Bachelor of Science in Nursing Online Degree
RN to BSN Degree Completion Program
You’re ready to earn your BSN degree. And Colorado Technical University has the programmatic accreditation you want along with the flexible schedule designed to fit your needs. There are eight different program start dates and the entire program can be completed in as little as 9 months*. You can even complete your clinical experiences in your community. It’s focused, rigorous and designed by nurses just like you. CTU's RN to BSN program: Starting at $12,480.*
RN to BSN Completion Program Goals:
- Care for complex needs of patients across the healthcare continuum and/or a variety of settings
- Be a leader in the profession of nursing
CTU's online bachelor's degree programs are ranked among the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs by U.S. News & World Report for the seventh year in a row. **
At this time, Colorado Technical University cannot accept inquiries for the RN-BSN program from residents of the states of Delaware, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, Tennessee, and West Virginia.
*Tuition cost and program length assumes a student will be awarded the maximum credit for transfer, licensure, prior experiential learning, and professional certifications, will be continuously enrolled, and satisfactorily completes all program requirements for graduation. Tuition and timing reflects an accelerated pace for the nursing component of the program. Additional courses, such as general education requirements, may be necessary dependent on credits transferred to CTU. The total tuition cost will increase and program length may change due to academic failure of courses and or withdrawals and drops. CTU cannot guarantee transfer or other credit will be accepted; please see University Transfer Credit policy.
**CTU programs are ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s 2021 Best Online Programs.
Program details are provided lower on the page.
Classes start May 11, 2021!
Program FAQs
At CTU, we understand that licensed practicing nurses return to school with varying degrees of nursing knowledge and experience. Our nursing students can expect:
- Skip what you know.. – CTU’s adaptive learning technology, known as intellipath®, is similar to the computerized adaptive testing that all nurses use to enter the profession. Intellipath® allows nursing students to skip content they know and focus on developing new knowledge.
- A mix of assignments and simulations. – Students will find faculty-led nursing courses infused with intellipath® assignments, writing assignments, discussion boards, virtual simulations, clinical experiences and journaling, among others.
- No assigned group work. – There are no group project assignments in any of the courses since students experience interdisciplinary collaboration in their clinical courses.
- Clinical experience is required. – All nursing students must complete clinical experiences, along with the mix of traditional assignments.
Yes. All RN-BSN students complete a clinical practice experience. RN-BSN students have clinical requirements in NRSG312: Population Based Nursing and NRSG410: Health and Wellness Assessment.
In NRSG312: Population Based Nursing, students work with a community agency to deliver an in-person educational intervention to an at-risk population. In NRSG410: Health and Wellness Assessment, students work with a family in their community to complete an assessment and create a health & wellness plan for the family members.
The clinical experience for RN-BSN students is completed during the 5.5-week courses for both NRSG312: Population Based Nursing and NRSG410: Health and Wellness Assessment. Weekly course assignments are designed to guide students through the process of meeting the clinical outcomes by the end of each prospective course.
No, in NRSG312: Population Based Nursing, the clinical experience will be completed at a community agency that serves an at-risk population. In NRSG410: Health and Wellness Assessment, the student must deliver the health and wellness plan to a family unrelated to the student.
The structure of the RN-BSN program is designed to help the working nurse to advance his/her degree while continuing to work within his/her community. With an asynchronous (any time of day) classroom format, this allows students to formulate a study schedule that can be incorporated into their professional life. Instructors also provide synchronous chats to support varied adult learning needs.
The courses for the RN-BSN program follow a 5.5 week session schedule. Students have the option upon enrollment to choose one of three scheduling options: 2 courses per session, an alternating pattern of 1 course-2 courses per session, or 1 course per session. Students make this decision based on personal preference with input from the Financial Aid Department on impact of pacing and funding options.
CTU provides a variety of resources to support students including the Student Success Center, the Writing Center, the library, and Smarthinking tutoring/writing specialists. Your Student Success Coach and Faculty will be accessible via email, 2-way messenger, and phone to help you access these resources. We acknowledge that many nurses are apprehensive about their writing assignments so these resources are readily available in your classroom.
