Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree: Advance Your Career Online

Program Highlights

Our RN-to-BSN completion program gives you the convenience and flexibility to earn your bachelor's degree online from an accredited institution in as little as 18 months of full-time study.^†§ This program features:

A strong focus on professional leadership with courses in management, informatics, research, emerging trends in health care therapies, health assessment, and community nursing
An emphasis on health promotion, community health, health care information, professional ethics, diversity, and health care management
A capstone in nursing, completed in your community with the guidance of expert faculty, designed to improve the delivery of patient care by allowing you to apply the knowledge and skills you learn online in a real-world setting
A dedicated faculty of practicing professionals who have attained high levels of achievement in their respective fields

| Curriculum | Tuition and Fees

Who Should Take This Program?

A Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree is considered a standard requirement for registered nurses (RNs) seeking broader professional responsibilities and career opportunities. If you are an RN and want to advance your career, our online Bachelor of Science in Nursing completion program is designed to help you earn the credentials you need to qualify for new opportunities in specialized nursing and nursing management. Enhance your skills to better meet the demands of today's dynamic health care environment and pursue advanced professional roles.*

Career Opportunities

A bachelor's degree in nursing is essential to work as a nurse case manager or in supervisory positions in nursing, management, and hospital administration.* This program is designed to prepare you to advance your nursing career or pursue graduate studies in nursing.^‡

Curriculum for the BS in Nursing/Prior Associate's Degree Track

Course #	Course Title	Credits

	PRIOR ASSOCIATES DEGREE IN NURSING	90 PRIOR ASSOCIATES DEGREE IN NURSING

Course #	Course Title	Credits
HU 280	BIOETHICS	5 BIOETHICS In this course, students develop and apply sound ethical reasoning and judgment to important issues in health care. Topics studied include access to health care, medical privacy, end-of-life care, genetic screening, and emerging genetic technologies. Emphasis is on practical applications of ethical principles and analytic methods.
MM 207	STATISTICS	5 STATISTICS This course serves as an introduction to collecting, organizing and summarizing, and analyzing data using statistical software. Topics include basic terminology, measurement, sampling procedures, graphical and numerical descriptions of data, basic probability, and making inferences from a sample to the population. Statistical software is provided in the course and extensive use of that software is required. The course focuses on “thinking with” statistics rather than “computing” statistics.
PS 124	INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY	5 INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY This course provides a broad introduction to the field of psychology, one of the social sciences. Students will be introduced to a range of topics that offer insight into human thought and actions, including what motivate us to study human behavior, ethical decisions, problem solving, and theories on memory, learning, intelligence, and personality. This course will highlight the use of critical thinking and the application of the concepts. In addition, it will draw on practical psychological concepts related to students' personal and professional relationships.
300/400-level	300/400-LEVEL: ARTS AND HUMANITIES COURSE	6 300/400-LEVEL: ARTS AND HUMANITIES COURSE
300/400-level	300/400-LEVEL: PHYSICAL SCIENCE COURSE	6 300/400-LEVEL: PHYSICAL SCIENCE COURSE
300/400-level	300/400-LEVEL: SOCIAL SCIENCE COURSE	6 300/400-LEVEL: SOCIAL SCIENCE COURSE

