Bachelor of Science in Nursing

This program prepares the graduate as a nurse adhering to the American Nurses Association (ANA) Scope and Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. Students develop a professional identity as advocates, leaders, and innovators grounded in a sense of inquiry and commitment to lifelong learning. Knowledge provided by a liberal education, integrated with nursing principles, serves as a foundation for the development of clinical reasoning, scaffolding into the application of clinical judgment and evidence-based practice. Graduates are prepared to collaborate with interprofessional teams and promote excellence through cost-effective, accessible, multidimensional care in a rapidly changing, multicultural, global environment. Emphasis is placed on the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health as graduates prepare to practice among communities of interest. The innovative, outcomes-based, laddered curricular framework aligns with the Quality and Safety Education for Nursing (QSEN) Competencies, National League for Nursing (NLN) Education Competencies, and American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN) The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education. The program is differentiated by relevant, contemporary curricular design and innovative courses, including the choice of nursing electives.

• Hospitals
• Clinical Practice
• Administration
• Nursing Education
• Nursing Leadership

• Applicants must hold a current unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) license issued by a board of nursing in the U.S. Rasmussen University defines a current, unencumbered license as a license that is unexpired and has not been reprimanded, stipulated, suspended, revoked, or has any current or prior disciplinary action regardless of current ability to practice.
• Applicants to this program are exempt from the Entrance Placement Exam requirements.
• Students are required to provide their official transcript from the institution that conferred their associate’s degree in nursing no later than the Friday of the 13th week of their enrollment, or they may be administratively withdrawn from the University.
• Applicants with prior college credits will receive a transcript evaluation during the admissions process.
• Applicants will receive written communication from the University confirming acceptance once all admissions requirements have been met, including attendance at programmatic orientation.
• In addition to meeting all other admissions requirements, applicants to this program must successfully complete and pass a criminal background check through Rasmussen University’s chosen third-party vendor. An additional and different background check may also be required during active enrollment prior to practicum or clinical placement depending on site requirements. An additional background check may include components that are different than those originally checked at the time of admissions. Any prospective student must also consider their history, lifestyle, and future actions before enrolling in this program, and carefully consider whether their actions may prevent them from attaining employment in the field they choose to pursue. Additional requirements, such as industry-specific training may be required to obtain employment in this field. Applicants for careers in this field may be subject to pre-employment screenings such as, but not limited to, criminal background checks, and drug/or alcohol testing. Employment decisions, including whether to require background checks and other tests, are made at the discretion of the employer.
• Accepted applicants must complete the Rasmussen University online orientation.
• Additional program-specific requirements may be specified at the time of enrollment.

Credit Articulation: Applicants for the Rasmussen University RN to BSN program may be awarded up to a maximum of 110 lower-level proficiency transfer credits.

• Applicants who have graduated from an Associate’s Degree in Nursing, and who satisfy all program admission requirements will be awarded an articulation transfer equivalent to 102 lower-level credits toward this program. An additional eight (8) lower-level General Education elective credits may be awarded when additional coursework was completed that was not part of the conferred Associate’s degree in Nursing.
• Applicants without an Associate’s Degree in Nursing who satisfy all program admission requirements will be awarded an articulation transfer of 68 credits in transfer to this program based on licensure, and up to 42 additional transfer credits may be awarded based on previously completed applicable lower-division General Education coursework with a grade of C- or higher.
• If incoming lower-division General Education credits total fewer than 42 credits, up to eight credits will be required to be completed through self-directed assessments from a designated pool.
• Lower-division General Education credits not transferred must be completed either prior to enrolling or during the first 18 months of enrollment.

The following self-directed assessments reflect the designated pool to select from to fulfill the eight-credit requirement. These must be completed no later than 18 months from starting the program and prior to completing the last faculty-led course in the program:

• Communicating in your Profession (Communication)
• Introduction to Communication (Communication)
• Art Appreciation (Humanities)
• Ethics Around the Globe (Humanities)
• Humanities (Humanities)
• Introduction to Critical Thinking (Humanities)
• Multiculturalism and Diversity (Social Sciences)
• Principles of Economics (Social Sciences)

Up to 24 additional upper-level proficiency transfer credits may be awarded applicable to upper-level General Education course requirements. A maximum of 134 transfer credits may be awarded for this program. A student must achieve a documented total of 180 credits (110 Lower Division and 70 Upper Division) in order to graduate from the BSN program.

+Self-directed assessment available; see page 132 for details.

This is an Empowered Learning Competency-Based Education (CBE) program. All courses are offered only as CBE courses, and only self-directed assessment and CBE courses may be selected to fulfill General Education electives within this program.

This online program is not available to residents of all states. Please speak with an Admissions Representative to determine your eligibility for enrollment.

The RN to BSN is a post-RN licensure program and is not designed to prepare graduates for any advanced practice or other state-issued nursing license.

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Rasmussen University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791. http://www.ccneaccreditation.org.

Eligible students enrolled in this program may elect to substitute specific master’s-level courses for certain bachelor’s-level courses as displayed on the table below. See the Eligibility to Substitute Master’s-Level Course While Enrolled in a Bachelor’s Degree Program Policy for more information.

*Master’s courses are 11-weeks in length and are solely offered as competency-based education (CBE) courses. Master’s courses may not transfer into all master’s degrees. Master’s degrees may not be offered in all states and may not be offered in the same states in which bachelor’s degrees are offered.