CLASSES START
- May 11, 2021
- June 22, 2021
- August 03, 2021
TOTAL CREDITS
PROGRAM AVAILABILITY
- Online
Program Details
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Estimate Tuition and Grad Date
$12,480*
*Tuition and timing reflects an accelerated pace for the nursing component of the program. Additional courses, such as general education requirements, may be necessary dependent on credits transferred to CTU.
Estimate your costs, potential savings and graduation date
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Program Overview
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing is a 180-credit-hour program that is offered online. The program requires that a student have an unencumbered license to practice as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the United States to enter the program.
As the largest group in the US healthcare workforce (BLS, 2015)*, nurses are challenged to make a significant difference in the health outcomes of individuals and populations. Nursing roles range from bedside care delivery to executive leadership in complex health systems. The RN to BSN degree completion program at Colorado Technical University is designed to help nurses acquire the knowledge and skills needed to expand their practice options for a variety of clinical and administrative leadership activities and to manage change in an increasingly complex and diverse environment. Building on a foundation of general education and core coursework, the nursing major courses range from a review of the challenges and trends in nursing care to a nursing capstone that will synthesize and apply prior learning. Students fulfill the program's clinical requirements in their own community during the population health, and health and wellness courses. The Colorado Technical University RN to BSN program furthers the mission of the University to teach real-world nursing that serves the needs of students, the population, and the healthcare industry and helps qualified professional nurses prepare at the bachelor’s level.
* Source: The United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2015/registered-nurses-have-highest-employment-in-healthcare-occupations-anesthesiologists-earn-the-most.htm
This program does not lead to additional licensure or certification. As such, CTU has made no determination regarding prerequisites for licensure or certification in any state or jurisdiction.
Through an innovative curriculum and student-centered teaching, the nursing faculty teaches, supports, and inspires students to become competent, caring, and accountable professionals who serve a diverse client population within a dynamic health care environment.
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Degree Requirements
Courses: General Education
CreditsCourse Title Course Description Credit Hours ENGL220 Written Communication for Nurses 4.5 GOVT201 American Government and Public Affairs 4.5 or HIST101 Modern American History: 1950 to the 21st Century 4.5 HSS261 Ethics in Healthcare 4.5 Total Credit Hours: 13.5 Courses: Core
CreditsCourse Title Course Description Credit Hours NRSG310 Challenges and Trends in Contemporary Nursing 4 NRSG311 Nursing Informatics 4 NRSG312 Population-Based Nursing (Clinical Course) 4 NRSG313 Alternative and Complementary Interventions 4 NRSG314 Safety and Quality Improvement in Nursing Practice 4 NRSG410 Health and Wellness Assessment (Clinical Course) 4 NRSG411 Evidence Based Practice and Applied Nursing Research 4 NRSG412 Leadership and Nursing Systems Management 4 NRSG413 Innovation in Nursing 4 NRSG490 Nursing Theory, Critical Thinking and Competency 4 NRSG495 Nursing Capstone 4 ELE Select 4 credit hours of electives from the list provided 4 Total Credit Hours: 48 Courses: RN License Transfer
CreditsCourse Title Course Description Credit Hours RN Registered Nurse License Transfer 28.5 Courses: Degree/Diploma Transfer
CreditsCourse Title Course Description Credit Hours ADN/DRN Associate Degree/Diploma in Nursing Courses: Core Elective Choices
Credits
Up to 90 quarter credits may be accepted as transfer credit with the required incoming Associate Degree in Nursing, Diploma Registered Nurse, or an educational transition program preparing students for eligibility to become licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN).Course Title Course Description Credit Hours HCM307 The Health Care Industry 4 HCM330 Healthcare Statistics and Research 4 MGM316 International Business Communications 4 MGM355 International Business Practices 4 MGM365 The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business 4 MGMT345 Operations Management 4 HCI300 Introduction to Health Informatics 4 HCI310 DBMS for Healthcare 4 HCI380 Security of Electronic Health Information 4 HCI400 Health Analytics and Business Intelligence in Healthcare 4 Total Credit Hours: 180
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Related Degrees
The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration Healthcare Management degree program is designed to help graduates prepare for careers in the healthcare industry. Students will have the opportunity to develop proficiency in healthcare management which includes the legal, ethical, and regulatory issues governing the healthcare field.
The Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management degree program at CTU is designed to help students obtain the general education, didactic theory, and hands-on training to pursue work in management within a healthcare industry. The program offers instruction in the business and administrative side of the healthcare industry, including, but not limited to, patient access, revenue cycle management, project management, economics of healthcare, and fundamentals of marketing and human resource management.
The Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management - Health Informatics concentration is designed to provide students with a background in healthcare management and a greater understanding of how information technology is used within the healthcare environment. Emphasis will be placed on business intelligence and data analytics to assist decision makers with the tools necessary to make informed decisions and highlighting useful information for stakeholders.
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Ways to Save
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Outcomes
BSN Program Outcomes:
- Assess the role of the nurse and the need for open communication, mutual respect and shared decision-making with other healthcare providers in the team’s efforts to achieve quality outcomes for patient-centered care
- Apply knowledge of healthcare policy, finance, regulation, accreditation and trends in healthcare to active participation in the profession of nursing serving as a patient advocate
- Evaluate information and technology resources to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error and support decision-making in the delivery of healthcare
- Identify patient preferences, values and needs while recognizing the patient or their designee as the source of control in providing compassionate and coordinated nursing care
- Design strategies using continuous quality improvement processes to improve the quality and safety of healthcare systems
- Analyze strategies to optimize system effectiveness and individual performance that will minimize the risk of harm to patients and providers
- Evaluate evidence-based practices within clinical expertise, patient preferences, and values for the integration of those practices in the delivery of quality healthcare
- Apply leadership and communication skills to improve the safety, quality, and cost of healthcare
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Admission Requirements
Program Requirements
Admission to this program requires an unencumbered license to practice as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the United States. Students must have graduated from an Associate Degree in Nursing or a Diploma Registered Nurse (RN) Program, or an educational transition program preparing students for eligibility to become licensed as a Registered Nurse.
Recently graduated students with a completed Associate Degree in Nursing or Diploma Registered Nurse (RN Program) but are pending successful completion of the NCLEX exam, may provisionally enroll into Colorado Technical University’s BSN program. A provisionally accepted student must provide evidence of the passed exam prior to the end of the first quarter of study. Students who do not complete or pass the NCLEX during the first quarter will be administratively withdrawn from the university.
International students must demonstrate proficiency in the English Language, as measured by a TOEFL score of 550 or above; 213 or higher on the computer based exam.
Notice to Registered Nurses
Every State’s Nurse Practice Act has regulations pertaining to Online Nursing Degrees. Therefore, RN students need to be aware of the regulations in their own state. The Nurse Practice Act for each state is found on the website for that particular State’s Board of Nursing. Contact information for each State’s Board of Nursing is available on the website for the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). www.ncsbn.org
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Next Steps
Program Disclosure Information for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Employment and Completion Rates
Employment Rate: 90.96%*
Reporting Period: 1/1/2017 through 12/31/2017 program graduates
Date Submitted: 08/2019
Completion Rate: 70.00%
Reporting Period: 1/1/2015 through 12/31/2015 program entrants
Date Submitted: 08/2019
* Nursing Employment Rate Calculation:
Number of employed graduates/completers, divided by the number of eligible graduates/completers.
- This Employment Rate is calculated separately for each program; e.g. baccalaureate and master’s. In calculating this Employment Rate, CTU counts graduates/completers as “Employed” if they have any job and employment data is collected at the time of program completion or at any time within 12 months of program completion.
- This rate excludes graduates who have elected not to be employed.