Course #	Course Title	Credits
MN 502	THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF ADVANCED NURSING	5 THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF ADVANCED NURSING This course explores the evolution of nursing theory and its contribution to advanced nursing science. There is an emphasis on the historical and philosophical foundation of theory development and its impact on nursing practice. Conceptual models are explored relative to nursing administration, education, and practice.
MN 506	ETHICAL AND LEGAL PERSPECTIVES OF THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM	5 ETHICAL AND LEGAL PERSPECTIVES OF THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM This course introduces major ethical theories and provides an opportunity to analyze the ethical principles underlying nursing administration, education, informatics, and advanced practice health care. Students examine selected concepts, principles, and cases involving ethics and law within a framework of critical decision making for advanced nursing roles.
NU 300	PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS	6 PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS This course will facilitate the transition of the registered nurse into a professional nursing leadership role and introduce the major components of leadership that are part of the Kaplan University School of Nursing program. This course builds upon the previous knowledge and experience of the RN and is required prior to the student's enrollment in any other nursing course. The student will examine personal values and goals along with professional roles to explore nursing leadership and create a professional development plan. Topics covered in the course include professional nursing roles, culture and values for community care, leadership, and research.
NU 304	HEALTH/WELLNESS ASSESSMENT AND STRATEGIES	6 HEALTH/WELLNESS ASSESSMENT AND STRATEGIES This course builds on previously acquired skills and learning from nursing and the biological and social sciences. Students will discuss the use of effective communication strategies when caring for patients of diverse cultures. Students will use these strategies to conduct a health history of multicultural individuals and families across the life span. Students will also prepare a holistic, individualized health and wellness assessment, and from that information prepare a holistic health promotion strategy. The use of "virtual families" as patients in this course provides students with realistic situations in which they will collaborate with faculty and other students in the development of health promotion strategies appropriate to the assessment data collected.
NU 310	NURSING RESEARCH	6 NURSING RESEARCH This course introduces the research process and is intended to inspire an interest in discovering how to use research to improve clinical practice. Students gain the necessary skills to identify and critique the most up-to-date best practices from research literature and develop a plan for application of the innovation to clinical practice. Interactive content is used to engage students and enhance learning. Students are given the opportunity to understand ethical principles by becoming a participant in a scenario that might occur when conducting research. Contemporary methods of interaction are used in the course to facilitate student learning and the ability to participate in future research efforts in some form.
NU 420	LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT IN THE CHANGING HEALTH CARE ENVIRONMENT	6 LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT IN THE CHANGING HEALTH CARE ENVIRONMENT Nurses must be able to apply leadership concepts and skills and decision making in the provision of high-quality nursing care in an ever-changing, global health care environment. This course will prepare students to understand organizational and systems leadership, quality improvement, a culture of safety, and how these impact patient outcomes. A focus will be on the development of leadership skills that emphasize ethical and critical decision making, effective communication and intradisciplinary collaboration, and the promotion of a professional practice environment.
NU 450	LEADERSHIP CONCEPTS IN POPULATION-FOCUSED NURSING	6 LEADERSHIP CONCEPTS IN POPULATION-FOCUSED NURSING This course integrates and applies the major concepts of previous nursing courses to families, groups, and populations. Students investigate the differences between the delivery of nursing care to individuals and nursing care directed towards groups as they apply the nursing process to communities, families, and populations. Additional topics include tools used by the community health nurse and public health principles of epidemiology, communicable disease, and environmental health. Students also examine the management of nursing care and health promotion in community settings and diverse populations.
NU 499	BACHELOR'S CAPSTONE IN NURSING	6 BACHELOR'S CAPSTONE IN NURSING This course represents the culmination of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and is an opportunity for students to demonstrate what they have learned over the course of study. Students will apply the nursing process in a health care setting and, in the process of doing so, integrate essential concepts from each course in the program. The goal of each capstone project is to improve patient care delivery or leadership/management activity at the health care setting.

Course #	Course Title	Credits
	OPEN ELECTIVE	6 OPEN ELECTIVE
	OPEN ELECTIVE	6 OPEN ELECTIVE

Students who are interested in continuing on to pursue Kaplan University’s Master of Science in Nursing should consider the RN-to-MSN option where students can take graduate-level courses in place of open electives.

Total Program Requirements	91 Total Program Requirements

Prior Associate's Degree
Bachelor's Degree Core
Major
Open Electives
Total Program Requirements

Curriculum for the BS in Nursing/Prior Nursing Diploma or Certificate Track

Course #	Course Title	Credits

	PRIOR DIPLOMA/CERTIFICATE IN NURSING	89 PRIOR DIPLOMA/CERTIFICATE IN NURSING The number of credit hours eligible for transfer is determined by an evaluation of official transcripts detailing prior nursing coursework and may range from 50-89 total credits.
The number of credit hours eligible for transfer is determined by an evaluation of official transcripts detailing prior nursing coursework and may range from 50-89 total credits.

Course #	Course Title	Credits

CM 108	COLLEGE COMPOSITION I-EFFECTIVE WRITING I FOR THE NURSING PROFESSIONAL	5 COLLEGE COMPOSITION I-EFFECTIVE WRITING I FOR THE NURSING PROFESSIONAL Students will learn how to communicate effectively in their professional field using various writing styles. Students will also identify and further develop their own writing process. Grammar and mechanics will be reviewed, helping students focus on the areas that will improve their writing.
CM 229	COLLEGE COMPOSITION II FOR THE HEALTH PROFESSIONAL	5 COLLEGE COMPOSITION II FOR THE HEALTH PROFESSIONAL This course helps students apply research and critical thinking skills to develop effective arguments. Students will create professional writings, incorporating post-draft revision strategies, working constructively with colleagues.
MM 212	COLLEGE ALGEBRA	5 COLLEGE ALGEBRA This course covers topics of algebra, including linear functions, equations, and inequalities, systems of equations in two variables, polynomial functions, rational and radical equations and inequalities, exponential and logarithmic functions, ratios, proportions, variation, and graphing.

