University of Texas at Arlington offers both an on-campus and 100% online RN to BSN degree option.

The online program is offered through a service called Academic Partnerships which according to their website assists “leading universities around the world in the development and marketing of their online degree programs.”  However, all tuition and fees are paid directly to the University of Texas Arlington.

The Online RN to BSN Program at UTA Online

Although we have comprehensively reviewed the program, should you end up talking with the University of Texas Arlington, you should be sure to ask them all of the questions you have. You are responsible for double checking the facts of any program or school you speak with prior to enrolling.

Below we will show some of the highlights of the RN to BSN program. Use the quick links below to jump to a section.

Cost of the RN to BSN Program

The cost of the UTA Online RN to BSN program is $8,995 for tuition only, according to their website.  After a review of the RN to BSN program, the true cost of tuition is most likely higher, as they have fairly strict general education requirements including a Texas government class that is required.  Each extra course that you will have to take is $168 per credit.  Unfortunately, the only way to know which additional courses you specifically will need to take requires sending them your current transcript.

Other fees include a $50 application fee and of course, books. Be sure to speak with the UTA Online nursing or admissions department to understand all of the costs that are associated with the program.

How Long Is the UTA Online RN to BSN?

Time to Completion is 9+ months according to website, but courses do not need to be taken consecutively.  You can take time off as needed.  Most courses are 5 weeks or 10 weeks long, but some are 7 and some are 12.  Make sure and check for each specific course.

CCNE Accredited

The University of Texas Arlington Online RN to BSN is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), a highly regarded accrediting body for any nursing school.

RN to BSN Courses to Expect for UTA

As mentioned, there are 35 total credit hours required for the online RN to BSN program at UTA. Subsequently there are a number of courses you can expect to take. Some courses from previous college experience may be transferable, but you need to talk with UTA admissions to understand which. UTA organizes their class structure into groups of courses: General Courses, General Literature Courses, Nursing Courses, and Electives. Below are some of the general, nursing, and electives courses you can expect to take, but you can review their full program list on their website or with a UTA admissions representative to get a better idea of what courses to expect.

When Can You Enroll in the UTA Online RN to BSN?

Different classes have different start dates throughout the year.  You can apply any time and get started with whichever upcoming classes they are offering.

Are There Clinical Requirements?

During the Nursing Leadership & Management course “an application-based practice experience is required and can be completed in the community.”  This means that you can complete the requirement at a location of your choice once it is approved.  This includes your current place of employment.  However, the requirement cannot be satisfied during paid work time.

Nursing@Simmons’ RN to BSN Completion Program

Nursing@Simmons is the online version of Simmons School of Nursing and Health Sciences (SNHS).  Simmons College is the larger institution which SNHS and Nursing@Simmons belong to. 

Simmons College is a private undergraduate women’s college, but the graduate schools, including Nursing@Simmons and the RN to BSN program, are open to both women and men.  Simmons College is located in Boston, MA, also known as The Best College Town.  However, through Nursing@Simmons you are free to achieve your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) without moving to Boston.  Be advised, you are required to travel to Boston and Simmons College for the Campus Immersion Weekend prior to beginning the Online RN to BSN Program.

The RN to BSN program from Nursing@Simmons requires 128 credits for completion.  Up to 80 of these credits may be transferred from other schools or a previous degree, dependent upon transcript evaluation.  Nursing@Simmons does offer a Full-time and Part-time completion option which helps with flexibility.  Note, however, that the Full-time and Part-time options are cohorts.  This means that you as the student stay with the other students throughout your RN to BSN completion.  This makes it more difficult to start and stop your degree.  Please speak with an adviser if you are unsure about being able to stay with your designated cohort or to find out more about which option, Full-time or Part-time, will be right for you.  The average completion time for a Full-time student at Nursing@Simmons is 4 terms, and for a Part-time student it is 5 terms.  Each term is 14 weeks long.  This means the Full-time program can take as little as 15 months to complete and the Part-time program approximately 18 months to complete.  See below for Cohort start times.

