Application deadline
Credits and costs
Nationally Recognized
Build Your Career with an Online RN to BSN
Health care is moving ahead; shouldn’t your career? As nursing becomes more complex, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing can help move your career forward. Our RN to BSN program builds and expands on the RN competencies needed to lead change and positively affect the health care industry. Earning a BSN degree can also properly prepare you to attend graduate school.
Why the RN to BSN Online Program at Penn State?
Take classes anywhere — With Penn State World Campus, all RN to BSN courses are online and you can fulfill your clinical requirements near your home. You can also choose to take your nursing courses at an accelerated pace for ultimate flexibility through our Accelerated RN to BSN format. If you live near a Penn State campus and wish to participate in both classroom and online learning, you can blend the two experiences while earning your degree.
Recognition — The Penn State RN to BSN program is one of the top online programs in the nation. The Penn State Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing is approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing. The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master’s degree program in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs at The Pennsylvania State University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791. Further information can be found at www.ccneaccreditation.org.
Beyond a degree — You can enhance your professional credentials by earning one of our specialized certificates as you move from an RN to a BSN. Choose from certificates in Nursing Management, Nursing Informatics, or Nursing Forensics to help you set yourself apart from others on the career ladder. Some of the credits you earn in the certificate programs may be applied toward the requirements for your BSN degree. In addition, some courses in the certificate programs may apply toward graduate work or may satisfy continuing professional education requirements.
Who Should Apply?
If you are a registered nurse with a valid United States RN license and you want to advance in your career, the online RN to BSN program may be the right choice for you. The BSN degree can help you move up to a supervisory role or build a solid foundation to become a clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, nurse-midwife, or nurse practitioner.
Courses
The RN to BSN program is 120 credits. To earn this Bachelor of Science in Nursing, you must successfully complete:
- 42 prescribed core course credits
- 45 General Education credits
- 33 additional core credits (earned by portfolio verification for licensed RNs)
The degree's prescribed core courses focus on contemporary issues in the field of nursing. Subjects of study include anatomy, chemistry, data management, ethics, health assessment, human development and family studies, human resources management, microbiology, nursing research, nutrition, and sociology.
Some nursing courses are available in an accelerated seven-week format.
Program Requirements: 120 credits
You may transfer credits into this program from another accredited institution. However, to earn this Bachelor of Science in Nursing, you must earn 36 of the last 60 credits from Penn State.
General Education: 45 credits
(20–22 of these 45 credits are included in the requirements for the major.)
(See General Education in the curriculum.)
Requirements for the Major: 92–93 credits
(This includes 20–22 credits of General Education courses.)
Electives: 2–5 credits
Prescribed Courses (22 credits minimum)
Portfolio Assessment (33 credits)
The following courses comprise credits earned by credit by portfolio assessment for RNs.
Supporting Courses and Related Courses (select 6 credits)
Courses Meeting General Education Requirements
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General Education Requirements
Some General Education requirements may be satisfied by courses required for the major. Students should work with an adviser to select courses.
- Arts (GA): 6 credits
- Humanities (GH): 6 credits
- Health and Wellness (GHW): 3 credits
- Natural Sciences (GN): 9 credits
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): 6 credits
- Writing and Speaking (GWS): 9 credits
A student must receive a grade of C or better in GWS courses. - Quantification (GQ): 6 credits
A student must receive a grade of C or better in GQ courses. - Integrative Studies: 6 credits
This requirement only applies to students starting in summer 2018 or later. Learn more about the Integrative Studies options and consult your academic adviser when choosing courses to fulfill these requirements. Integrative Studies credits may be completed within the thirty Knowledge Domain credits and must be completed with either Inter-domain or Linked courses, not a combination of both.
Among the degree requirements, students should incorporate at least:
- 3 credits in U.S. cultures
- 3 credits in international (IL) cultures
- 3 credits in writing-across-the-curriculum courses
The course list includes only courses offered by World Campus. An official degree audit or the recommended academic plan for this program may include additional course options and detailed requirements. All students are expected to complete at least 36 Penn State credits to earn this degree. Please consult an academic adviser for details.
