Abstract: Objective To investigate the status of career maturity and academic emotion of nursing undergraduates and explore their relationship. Methods By convenient sampling, in October and November 2017, 330 nursing undergraduates in Dalian were selected and investigated by using the general information questionnaire, College Students' Career Maturity Inventory and General Academic Emotion Questionnaire for College Students. Results The total score of occupational maturity of nursing undergraduates was 104.86±11.94 and the average score of each item 3.08±0.35. The dimensions of academic emotion with scores ranging from high to low were positive academic emotion 68.34 ±11.89 (average score of each item: 3.60±0.63), positive and low arousal emotion 64.69±11.50 (average score of each item: 3.40±0.61), negative high arousal emotion 76.04±17.60 (average score of each item: 2.82±0.65) and negative and low arousal emotion 58.03±14.17 (average score of each item: 2.52±0.62). The factors of positive high arousal, positive low arousal and negative low arousal could jointly predict 30.2% of the variance of career maturity. Conclusion The career maturity of nursing students is in a medium level. There is more positive academic emotional experience of nursing students than negative one. The three factors of academic emotion can predict the vocational maturity level of nursing undergraduates effectively.

Key words: undergraduate nursing student, career maturity, academic emotion