At which campus can I study this program?
Program Description
This major prepares registered nurse students as professional practitioners in areas of health promotion and maintenance, illness care, and rehabilitation. Part-time or full-time study is available at any of the campus sites. The University Park site is a blended program, which includes resident instruction and online nursing courses. The World Campus site is completely online.
Senate legislation 42-97 Credit by Portfolio Assessment enables students to receive credit for certain prescribed nursing courses based on their R.N. licensure.
Students must meet all requirements of the clinical institutions that provide preceptors and clinical experiences. These requirements may include CPR certification, professional liability insurance, health examination including required vaccinations, drug testing, criminal background check (State and Federal) and child abuse history clearances. Students also are responsible for their own transportation to and from clinical settings and may need the use of a car.
Graduates of this major may qualify for admission to a graduate nursing program.
What is Nursing?
Nurses are a vital part of the medical team. As the medical field continuously changes, there is an increased demand for nursing leaders who can improve patient outcomes and decrease healthcare costs. These leaders must combine their solid clinical skills with cultural competency, appreciation for research and innovation, effective communication and strong critical-thinking skills to meet these needs. Research shows that through the broad liberal arts foundation and expanded nursing curriculum, bachelor’s-prepared nurses demonstrate better professional integration of these aspects into their clinical practice. As a result, medical facilities have noted lower mortality rates, shorter hospital stays and lower healthcare costs. See the American Association of the Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Fact Sheet for additional information.
Penn State’s R.N. to B.S.N. program meets current healthcare demands by expanding and enhancing nurses’ existing education and preparing students to advance their practice as clinical leaders, nurse managers and as preparation for entrance to graduate degree programs.
You Might Like This Program If...
You are currently licensed as a Registered Nurse (R.N.) with an associate’s degree or nursing diploma and want to advance your theoretical and clinical skills while making yourself more marketable in the current healthcare industry. Additionally, you may wish to continue onto an advanced nursing graduate degree program and need your B.S.N. in order to be eligible to apply for graduate school. The Penn State R.N. to B.S.N. program is the right choice for nurses wanting a B.S.N. degree from a nationally-recognized institution with a reputation for academic excellence.
Direct Admission to the Major
Incoming first-year students who meet the program admission requirements are admitted directly into the major. Admission restrictions may apply for change-of-major and/or change-of-campus students.
For more information about the admission process for this major, please send a request to the college, campus, or program contact (listed in the Contact tab).
Degree Requirements
For the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in Nursing, a minimum of 120 credits is required:
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| General Education | 45 |
| Electives | 4-5 |
| Requirements for the Major | 91-93 |
21-22 of the 45 credits for General Education are included in the Requirements for the Major. This includes: 3 credits of GHW courses; 9 credits of GN courses; 3-4 credits of GQ courses; 6 credits of GS courses.
Requirements for the Major
A grade of C or better is required for all courses in the major. To graduate, a student enrolled in the major must earn at least a C grade in each course designated by the major as a C-required course, as specified by Senate Policy 82-44.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| BIOL 161 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I - Lecture  | 3 |
| BIOL 162 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I - Laboratory | 1 |
| BIOL 163 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II - Lecture | 3 |
| BIOL 164 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II - Laboratory | 1 |
| HDFS 129 | Introduction to Human Development and Family Studies | 3 |
| MICRB 106 | Elementary Microbiology | 3 |
| MICRB 107 | Elementary Microbiology Laboratory | 1 |
| NURS 200W | Principles of Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice 1 | 3 |
| NURS 357 | Introduction to Nursing Informatics 1 | 3 |
| NURS 390 | Transition and the Professional Nursing Role 1 | 3 |
| NURS 417 | Family and Community Health Concepts 1 | 4 |
| NURS 465 | Health Concepts for Adults with Complex Health Care Needs 1 | 3 |
| NURS 475 | Integrated Concepts in Nursing Practice 1 | 3 |
