RN to BSN

Quick Facts

100% on-line.

Nine courses equal to thirty-two credits.

Students are admitted in Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters.

General education courses can be taken before, during or after completing nursing courses.

The link below (Apply now) will take you to the College of Nursing application. Please read the instructions carefully. All applicants must also apply and be accepted to ETSU: https://www.etsu.edu/admissions/#student_type

Curriculum - Fall Start

Course Program Plans By Semester Start Date:

• Two Semester

   

  	Course Name/Number	Course Hours
  Semester One - Fall
  Term 1	NRSE 2030 Health Assessment	4
  	NRSE 3510 Population, Community, and Public Health Nursing	3
  Term 2	NRSE 2016 Pathophysiology	4
  	NRSE 3525 Health Promotion and Research	3
  	Total	14
  Semester Two - Spring
  Term 1	NRSE 3010 Pharmacology for Nursing	3
  	NRSE 4355 Healthcare Systems and Informatics for Nurses	4
  	NRSE 4620 Leadership and Professional Practice (or W0 session)	3
  Term 2	NRSE 3200 Advancing to professional Nursing Practice	3
  	NRSE4062 RN Practicum	5
  	Total	18
  	Total Hours	32
  	OPTIONAL for All Plans *NRSE 4620 can be taken during winter session (W0 section); mid-December thru-mid January (full-time or part-time plan)

• Three Semester

   

  	Course Name/Number	Course Hours
  Semester One - Fall
  Term 1	NRSE 2030 Health Assessment	4
  	NRSE 3200 Advancing to professional Nursing Practice	3
  Term 2	NRSE 2016 Pathophysiology	4
  	Total	11
  Semester Two - Spring
  Term 1	NRSE 4355 Healthcare Systems and Informatics for Nurses	4
  	NRSE 4620 Leadership and Professional Practice (or W0 session)	3
  Term 2	NRSE 3525 Health Promotion and Research	3
  	Total	10
  Semester Three - Summer
  8 Weeks Term	NRSE 3010 Pharmacology for Nursing	3
  	NRSE 3510 Population, Community, and Public Health Nursing	3
  	NRSE 4062 RN Practicum	5
  	Total	11
  	Total Hours	32
  	*NRSE 4620 can be taken during winter session; mid-December thru-mid January (full-time or part-time plan)

• Five Semester

  	Course Name/Number	Course Hours
  Semester One - Fall
  Term 1	NRSE 2030 Health Assessment	4
  Term 2	NRSE 2016 Pathophysiology	4
  	Total	8
  Semester Two - Spring
  Term 1	NRSE 3010 Pharmacology	3
  Term 2	NRSE 3200 Advancing to professional Nursing Practice	3
  	Total	6
  Semester Three - Summer
  8 Weeks   Term	NRSE 4355 Healthcare Systems and Informatics for Nurses	4
  	NRSE 4620 Leadership and Professional Practice	3
  	Total	7
  Semester Four - Fall
  Term 1	NRSE 3510 Population, Community, and Public Health Nursing	3
  Term 2	NRSE 3525  Health Promotion and Research	3
  	Total	6
  Semester Five - Spring
  Term 1
  Term 2	NRSE 4062 RN Practicum	5
  	Total	5
  	Total BSN Hours	32

Curriculum - Spring Start

Course Program Plans By Semester Start Date:

• Two Semester

   

  	Course Name/Number	Course Hours
  Semester One - Spring
  Term 1	NRSE 3010 Pharmacology for Nursing	3
  	NRSE 4355 Healthcare Systems and Informatics for Nurses	4
  	NRSE 4620 Leadership and Professional Practice (or W0 session)	3
  Term 2	NRSE 3200 Advancing to professional Nursing Practice	3
  	NRSE 3525 Health Promotion and Research	3
  	Total	16
  Semester Two - Summer
  8 Week Term	NRSE 2030 Health Assessment	4
  	NRSE 3510 Population, Community, and Public Health Nursing	3
  	NRSE 2016 Pathophysiology	4
  	NRSE4062 RN Practicum	5
  	Total	16
  	Total Hours	32
  	OPTIONAL for All Plans *NRSE 4620 can be taken during winter session (W0 section); mid-December thru-mid January