Course #	Course Title	Credits
HU 280	BIOETHICS	5 BIOETHICS In this course, students develop and apply sound ethical reasoning and judgment to important issues in health care. Topics studied include access to health care, medical privacy, end-of-life care, genetic screening, and emerging genetic technologies. Emphasis is on practical applications of ethical principles and analytic methods.
MM 207	STATISTICS	5 STATISTICS This course serves as an introduction to collecting, organizing and summarizing, and analyzing data using statistical software. Topics include basic terminology, measurement, sampling procedures, graphical and numerical descriptions of data, basic probability, and making inferences from a sample to the population. Statistical software is provided in the course and extensive use of that software is required. The course focuses on “thinking with” statistics rather than “computing” statistics.
PS 124	INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY	5 INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY This course provides a broad introduction to the field of psychology, one of the social sciences. Students will be introduced to a range of topics that offer insight into human thought and actions, including what motivate us to study human behavior, ethical decisions, problem solving, and theories on memory, learning, intelligence, and personality. This course will highlight the use of critical thinking and the application of the concepts. In addition, it will draw on practical psychological concepts related to students' personal and professional relationships.
300/400-level	300/400-LEVEL: ARTS AND HUMANITIES COURSE	6 300/400-LEVEL: ARTS AND HUMANITIES COURSE
300/400-level	300/400-LEVEL: PHYSICAL SCIENCE COURSE	6 300/400-LEVEL: PHYSICAL SCIENCE COURSE
300/400-level	300/400-LEVEL: SOCIAL SCIENCE COURSE	6 300/400-LEVEL: SOCIAL SCIENCE COURSE

Course #	Course Title	Credits
MN 502	THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF ADVANCED NURSING	5 THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF ADVANCED NURSING This course explores the evolution of nursing theory and its contribution to advanced nursing science. There is an emphasis on the historical and philosophical foundation of theory development and its impact on nursing practice. Conceptual models are explored relative to nursing administration, education, and practice.
MN 506	ETHICAL AND LEGAL PERSPECTIVES OF THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM	5 ETHICAL AND LEGAL PERSPECTIVES OF THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM This course introduces major ethical theories and provides an opportunity to analyze the ethical principles underlying nursing administration, education, informatics, and advanced practice health care. Students examine selected concepts, principles, and cases involving ethics and law within a framework of critical decision making for advanced nursing roles.
NU 300	PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS	6 PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS This course will facilitate the transition of the registered nurse into a professional nursing leadership role and introduce the major components of leadership that are part of the Kaplan University School of Nursing program. This course builds upon the previous knowledge and experience of the RN and is required prior to the student's enrollment in any other nursing course. The student will examine personal values and goals along with professional roles to explore nursing leadership and create a professional development plan. Topics covered in the course include professional nursing roles, culture and values for community care, leadership, and research.
NU 304	HEALTH/WELLNESS ASSESSMENT AND STRATEGIES	6 HEALTH/WELLNESS ASSESSMENT AND STRATEGIES This course builds on previously acquired skills and learning from nursing and the biological and social sciences. Students will discuss the use of effective communication strategies when caring for patients of diverse cultures. Students will use these strategies to conduct a health history of multicultural individuals and families across the life span. Students will also prepare a holistic, individualized health and wellness assessment, and from that information prepare a holistic health promotion strategy. The use of "virtual families" as patients in this course provides students with realistic situations in which they will collaborate with faculty and other students in the development of health promotion strategies appropriate to the assessment data collected.
NU 310	NURSING RESEARCH	6 NURSING RESEARCH This course introduces the research process and is intended to inspire an interest in discovering how to use research to improve clinical practice. Students gain the necessary skills to identify and critique the most up-to-date best practices from research literature and develop a plan for application of the innovation to clinical practice. Interactive content is used to engage students and enhance learning. Students are given the opportunity to understand ethical principles by becoming a participant in a scenario that might occur when conducting research. Contemporary methods of interaction are used in the course to facilitate student learning and the ability to participate in future research efforts in some form.
NU 420	LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT IN THE CHANGING HEALTH CARE ENVIRONMENT	6 LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT IN THE CHANGING HEALTH CARE ENVIRONMENT Nurses must be able to apply leadership concepts and skills and decision making in the provision of high-quality nursing care in an ever-changing, global health care environment. This course will prepare students to understand organizational and systems leadership, quality improvement, a culture of safety, and how these impact patient outcomes. A focus will be on the development of leadership skills that emphasize ethical and critical decision making, effective communication and intradisciplinary collaboration, and the promotion of a professional practice environment.
NU 450	LEADERSHIP CONCEPTS IN POPULATION-FOCUSED NURSING	6 LEADERSHIP CONCEPTS IN POPULATION-FOCUSED NURSING This course integrates and applies the major concepts of previous nursing courses to families, groups, and populations. Students investigate the differences between the delivery of nursing care to individuals and nursing care directed towards groups as they apply the nursing process to communities, families, and populations. Additional topics include tools used by the community health nurse and public health principles of epidemiology, communicable disease, and environmental health. Students also examine the management of nursing care and health promotion in community settings and diverse populations.
NU 499	BACHELOR'S CAPSTONE IN NURSING	6 BACHELOR'S CAPSTONE IN NURSING This course represents the culmination of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and is an opportunity for students to demonstrate what they have learned over the course of study. Students will apply the nursing process in a health care setting and, in the process of doing so, integrate essential concepts from each course in the program. The goal of each capstone project is to improve patient care delivery or leadership/management activity at the health care setting.