Cost: Costs for Nursing@Simmons are a bit cumbersome.  Nursing Course Credits (32) are $1208 per credit.  Clinical Professional Reflection (16 credits) are a total of $1000.  There is something simply called Mode (8 credits – and may not be required), $1208 per credit.  This totals 56 credits.  Assuming you are able to transfer 80 credits, then you would not need the Mode credits.

If you are not able to transfer in all 80 credits, then each additional credit needed to meet the 128 credit total is $1,246.

Tuition does not include the cost of books and there is a $100 student fee per term.

See the Scholarships page for creative financing options.

Total Cost: $40,056 = 32 credits x $1208 + $1000 +$400 for 4 terms.  Add another $100 if you are Part-Time. And don’t forget to add in books.  The total cost may be substantially higher if you are not able to transfer 80 credits from your previous degree.

Time to Completion: Approximately 15 Month to 18 Months. Full-time students take 4-5 terms which are 14 weeks each totaling 15-18 months.  Part-time is 5-7 terms or approximately 18-24 Months.

Start Date(s): Approximately 3 per year. Cohorts begin October 2014, January 2015, March 2015, and September 2015.  Application deadlines can be found here.

Clinical Requirement: Yes, 672 clinical hours.  A handy .PDF regarding the clinical portion can be found here.

Accreditation: CCNE, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

Prerequisites: In addition to already possessing a Registered Nurse license and having an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) from an Accredited school, there are several other requirements for admission which can be found here.

Need help paying for Nursing@Simmons?  Visit the Scholarships page

Back to Online RN to BSN Programs

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, also known as “The Woods”, is a Catholic women’s university located in Indiana.  Of note, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College is one of the oldest women’s Catholic colleges in the United States.  Also of note, men are welcome to attend SMWC’s RN to BSN online degree completion program.

As of January 2014, SMWC offers an online RN to BSN program.  SMWC’s RN to BSN program is a cohort model meaning you will advance through the program at the same pace and with the same students that you begin the program.  Classes are offered in 8-week (full-time) or 16-week (part-time) sessions which offers a projected completion time of 20-24 months.  There are approximately 50 credits that need to be completed to receive your BSN, but this number may be influenced by the number of credits you are able to transfer.

Follow this link for a .pdf of the full program requirements

Cost: Tuition is currently $482 per credit hour.  At 50 credits, this works out to be $24,100 for tuition.  The application fee is waived if applying online.

Total Cost: $24,100 – Scholarships and grants are available

Time to Completion: 20-24 months, possibly 12-18 months depending on transfer credits

Start Date(s): 5 start dates

Clinical Requirement: Yes, there is a 3 or 6 credit capstone requirement that can be completed where you are employed

Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission

Prerequisites: Current RN license.  Transcripts from Associate Degree Nurse program with GPA of 2.75

Back to Online RN to BSN Programs

Ohio University is a public university located in Athens, Ohio.  Through the Ohio University Knowledge Center you can pursue your RN to BSN online.  The Knowledge Center is Ohio University’s unique application portal for connecting you, the student, with all of the resources for the RN to BSN program whether you are a current student or prospective student.  There are a total of 120 credits required for graduation with 31 of these credits required from Nursing courses.  All Nursing courses are 5-weeks long.  Ohio University offers a generous credit transfer policy.  If you are a current RN, then you should be able to transfer the majority of credits needed for graduation.  Once you are accepted to the program, you will receive a personalized Degree Audit Report to see which classes you will need to take.

* You must be a resident of Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania, or West Virginia to be able to attend Ohio University.

Cost: Tuition is charged at $240 per credit hour for Ohio residents and $243 per credit hour for non-residents.  Assuming you are only required to take the 31 required Nursing Courses, then the total cost of tuition is $7,440 for Ohio residents or $7,533 for non-residents.  Additionally, there is an application fee of $25, a Student Information and Network fee of $33, and a Graduation application of $50.
Total Cost: $7,548 for Ohio residents.  $7,641 for non-residents
Time to Completion: Each course is 5-weeks.  Completion time will depend on how  many courses you are able to take during each 5-week session
Start Date(s): 8 start dates.  3 in Spring, 3 in Fall, and 2 in Summer
Accreditation: CCNE

Ohio University Review

If you live in Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania, or West Virginia, consider Ohio University. 

