The RN-to-BSN completion program is designed to allow associate degree registered nurses to continue their education to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. To allow the maximum flexibility to students, the nursing courses are divided into eight week blocks allowing students to take fewer classes at one time, yet taking a full load for the semester.
The curriculum is divided into liberal studies courses and nursing courses. The liberal studies requirement may be met through the traditional liberal studies core or through the WYS Honors Nursing Core. The liberal studies courses make up 27 credit hours of the program. Nursing courses comprise 35 credit hours of the RN-to-BSN curriculum. The total credit hours in the RN-to-BSN completion program (62 credit hours) will be added to the total credit hours transferred from the student's associate degree nursing program. The student must have a minimum of 120 degree hours in order to graduate with a BSN degree from Kentucky State University.
The courses required in the RN-to-BSN program are:
Liberal studies courses: ART 130, MUS 130, or THE 130, ENG 211, foreign language (6 credit hours of the same language), IGS 200, and SPE 103, and a free elective (3 credit hours); or the “WYS Honors Nursing Core” designed for nursing students who would fulfill their general education requirement through an honors track, offers a package of integrated interdisciplinary courses that requires fewer credit hours (24) than the regular general education core (29). The curriculum consists of liberal studies seminars (HON 101, 102, 201) and language courses (HON 141, 142, and either 211/213 or 212/214) and HED 221 or PHE (2 hours). For the Fine Arts, Letters, and History Liberal Studies elective, the student may take either ART 130, MUS 130, THE 130 or ENG 211. A chemistry course with a lab of at least four (4) credit must be taken; a nutrition or chemistry course, taken as a part of nursing, may be substituted.
Additional program core courses: BIO 204, PSY 300, PSY 303; and either FNU 104 or CHE 209 (depending on which course was required within their program of nursing.)
Nursing courses: NUR 321, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 421, 422, 423, 424, 425, and 426. Students must achieve a letter grade of C or better in all courses in order to remain in the program.
Transfer Credit: ADN Major Core credit of 35 credits and ADN General Core credit of 23 credits.
RN-BSN students may enroll either part-time or full-time and will begin the program in the fall semester. The liberal studies courses may be taken at any time during the program. The nursing courses offered in eight week sessions do not have to be taken in sequence, with the exception of NUR 321 and NUR 426. NUR 321 is offered in the first eight weeks and the student must take this course when they take the first nursing course. NUR 426 is offered in the last eight weeks and the student will be required to take this class with the last nursing course. Students are expected to graduate from the RN-BSN Completion program within a 5-year period. Students must meet the rising Junior Assessment requirement.
In order to be admitted to the RN-BSN program the applicant must:
Be a graduate of an accredited associate degree nursing program or a diploma program.*
Be admitted to the University and submit an application to the School of Nursing. (Official transcript[s] must be sent to the University and to the School of Nursing.)
Have a GPA of 2.0 or better.
Submit a copy of a current license to practice nursing in the state of Kentucky. Registered nurses with a license that has been limited, suspended, or revoked are not eligible for admission.
Have a CPR for the Healthcare Provider certification through the American Heart Association. Each student must keep a current CPR card on file in the School of Nursing.
*Nurses graduating from a diploma nursing program will be awarded 35 credits in nursing after successfully completing 14 hours of upper level (300/400) nursing courses.
NUR 326 and NUR 424 require observational learning experiences. The student will develop objectives based on the learning outcomes of the course. The observational experience and the objectives must be approved by the instructor. In order to do the observational learning experiences, the student may be required to have additional immunizations as required by the institution in which the student is observing:
A current TB skin test (within 1 year).
Immunizations, criminal background check, and a copy of Professional Liability Insurance (Professional Liability Insurance is a part of student fees) as required by the institution in which the student is utilizing as a practicum.
A name badge which identifies the student as a RN-BSN student at Kentucky State University.
RN-BSN students pay the same general fees and tuition as do other students at the University. Students in the RN-BSN program, however, incur additional expenses for name badge, liability insurance, and travel fees.
Since the RN-BSN completion program is a transfer (second-degree) program, RN-BSN students are not required to complete the requisite 45 credit hours of upper-division courses. All RN-BSN students must complete at least 35 credit hours of upper-division nursing courses.
The University