Can You Take A&P 2 and Microbiology at the Same Time?

Yes, you can take A&P 2 and microbiology at the same time if you meet each course’s prerequisites and your nursing program accepts both courses. The combination can be demanding: both classes involve unfamiliar terminology, and either may include a lab. Before enrolling, check the rules for your intended program and make a realistic study plan.

Can you take anatomy and physiology 2 and microbiology at the same time?

You may be able to take them together, but there is no single nursing prerequisite order that applies everywhere. The school offering each course sets its enrollment requirements, while your intended nursing program determines which courses meet its admission requirements.

Ask both schools these questions before you register:

• Does either course require A&P 1, chemistry, or another course first?
• Does the nursing program require a separate lab or a combined lecture-and-lab course?
• Does it accept online or self-paced coursework and the proposed lab format?
• Are there minimum grade, recency, or application-deadline requirements?

If you are changing schools, send the course description and syllabus to the nursing program and ask for a written evaluation before enrolling.

What is covered in anatomy and physiology 2?

A&P 2 typically focuses on how major body systems are structured and how they function together. Topics often include circulation, respiration, digestion, the urinary system, reproduction, and fluid balance. Exact coverage depends on the course.

Microbiology focuses on microorganisms and other infectious agents, how they grow and spread, and how the body responds to them. Immunity is a useful point of overlap: A&P may explain the roles of white blood cells, while microbiology may connect those defenses to specific pathogens.

The overlap can help you make connections, but it does not make the courses interchangeable. Compare both syllabi so you know what each instructor expects.

Is anatomy and physiology 2 harder than microbiology?

Neither course is inherently harder for every student. A&P 2 may feel tougher if you struggle to connect organ structures with processes such as blood pressure regulation or kidney function. Microbiology may be harder if you find microbial classification, infection mechanisms, or laboratory techniques challenging.

Look beyond the subject names when judging the combined workload. Compare exam dates, assignment deadlines, lab meetings, and the time you have available alongside work or family responsibilities. If both courses have intensive labs or your schedule has little flexibility, taking one first may be the more manageable choice.

How to prepare for anatomy and physiology 2?

Start by reviewing material from A&P 1, especially cells, tissues, basic chemistry, and the idea of homeostasis. You do not need to relearn everything at once; focus on concepts that appear in your upcoming syllabi.

Use a calendar to map both courses’ exams and assignments, then reserve separate study blocks for each. Practice explaining processes without notes—for example, trace how air reaches the lungs and how oxygen enters the blood. For microbiology, practice connecting an organism’s characteristics with how it spreads and how the immune system responds.

If you are also choosing a course format, this guide to self-paced A&P options and nursing program requirements can help you frame questions for your program.

Is anatomy and physiology 2 online self-paced accepted by nursing schools?

Some nursing programs may accept an online, self-paced A&P 2 course; others may have requirements that a particular course does not meet. Ask specifically about the course’s credit recommendation, format, lab component, and whether it satisfies the nursing prerequisite rather than only a general elective.

The table below summarizes the UPI Study Anatomy and Physiology 2 course details to discuss with your program.

Do not assume an online course includes the lab your program requires. Ask the program to review the syllabus and confirm what, if anything, you would need to take separately. For more questions to ask, see taking A&P online for nursing prerequisites.

Which colleges list Anatomy and Physiology 2 on an equivalency chart?

These colleges show Anatomy and Physiology 2 (Biology 212) on their equivalency charts with UPI Study. Open a college for its full chart.

See the rest of the equivalency on the Anatomy and Physiology 2 course page, or open a college above for its full chart. ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.

Frequently Asked Questions about Nursing Prerequisites

Final Thoughts on Nursing Prerequisites

Before scheduling both classes, confirm prerequisites and lab requirements with the course providers and your intended nursing program. Then compare the two syllabi and your calendar to decide whether taking them together is realistic.