• Three Semester

   

  	Course Name/Number	Course Hours
  Semester One - Spring
  Term 1	NRSE 3010 Pharmacology for Nursing	3
  	NRSE 4620 Leadership and Professional Practice	3
  Term 2	NRSE 3525 Health Promotion and Research	3
  	Total	9
  Semester Two - Summer
  8 Week Term	NRSE 2030 Health Assessment	4
  	NRSE 4355 Healthcare Systems and Informatics for Nurses	4
  	NRSE 2016 Pathophysiology	4
  	Total	12
  Semester Three - Fall
  Term 1	NRSE 3510 Population, Community, and Public Health Nursing	3
  	NRSE 3200 Advancing to professional Nursing Practice	3
  Term 2	NRSE 4062 RN Practicum	5
  	Total	11
  	Total Hours	32
  	OPTIONAL for All Plans *NRSE 4620 can be taken during winter session (W0 section); mid-December thru-mid January

• Five Semester

  	Course Name/Number	Course Hours
  Semester One - Spring
  Term 1	NRSE 4355 Healthcare Systems and Informatics for Nurses	4
  Term 2	NRSE 3200 Advancing to professional Nursing Practice	3
  	Total	7
  Semester Two - Summer
  8 Week Term	NRSE 2030 Health Assessment	4
  	Total	4
  Semester Three - Fall
  Term 1	NRSE 3510 Population, Community, and Public Health Nursing	3
  Term 2	NRSE 2016 Pathophysiology	4
  	Total	7
  Semester Four - Spring
  Term 1	NRSE 4620 Leadership and Professional Practice	3
  Term 2	NRSE 3525 Health Promotion and Research	3
  	Total	6
  Semester Five - Summer
  Term 1	NRSE 3010 Pharmacology for Nursing	3
  Term 2	NRSE 4062 RN Practicum	5
  	Total	8
  	Total BSN Hours	32

Curriculum - Summer Start

Course Program Plans By Semester Start Date:

• Two Semester

   

  	Course Name/Number	Course Hours
  Semester One - Summer
  8 Week Term	NRSE 3010 Pharmacology for Nursing	3
  	NRSE 4355 Healthcare Systems and Informatics for Nurses	4
  	NRSE 2016 Pathophysiology	4
  	NRSE 4620 Leadership and Professional Practice (or W0 session)	3
  	Total	14
  Semester Two - Fall
  Term 1	NRSE 2030 Health Assessment	4
  	NRSE 3510 Population, Community, and Public Health Nursing	3
  	NRSE 3200 Advancing to professional Nursing Practice	3
  Term 2	NRSE 3525 Health Promotion and Research	3
  	NRSE4062 RN Practicum	5
  	Total	18
  	Total Hours	32
  	OPTIONAL for All Plans *NRSE 4620 can be taken during winter session (W0 section); mid-December thru-mid January

• Three Semester

   

  	Course Name/Number	Course Hours
  Semester One - Summer
  8 Week Term	NRSE 3510 Population, Community, and Public Health Nursing	3
  	NRSE 3010 Pharmacology for Nursing	3
  	NRSE 2016 Pathophysiology	4
  	Total	10
  Semester Two - Fall
  Term 1	NRSE 2030 Health Assessment	4
  	NRSE 3200 Advancing to professional Nursing Practice	3
  Term 2	NRSE 3525 Health Promotion and Research	3
  	Total	10
  Semester Three - Spring
  Term 1	NRSE 4355 Healthcare Systems and Informatics for Nurses	4
  	NRSE 4620 Leadership and Professional Practice (or W0 session)	3
  Term 2	NRSE 4062 RN Practicum	5
  	Total	12
  	Total Hours	32
  	*NRSE 4620 can be taken during winter session; mid-December thru-mid January (full-time or part-time plan)