Course Availability
If you're ready to see when your courses will be offered, visit our public LionPATH course search (opens in new window) to start planning ahead.
Costs and Financial Aid
Undergraduate Tuition
Undergraduate tuition is calculated based on the number of credits for which you register and the number of total credits you have accrued at or transferred to Penn State. Tuition is due shortly after each semester begins and rates are assessed every semester of enrollment.
| How many credits do you plan to take per semester? | If you have 59 or fewer credits | If you have 60 or more credits |
|---|---|---|
| 11 or fewer | $620 per credit | $664 per credit |
| 12 or more | $7,527 per semester | $8,125 per semester |
Financial Aid and Military Benefits
Some students may qualify for financial aid. Take the time to research financial aid, scholarships, and payment options as you prepare to apply. Military service members, veterans, and their spouses or dependents should explore these potential military education benefits and financial aid opportunities, as well.
How to Apply
Deadlines and Important Dates
Your degree application, including receipt of all transcripts, must be received by the following deadlines to be considered complete.
New students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA by March 1. Please visit the Office of Student Aid website for more information about applying for financial aid and recommended deadlines.
Admissions Help
Thank you for your interest in applying to this program. Contact an admissions counselor to discuss your educational goals, financial aid options, and application deadlines.
Admission Requirements
To apply for this program, you must be a high school graduate or have completed your GED.
Licensure
All RN to BSN applicants must have completed an RN program or have an RN license to practice in the United States. Prior to enrollment in certain courses, all RN to BSN students must have an active RN license in the state in which course work with clinical hours is completed.
Internationally educated students that already have an RN license to practice in the United States are welcome to apply.
What You Need
Applications are submitted electronically and include a nonrefundable application fee. You will need the following items to complete your application:
High school transcripts or GED transcript. First-year applicants are required to submit Self-Reported Academic Records (SRAR). Official high school transcripts will only be required at the time a student accepts an offer of admission to Penn State.
Official college or university transcripts, if you attended another institution, and/or official military transcripts (if applicable). (All college or university transcripts are required regardless of the length of time that has passed, the grades earned, or the accreditation of the institutions attended. Acceptance of transfer credit toward your degree is subject to final approval by the academic department. For detailed information, see the Transfer Students page.)
Transcripts not in English must be accompanied by a certified translation. Please send your transcripts by mail or electronically through Parchment, eScrip-Safe, or the National Student Clearinghouse directly to Penn State from the college/university where coursework was attempted.
Submit official documents by mail to:
Undergraduate Admissions Office
The Pennsylvania State University
201 Shields Building
University Park PA 16802
English Proficiency. The language of instruction at Penn State is English. With some exceptions, international applicants must take and submit scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Minimum test scores and exceptions are found in the English Language Proficiency section on the Undergraduate Admissions International Requirements page. Visit the TOEFL website for testing information. Penn State's institutional code is 2660.
Start Your Application
Former Penn State students may not need to complete the admissions application. Please visit our Returning Students page for instructions.
If this is your first time applying to Penn State, you'll need to complete the following steps:
- Review the application instructions before beginning.
- Complete the online application and submit all official documents.
- Pay the application fee.
Checking Your Status
You can check the status of your application by using the same login information established for the online application form and choosing "MyPennState — Check Application Status." Your decision letter (confirming your acceptance or denial) will be mailed four to six weeks after receipt of all application materials. An admissions counselor will contact you if additional information is required.
Technical Requirements
Review the technical requirements for this degree program.
Get the resources you need to make informed decisions about your education. Request information on this program and other programs of interest by completing this form.
Career Opportunities for BSN Graduates
Career Opportunities for BSN Graduates
You can use the knowledge gained from this program and the support of Penn State career resources to pursue careers in a variety of fields, depending on your goals.
Accelerated Courses
With Penn State World Campus, you already have a great amount of flexibility as to where and when you complete your course work.
However, if you are looking for additional options in the amount of time it takes to complete your degree, accelerated RN to BSN course work could be for you. You will receive the same quality instruction in a format that is compressed into seven-week sessions, allowing you to complete some of your nursing courses more quickly.