If you do live in one of the above mentioned states, then check out the Knowledge Center at Ohio University.  Admittedly, their website is a bit difficult to navigate to find the exact page that you want for the RN to BSN program.  So we’ll save you the trouble.  Go to Ohio University RN to BSN for more detailed information about the program.  Including the fact that they offer 8 start dates throughout the year!  And the fact that each class is only 5 weeks long and the whole program can be completed in a year.

Ohio University is CCNE accredited.  And being a state school that has been around since 1804, it has a solid reputation that employers won’t worry about.

To reiterate, if you are a resident of Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri, Pennsylvania, or West Virginia then you NEED to pay close attention to the RN to BSN program at Ohio University.

• Under $8,000
• 5 week classes
• Finish in a year
• CCNE accredited
• State school with solid reputation
• 100% online with integrated Ohio University Knowledge Center

Grand Canyon University is a for-profit Christian university. Physically located in Phoenix, Arizona, Grand Canyon University, or GCU, offers a 100% online RN to BSN degree. To complete the program and received your Bachelor of Science in Nursing, you should first begin by looking at what credits you already have that could potentially transfer towards their RN to BSN program. You can potentially take over 90 credits which can shorten your completion time of the degree.

Grand Canyon University’s RN to BSN program aims to help registered nurses increase the level of their clinical healthcare knowledge. The program’s curriculum aims to try and highlight the knowledge most registered nurses possess and maximize that through their BSN program. You’ll experience courses that touch on different patient care theories, strategies in health management, and even look at nursing leadership theories. The aim of this knowledge growth is so that when you complete the program you are able to take on new duties in your current hospital role (or whichever career path in healthcare) while understanding healthcare structure better.

The BSN program at Grand Canyon is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and according to their site tries to pair their program standards to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Each state is different for their degree requirements though so we encourage you to look at required accredidation to make sure the Grand Canyon BSN program will suffice for your needs.

Tuition Cost and Expected BSN Program Completion Time

Grand Canyon University offers dynamic tuition cost based on the type of student you are. As we’re talking about the online RN to BSN program, the average per credit cost is $470. If you believe that achieving your BSN degree is a stepping stone to achieving a graduate level degree, you should also research the average per credit cost of that too ($500 for various online nursing programs).

It should be noted that whle the total degree requirements is 120 credits, the cost can vary from student to student based on things like transfer credits and specific state requirements. Grand Canyon offers a degree counselor to help walk you through your specific state requirements which is encouraged. If you’re able to bring in the full 90 transfer credits into the BSN program, it will have dramatic affects on the total tuition cost you might expect.

Grand Canyon Program Length

Just like the tuition cost can vary (depending on the amount of transfer credits you have) the program length may also vary. While the GCU RN to BSN program page says that online courses are generally 5 weeks, they also say that courses like College Mathematics (MAT-144) typically require 7 weeks. You will need to do research into your transfer credits and if you will run into any of these courses that extend past the general 5 week guideline that Grand Canyon places on the RN to BSN program.

As this is about the online program, it is important to note that Grand Canyon offers flexibility in the timing you decide to complete courses and the program itself. Your ability to take on the courses in a timely manner will aslo have an affect on how long the course is. We recommend speaking to a school advisor to work out how long you can expect to see your program last.