• Five Semester

  	Course Name/Number	Course Hours
  Semester One - Summer
  8 Week Term	NRSE 4355 Healthcare Systems and Informatics for Nurses	4
  	NRSE 2016 Pathophysiology	4
  	Total	8
  Semester Two - Fall
  Term 1	NRSE 2030 Health Assessment	4
  Term 2	NRSE 3525 Health Promotion and Research	3
  	Total	7
  Semester Three - Spring
  	NRSE 4620 Leadership and Professional Practice (or W0 session)	3
  	NRSE 3200 Advancing to professional Nursing Practice	3
  	Total	6
  Semester Four - Summer
  8 Week Term	NRSE 3010 Pharmacology for Nursing	3
  	Total	3
  Semester Five - Fall
  Term 1	NRSE 3510 Population, Community, and Public Health Nursing	3
  Term 2	NRSE 4062 RN Practicum	5
  	Total	8
  	Total BSN Hours	32

Admissions Criteria

Final Policy

Admission criteria is under review and expected to change sometime in 2022

Admission - Admission to the university as a HPNU - Nursing Interest Advising major does not assure admission to the major.

1. Applicants must be in progress or have completed all ETSU General Education courses* (or equivalent from a Transfer Institution) including the four (4) Nursing Pre-requisite classes:  Anatomy and Physiology I and II (with labs), Intro to Microbiology (with lab), and Probability and Statistics. At least three (3) of the four (4) pre-requisite math/science classes must be completed prior to the application deadline.

* Applicants with greater than two (2) unsuccessful attempts to complete all required pre-requisite math/science courses will be ineligible for admission to the College of Nursing.  Grades below a “C” (C-, D+, D, and F) are considered unsuccessful attempts.

* Applicants with completed Bachelor’s degrees are exempt from taking General Education Requirements (by virtue of the completed degree) but must complete the four pre-requisite math/science courses or equivalents with at least three (3) of the four (4) completed prior to the application deadline.

*Transfer students are responsible for making sure courses taken at other institutions are equivalent to ETSU General Education courses. For further information about transfer equivalency, go to: https://www.etsu.edu/articulation/equivalencies.php . For a list of ETSU General Education requirements, go to: https://www.etsu.edu/uged/gened.php .

2. A minimum cumulative College Level Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.6 as computed by East Tennessee State University (excluding developmental coursework) is required.
   
   
3. RN to BSN applicants must apply to the College of Nursing using electronic application found on the College of Nursing website.  
   
   
4. Official Transcripts from all higher education institutions must be sent to CAS with the exception of RN to BSN. RN to BSN applicants must submit official transcripts with the electronic or paper application. Students must also apply for General Admission to ETSU.  This should be done well in advance of the application deadline. Detailed instructions and information are available at: https://www.etsu.edu/nursing/default.php
   
   
5. Applicants, with the exception of LPN to BSN and RN to BSN, must submit (electronically) all scores from the standardized entrance exam. (TEAS) The standardized entrance exam may be taken twice within a two year period, but not twice in the same semester.  Scores are valid for two (2) years.
   
   
6. ETSU College of Nursing does NOT require references, a personal statement or professional experience for admission.
   
   
7. Applicants, with the exception of LPN to BSN and RN to BSN, are ranked by a point system which includes 100 possible points in four (4) areas: Overall GPA, Math/Science Nursing Pre-requisite GPA, Adjusted Individual Total Score, and Adjusted Individual Reading section score of the standard entrance exam for a total of 400 possible points.  Applicants are admitted in point order. LPN to BSN and RN to BSN applicants are ranked by overall Grade Point Average (GPA) and admitted in ascending order.
   
   
8. Applicants who are admitted to ETSU as freshman with a high school GPA of 3.5 or above, ACT cumulative score of 29 or above, and maintain an ETSU overall GPA of 3.2 or higher, will be guaranteed admission to the nursing major.  Students must complete the College of Nursing application process and meet all other established admissions criteria.

