Course Registration
Nursing Major Course Registration
This page provides registration guidance and resources for nursing majors and pre-nursing students at Grand Valley State University.
When planning your schedule, always refer to your individualized program plan to ensure courses are taken in the correct order and to stay on track for admission and progression in the program. Students admitted to the nursing program will receive registration instructions from the Kirkhof College of Nursing each semester.
If you have questions while registering, drop-in advising is available during registration periods, or you may schedule an advising appointment for additional support.
Planning ahead for registration
Work with an academic advisor and review your myPath to plan your schedule and ensure courses align with your degree requirements. Before your registration date, check Banner for any holds that may impact registration. Two common holds include:
- Advance Registration Hold – Each student is assigned a registration date and time based on completed and in-progress credits. This hold prevents registration until your assigned registration window open.
- First-Year Advising Hold – First-year students must meet with an advisor before registering. This hold is removed after the advising appointment.
Utilize the Plan Ahead feature in Banner to set up your schedule before registration opens. View tutorial: How to create a Plan Ahead schedule in Banner
Common Registration Needs
Many courses required for the nursing major include linked sections. These sections must be added together in Banner in order to successfully register for the course. If only one section is added, Banner will not allow you to complete registration.
For step-by-step instructions on how to add linked courses in Banner, view this guide: Adding a class with multiple sections
Many nursing students choose online or asynchronous general education courses to help balance clinical schedules and other program requirements. You can use the Advanced Search feature in Banner to filter for online course options.
View the step-by-step guide:Using Banner Advanced Search to find Online General Education Classes
Quick steps:
- Log into Banner and go to the course search page.
- Click Advanced Search near the grey Search button.
- In the Attribute field, select Arts (or another general education category).
- In the Instructional Method field, select Online.
This will filter results to show online general education courses that meet the selected attribute requirement.
The required nursing curriculum fulfills one of your two required SWS courses.
The required nursing curriculum does NOT fulfill any Issues courses. Be sure to plan for two Issues courses from two different disciplines.
NUR courses are restricted to students who have been officially admitted to the nursing program. Pre-nursing students will not be able to register for NUR courses until they receive admission into the program.
Students admitted to the program will receive registration instructions from the Kirkhof College of Nursing each semester with guidance on which courses to enroll in.
Some nursing students choose to take prerequisite or general education courses at another institution, often during the summer. Before enrolling elsewhere, you should first confirm that the course will transfer to GVSU.
Use the Course Equivalency Guide to check whether a course from another institution has already been approved for transfer credit.
View the guide: Search for Course Equivalencies at GVSU
If you plan to take a course elsewhere that serves as a prerequisite for a future class at GVSU, you may need to request a prerequisite override so you can register for the next course while your transfer credit is still in progress.
View the guide:How to Request a Prerequisite Override for a Class
After completing the course, be sure to have an official transcript sent to GVSU so the credit can be posted to your record.
Do you have space in your schedule?
The nursing major has a structured and busy curriculum, but you may occasionally find open space in your schedule. If this happens, consider the following priorities when selecting courses.
First, make sure you are completing any remaining General Education or Honors requirements.
Next, consider additional nursing-related coursework that may support your future studies, such as BMS 305, BMS 310, or BIO 355, if appropriate for your plan.
If you have already met the required coursework for the semester, you may choose to take a free elective, minor, or certificate course. Many students use electives to explore personal interests, develop new skills, or pursue minors or certificates that complement their nursing degree.
There is no list of free electives because these can be any course GVSU offers. Typically these are recommended in a plan when you need to reach a certain number of credits or if you have completed all the required coursework you can at that time. Below is a list of electives commonly enrolled in by nursing majors (not a complete list):
- 1-Credit Fitness Skill & Activity courses
- 1-Credit Interdisciplinary Studies such as IDS 180 or IDS 105
- 1-Credit University Studies such as US 102
- MOV 102 First Aid, CPR, AED (2-credits)
- SPA 120 Introductory Spanish for Health Professions (3-credits)
- ITC 100 Intercultural Competency (3-credits)
- AHS 100 Medical Terminology (3-credits)
- AHS 110 Introduction into Health Care (3-credits)
- NUR 344 Health Aging (3-credits)
- NUR 354 Life-Limiting Illness (3-credits)
- NUR 364 Wicked Problems in Healthcare (3-credits)
A minor is a secondary area of study that allows you to explore a subject in more depth alongside your major. Minors typically require 15–24 credits of coursework within a specific discipline. Some nursing students choose minors that complement healthcare careers, while others pursue personal interests.
Minors are optional and may require planning to fit within your degree timeline. Common minors pursued by nursing majors include (not a complete list):
- Minor in Biology
- Minor in Psychology
- Minor in Aging and Adult Life
- Minor in Practical Ethics
- Minor in Religious Studies
- Minor in Spanish
A certificate or digital badge is a smaller set of courses designed to help you develop specific skills or knowledge in a focused area. These programs usually require fewer credits than a minor and can often be completed alongside your major coursework.
Certificates and badges are a flexible way to gain additional credentials that may support your career interests or professional development. Common options pursued by nursing majors include (not a complete list):
- Certificate in Medical Health and Humanities
- Badge in Workplace Technology and Communication
- Badge in Intercultural Competency
- Certificate in Intercultural Communications
- Certificate in Leadership
- Certificate in Business Fundamentals for non-business majors