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RN to BSN

The Degree Completion (RN to BSN) program is a flexible degree program for registered nurses who want to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing in as little as two semesters. The RN to BSN program is 30 hours, internet-based, with flexible clinical practicum hours. Graduates from this program receive a BSN degree. The RN-BSN Program ranked #1 in the nation by Best College Reviews for FY 2019.

  • Self-directed students can excel in the 100% online courses with flexible clinical practicum hours.
  • Estimated weekly time commitment is 2-3 hours per course credit hour, per week i.e., 6 credit hours = 12 hrs of time per week.
  • No direct patient care in hospital or other acute care setting required.
  • Attendance at virtual program and course orientation is recommended at start of each semester.
  • Relevant course work with nationally certified and doctoral prepared faculty.

Two enrollment options are available: 

  • Two-semester fall start full-time
  • Four-semester fall start part-time

Program Clinical Course

Fall: N4084 Clinical III - Students will work asynchronously both independently and in teams through virtual simulation and other online assignments to complete the practicum components of this course.

Program Outcomes

Per CCNE accreditation standards, successful completion of the University of Oklahoma College of Nursing Baccalaureate Degree Program prepares the graduate to:

  1. Provide entry-level safe, competent, ethical care to culturally diverse individuals, families and populations across health care settings and across the lifespan. 

  1. Function effectively as a member of the Nursing Profession and as a member of an interdisciplinary healthcare team. 

  1. Practice professional nursing based on current evidence. 

  1. Assume accountability for evaluation and improvement of nursing practice. 

  1. Integrate the safe and confidential use of information technology and health care technology into one’s practice as a professional nurse. 

DEGREE COMPLETION (DC) RN TO BSN PROGRAM RESULTS: 

Prerequisite Courses

  • Each attempt of any of the four required science courses taken will be calculated into the science GPA. 

  • If you have not completed three of the four sciences, students who are applying to the Summer 2026 and Fall 2026 BSN pathways, you can submit a waiver for the third science at this link and the waiver is due at the application deadline. Waiver link can be found here: Waiver

PREREQUISITE COURSES 

CREDITS 

RECOMMENDED OU COURSE NUMBER 

Principles of English Composition I 

ENG 1113 

Principles of English Composition II  

ENG 1213 

American Federal Government  

PSC 1113 

US History 

HIST 1483 or 1493 

General Education Social Science 1

Refer to the description below

General Education Mathematics 2

Refer to the description below

Introductory Zoology and Lab 0-4 BIOL 1114/1121
Introductory Biology: Molecule/Cell/Phys 0-4 BIOL 1124
Chemistry (with laboratory component) 5 CHEM 1315 or CHEM 1305

Microbiology (with laboratory component)

5  

MBIO 2815 

Human Anatomy (with laboratory component) 3

4-5 

BIOL 2255 or BIOL 2234 

Human Physiology (with laboratory component) 3

4-5 

BIOL 2124 or BIOL 3103 & 3101

General Education  

 

 

  1. Western Culture 

Any Western Culture General Ed. Course (one course must transfer as HIST 1483 or HIST 1493)

  1. World Culture 

Any World Culture General Ed. Course 

  1. Artistic Forms 

Any Artistic Forms General Ed. Course 

  1. Foreign Language 4

0-6 

Refer to description below 

     5. Core Area V: First Year Experience General Education Requirement
       (May be completed as either a prerequisite or graduation requirement) 
3 OU Transfer Equivalencies Database
     6. Core Area VI: Upper Division 3000-4000 General Education
       (May be completed as either a prerequisite or graduation requirement)
3 Any Upper Division General Ed. Course
  • Items 1-5 are waived for those with an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree from a public regionally accredited college in Oklahoma.

    • Please note that general education requirements will NOT be waived for an Associate of Applied Science or Associate of Applied Art degrees.
  • Items 1-6 are waived for those with a Bachelor’s degree from a US regionally accredited college or university.
  • Item 4 may be met by two semesters (0-6 credit hours) of the same language in college or two years of the same language in high school. A high school transcript will be required if waived using high school coursework. 

1 Psychology is highly recommended for pursuing nursing graduate coursework. 

2 Statistics is highly recommended for pursuing nursing graduate coursework. 

3 For Human Anatomy and Human Physiology, standalone and survey courses cannot be mixed; applicants must complete Human Anatomy and Physiology I or II OR standalone Human Anatomy and Physiology. 

4 For the foreign language requirement, if taken in high school, coursework must be a passing grade; if taken in college, students must earn a grade of C or higher. 

Electives (must have earned 60 transfer hours prior to enrollment)

Curriculum

FALL SEMESTER – (15 Credit Hours)

Course #

Course Title

Credits

NURS 3043

Health Assessment

3

NURS 4014

Human Experience in Acute & Chronic Illness II 

4

NURS 4084

Clinical Nursing III 

4

NURS 4154

Community Focused Nursing

4

SPRING SEMESTER – (15 Credit Hours)

Course #

Course Title

Credits

NURS 3162

Human Experience of Disability

2

NURS 4063

Nursing Research

3

NURS 4163

Contemporary Professional Nursing

3

NURS 4233

Innovations in Nursing

3

NURS 4224

Leadership in Nursing Practice 

4

FALL-START, PART-TIME PLAN OF STUDY (2 YEARS)

FALL SEMESTER – (7 Credit Hours)