Application Details

• Application Process & Selection

  Admission criteria is under review and expected to change sometime in 2022

  There are 2 applications to the program:

  1. Apply to the ETSU, click here.
     • Please apply as a Transfer Student and select HPNU - Nursing Interest Advising (Pre-BSN) for the major.
     • Request ALL college and university transcripts, and high school transcript (if you graduated High School Fall 1989 or after) be sent to ETSU. It is the student’s responsibility to follow up with the Admissions Office regarding university acceptance (423-439-4213).
     • If you have been accepted at ETSU previously, please complete the online Re-admit Form to the university and request all official updated transcripts be sent to ETSU. No Re-Admission fee required.
  2. Complete the RN to BSN Application 
     
     You can apply to ETSU and complete the RN to BSN Application in the same time frame. The College of Nursing will accept RN to BSN applications for the Spring, Summer and Fall semesters (refer to deadlines). Admitted students will be classified as Pre-BSN students until they are accepted into the program. The College of Nursing will change the status to BSN when accepted. Pre-BSN status does not guarantee admission to the RN-BSN major.
     
     To receive full consideration, students must be fully admitted to East Tennessee State University by the nursing application deadline dates. Since admission to the university can take several weeks, students are encouraged to apply well in advance of the nursing deadlines. Consideration for the nursing major cannot be guaranteed if full admission to the university has not been obtained.

  
  

  NOTE:

  • Attach copy of in-process schedule (if attending another institution or in progress of completing ADN program)
  • List RN license number and state of issuance
  • ADN graduates- Students sitting for licensing exam (but do not have results) should attach a copy of NCLEX-RN registration as proof of eligibility for licensure

  Transfer of Nursing College credits: All nursing courses, in which a grade of “C” (2.0) or higher was earned, will be transferred in as nursing electives. Nursing courses, in which a grade of “C-“ or less was earned, are considered nursing failures. Please contact the Office of Student Services regarding the nursing failure policies and procedures.

  ---

  Selection Process:

  Students are ranked according to a points-system that includes:

  1. Overall GPA (excluding developmental coursework) * - 100 points available
  2. Math-Science Requirements GPA (at least 3 of 4 courses must be complete upon application with remainder in progress and completed by end of term)** - 100 points available

  200 Total points are available.

  ---

  Admission points breakdown:

  OVERALL GPA* - 100 Points Available

  • GPA 3.8 to 4.0 = 100 Admissions Points
  • GPA 3.6 to 3.79 = 90 Admissions Points
  • GPA 3.4 to 3.59 = 80 Admissions Points
  • GPA 3.2 to 3.39 = 70 Admissions Points
  • GPA 3.0 to 3.19 = 60 Admissions Points
  • GPA 2.8 to 2.99 = 50 Admissions Points
  • GPA 2.6 to 2.79 = 40 Admissions Points
  • GPA of less than 2.6 = 0 points

  Math-Science Requirements GPA** - 100 Points Available

  • GPA 3.8 to 4.0 = 100 Admissions Points
  • GPA 3.6 to 3.79 = 90 Admissions Points
  • GPA 3.4 to 3.59 = 80 Admissions Points
  • GPA 3.2 to 3.39 = 70 Admissions Points
  • GPA 3.0 to 3.19 = 60 Admissions Points
  • GPA 2.8 to 2.99 = 50 Admissions Points
  • GPA 2.6 to 2.79 = 40 Admissions Points
  • GPA 2.2 to 2.59 = 20 Admissions Points
  • GPA 2.0 to 2.19 = 10 Admissions Points
  • GPA of less than 2.0 = 0 points

  ---

  Also required:

  General Education Courses will be required to graduate from ETSU with the BSN Degree.

  East Tennessee State University is fully in accord with the belief that educational and employment opportunities should be available to all persons without regard to age, sex, color, race, religion, national origin, veteran status, or sexual orientation.