| NUTR 251 | Introductory Principles of Nutrition | 3 |
| PSYCH 100 | Introductory Psychology | 3 |
| Prescribed Courses: Credit by portfolio assessment | ||
| NURS 225 | Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NURS 230 | Introduction to the Fundamentals of Nursing | 4 |
| NURS 250 | Professional Role Dev I: Intro to Professional Issues in Nursing Practice and Nursing Informatics | 2 |
| NURS 301 | Nursing Care of the Adult Client Requiring Medical-Surgical Intervention | 4 |
| NURS 305 | Introduction to Pharmacological Concepts | 3 |
| NURS 306 | Nursing Care of Children and Adolescents | 3 |
| NURS 310 | Therapeutic Nursing Care of the Older Adult Client in a Variety of Settings | 3 |
| NURS 320 | Nursing Care of the Childbearing Family and Gynecological Client | 3 |
| NURS 405B | Nursing Care of the Adult Client with Complex Health Problems: Part B | 4 |
| NURS 420 | Mental Health Nursing | 4 |
| Additional Courses | ||
| Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| CHEM 130 | Introduction to General, Organic, and Biochemistry | 3-4 |
| or CHEM 110 & CHEM 111 | Chemical Principles I and Experimental Chemistry I | |
| NURS 251 | Health Assessment 1 | 3 |
| or NURS 352 | Advanced Health Assessment for the Registered Nurse | |
| SOC 1 | Introductory Sociology | 3 |
| or SOC 5 | Social Problems | |
| STAT 200 | Elementary Statistics | 3-4 |
| or STAT 250 | Introduction to Biostatistics | |
| Supporting Courses and Related Areas | ||
| Supporting Courses and Related Areas: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| Select 6 credits (3 credits of which must be at the 400 level) from courses on school-approved list in consultation with adviser | 6 | |
- 1
Due to restricted enrollment, the College of Nursing assigns the semester in which students enroll in these courses and all course prerequisites must be successfully completed.
General Education
Connecting career and curiosity, the General Education curriculum provides the opportunity for students to acquire transferable skills necessary to be successful in the future and to thrive while living in interconnected contexts. General Education aids students in developing intellectual curiosity, a strengthened ability to think, and a deeper sense of aesthetic appreciation. These are requirements for all baccalaureate students and are often partially incorporated into the requirements of a program. For additional information, see the General Education Requirements section of the Bulletin and consult your academic adviser.
The keystone symbol appears next to the title of any course that is designated as a General Education course. Program requirements may also satisfy General Education requirements and vary for each program.
Foundations (grade of C or better is required.)
- Quantification (GQ): 6 credits
- Writing and Speaking (GWS): 9 credits
Knowledge Domains
- Arts (GA): 6 credits
- Health and Wellness (GHW): 3 credits
- Humanities (GH): 6 credits
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): 6 credits
- Natural Sciences (GN): 9 credits
Integrative Studies (may also complete a Knowledge Domain requirement)
- Inter-Domain or Approved Linked Courses: 6 credits
University Degree Requirements
First Year Engagement
All students enrolled in a college or the Division of Undergraduate Studies at University Park, and the World Campus are required to take 1 to 3 credits of the First-Year Seminar, as specified by their college First-Year Engagement Plan.
Other Penn State colleges and campuses may require the First-Year Seminar; colleges and campuses that do not require a First-Year Seminar provide students with a first-year engagement experience.
First-year baccalaureate students entering Penn State should consult their academic adviser for these requirements.
Cultures Requirement
6 credits are required and may satisfy other requirements
- United States Cultures: 3 credits
- International Cultures: 3 credits
Writing Across the Curriculum
3 credits required from the college of graduation and likely prescribed as part of major requirements.
Total Minimum Credits
A minimum of 120 degree credits must be earned for a baccalaureate degree. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 credits. Students should consult with their college or department adviser for information on specific credit requirements.
Quality of Work
Candidates must complete the degree requirements for their major and earn at least a 2.00 grade-point average for all courses completed within their degree program.
Limitations on Source and Time for Credit Acquisition
The college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. Credit used toward degree programs may need to be earned from a particular source or within time constraints (see Senate Policy 83-80). For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.
Academic Advising
The objectives of the university’s academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.
Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.
READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY
Abington
Brenda Holtzer, PhD, RN, PCNS
Associate Teaching Professor
Nursing Program Coordinator
1600 Woodland Road
Abington, PA 19001
215-881-7398
bmh17@psu.edu
Fayette
Melissa Miner, DNP, RN, CNE
Associate Teaching Professor
Nursing Program Coordinator
2201 University Drive
Lemont Furnace, PA 15456
724-430-4220
mbm12@psu.edu
New Kensington
Janet Knott, DNP, RN, CNE
Assistant Teaching Professor
Nursing Program Coordinator
3550 Seventh Street Rd.
New Kensington, PA 15068
724-334-6725
jmk24@psu.edu
Schuylkill
Marianne Adam, PhD, RN, FNP, CNE
Associate Teaching Professor
Nursing Program Coordinator
C007 200 University Drive
Schuylkill Haven, PA 17972
570-385-6266
mta133@psu.edu
Shenango
Maureen Dunn, DNP RN, CNE
Assistant Teaching Professor
Nursing Program Coordinator
147 Shenango Avenue
316 Sharon Hall
Sharon, PA 16146
724-983-2873
mjd186@psu.edu
University Park and World Campus
Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing
Undergraduate Advising
201 Nursing Sciences Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-2229
nursing@psu.edu
Suggested Academic Plan
The suggested academic plan(s) listed on this page are the plan(s) that are in effect during the 2022-23 academic year. To access previous years' suggested academic plans, please visit the archive to view the appropriate Undergraduate Bulletin edition (Note: the archive only contains suggested academic plans beginning with the 2018-19 edition of the Undergraduate Bulletin).
Nursing, R.N. to B.S.N. at Abington, Fayette, New Kensington, Shenango, Schuylkill, University Park, and World Campus Campuses
The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| BIOL 161*†1 | 3 | BIOL 163*†1 | 3 |
| BIOL 162*† | 1 | BIOL 164*†1 | 1 |
| PSYCH 100*† 1 | 3 | HDFS 129*† 1 | 3 |
| ENGL 15 or 30H‡ | 3 | NUTR 251*† 1 | 3 |
| General Education Course (GH)1 | 3 | General Education Course (GQ)‡ 1,2 | 3 |
| General Education Course (GA)1 | 3 | CAS 100, 100A, 100B, or 100C‡ | 3 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CHEM 130 or 110 and 111*2 | 3-4 | SOC 1 or 5* | 3 |
| MICRB 106*† 1 | 3 | STAT 200 or 250*‡† 1 | 3-4 |
| MICRB 107*† | 1 | NURS 251 or 352* | 3 |
| NURS 390* 3 | 3 | NURS Supporting Course* | 3 |
| NURS 357* | 3 | General Education Course (GH)1 | 3 |
| Elective | 2-3 | ||
| 15-17 | 15-16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| NURS 417* | 4 | NURS 200W* | 3 |
| General Education Course (GA)1 | 3 | NURS 465* | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | ENGL 202A, 202B, 202C, or 202D‡ | 3 |
| 10 | 9 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| NURS 475* 4 | 3 | Portfolio Credits for RN License | 33 |
| NURS 400-level Supporting Course* | 3 | ||
| 6 | 33 | ||
| Total Credits 120-123 | |||
- *
Course requires a grade of C or better for the major
- ‡
Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education
- #
Course is an Entrance to Major requirement
- †
Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement
- 1
Within the 30 credits of required General Education Domain courses, students must take 6 credits of Integrative Studies courses (Inter-domain or Linked courses). Students should consult with their academic adviser to select appropriate courses.
- 2
MATH 21 is a prerequisite for CHEM 130 and STAT 200 or STAT 250. MATH 22 is a prerequisite for CHEM 110. If a student places higher than MATH 21 on the ALEKS Assessment Exam, any GQ may be scheduled.
- 3
NURS 390 should be the first NURS course taken in the R.N. to B.S.N. program.
- 4
NURS 475 should be the final NURS course taken in the R.N. to B.S.N. program.
