Success Through Exploratory Pathways (STEP)

"Exploratory" is a term used by the University for students who have not yet decided on or declared a major. Other commonly used terms include "undeclared" or "undecided". Typically, undeclared students choose to be undeclared for one or more of the following reasons:

• You have no idea what you want to study
• You want to study everything
• You are declared in a major that you no longer want to pursue
• You want to explore all of your options first
• You were not initially admitted to your major (ie: pre-nursing/nursing)
• You want to connect curriculum to major and future career goals 

What major you choose is a personal decision that should take into consideration your interests, skills, values, and abilities. It should match your personal and professional goals. Your STEP academic advisor, peer mentor, and career coach will work with you throughout your time as an exploratory student to help you navigate these areas and connect you with various resources on campus that will help you identify your goals.

If you are a transfer or upper-division student with 60+ units who is undeclared or on the pre-nursing track, and you have either 1) not yet chosen a major or 2) have not been admitted to the Nursing major but meet university requirements, you will need to declare a major by the start of your first semester at Stanislaus State or by the time you reach 60 units. For pre-nursing track students, you may choose to reapply to the Pre-Licensure Nursing Program for the next available application cycle while continuing with your alternate major.

Failure to declare a major by the specified deadline will result in a registration hold until a major is declared.

Undeclared Pre-nursing (UPN) students receive their academic advising through the STEP program in the Advising and Success Center since pre-nursing is an academic track, not a major. STEP UPN students are considered undeclared and are not part of the Nursing major. There is no guaranteed admission to the Pre-Licensure Nursing program. As a student interested in the Nursing program it is important to follow the most current Pre-Licensure Roadmap that contains program requirements needed to apply. The Pre-Licensure Nursing program is highly competitive; please refer to the application statistics. Students will be required to identify an alternative plan in the event that they are not admitted to the program. All pathways for nursing, and other career exploration resources are listed below to assist in developing a plan.

Pre-Nursing Impaction Updates Effective Fall 2021

Stanislaus State will be limiting the number of new pre-nursing students for Fall 2021 based on high school admission screening criteria. Students who do not meet the pre-nursing admission criteria will be admitted into their alternative major selected on the Cal State Apply application. Students can view the Pre-Nursing admission screening criteria on the School of Nursing’s Impaction page.

Students admitted prior to Fall 2021 will continue on the Pre-Nursing track. No changes have been made to the Pre-Licensure program admission requirements.

It is important to note that students must declare a major once they have accumulated 60 units of credit.

Pathways to Nursing

Registered Nursing Baccalaureate Degree

The Pre-licensure track is designed for students interested in pursuing a career in Nursing. Admission to the Nursing Pre-licensure program has a separate program application when requirements outlined in the Pre-licensure Roadmap are met.  Only 30 students are admitted to the Nursing Pre-licensure program during each application cycle (fall and spring).

 Stan State Application Statistics  |  Baccalaureate Degree Programs

College Graduate with a Bachelors Degree in Another Field

If you decide to complete your bachelor's degree in another field, you then have the option of applying to the School of Nursing's Accelerated BSN Program. You will need to complete the required prerequisites before you can apply.

Program Eligibility  |  How to Apply  |  ASBSN Contact Info

Registered Nurse, Associate Degree

You can attend a community college and complete an Associate's Degree in Nursing (ADN) program. This is a direct pathway in which you can obtain your California RN license.

Research Nursing Programs Across CA

You are encouraged to research other nursing programs throughout the State of California on the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) website.  

Explore Nursing Pathways

Gaining admission into the Stanislaus State’s nursing program is extremely competitive. If you are a Pre-Nursing student that did not get admitted into the Pre-Licensure Nursing Program, you have the option to switch academic paths at Stan State to complete your Bachelor’s degree. Many programs will count your pre-nursing prerequisites toward graduation.

After earning a degree in another field, you may qualify for the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ASBSN) program at Stan State or other institutions, as long as you’ve completed the required prerequisites (anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and chemistry).

Alternatively, you can become a registered nurse through an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) offered by community colleges. Refer to the nursing pathways for specific admission requirements.

Alternate Degree & Career Pathways

If you are a Pre-Nursing student at Stan State that did not get admitted into the Pre-Licensure Nursing program, there are other in-demand majors at Stan State that will lead to a Bachelor's degree and rewarding careers. These degrees may still qualify you for entry-level nursing programs or open doors to other allied health fields.

Possible career paths include: health educator, physician assistant, registered dietitian, physical or occupational therapist, athletic trainer, psychologist, and more. Some roles may require a graduate degree beyond the bachelors, while others lead to careers in areas like medical sales, healthcare administration, environmental health, teaching, or wellness coaching.

Many of these majors accept pre-nursing prerequisite courses (Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology, Chemistry), helping you stay on track. Be sure to plan carefully with an Academic Advisor, using the Academic Catalog, and Stan Degree Progress.

• Explore a wide range of courses that will meet general education requirements for graduation.
• Learn more about yourself such as your interests, values, strengths, and personality type. By learning more about yourself, you will be able to find a major that interests you.
• Attend major exploration workshops/webinars hosted by the Career and Professional Development Center or schedule an appointment with your Career Coach to help clarify your career goals.
• Watch the Undeclared Video created by Career and Professional Development Center
• Informational Interviews are a great way to learn about a typical workday, qualifications needed and strategies for success from a professional in the field.
• Internships, part-time, and summer jobs are a great way to get hands-on experience.
• Join a major-related club.
• Use the Majors and Careers Exploration worksheet to help you review majors you are most interested in pursuing.

By using these resources and researching different careers you can make a well-informed decision. It is important to note that students must declare a major once they have accumulated 60 units of credit.

If you have already selected a major and simply have not completed the paperwork necessary to declare a major, you will need to complete the following online Declaration or Change of Degree Objective form.

Visit our Instagram: @ STEP_STANSTATE for more event information.

For more information about STEP contact Elizabeth Zafra at ezafra@csustan.edu.