Online RN to BSN Degree Programs - Bachelor of Science in Nursing
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Human rights activist Malcolm X famously said: “Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.” In the 21st century, access to the Internet has enabled working professionals to earn degrees while working in their current professions. Registered nurses (RNs) are a prime example of this. RNs wanting to expand their career opportunities in the field of nursing are choosing to pursue online bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degrees while employed. Earning a bachelor’s degree in the field of nursing allows RNs to specialize, gain access to more career opportunities, and earn higher salaries.
As the healthcare industry in the United States continues its rapid expansion, the demand for qualified nurses will continue to rise. The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics projects the number of openings for RNs to grow by 15 percent between 2016 and 2026—a much faster rate than average compared to other professions.
While current RNs can be relatively confident in their job security, many are opting to earn BSN degrees to deepen their skills and widen their professional opportunities. Online RN to BSN degree programs are designed for working RNs to complete their degrees in 12 to 36 months while continuing to work full-time. Required core courses in RN to BSN programs typically include effective communication, information literacy, and ethical reasoning. Science courses in anatomy and physiology, microbiology, and nutrition are also required. Electives can include psychology, sociology, economics, and languages.
With a BSN degree, students can look forward to opportunities in specialized areas of nursing. Programs comprise online coursework and clinical rotations completed at the RN’s place of employment or at an approved clinical facility. Graduates from RN to BSN programs go on to become pediatric nurses, critical care nurses, clinical nurse educators, and surgical nurses among others.
Read on to learn more about seven featured RN to BSN degree programs and three notable faculty members teaching in and leading these university programs.
Featured Online RN to BSN Programs
Arizona State University (ASU) offers an online nursing degree for RNs seeking BSN degrees. This 38-credit program trains RNs to use evidence-based practice to facilitate positive changes in their patients. Nurses are trained to be critical thinkers, client advocates, and clear communicators.
Students in this program take a blend of core and elective courses such as writing for healthcare management, community and public health nursing, and nutrition and global health in nursing. A capstone project is required for this degree, which includes a research-based solution to an observed problem in nursing.
To apply to this program, students must submit all required materials or apply through the ASU “earned admission track” if minimum admission requirements cannot be met. Graduates from these programs move on to careers in critical care nursing, nurse midwifery, and psychiatric nursing.
- Location: Tempe, AZ
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 15 to 18 months
- Estimated Tuition: $522 per credit
For four decades, the University of North Carolina (UNC) Wilmington School of Nursing has been preparing exceptional nurses. This 91-credit program can be completed from start to finish or students can transfer credits; a minimum of 31 credit-hours must be completed at UNC in order to graduate.
Coursework in their online RN to BSN degree program addresses contemporary issues related to nursing such as gerontological nursing, community health, and leadership management. Students in this program gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to advance their careers in administration, research, consulting, and teaching.
Offering six start dates throughout the calendar year, courses in this program are delivered in seven-week online modules. Practical experiences in nursing must also be completed in a nursing student’s current place of employment.
- Location: Wilmington, NC
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
- Expected Time to Completion: 12 months
- Estimated Tuition: $167 per credit for residents; $636 per credit for non-residents
Ranked number three by the U.S. News & World Report’s best online bachelor’s programs, Ohio State University’s College of Nursing offers an online RN to BSN bachelor’s degree program. This program provides a relevant academic foundation and prepares graduates to work in a variety of healthcare settings or pursue graduate studies in nursing.
The program is offered fully online to students in several states and there are no required on-campus visits. Textbook fees for the courses in this program are waived to increase accessibility and affordability for students. There are two application deadlines offered throughout the year.
- Location: Columbus, OH
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Expected Time to Completion: Nine to 12 months
- Estimated Tuition: $16,866
Penn State World Campus offers an RN to BSN degree program for professionals with an RN license wanting to advance their careers. Graduates from this program receive a solid educational foundation to prepare them for further education to become clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, nurse-midwives, or nurse practitioners. Professional communication, leadership, and research and evaluation are emphasized skills within this program’s curriculum.