Potential Career Options

It should be noted that there is not a guarantee that every graduate of the RN to BSN program is guaranteed a new job or even employment for that matter. However, as you hopefully progress in your nursing career, you might expect to see some of these nursing jobs as possibilities (this will also vary depending on your specific state requirements):

• Case Managers: For some, completing an RN to BSN program might help them gain a more “administrative” position with a more regular schedule and work hours. Case Managers might not see any bedside care and almost experience more of an office job out of it.
• Nurse Recruiter: This is another interesting potential role for BSN grads because it deals more in going to job fairs and trying to recruit new nurses to work at your healthcare facility. You will have to not only have a strong nursing knowledge base but be able to evaluate candidates too (as your professional judgment is being exhibited daily).
• Research Nurse: Whether it be private pharmaceutical firms or government research being conducted, many trials will see human subjects as a part of their testing. Research nurses need to be well versed and experienced with emergency situation responses and be able to work with people that are being treated as test subjects.

These are only a few career paths you might potentially aim for once completing your RN to BSN program and Grand Canyon University. Each role is different and so is each company. Many roles will require a BSN degree but also want certain years of experience out of their job candidates. Do your research to see what else you might need to gain in tandem with your BSN degree for certain career paths.

Curriculum You Might Expect at Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon University does a good job of breaking down the different nursing knowledge curriculum and what you will learn in their program. You might expect to learn about various ways and methods to ascertain a family medical history which can be a common challenge in nursing (and is often crucial for correct diagnosis). You might also learn about various nursing leadership theories like transformational leadership which looks at things like patient safety and avoiding medical error. Applying these kinds of leadership theories to the nursing/healthcare environment can help in your everyday interactions with coworkers and patients.

You might also expect to hear and analyze various healthcare related data and statistics in the Grand Canyon RN to BSN program. They will likely take data compiled from the healthcare industry and develop theories or practical application in a clinical setting.

Grand Canyon University offers an exciting and insightful RN to BSN program. It’s important that you conduct research specific to your state requirements and desired future career requirements before taking the leap. Contacting a Grand Canyon University enrollment specialist might help aid in this process. Enjoy your exciting new academic path and where it might take you!

Breckinridge School of Nursing is a for-profit Nursing School offered through ITT Technical Institute.  The school offers a 100% Online RN to BSN option with classes starting year round.  Courses are offered in 6 week or 12 weeks blocks depending on the course.  There is also one clinical preceptor class that must be taken during the final quarter of study.

Cost: $426 per credit.  This cost does include books and other fees.  However, the actual cost is a bit more confusing.  The entire Online BSN program consists of 180 credits.  Of these 180, 36 of them are listed as “Unspecified General Education courses” and another 60 of them are listed as “Unspecified Core courses”.  Assuming that a typical RN satisfies the requirements for General Education and Core courses, this leaves 84 credits that need to be taken from Breckinridge.

Total Cost: $35,784 = $426 x 84.  This is a minimum.  The true cost, based on how many credits you are allowed to transfer, is most likely significantly higher.

Time to Completion: The average full-time student takes 6-9 Quarters, or 18 to 27 months.  Part-time options are also available.

Start Date(s): There are several rolling start dates throughout the year.

Clinical Requirement: Yes, there is one preceptor clinical requirement the final quarter of the program.  During this time, you will complete 120 clinical hours in a healthcare setting.  You are required to find, organize, and setup a preceptor and clinical setting.

Accredited: Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools

Sacred Heart University is a private Catholic university located in Connecticut.  The online RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing can be completed completely online or through a traditional on-campus completion program.  Classes are offered through six modules that are 8-weeks long.

SHU offers both an online RN to BSN option and an on-campus RN to BSN option.  Both options are fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, or CCNE.

Cost: SHU is a semester school and each semester credit costs $515.  To graduate with your BSN, you must complete 56 credit hours from Sacred Heart.  This brings tuition to $28,840.  Additionally, there is a $50 application fee.

Total Cost: $28,890 = $515 x 56 credit hours + $50

Time to Completion: 12 months

Start Date(s): 6 start dates throughout the year

Accreditation: CCNE

Sacred Heart University RN to BSN Program

The online RN to BSN option can be completed in as little as 12 months.  Sacred Heart University offers a rolling cohort option of six modules that are each eight weeks long.  As a result of this setup, SHU is able to offer up to six start times for the program each year.  Any module that you have not completed can be started again whenever that module is available, assuming you have met all of the prerequisites.  When it comes down to it, what this means is that you can start and stop your degree with the completion of each module.  If you do not take any breaks or time off, then your BSN can be completed in 12 months.