For ultimate flexibility of your program completion, the accelerated nursing courses can be taken in conjunction with our standard semester-length courses. Choose whichever format is most convenient for you at a particular time — you won't have to quit your job or change your life to earn a high-quality undergraduate degree from Penn State's well-regarded Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing.
Contact Us
World Campus Admissions Counselors
Phone: 814-863-5386
Email: [email protected]
To learn more about the highly respected nursing programs, visit The Penn State Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing website.
Faculty
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Stephanie Barrett, RN, ONC
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DegreeMSN, University of Hartford
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DegreeBSN, University of Connecticut
Stephanie Barrett instructs students in NURS 440: Trauma/Critical Care. An experienced critical care and trauma nurse, she is also a nurse educator in a large academic medical center.
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Patricia Conroy, RN
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DegreeMSN, Bloomsburg University
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DegreeBSN, Alfred University
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DegreeDiploma in Nursing, Allentown Hospital School of Nursing
Patricia Conroy is a clinical nurse specialist with more than 11 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, along with extensive broad-based clinical nursing experience. In addition to her experience teaching nursing students who are candidates for the bachelor's degree, she has expertise in grassroots advocacy development and coalition-building, with a background in managed care, disease management, development and refining of clinical guidelines, and outcomes assessment. She also has extensive experience in program development. She has received national recognition for her work in osteoporosis and postmenopausal women's health education.
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Elizabeth Cutezo, CNE
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DegreeMSN, Penn State
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DegreeBSN, Penn State
Elizabeth Cutezo, an assistant teaching professor in the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing at Penn State, has supervisory experience in nursing homes and work experience in the nursing areas of medical-surgical, intensive care, school nursing, and home health nursing. Her educational focus is on family and community, diversity, epidemiology, veteran care, disaster preparedness, and technology use in community settings and in simulation laboratories.
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Michael Evans
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DegreeDNP, Penn State
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DegreeM.S. in Ed., Capella University
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DegreeMSN, Misericordia University
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DegreeBSN, Penn State
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DegreeA.S.N., Penn State
Dr. Michael Evans, assistant dean of undergraduate nursing education at Penn State campuses and associate teaching professor of nursing, teaches in the BSN, RN to BSN, and graduate-level programs (DNP). His research interests center around palliative and end-of-life care and improving the quality of life for persons living with chronic progressive illnesses.
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Lisa Firestine, RN
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DegreeMSN, Indiana University
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DegreeBSN, University of Michigan
Lisa Firestine has been a nursing instructor with Penn State World Campus since 2008. Prior to joining World Campus, she taught in a traditional classroom at Penn State University Park, as well as at Purdue University. She has taught courses in medical-surgical nursing, health assessment, nursing ethics, informatics, nursing research, and leadership. She has also developed several electives in such areas as medical-surgical nursing, critical care nursing, and health assessment. Her thesis focused on the relationship between perceived threat, coping, and coping effectiveness of individuals with coronary artery disease. She has also published in the area of psychosocial issues in cardiac patients.
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Abby Hackenberger, RN
DegreeMSN, Nursing Education, Penn StateAbby Hackenberger has been a certified critical care RN for more than a decade, and this is where her passion lies. She has taught clinically and in the hospital setting, all in critical care for the past several years.
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M. Ellen Hollars
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DegreeMSN, Penn State
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DegreeBSN, Penn State
M. Ellen Hollars provides instruction for Penn State World Campus nursing management certificate courses and independent study courses, teaches part-time as a clinical instructor for undergraduate nursing students, and serves as the COO of VNA Health System. Her research and practice interests include community health, home health and hospice, person-centered care, care collaboration, geriatric outcomes, and models of care delivery for home health. She has served community organizations in both a leadership and volunteer capacity, and she is passionate about teaching and helping new RNs and RNs pursuing their BSN degrees to be the best nurses that they can possibly be.
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Suzanne Kuhn, RN, CNE
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DegreeDNP, Duquesne University
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DegreeMSN, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
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DegreeBSN, St. Francis University
Dr. Suzanne Kuhn is the campus coordinator for nursing programs at Penn State Altoona. She has been a nurse educator for more than 25 years in a variety of areas, including pediatrics, medical-surgical nursing, fundamentals, professional role development, dying and death, and ethics. Her research interests include end-of life-issues, bereavement following the death of a child, health promotion and education, and companion animals.
