes are taught in English. Students whose primary language is not English must document English proficiency, for example graduation from an English-speaking secondary institution, a TOEFL iBT score of 61, an IELTS level of 6, or a grade of C in an intermediate ESL course.

SCI admits students without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, disability, or any other factor prohibited by law.

AAS in Nursing requirements. Applicants must be at least 17 years of age and must provide proof of U.S. citizenship, alien status, or legal residency; pass a criminal background check required by the Texas Board of Nursing; provide a negative 10-panel drug screen and a Statement of Health Clearance from a physician, each dated no later than 30 days before the start of term one, verifying the ability to stand for long periods and to lift and support a person weighing at least 100 pounds; pass the TEAS (Reading, Math, Science, and English and Language Usage) on campus, with a maximum of three attempts within 12 months and 14 days between attempts; and complete an interview with the Nursing Program Director or designee.

Applicants must also complete the Term One prerequisite courses (GEN 101 English I, BIO 120 Anatomy and Physiology I and its lab, CLSC 2429 Clinical Microbiology in Healthcare, and GEN 108 Algebra I) at SCI or an equivalent institution with a minimum grade of C, within five years of the start of term one. If qualified applicants exceed available seats, students are admitted according to their TEAS scores and Term One GPA.

Terms. The AAS in Nursing programme consists of five 15-week terms, with 4-5 didactic and clinical courses in each term, each scheduled for the full 15 weeks; the estimated completion time is 75 weeks. 2026 terms begin 4/6/2026, 7/20/2026 and 11/2/2026.

Weekly schedule. On-campus classes run Monday to Wednesday from 8:00 am to 1:50 pm, and students are required to attend all scheduled on-campus classes. Clinical experiences vary with the courses in the term and occur on Thursdays, Fridays and/or Saturdays; the scheduled days will likely change each term, and students must be prepared to attend on the days assigned by the clinical sites.

Tuition: $40,170.00; mandatory fees: $300.00; total: $40,470.00.

Graduates of the AAS Nursing programme may qualify for roles such as Registered Nurse (RN), Clinical Nurse in hospitals, clinics, or long-term care facilities, Home Health Nurse, Public Health Nurse, and School Nurse. Graduates will be prepared to exercise sound clinical judgment to improve the health of individuals, families, and communities in complex and culturally diverse environments.

To become a Registered Nurse you must complete an approved nursing programme and meet state licensure requirements, including passing the NCLEX-RN exam. RNs work in hospitals, clinics, long-term care and rehabilitation centers, home health and hospice, community and public health, schools, and outpatient specialty practices such as surgery, dialysis, and behavioral health.

Career services. Career Services are available to active students and graduates. Staff strive to meet every student before graduation for an exit interview that includes a customised job-search profile, an entry-level resume and a mock interview; they provide resume and interview help and work with local employers to match their needs with graduates’ skills. SCI does not guarantee employment or a specific starting salary.

Orientation. Before beginning their programmes, all new students attend an orientation session to hear about the campus and the learning experience and to meet the administrative staff, faculty and other students. Campus department directors explain the student support available and clarify students’ responsibilities and expectations. Students registered for distance-education courses also attend an online orientation that introduces the learning platform and the standards for postings, plagiarism, online etiquette and attendance.

Classes. SCI programmes run in three-week modules scheduled continuously (the AAS in Nursing runs in 15-week terms), and the externship module, where a programme has one, is six weeks. Learning new material may require at least five additional outside hours for every 20 hours spent in lecture or laboratory. To graduate you must complete all courses within the maximum time frame and earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.0; graduation ceremonies are typically held twice a year.

Support. Student services include tutoring, attendance advising and academic advising, and SCI gives referrals to community resources for housing, childcare, employment, transportation, mental health services and alcohol and drug counselling. SCI does not provide housing. Students receive skill badges to mark milestones and help market their skills.