Prerequisite courses

Prerequisite criteria

Due to COVID-19, NYU Meyers accepts all prerequisite courses taken online during the spring 2020 semester, summer 2020 semester, and the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 academic years.

Prerequisite courses must be completed at an accredited college or university:

  • A letter grade of a C or better is required for all prerequisite courses.
  • All prerequisites must have been taken less than 10 years prior to the date of matriculation.
  • Online and community colleges are acceptable for prerequisite courses, as long as it is an accredited institution
  • Lab is only required for Chemistry.  All other science courses do not require labs.
  • Prerequisites do not have to be completed by the application deadline. They must be completed before the first day of classes.
  • Advanced placement exams are acceptable for prerequisite courses if the exam was taken within the last 5 years and you received a score of 4 or 5

If after reviewing the course requirements of each course below,  you still have questions, you may email the Office of Admissions at nursing.prerequisites@nyu.edu. To verify whether a course satisfies our requirements, please include the following information:  

  • Course name
  • Course number
  • School name
  • Course description
  • Syllabus

Chemistry with lab requirements

  • General Chemistry I or Inorganic Chemistry is acceptable
  • General Chemistry II cannot be substituted for the Chem I requirement
  • Must be a 4-credit course, including lab
  • Chemistry classes designed for non-science majors are typically not accepted
  • Courses NOT accepted: Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry

Course must include

  1. A review of measurement (e.g., mass, volume) in science
  2. An overview of atoms, elements, and compounds, including atomic structure and function, atomic weight, chemical symbols, and the periodic table
  3. A review of chemical bonds and resultant covalent and ionic compounds
  4. An introduction to energy (potential, kinetic) and physical properties, such as states of matter and forces holding molecules together (e.g., hydrogen bonding, Vander Waals forces)
  5. An introduction to solutions and concentration (including weight/weight, weight/volume, and volume/volume problems)
  6. A comprehensive overview of chemical reactions, including reaction types, balancing equations, and stoichiometry
  7. An introduction to acids and bases, pH, and titration

Microbiology requirements

  • Medical Microbiology is acceptable

Course must include

  1. An overview of microbial structure, function, nutrition, and growth (bacteria, fungi, archaea, protists, viruses, prions)
  2. A review of infection, infectious diseases, and epidemiology, as well as innate versus adaptive immunity
  3. An introduction to antimicrobial drugs
  4. General exploration of microbial diseases of the different body systems (e.g., skin/wounds, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, urinary, reproductive, nervous, and special senses)

Statistics requirements

  • Statistics classes taken in the social sciences are acceptable

Course must include

  1. An introduction to basic statistical concepts – samples and populations, independent and dependent variables, scales of measurement, the scientific method
  2. An exploration of measures of central tendency (frequency distributions and shape, percentiles, mean, median, mode) and measures of variability (range, variance, standard deviation, Z scores)
  3. A review of categorical data
  4. An introduction to probability, distribution, and hypothesis testing, with further exploration of T-tests, analysis of variance, correlation, and linear and multiple regression

Human Anatomy and Physiology I & Human Anatomy and Physiology II 

or Human Anatomy and Human Physiology

  • These two combinations cannot be intermixed
  • Each course must be at least 3-semester credits
  • Labs are not required

Courses must include

  1. The anatomy and physiology of cells and tissues (cell structure and function, cellular respiration/metabolism, cellular communication, tissue types, and functions)
  2. A comprehensive exploration of anatomy and physiology for the following body systems: integumentary (skin and body membranes), cardiovascular (including blood composition and physiology), lymphatic (including general body defenses), respiratory, endocrine, digestive, urinary, nervous (including special senses), musculoskeletal, and reproductive (including basic genetics and cellular division)

Nutrition requirements

  • A Human Nutrition or Nutrition Science course is preferable

Course must include

  1. A comprehensive exploration of macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats) and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals), including food sources/choices, diet analysis and food composition, and digestion and absorption
  2. A review of energy balance, weight control, diets, and eating disorders
  3. An introduction to nutrition across the lifespan (mother and infant, children, adolescents, adults, and older adults)

Developmental psychology across the lifespan

Courses NOT accepted:

  • Introduction to Psychology
  • General Psychology
  • Abnormal Psychology 
  • Child Psychology
  • Adult Psychology

Course must include

  1. A discussion of major theories of social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development
  2. A review of micro-contexts (family, home, school, neighborhoods, etc.), social identity (e.g., gender, class, race and ethnicity, disability, socioeconomic status, sexual identity), and macro-contexts (history, economics, politics) and their impact on human development
  3. A comprehensive exploration of these concepts across the lifespan: birth, prenatal development, and infancy; early and middle childhood and adolescence; early, middle, and late adulthood; and death, dying, and bereavement