Transition to Nursing Course
The Transition to Nursing Course is designed to transition paraprofessional healthcare workers into the associate's degree in nursing (ADN) program. The seven-credit Transition to Nursing course (NURS 130) eases the transition of Maryland LPNs, military medics/corpsmen, and paramedics into the ADN program.
The course teaches specific concepts related to the practice of professional nursing drawn from the first year of the traditional ADN program. The course is intensive and consists of six hours of lecture/discussion/blended course with 16 hours of laboratory and clinical each week for ten weeks during the summer semesters.
The course begins in May during the Montgomery College Summer Session I and ends in August of Summer Session II. Upon successful completion of NURS 130, students move into the traditional ADN program and join an existing, in-progress cohort for two additional semesters. After graduating, students will be eligible to take the NCLEX exam and become licensed registered nurses.
Admissions Process
Like the traditional nursing program, the admissions process requires that an applicant
be registered as a student of Montgomery College. If you are not currently a student,
you must submit a Montgomery College application and registration fee declaring Pre-Nursing
as your major. Applicants must submit all official transcripts to the Office of Records
and Registration. If your transcripts are from a foreign institution then they will
need to be evaluated by an external international transcript vendor, then approved (PDF, 
) by Montgomery College.
Prerequisite Course Work
The following courses are prerequisites for application to the Transition to Nursing course:
- BIOL 150: Principles of Biology I *
- BIOL 212: Human Anatomy and Physiology I *
- BIOL 213: Human Anatomy and Physiology II *
- ENGL 101: Introduction to College Writing CE
- ENGL 102: Critical Reading, Writing, and Research or ENGL 103: Critical Reading, Writing and Research in the Work Place
- MATH 117: Survey of College Mathematics - or higher level mathematics
- PSYC 100: General Psychology
*Students who transfer to Montgomery College with BIOL 212 and/or BIOL 213 may need
to take BIOL 150.
*BIOL 213 older than five years of the application date will need to comply with one
of the following:
- Take BIOL 228 Pathophysiology within five years of the application date.
- Re-take BIOL 213 in lieu of taking BIOL 228.
- Military students with at least 5 credits of Anatomy and Physiology may request approval by the Biology Department Chair to take BIOL 228 and upon successful grade of B or above, will receive credit for BIOL 212 and BIOL 213.
These courses must be completed at least one semester before the application deadline of March 1st.
Additional General Education Coursework
Additional general education courses that must be completed prior to graduation are: Microbiology (4 credits), Arts Distribution (3 credits), Humanities Distribution (3 credits), and Sociology (3 credits). Microbiology is scheduled to be completed during the fourth semester of the Nursing Program. It is highly recommended that prospective NURS 130 students complete this course prior to application.
Documentation of completion of this coursework, whether through Montgomery College or from credits transferred from a different institution, are to be submitted to the Office of Records and Registration and must be received and verified prior to applying for graduation from the nursing program.
Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) Exam
The TEAS exam is required for all application submissions to the nursing program. Applicants cannot be exempted from the requirement regardless of factors like educational background, prior course work, grade point average, or existing degrees. The exam must be taken before an application is submitted. The minimum recommended score requirements are:
- Reading: 70 percent
- Adjusted Individual Total Score: 66 percent
Applicants who exceed the minimum score requirements are more competitive. See comprehensive information on the TEAS exam, including registration, tutoring, and Academic Support Centers.
Additional Requirements
All applicants to the transition program must submit a written letter of recommendation from their current supervisor. The letter must discuss and verify employment in the role of either an LPN, military medic/corpsman, or paramedic for at least one year at a hospital or long-term care facility.
- LPN applicants must submit a copy of their current Maryland or Compact State LPN license.
- Military Medic applicants must submit documentation of past or present status of a “Navy Corpsman” (HM3 course completed, NER-HM-003), “Army 91WM6”, or “USAF4NO” skill identifier for this advanced placement option into the Nursing Program. Additionally, Military Medics must submit SMART transcripts which document required experiences such as administration of medication, documentation of patient care, experiences with use of medical and surgical asepsis and maintaining safety in patient care.
- Paramedic applicants must submit their current National EMS Certification from the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) & a current Maryland State Licensure from the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services System (MIEMSS).
Application Deadline
The application deadline for the Transition to Nursing Course is always March 1. We recommend that potential students interested in the Transition to Nursing Course attend a nursing information session. For additional and more specific information about the program please contact Professor Brenda Knopp (240-567-5534, Brenda.Knopp@montgomerycollege.edu).