Frequently Asked Questions

1. If I am in the United States on a Visa am I eligible for this program?

You must be a U.S. citizen, eligible permanent resident or on a Visa which allows you to work in the U.S., and possess a valid social security number.

2. How many years of LVN experience is required for admission to the program?

You must have a valid CA LVN license, IV Certification, and a minimum one year's LVN experience in direct patient care within the past two years.

3. Do I need to have prior completion of an online course to be eligible?

No, completion of an online course is not a requirement.

4. I have completed college courses and am unsure if they are transferable or equivalent to SMC's requirements?

College course work must have been completed at a college with  one of the following recognized regional accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools                North Central Association of Colleges and Schools                  New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc/Commission on Higher Education                               Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges                 Southern Association of Colleges and Schools/Commission on Colleges                                                                                Western Association of Schools and Colleges

Please note upper division courses will be granted subject credit only.

5. I took a class and am not certain if it is equivalent to a SMC course, what do I do?

If you would like to request a review of a course you completed to fulfill a requirement, you must meet with a counselor who will review it. In some cases, we may request a course description and a transcript to be forwarded for review by the department chair or academic area.

6. If I have completed course work in another country will those courses be accepted?

Course work completed in another country may be accepted to satisfy general education requirements for the Associate of Arts degree, if it has already been evaluated by a recognized foreign evaluation service.

7. Does the online LVN-ADN program have a science course recency requirement?

There is no science course recency requirement  for the online LVN-ADN program. However, there is a 2.5 cumulative grade point average requirement in the science pre-requisite courses as well as a 2.5 overall college grade point average in all course work attempted. Science courses must be at least 4 semester units, and no more than one repetition or withdrawal in any of the science courses.

8. Do you accept combination courses, for example anatomy and physiology?

Some colleges offer anatomy and physiology as a combined course with 8 semester units; for example Los Angeles Community College's Biology 020 is acceptable. Anatomy and physiology combination courses with fewer than 8 semester units are not accepted.

9. Do you accept pharmacology courses from other institutions?

Nursing 17, Pharmacology Aspects of Nursing or it's equivalent is acceptable if completed at a college with one of the regional accreditations. In all cases, be prepared to submit to a counselor a course description and course syllabus for review by a Nursing faculty member.

10. Do I have to complete pharmacology at SMC?

If  pharmacology has not been completed at a regionally accredited college, or has been completed and has not been approved based on course content it may be completed at SMC during either the fall or spring semester.

11. When is Nursing 17, Pharmacology offered at SMC?

Pharmacology is only offered during the fall and spring semester as a 16 week course.

12. When is Nursing 19, Orientation to Advanced Placement offered?

Nursing 19 can only be completed at SMC. This course is a short term course, offered during the winter/summer for 3 weeks and during the fall/spring for 6 weeks.

13. I have completed the equivalent to SMC's Nursing 19, will SMC accept it?

Nursing 19 must be completed at SMC. a course taken elsewhere will not be accepted.

14. What will the clinical location, schedule, and weekly hour commitment be?

The clinical part of the program will be held at various local hospitals. Each clinical will require two 6-8 hour days a week at a clinical setting. The clinical settings may be different from your work location.

15. Does completion of Nursing 19 guarantee my acceptance into the online LVN-ADN nursing program?

Upon completion of Nursing 19 with a passing grade of "C" or better, an appointment will be arranged for you to meet with the Assistant Dean of Health Sciences. You will then be notified if you are officially accepted into the program, provided all other requirements have been met.

16. Is there a 30 unit RN option without a degree?

There is no 30 unit RN option in the online LVN-ADN nursing program. All students will be required to complete the necessary graduation and program requirements for an Associate Degree in Nursing.

17. How much time should I expect to study?

The nursing program is a rigorous program, so prepare to spend more time initially than a ground program. You should plan to schedule a minimum 2-3 hours per each hour you are required of class instruction per week/weekly arranged hours for online courses.

18. I have an Associate of Arts degree and/or Bachelor of Arts/Science degree, do I still have to complete the graduation requirements?

If you have earned an Associate of Arts or a Bachelor of Arts/Sciences degree from a regionally accredited college or university, some of your course work may meet general education requirements. The nursing counselor will evaluate your previous college course work to determine if additional courses are required.

19. I have completed several nursing courses in another program, will I receive credit for these classes?

Upon conditional admittance to the nursing program, a course-by-course evaluation will be conducted by the Assistant Dean of Health Sciences for possible credit.

20. What is the American Cultures requirement for the Associate of Arts degree?

The American Cultures requirement is a 3 unit course in which three different cultures are studied. The following are courses at SMC that will satisfy the American Cultures and Humanities general education requirement: Art 72; Cinema 7; English 10; Music 33 or 37; and Speech 4.  Some of these are offered online, please check the class schedule for online courses.

21. When do the additional graduation requirements need to be completed?

The additional graduation requirements must be completed before entering the last term of the nursing program. Those include: Speech 5, Psychology 19, Sociology 1, Math 20 or passage of the Math proficiency exam, American Cultures/Humanities class, and a course from the Social Science Area A.

22. Do I have to attend an information session?

Yes, students interested in the online LVN-ADN nursing  program must attend an information session or complete it online. We plan to have an online information session available in February 2007.

23. Who can I contact if I have additional questions?

Simply email your question/s to onlinenursing@smc.edu and a online nursing counselor will respond to your inquiry. Online nursing counselors are available on a limited basis.

24. Where do I  have my official college transcripts sent to?

After attending an information session, arrange to have all colleges you attended mail 2 official transcripts directly to:    

SMC c/o Health Sciences,                                                          1900 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405 and upon admission into the program another copy to:                                                                                                 SMC c/o Admissions & Records                                                 1900 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405

Admissions & Records will not accept hand delivered transcripts. Official college transcripts must be sent directly from the colleges to Admissions & Records

25. If I have already taken college level math and English courses, am I still required to take the math and English assessment tests at SMC?

Yes, the math and English assessment tests are required of all students applying to the online LVN-ADN nursing program.

26. I have taken the English and math assessment tests at another college, will SMC accept assessment test results from other colleges?

If you have completed the English and math assessment tests at another college, please refer to the SMC assessment policy.  Test results must be faxed directly to the SMC assessment center for review.

27. Is there an application filing period?

Interest forms and transcripts are evaluated on an ongoing basis. Admission is based on readiness, date of application, successful completion of Nursing 19 with a grade of "C" or better and completion of the admission requirements.

28. How can I establish a SMC email account?

You must be officially enrolled in classes at SMC to establish a free student email account. Please go to create a student account to learn about the process and read the computer use policy.

29. What is the estimated cost for the online LVN-ADN nursing program?

Students should be prepared to spend approximately $1,000-$2,000 for the entire program. This cost does not include the cost for internet access.

30.  I am a Veteran, do I have priority admission consideration?

Yes, this program provides Veteran's Priority Services under the Jobs for Veterans Act.