RN to BSN Completion Program (online)

Program Contact: Claire Puzarne, 203-582-6574

The RN to BSN completion program is designed for individuals who are licensed as a registered nurse and are interested in pursuing a part-time bachelor’s degree in nursing using a distance education format. The curriculum builds on the individual’s prior educational preparation and incorporates the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials of Baccalaureate Education.

The School of Nursing is not accepting applications to the RN to BSN program at this time.

Nursing Major Requirements

Students take 31 required credits for the nursing major: nursing courses (28 credits), and an open elective (3 credits) or NUR 540. All nursing courses are offered online. Fieldwork is a required component of several courses to successfully complete this program of study. Students finish with up to 10 credits toward their MSN. If they don’t take NUR 540, they have 7 credits toward their MSN.

Graduation Requirement: 120 credits

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Transfer Credit from Associate’s Degree 1		70
Quinnipiac Advanced Core Courses as needed		20
Quinnipiac Required Nursing Courses
Elective(s) as needed		3

Fall Start 

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Fall Semester		Credits
NUR 382	Nursing Science and Information Literacy	3
NUR 412	Health Assessment	3
	Credits	6
Spring Semester
NUR 410	Integrative Health and Healing	3
NUR 480	Interprofessional Practice and Quality Improvement	3
	Credits	6
Summer Semester
Summer Session 1
NUR 478	Evidence-Based Nursing Practice	3
NUR 542	Introduction to Health Care Finance	2
Summer Session 2
NUR 500	Biostatistics	1
NUR 516	Health Policy and Organizational Systems	2
	Credits	8
Second Year
Fall Semester
NUR 484	Community and Population Health Nursing	3
NUR 540	Educational Principles for the Health Care Professional	3
	Credits	6
Spring Semester
NUR 486	Contemporary Issues and Roles in Nursing Practice	3
NUR 514	Epidemiology and Population Health	2
	Credits	5
	Total Credits	31

The nursing curriculum is subject to modification as deemed necessary by the nursing faculty to provide students with the most meaningful educational experience and to remain current with professional standards and guidelines.

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Note: If less than 90 credits are awarded, then Advanced Core courses and/or electives are required.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, the BSN graduate will demonstrate the following competencies:

1. Integrate the university's core liberal education into generalist nursing practice.
2. Apply principles of basic organizational and system leadership to deliver high-quality and safe patient care.
3. Employ evidence to deliver best practices in healthcare.
4. Utilize information management and patient care technologies to deliver safe and effective health care.
5. Recognize the impact of healthcare policy, finance and regulatory environments on the delivery of patient care.
6. Demonstrate interprofessional communication and collaboration for improving health outcomes.
7. Incorporate the concepts of prevention and population health in the delivery of health care.
8. Exhibit professional standards and values.

Admission Requirements: RN to BSN Completion Program

Admission requirements include graduation from a regionally accredited college or university with an associate’s degree or a diploma in nursing with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.70; a current registered nurse license in good standing; two letters of recommendation (one from a current supervisor); a personal statement; transcripts from all postsecondary institutions attended; and a resume or curriculum vitae. A criminal background check and drug screening is required prior to entering the program. Incoming and current students will be advised that final acceptance and continuation is dependent on a successful background investigation and clearance.

Qualified students enrolled in the RN to BSN completion program may pursue a seamless transition into the MSN in Operational Leadership program. A total of 7-10 credits from the undergraduate RN to BSN program may be utilized in the MSN program.

Advanced Placement Credits

Students with an associate’s degree in nursing may transfer up to 90 credits for this program. Those students who do not have 90 transfer credits can make up the deficit with Advanced Core credits and electives taken at Quinnipiac.

Advanced Core Credits

BSN completion students can take up to 20-credit advanced core. The advanced core reflects the aims and goals of the traditional University Curriculum and the Essential Learning Outcomes while acknowledging the prior general education work completed at the associate degree level.

Professional Progression Policy (RN to BSN Program only)

1. To progress and remain in good standing, RN to BSN students must attain a semester GPA of 2.00 (C) and receive a grade of C or higher in each classroom and laboratory experience (73 or higher) and a Pass (P) in all fieldwork.
2. A student who receives less than a C (73) in one nursing course (C-, D, F) is unable to progress to courses that require that course as a prerequisite. This student will be given the opportunity to repeat the failed nursing course at the time of the next course offering and at the student’s expense.
3. A student who receives less than a C (73) in more than one nursing course (C-, D, F) will not be permitted to progress in the program and will be required to change their major out of nursing.
4. A student who earns grades of C or better in all nursing courses yet has less than a 2.00 semester GPA will be placed on academic probation and will receive an academic plan to progress in the RN to BSN program. This student must achieve a 2.00 semester GPA by the end of the next semester. The student who does not meet these academic criteria will be dismissed from the program.
5. At the end of each semester, course grades, semester and cumulative GPAs for each nursing student are reviewed by the program director.

Appeal Process

A student who wishes to appeal a progression decision must write a letter via email to the chair of the undergraduate nursing program within one week of receiving notice of their inability to progress.

1. Appeals will be considered by the Progression Appeal Committee, chaired by the associate dean.
2. Decision and procedural actions will be communicated in writing to the student.

The full policy for progression appeal is available in the Undergraduate Student Resource Manual located in the Student Community on Blackboard.

A student wishing to appeal a course grade should follow the grade appeal process detailed in the University Catalog.

Fieldwork Requirements

Students must arrange their own transportation to and from clinical agencies. CPR certification for the healthcare provider or professional rescuer must be obtained prior to enrolling in the fieldwork course, and maintained annually until all fieldwork is completed. The School of Nursing has health requirements and technical standards, criminal background check and drug screening requirements. Incoming and current students are advised that final program acceptance and continuation is dependent on a successful background investigation and clearance. 

Advanced Core course descriptions are listed in the corresponding College or School catalog sections.

Seamless Transfer Agreement with Gateway Community College (GCC), Housatonic Community College (HCC) and Norwalk Community College (NCC)

Under this Transfer Agreement, GCC, HCC and NCC graduates will be guaranteed admission into a bachelor’s degree program with third year (junior) status at Quinnipiac University on the condition that they:

• Graduate with an associate in arts, an associate in science in business, College of Technology engineering science, nursing or an allied health degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (this may be higher in specific programs). The student with the associate degree in nursing is eligible for transfer into the RN to BSN completion program. An admission requirement for the RN to BSN completion program is a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.70.
• Satisfy all other Quinnipiac University transfer admission requirements and requirements for intended major.

Quinnipiac University agrees to accept the general education embedded in these associate degree programs in accordance with Quinnipiac preferred choices for general education as meeting all the requirements of its undergraduate general education except for the Integrative Capstone Experience and where courses are encumbered by the major (e.g., General Chemistry for the Disciplinary Inquiry Natural Science requirement for a Biochemistry major).