Course #

Course Title

Credits

NURS 3043

Health Assessment

3

NURS 4014

Human Experience in Acute & Chronic Illness II 

4

SPRING SEMESTER – (8 Credit Hours)

Course #

Course Title

Credits

NURS 3162

Human Experience of Disability

2

NURS 4063

Nursing Research

3

NURS 4163

Contemporary Professional Nursing

3

FALL SEMESTER – (8 Credit Hours)

Course #

Course Title

Credits

NURS 4084

Clinical Nursing III 

4

NURS 4154

Community Focused Nursing

4

SPRING SEMESTER – (7 Credit Hours)

Course #

Course Title

Credits

NURS 4233

Innovations in Nursing

3

NURS 4224

Leadership in Nursing Practice 

4

 

Admission Requirements

  • Prior to enrollment, an active, unemcumbered RN license (Oklahoma or compact state license) is required to be earned by the enrollment deadlines set by the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences. 
  • Completion of 60 hours of prerequisite coursework
  • 30 prerequisite hours must be completed prior to application
  • All prerequisites must be completed with a grade of 'C' or better
    • Please note a C-minus does not meet the minimum C grade requirement for prerequisites
    • For the foreign language requirement, if taken in high school, coursework must be a passing grade; if taken in college, student must earn a grade of C or higher
  • Minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale at the time of application and
  • Minimum science grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale at the time of application
  • At least three of the four required sciences must be completed prior to application
  • Each attempt of any of the four required science courses taken will be calculated into the science GPA. 
  • Please Note: The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) is on a semester credit- hour system. Students transferring coursework from an institution on trimester or quarter-hour systems should contact an advisor to determine how the coursework will transfer. OUHSC considers all coursework regardless of academic forgiveness granted by other institutions.
  • Please Note: The LPN-BSN, RN-BSN, MSN, Post-Graduate Certificates, PhD, and DNP programs in the OU College of Nursing are hybrid and/or online programs. The F-1 visa regulations require in-person courses, and these programs do not meet those requirements. Thus, international students are not accepted for these programs (LPN-BSN, RN-BSN, MSN, Post-Graduate Certificates, PhD, and DNP). International students are only eligible to apply for the ABSN and TBSN pathways as they have in-person requirements.
  • 2025-2026 Admissions Updates:
    • The cumulative GPA and science GPA (Chemistry, Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, Microbiology) will be calculated according to the policies and procedures of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences: OUHSC Student Handbook. Applicants’ cumulative GPAs will be calculated according to the college’s application system at the time of application. The cumulative GPA and science GPA of 2.5 are required to be met at the time of application and at the time of enrollment. At enrollment, the GPA must meet the 2.5 minimum incorporating all final grades and transcripts. 
    • Students should apply to the program when they have completed the most coursework and are the most qualified candidates.
    • 30 hours of the prerequisites on the nursing degree sheet must be completed at the time of application. 60 hours of prerequisites must be completed at the time of enrollment.
    • BIOL 1114/1121 OR BIOL 1124 are prerequisites to BIOL 2124, 2234, 2255, 3103/3101 at the University of Oklahoma. If Human Anatomy and Human Physiology were completed without these prerequisites, other approved coursework can be used to satisfy the 60 minimum hour requirements in place of BIOL 1114/1121 OR BIOL 1124.
    • For Human Anatomy and Human Physiology, standalone and survey courses cannot be mixed; applicants must complete Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II OR standalone Human Anatomy and Physiology. 
    • Students with a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution meet Core Areas I-VI. Students with an associate degree (associate in arts or associate in science, not associate of applied science) from a U.S. regionally accredited AND public institution in Oklahoma meet Core Areas I-V. Course substitutions used to satisfy General Education requirements must be listed as General Education on the University of Oklahoma Transfer Equivalencies Database (TED). Courses not on TED must go through the course petition process at OU and be reviewed for course equivalency and General Education. Students must follow all General Education and graduation requirements of the University of Oklahoma. 
    • OU Norman students who have taken mathematics courses at Rose State College will need to provide a Rose State College transcript to NursingCAS.
    • Students must complete additional elective credit hours sufficient to bring total prerequisite credit hours to a minimum of 60 total prerequisite and Core V/VI hours (Varied hours). 
    • All applicants should refer to the professional licensure disclosure information for the programs available at this link: https://www.ouhsc.edu/academicaffairs/professional-licensure-disclosure.
    • Core V and Upper-Division can be completed during the nursing program as these courses are indicated as graduation requirements.  All other courses must be completed by prerequisite deadlines set by the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences. 
    • The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) is on a semester credit-hour system. Students transferring coursework from an institution on trimester or quarter-hour systems should contact an advisor to determine how the coursework will transfer. 
    • Please note that the changes above were approved from the June 12,2025, OU Board of Regents’ meeting agenda and pending OSRHE approval. 
    • If you have not completed three of the four sciences, students who are applying to the Summer 2026 and Fall 2026 BSN pathways, you can submit a waiver for the third science at this link and the waiver is due at the application deadline. Waiver link can be found here: https://www.cognitoforms.com/OUCollegeOfNursing/Summer2026AndFall2026WaiverForThirdScienceRequirement
If after reviewing the qualifications for this program you are unsure of whether you meet them, please contact Nursing@ouhsc.edu. We are here to help and support you as you pursue a career in the health sciences.  
For more information on how to apply and materials needed please visit: https://nursing.ouhsc.edu/admissions-financial-aid/apply-now/application-process