Course #	Course Title	Credits
	OPEN ELECTIVES	12 OPEN ELECTIVES

Students enrolled in the prior nursing diploma or certificate track may need to complete additional elective courses in order to satisfy the necessary number of credits required for completion of the degree. Electives are chosen from a list of approved courses. The student’s individualized plan of study will determine the amount of elective credits required to complete the bachelor’s degree program. Students who are interested in continuing on to pursue Kaplan University’s Master of Science in Nursing should consider the RN-to-MSN option where students can take graduate-level courses in place of open electives.

Total Program Requirements	91 Total Program Requirements

Prior Diploma or Certificate
Prerequisites
Bachelor's Degree Core
Major
Open Elective
Total Program Requirements

You Could Save Time and Money on Your Kaplan University Degree

Credit for Prior Learning

Our undergraduate degree programs feature large pools of open electives designed to offer greater flexibility when applying transfer credits toward program requirements. In addition, you can enroll in our portfolio development course, which helps you document your work and life experience in a portfolio you can submit for consideration for college credits. Qualifying transfer credit may reduce your total costs for undergraduate programs. Refer to the University Catalog for our transfer of credit policy.

Students in the Military

Kaplan University is proud to support our military and veterans in their educational pursuits by offering significantly reduced tuition. Undergraduate program tuition is reduced up to 55 percent for active-duty servicemembers and up to 38 percent for veterans. In addition, Kaplan University participates in the Yellow Ribbon program for all of our graduate programs, and both active-duty servicemembers and veterans are eligible for special tuition rates for these programs. A 10 percent tuition reduction is also available to spouses of active-duty servicemembers. For more information, call 866.583.4412 (Toll Free) to speak to a military Admissions Advisor or visit the Kaplan University military site.

Tuition and Fees

Cost per credit hour	$315.00
Total program requirements BS in Nursing/Prior Associate's Degree Track	91
Total cost of tuition	$28,665.00
Cost per credit hour	$315.00
Total program requirements BS in Nursing/Prior Nursing Diploma or Certificate Track	91
Total cost of tuition	$28,665.00
This program requires a $100 technology fee per term (online students only). A nonrefundable application fee, depending on your program and as described in the Tuition and Fees Supplement, may be required at the time of enrollment. We encourage you to explore the availability of financial aid and scholarships.

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*Kaplan University's programs are designed to prepare graduates to pursue employment in their field of study, or in related fields. However, the University does not guarantee that graduates will be placed in any particular job, eligible for job advancement opportunities, or employed at all. Additional training or certification may be required.
^†Kaplan University is regionally accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is nationally accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and is approved by the Iowa Board of Nursing.
^‡While many of Kaplan University's degree programs are designed to prepare graduates to pursue continued bachelor-, graduate- or doctorate-level education, the University cannot guarantee that students will be granted admission to any programs.
^§Average completion time based on a full-time schedule. Programs will take longer for part-time students to complete. The number of required credits may vary depending on individual state education requirements, which could affect how long it will take to complete the program.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

School of Nursing