RN to BSN/Path2BSN Curriculum

Students admitted to the RN to BSN/Path2BSN Program will complete, at minimum, a 12 month or 15 month plan of study that builds on the education and skills obtained during their associate degree or diploma program and that can be completed entirely at a distance. To earn their BSN, they must satisfy all graduation and coursework requirements set by The Ohio State University for a bachelor’s-level degree. The following are all of the course requirements necessary for graduation from this program, including those that can be completed prior to attending Ohio State and those that must be completed here. You can view 12 month and 15 month sample plans of study at the bottom of this page.

The College of Nursing will not review unofficial copies of prospective students’ transcripts. Noted below are some ways that a prospective student may have some their credit evaluated for transfer toward the requirements of this program prior to admission.

 

General Education Coursework

RN to BSN Program students must satisfy the program’s General Education course requirements prior to graduation. This coursework can be completed either at another institution prior to the program or during the program at Ohio State. If completed at Ohio State, these courses would be added to sample plans of study found at the bottom of this page. Online options are available for all general education requirements. 

You will learn more detailed information about the GE curriculum when you meet with your advisor upon entry into the program.

For assistance with determining if a course taken at another institution will satisfy a general education requirement, please contact the Ohio State Office of Undergraduate Admission through Buckeye Link at askabuckeye@osu.edu.

 
General Education (New) Requirements

View an overview of general education requirements specific to RN to BSN students entering the university in August 2022 and beyond

 
General Education (Legacy) Requirements

View legacy general education requirements specific to RN to BSN students entering the university prior to August 2022

 

Associate Degree Coursework

Students admitted to the RN to BSN Program will have their pre-licensure nursing coursework added to the overall progress of their bachelor’s degree. The following coursework requirements will be satisfied through the associate degree in nursing or nursing diploma program:

  • Nursing coursework transferred from associate degree or diploma program (35+ credit hours)
Evaluation of Nursing courses

The individual nursing courses of a student’s associate degree or diploma program will not be evaluated separately to fulfill nursing courses requirements of the RN to BSN program’s curriculum. Rather, the nursing coursework will be accepted as a block of credit toward bachelor’s degree completion.

 

RN to BSN Program Coursework

Students in the RN to BSN Program must complete a 21 credit hours of core nursing courses and one 3 credit hour nursing elective at The Ohio State University. To graduate with a bachelor’s degree, a student must completed a minimum of 30 credit hours of coursework at Ohio State. Therefore, two additional courses will also need to be completed at Ohio State. This could include any general education or nutrition course list above — if these requirements are not already satisfied through transfer credit — or they can simply be open electives as chosen by the student.

Students must also complete a total of 120 credit hours of coursework, either transferred into or taken at Ohio State. If a student transfers less than 90 credit hours overall to Ohio State, they would then need to complete additional courses to make up the difference.

Consider pursuing one of the following online undergraduate nursing certificates as a productive way to fulfill additional coursework: Primary Care Academic Certificate and Nursing in School Health Services Certificate.

Listed here are the RN to BSN program coursework requirements that must be completed at Ohio State:

Coursework requirements Credit hours
NRSADVN 2440 Foundations and Contemporary Issues for Registered Nurses 3
NRSADVN 3430 Cultural Competence in Health Care: US and Global Contexts 2
NRSADVN 4240 Concepts in Community Health Nursing 4
NRSADVN 4402 Evolving Concepts in Leadership and Management 5
NRSADVN 4520 Health Care Informatics 2
NRSADVN 4600 Interprofessional Concepts 2
NRSADVN 4780 Evidence Based Practice: Transforming Healthcare 3
Nursing elective 3
Additional courses to reach 30 credit hours completed at Ohio State 6
Additional courses to reach 120 total credit hours if needed 0+
  30+ total credit hours
Approved Nursing Elective Courses

Nursing Courses
Nursing 4150 Epidemiology Concepts in Nursing and Global Healthcare

Nursing Advancement Courses
NRSADVN 3110 Health Assessment Across the Lifespan
NRSADVN 3111 Palliative and End of Life Care
NRSADVN 3112 Failure to Rescue in Nursing

Nursing in School Health Services Certificate Courses
Nursing 3115 School Health Roles and Responsibilities
Nursing 3116 Management of School Health Services
Nursing 3117 Children with Special Needs in School

Primary Care Certificate Courses
NRSADVN 3117 RN Practice in Primary Care
NRSADVN 3116 EBP Health Coaching in Interprofessional Practice
NRSADVN 3115 Telehealth Assessment and Management in Primary Care
NRSADVN 3114 Care Coordination and Transition in Care
NRSADVN 3113 RN Practice in Primary Care and Substance Use Disorder