Students can choose from three specialization certificate programs in nurse management, informatics, or forensics. Students who choose to pursue graduate studies in nursing may apply credits earned in the certificate programs towards a master’s degree.
- Location: University Park, PA
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Expected Time to Completion: 18 to 24 months
- Estimated Tuition: $595 per credit
The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center offers a fully online RN to BSN degree. Students can choose to attend full-time or part-time to complete the 60-semester-hour program. Optional monthly face-to-face classes for enhanced learning gives students an opportunity to interact with faculty and other students. Clinical rotations are required in addition to online coursework.
Courses in this program include the human experience of disability, the human experience in acute and chronic illness, and leadership in nursing practice. Graduates of this program have a wide range of careers open to them in administration, social work case management, and community and public health centers.
- Location: Oklahoma City, OK
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Expected Time to Completion: Nine to 24 months
- Estimated Tuition: $159 per credit for residents; $672 per credit for non-residents
The University of Nebraska Medical Center offers an RN to BSN degree program for current RNs with an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) or a diploma in nursing. The 58-credit program offers students the opportunity to transfer credits earned from an existing nursing degree. Prerequisite courses are not offered by the UNMC, but they can be earned at the University of Nebraska or transferred in from an accredited community college or four-year college or university.
Admission deadlines are offered three times throughout the year, and part- or full-time options are available for students. Up to 42 credits can be transferred based on prior nursing education, in addition to one year of RN work experience.
- Location: Omaha, NE
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 12 to 36
- Estimated Tuition: $340 per credit for residents; $538 per credit for non-residents
The University of Louisiana Lafayette offers an online RN to BSN program. Current RNs with an associate’s degree and an active RN license can be granted admission to this program. Students may transfer nursing credits earned from prior coursework earned at any time. This program is ideal for working RNs wanting to pursue a degree program while maintaining their current RN positions.
BSN students are taught critical thinking and clinical skills which enable them to perform better-quality health assessments. Concepts learned in this program can be directly applied to professional RN work. Graduates of the RN to BSN program are well-positioned to enroll in master’s degree programs which enable them to pursue executive-level leadership roles in nursing or nurse educator positions.
- Location: Lafayette, LA
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Expected Time to Completion: 12 to 24 months
- Estimated Tuition: $316 per credit
Professors to Know in Online RN to BSN Programs
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BETH HALL, PhD University of Oklahoma
Dr. Beth Hall is an assistant professor and program director for the RN-BSN and LPN-BSN programs at the University of Oklahoma. She teaches health assessment, disability, and an advanced clinical class for the aforementioned programs.
Dr. Hall enjoys the intersectionality of life sciences, helping people, and working together that the nursing profession draws upon. She’s optimistic about the new opportunities and responsibilities for nurses in the future. -
MELINDA OBERLEITNER, DNS University of Louisiana Lafayette
Dr. Melinda Oberleitner is the dean of the college of nursing and allied health professions and a professor in the Department of Nursing at the University of Louisiana Lafayette. She earned her doctorate of nursing science from Louisiana State University Medical Center and a master's of science in nursing from Texas Woman’s University.
Professor Oberleitner holds an endowed chair professorship in nursing and became the first licensed oncology nurse in the state of Louisiana in 1986. She has received awards from the American Cancer Society and the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation. Dr. Oberleitner serves on the editorial board of the Oncology Nurse - APN/PA publication. -
DEBRA WHITE-JEFFERSON, DNP University of Louisiana Lafayette
Dr. Debra White-Jefferson is an instructor in the RN to BSN program in the Department of Nursing at the University of Louisiana Lafayette. She holds a doctorate in nursing practice from Case Western Reserve University and a master’s degree in nursing education from the University of South Alabama.
Professor White-Jefferson is a ULearn-certified online teacher with more than 11 years of teaching experience in classroom and clinical settings; her nursing experience includes post-partum care, home health, and telemetry. Notably, Dr. White-Jefferson was the recipient of the Promise of Nursing for Louisiana Regional Faculty Fellowship in 2013 and 2014.