Registered Nursing AS

What can I do with this?

This degree is not specifically designed for transfer. Courses required for the major at Cerro Coso Community College may not be the same as those required for the major at a four-year school. Students who plan to transfer should consult a counselor or advisor and ASSIST (www.assist.org)to identify the courses needed for the major at the transfer school and to develop an education plan.

The Registered Nursing AS Degree

• Prepares students for careers as registered nurses.
• Students demonstrate mastery of basic healthcare essential skills including critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• These skills can be applied to careers within the healthcare community including hospitals, clinics, skilled nursing facilities, and schools.
• Prepares students to apply for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

You can use this to:

• Become a Licensed Registered Nurse (RN)

What will I learn?

• To provide safe, quality, and evidence-based patient-centered nursing care to diverse populations across the lifespan in a variety of healthcare settings.
• To participate in quality improvement processes to improve patient care outcomes.
• To effectively participate in teamwork and collaborate with members of the interprofessional team, the patient, and the patient’s support system.
• To effectively use information management systems and patient care technologies to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision making processes.
• To implement leadership, management, legal, and ethical principles to guide practice as a registered nurse.
• To promote a culture of caring in all healthcare environments.

What courses do I take?

Note: Some courses within the major have a required prerequisite. If you feel you have equivalent knowledge and skills to those included in the prerequisite course through professional experience, licensure, or certification, you have the opportunity to submit a Prerequisite Challenge to be reviewed by the Department Chair. For the Prerequisite Challenge to be considered, you must submit documentation and verification to substantiate the basis for the challenge. Please see a counselor for more information about the Prerequisite Challenge process.

Required Core: Complete all of the following courses:

General Ed Requirements

Complete one of the following general education patterns:

• Option A | Cerro Coso Local General Education Pattern
• Option B | Cal-GETC – California General Education Transfer Curriculum

Enrollment is through Counseling only. Registered Nursing requires the completion of prerequisite courses for entrance into the program. All prerequisites must be successfully completed with a grade of "C" or better before entering the program. Students must also possess a current CNA certificate and must complete a Certified Background Check before enrolling.

Program Pathways

See Counseling for specific help with enrolling and completing this major.

How can I afford it?

This degree requires 60.0 units and will likely take 4 semesters.

Approximate Total Costs

*This is an estimate. Actual costs will vary.

Need help? Financial Aid can help with fee waivers and scholarships and other aid. Make sure to fill out your FAFSA every January.