Health and Wellness Courses
HW 2102 Optimizing Personal Health, Happiness and Well-being
HW 2110 Health Athlete
HW 2210 Dimensions of Wellness and Resilience
HW 2220 Wellness in Chronic Conditions I
HW 3220 Health Promotion Strategies for People with Chronic Conditions
HW 3230 Coaching for Health Improvement

The following courses cannot be used to fulfill the required nursing elective credit but may be accessed via the Senior Petition process:

Nurse Coaching Graduate Certificate Courses
Nursing 7342 Motivational Interviewing
Nursing 7343 Intro to Nurse Coaching
Nursing 7345 Advanced Nurse Coaching

Sample Plans of Study

These sample plans of study only show the Nursing Advancement classes of the RN to BSN Program. Your plan of study will be built with your academic advisor to meet your individual needs and may add any remaining elective or general education coursework. This could increase the length of the program and/or the total credit hours attempted in a given semester, along with total tuition and fee costs.

All Nursing Advancement courses have a didactic component that can be accessed online through Carmen, Ohio State’s course management system. Online Nursing Advancement courses will not require a student to attend class online at any specific time. The program also includes projects that utilize clinical knowledge and that will be done from your location.

Part Time Option (15 months to complete)
Semester 1

NRSADVN 2440 Foundations and Contemporary Issues for Registered Nurses (3)
This course provides the framework for exploration of professional issues in contemporary nursing and health care for nurses pursuing a baccalaureate degree.

NRSADVN 4600 Interprofessional Concepts (2)
Examination of principles, competencies, and practices that support interprofessional collaboration, a culture of safety, and improve patient outcomes.

Semester 2

NRSADVN 4780 Evidence Based Practice: Transforming Healthcare (3)>
Study of concepts, application and implementation of evidence-based nursing for transforming quality health care.

NRSADVN 4520 Health Care Informatics (2)
Examination of informatics in health care emphasizing clinical information systems and the use of the information technology (IT) applications to support nursing practice. (7 weeks)

Semester 3

NRSADVN 4240 Concepts in Community Health Nursing (4)
Study of community health nursing theory and principles applied to the nursing care of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations.
Prerequisite: NA 2440, NA 4780, RN License verification

NRSADVN 3430 Cultural Competence in Health Care: US and Global Contexts (2)
Introduction to concepts and techniques for the provision of culturally competent care within the U.S. and across global contexts. (7 weeks)

Semester 4 

NRSADVN 4402 Evolving Concepts in Leadership and Management (5)
Exploration and application of leadership and management concepts as applied to nursing practice and the health care environment.
Prerequisite: NA 2440, NA 4240, NA 4780, RN License verification

Nursing Elective (3)

Full Time Option (12 months to complete)
Semester 1

NRSADVN 2440 Foundations and Contemporary Issues for Registered Nurses (3)
This course provides the framework for exploration of professional issues in contemporary nursing and health care for nurses pursuing a baccalaureate degree.

NRSADVN 4780 Evidence Based Practice: Transforming Healthcare (3)
Study of concepts, application and implementation of evidence-based nursing for transforming quality health care.

NRSADVN 4600 Interprofessional Concepts (2)
Examination of principles, competencies, and practices that support interprofessional collaboration, a culture of safety, and improve patient outcomes.

Semester 2 

NRSADVN 4240 Concepts in Community Health Nursing (4)
Study of community health nursing theory and principles applied to the nursing care of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations.
Prerequisite: NA 2440, NA 4780, RN License verification

NRSADVN 4520 Health Care Informatics (2)
Examination of informatics in health care emphasizing clinical information systems and the use of the information technology (IT) applications to support nursing practice. (7 weeks)

NRSADVN 3430 Cultural Competence in Health Care: US and Global Contexts (2)
Introduction to concepts and techniques for the provision of culturally competent care within the U.S. and across global contexts. (7 weeks)

Semester 3

NRSADVN 4402 Evolving Concepts in Leadership and Management (5)
Exploration and application of leadership and management concepts as applied to nursing practice and the health care environment.
Prerequisite: NA 2440, NA 4240, NA 4780, RN License verification

Nursing Elective (3)

Judy Earman
Judy Earman, recent graduate

“The online RN to BSN program provides me with the invaluable support and encouragement of renowned faculty, even in an online setting. I’ve learned the importance of evidence-based practice and leadership, giving me the essential tools to provide better quality healthcare to my patients.”