Sacred Heart University’s online RN to BSN program offers a generous credit transfer policy for prior degrees and your prior RN license.  That being said, you will still need to complete 56 credits from SHU to graduate with your BSN.  At the current rate of $515 per credit hour, this brings the total tuition price to close to $29,000.

When considering any RN to BSN option, don’t forget to investigate all additional fees including, books, one-time and per-term fees, and the cost of the general application.  For instance, Sacred Heart University requires you to carry malpractice insurance while enrolled in the RN to BSN program.  The cost of this insurance is not included in tuition or in any set fee, but will be contingent on you, your location, and going rates for malpractice insurance.  Remember to be an informed consumer and shop around.

Other Nursing Programs at Sacred Heart University

Sacred Heart University also offers a direct RN to MSN option.  When enrolled in this program, you complete your BSN, but immediately continue on with your MSN.  This is an attractive option for anyone that is considering getting an MSN any time in the future.  It is often easier to keep going with school when you are already in school mode.

Sacred Heart University also offers an online RN to BSN to MSN Program.  This program takes the student straight from RN to Master of Science in Nursing while earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing along the way.  The cost of the program is $515 per credit hour for the BSN portion and $620 per credit hour for the MSN portion.

Explore more online RN to BSN Programs.

Drexel University

Drexel University is a private university located in Philadelphia, PA and offers a 100% online RN to BSN completion program, as well as, a RN to BSN hybrid program.   The hybrid option offers the same coursework as the online BSN program, but has an on-campus component of 2-4 sessions each quarter.  Of note, the online BSN program does require up to four live chats during each term.  For either the online or hybrid programs, there is a total of 180 credits needed for graduation with a possibility to transfer 133 credits.  This leaves a minimum of 47 credits that need to be taken through Drexel University.

Additionally, if you hold a bachelor’s degree in another field, there is a RN to MSN degree program offered.

Curious about BSN hybrid programs?  Go to Online and Distance Learning Defined

*If you are considering Drexel University, but live in Maryland see the special considerations note below.

Cost:  For the online BSN program, each credit is $591 ,or $493 if you qualify for a tuition discount from a qualifying employer.  With a minimum of 47 credits, this brings the total tuition cost to $27,777 or $23,171.  There is also a one-time equipment fee of $175.  If you are accepted into the program prior to Spring 2014, these tuition rates do not change, but will be locked throughout your completion of the program.

Total Cost: $27,952 or $23,346.  This does not include books

Time to Completion: Approximately 6 terms, but this is dependent on how many credits you are able to transfer and how many classes you take per term.  Both the online and hybrid BSN programs are part-time and students do not follow along with a set cohort, but can take classes on a PRN, or as needed basis.

Start Date(s): Four start dates throughout the year.  Not all classes are offered each quarter.

Clinical Requirement: NURS 375 is a 40 hour community health requirement that cannot be completed in a hospital.  There are also two other options for completing a second clinical practicum in a hospital setting, but the are not required for degree completion.

Accredited: NLN-AC & CCNE

* Note from Drexel.com:

Students taking an online course with a clinical component or practicum CANNOT do the clinical or practicum portion of the course within the state of Maryland at this time. If you are a licensed Registered Nurse (R.N.) you may complete a clinical or practicum in Virginia and Delaware which share in a Nurse Compact for Licensure with Maryland. Students who reside in Maryland may continue to take online courses at Drexel University, but they must do the clinical portion of the course in another state. If you have already made arrangements to do clinical in Maryland, please contact your Academic Advisor or Director of Clinical Education immediately to help you find a new clinical site. Drexel University is in the process of applying for a Certificate for Approval to Operate in Maryland.

Interested in other Nursing Programs in Pennsylvania? Go here