University Requirements and General Education Notes:
US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy University Requirements (United States and International Cultures).
W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.
GWS, GQ, GHW, GN, GA, GH, and GS are abbreviations used to identify General Education program courses. General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ) and Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS, and Integrative Studies). Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of ‘C’ or better.
Integrative Studies courses are required for the General Education program. N is the suffix at the end of a course number used to designate an Inter-Domain course and Z is the suffix at the end of a course number used to designate a Linked course.
Program Notes:
- Typically, students entering NURN have the General Education and/or major requirements completed and will receive transfer credits. Speak with an adviser to have transfer transcripts evaluated.
- It may be possible for RN to BSN Students to complete an Experiential Learning Assessment in lieu of completing Integrative Studies credits; students should discuss their specific circumstances and options with their adviser and NURS 390 instructor.
Career Paths
Careers
Demand for nurses continues to rise. The B.S.N. degree in Nursing is rapidly becoming the degree of choice for many healthcare facilities, rendering baccalaureate-educated nurses highly marketable. Graduates of the baccalaureate nursing program have a vast array of rewarding employment opportunities. Employment settings include:
- Trauma centers and community hospitals caring for the critically ill or injured
- Home health agencies providing medical care to homebound clients
- Rehabilitation and long-term care facilities
- Hospice agencies caring for people with terminal illnesses
- Schools or pediatric/neonatal units working with children and newborns
- Military bases
- Insurance agencies evaluating patient claims and teaching classes to insurance agents
- Travel and cruise ship nursing
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT POTENTIAL CAREER OPTIONS FOR GRADUATES OF THE NURSING, R.N. TO B.S.N. PROGRAM
Opportunities for Graduate Studies
A baccalaureate degree in nursing is typically required to pursue advanced degrees in nursing, which prepares the nurse for roles such as nurse educator, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse midwife, nurse anesthetist, nurse administrator and nurse researcher. The Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing at Penn State offers several advanced-degree options for B.S.N.-educated nurses. On-campus options are available for nurses interested in research through the Ph.D. in Nursing or dual-title Ph.D. programs in Nursing & and Bioethics or Nursing and Clinical & and Translational Sciences (CTS). Several online options are offered to provide flexibility to working nurses across the country. These programs include M.S.N. degrees in Nurse Administration and Nurse Education and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree with options in leadership and nurse practitioner including Family/ Individual Across the Lifespan, Adult Gerontology Primary Care, and Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRADUATE STUDIES
Professional Resources
Accreditation
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programs are approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing and accredited by the:
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
655 K Street, NW
Suite 750
Washington, DC 20001
202-887-6791 - Phone
202-887-8476 – Fax
http://www.aacnnursing.org/CCNE
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES OF NURSING
Contact
Abington
NURSING MAJOR - RN to B.S.N.
1600 Woodland Road
Abington, PA 19001
215-881-7398
bmh17@psu.edu
https://www.abington.psu.edu/academics/rn-bsn
Fayette
NURSING MAJOR - RN to B.S.N.
2201 University Drive
Lemont Furnace, PA 15456
724-430-4220
mbm12@psu.edu
https://fayette.psu.edu/academics/baccalaureate/nursing-rn-bsn
New Kensington
NURSING MAJOR - RN to B.S.N.
3550 Seventh Street Rd.
New Kensington, PA 15068
724-334-6725
jmk24@psu.edu
http://newkensington.psu.edu/nursing-rn-bs
Schuylkill
NURSING MAJOR - RN to B.S.N.
C007 200 University Drive
Schuylkill Haven, PA 17972
570-385-6266
mta133@psu.edu
http://www.schuylkill.psu.edu/nursing
Shenango
NURSING MAJOR - RN to B.S.N.
147 Shenango Avenue
324 Lecture Hall
Sharon, PA 16146
724-983-2873
mjd186@psu.edu
http://shenango.psu.edu/nursing
University Park and World Campus
NURSING MAJOR - RN to B.S.N.
UNDERGRADUATE ADVISING OFFICE
201 Nursing Sciences Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-2229
nursing@psu.edu