  **NOTE: General education courses can be determined through individual program planning.

  **NOTE: Students who enroll in and successfully complete CSCI 1100/NFS 1010 will receive college credit. College credits are not awarded for the proficiency exam.

• Out of State Applications

  • Course and program availability varies by state and is established by each individual State Board of Nursing.

  • Students who reside outside of the state of Tennessee are responsible to contact their State Board of Nursing to confirm whether the course or program meets online degree program requirements in their state of residence prior to application.

• Articulation Agreements Credits

  Upon successful completion of NRSE 3200 Advancing to Professional Nursing Practice and NRSE 2030 Health Assessment Students will be awarded 8 – 12 articulation course credits identified in the articulation agreements at specific community colleges.
  

  Hospital diploma graduates upon successful completion of NRSE 3200 Advancing to Professional Nursing Practice and NRSE 2030 Health Assessment will be awarded 42 semester credits in nursing.

  Questions? For additional information contact Matt Johnson in the Office of Student Services by email or at 423.439.4528.

• Application Deadlines

   

  • Spring Semester - October 1 ( Note: Applications will continue to be accepted after this date pending availability.)

  • Summer Semester - February 1 ( Note: Applications will continue to be accepted after this date pending availability.)

  • Fall Semester - June 1 ( Note: Applications will continue to be accepted after this date pending availability.)

Contact Us

Matt Johnson

Professor

• johnsonm@etsu.edu
• 423-439-4528

Mary Campbell

RN to BSN Coordinator

• campbellmc@etsu.edu
• 423-439-4092

FAQs

Admission criteria is under review and expected to change sometime in 2022

Is this program totally online?

Yes!

What is the application process?

This is a 2 part process:

1) Apply to ETSU by clicking this link: Admissions Login. Apply as a Transfer, HPNU - Nursing Interest Advising student, $25.00 fee.

2) Complete RN to BSN application form by clicking here.

What happens after I apply?

Once your application to ETSU has been processed you will receive an email with further instructions from the RN to BSN advisor.

What is general education curriculum?

Required academic courses in addition to the nursing core courses are required to complete the B.S. degree. The specific requirements are also listed at the following ETSU site: General Education and Graduation Requirements. For further information about transfer equivalency, go to: https://www.etsu.edu/articulation/equivalencies.php . For a list of ETSU General Education requirements, go to: https://www.etsu.edu/uged/gened.php

Do I need to be at the computer on designated days/times for my courses?

No. Courses are accessible anytime. Courses have “windows” of time to submit homework, projects, take exams, etc.

Is there an expiration date for previously taken transfer general education courses or health science courses?

No. ETSU courses and transfer courses do not expire.

What does the Practicum consist of in this program?

• The Practicum requires all students to complete clinical healthcare requirements prior to entering the course.
• The Practicum is comprised of two parts: Change Project and Clinical.
• Students currently employed as an RN will have the option of receiving credit for the clinical hours required by successfully completing RN-BSN essentials checklist.
• The Practicum is the last of the nursing courses taken in the program. It can be taken in conjunction with other RN to BSN nursing courses or by itself.
• The Practicum is offered each semester in the program.

When I complete the RN to BSN Program, am I required to take the NCLEX-RN, again?

No.

If I am finishing an Associate RN Program and have not taken the NCLEX-RN, yet, am I allowed to start the program?

Yes. Eligible new graduates from an Associate RN Program are allowed to take one semester of BSN nursing courses, but must pass the NCLEX-RN before being allowed to proceed in the program.

After I complete the Associate RN Program, am I required to re-apply to ETSU or NursingCAS?

No. If a student is not active for one or more semesters he/she must re-admit to ETSU, then contact the RN-BSN advisor. These students are not required to pay the admission fee again.

Note: Students are responsible for submitting all updated transcripts to ETSU Admissions following completion of the Associate RN Program. Failure to submit their transcripts could prevent registration and graduation from ETSU.