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Delores McCreary
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DegreeDNP, Penn State
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DegreeMSN, Penn State
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DegreeBSN, Penn State
Dr. Delores McCreary is an associate teaching professor of nursing who has taught a wide array of nursing classes. Community health and leadership are her primary areas of expertise.
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Nickolaus Miehl
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DegreePh.D., Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University
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DegreePost-MSN Certificate, Nursing Education, Clarion University
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DegreeMSN, Forensic Nursing, Duquesne University
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DegreeBSN, Nursing, Gannon University
Dr. Nickolaus Miehl teaches in the forensic nursing certificate program. His research interests include clinical leadership and innovation in complex health care delivery systems.
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Melissa Miner, RN, CNE
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DegreeDNP, Waynesburg University
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DegreeMSN, Duquesne University
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DegreeBSN, Penn State
Dr. Melissa Miner has taught nursing to students in the diploma, associate degree, RN to BSN, and BSN programs for nearly three decades. Her background in teaching and research primarily focuses on adult medical-surgical disorders. Dr. Miner also has teaching and research interests in evidence-based practice as it relates to research, health assessment, and community settings (i.e., hospice). She is interested in reading about new topics, such as genomics and transitional care as it relates to nursing practice.
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Mary Alyce Nelson
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DegreeDNP, Penn State
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DegreeMSN, Bloomsburg University
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DegreeBSN, Villa Maria College
Dr. Mary Alyce Nelson is the coordinator of the Penn State World Campus RN to BSN program and an assistant professor/undergraduate nursing coordinator at Penn State University Park. She has held various administrative roles in inpatient, outpatient, and educational settings, and her areas of expertise are mental health and health care leadership. Her research area of interest is alternative models of mental health treatment in rural outpatient clinics.
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Janet Ritenour, RN
DegreeMSN, West Virginia UniversityJanet Ritenour has focused on primary maternity nursing, and she is a certified hypnotherapist and aromatherapy practitioner. Her areas of expertise are women's health, alternative health, research, dying and death, and forensic nursing.
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Joyce Taylor
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DegreePh.D., Education, Specialization Nursing Education, Capella University
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DegreeMSN, Nursing Education, Indiana Wesleyan University
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DegreeBSN, Penn State
Dr. Joyce Taylor is an associate teaching professor in nursing. Her teaching and research involve academic progression in nursing education. She has more than 30 years of combined clinical and teaching experience in nursing, working in various health care institutions, with a primary focus in critical-care and trauma. Dr. Taylor teaches across the nursing curriculum in both online and face-to-face courses. She is involved in the RN to BSN program.
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Brenda Terry-Manchester
DegreeMSN, Misericordia UniversityBrenda Terry-Manchester's research interests include qualitative analysis and holistic perspectives of nurses. Her teaching experience includes a broad range of leadership/management topics as well as management of patients with complex/critical care needs.
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Rebecca D. Toothaker
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DegreePh.D., Philosophy of Nursing, University of Phoenix
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DegreeMSN, Nursing Education, University of Phoenix
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DegreeBSN, Kutztown University
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DegreeDiploma, Nursing, Reading Hospital School of Nursing
Dr. Rebecca D. Toothaker, adjunct faculty member of nursing, focuses her research on generational learners and success nursing education completion rates. She teaches courses in nursing, health assessment, and nursing research.
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Beth Ann White
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DegreeDNP, Penn State
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DegreeMSN and Adult Nurse Practitioner, Penn State
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DegreeBSN, Penn State
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DegreeRN, Diploma, Geisinger School of Nursing
Dr. Beth Ann White is an assistant teaching professor in the Penn State College of Nursing. She has worked as a case manager, disease manager, and regional manager for a Medical Home Project, along with her continued practice as an adult nurse practitioner. Her research interest includes improved oral care in long-term care. Dr. White teaches pharmacology, health assessment, medical-surgical nursing, and nursing fundamentals at the sophomore and junior levels. She teaches advanced medical-surgical nursing to senior nursing students.
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