LPN to BSN program
Advance your nursing career through Ohio State’s LPN to BSN program. This pathway builds upon your LPN experience and prepares you for expanded opportunities as a BSN prepared registered nurse. Earn your degree from a BSN program ranked No. 1 among public universities nationwide.
LPN to BSN bridge program at Ohio State
Combining academic excellence with real-world clinical learning, LPNs can advance their education and expand their career opportunities with our program.
As an LPN to BSN student, you will:
- Build on your LPN education and experience
- Study with expert faculty at a top-ranked nursing school
- Complete clinical training in real healthcare settings
- Prepare for the NCLEX-RN exam
- Join a large alumni and healthcare network
A faster path through our LPN to BSN program
When you enroll, Ohio State awards 20 credit hours for your prior LPN education through Industry Transfer Assurance Guide credit. This means you can complete your degree in just two years of full-time study.
Our LPN to BSN program offers a flexible mix of online learning and in-person experience. You will take core courses online, so you can stay on track while balancing work and life. At the same time, you will build hands-on skills through labs and clinical training in Columbus, Ohio.
Clinical experiences are a key part of this program. You will train in healthcare settings across Columbus and central Ohio. These experiences give you access to diverse patient populations and real-world care teams. By the time you graduate, you will be prepared to lead, collaborate and deliver high-quality care as a registered nurse.
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On campus
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122 credit hours
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2 years
Admission requirements for LPN to BSN program
- Graduate from an LPN program with a GPA of 2.5 or recent college work with a 2.75 or higher (good standing with Ohio State)
- Possess Ohio unencumbered LPN license
- Be 18 years of age by the first clinical course
- Submit official transcripts
- Complete prerequisites with a grade of C or higher
Complete seven prerequisite courses with a grade of C or higher.
- Courses from other institutions may be considered equivalent to Ohio State courses listed below.
- Each subject area includes example Ohio State courses that fulfill the requirement.
- Official transcripts, submitted by the deadline, must show a final grade for each prerequisite course.
- Human Anatomy (lab required; all body systems; 3 credit hours)
ANATOMY 2300, ANATOMY 3300, EEOB 2510 or EEOB 2511 - Human Physiology (all body systems; 3 credit hours)
EEOB 2520, PHR 3100, PHYSIO 3101, PHYSIO 3102 or PHYSIO 3200 - Chemistry (lab required; 4 credit hours)
CHEM 1110, 1210, 1220, 1610, 1620, 1910H, 1920H, 2510, 2520, 2610, 2620, 2910H or BIOCHEM 2210 - English
ENGLISH 1110 - Microbiology
MICRBIO 4000.01 or MICRBIO 4000.02 - Psychology (3 credit hours)
PSYCH 1100 - Sociology
RURLSOC 1500 or SOCIOL 1101
You are responsible for verifying that all the prerequisite courses taken satisfy the requirements.
Use Transferology and Ohio State equivalency tools to determine if your coursework meets requirements.
If you cannot find an equivalent course, you may request a course evaluation through Graduate and Professional Admissions. You may submit up to three courses to gpadmissions@osu.edu.
Prerequisite courses completed outside of Ohio State:
- The "To-Do List" in your Applicant Center will alert you if you have deficiencies related to your prerequisites. The College of Nursing will not inform you of any unfulfilled prerequisite courses or incomplete requirements.
- Courses taken outside of Ohio State may fulfill the admission criteria but may not fulfill a requirement towards earning the degree.
Learn more about resolving transfer credit.
Program length
- 2 years full-time, including summers
Credit hours
- 122
Delivery format
- Online and in-person
- Clinical and lab held in person
As LPNs, the Industry Transfer Assurance Guide credit (20 credit hours of the BSN curriculum) will be awarded per the following guidelines:
- Nursing 2450 Pathophysiology for Nursing Practice (3 credit hours) must be completed to get credit for N2451 Nursing Pathophysiology & Pharmacology I (3 credit hours) and N2452 Nursing Pathophysiology & Pharmacology II (3 credit hours).
- Nursing 2000 LPN to BSN Bridge Course (6 credit hours) must be completed to get credit for the following courses listed.
- Nursing 2271 Foundational Knowledge for Nursing Practice I (4 credit hours)
- Nursing 2200 Art of Professional Nursing I (2 credit hours)
- Nursing 2272 Foundational Knowledge for Nursing Practice II (4 credit hours)
- Nursing 2201 Art of Professional Nursing II (2 credit hours)
- Nursing 2782 Foundational Principles of EBP and Nursing Science (2 credit hours)
Sample schedule
Year 1: Summer
- N2450 Pathophysiology for Nursing Practice (3 credit hours)
- N2000 LPN to BSN Bridge Course (6 credit hours)**
Year 1: Autumn
- N3271 Nursing Care of Adults and Older Adults I (4 credit hours)**
- N3460 Motivational Interviewing (1 credit hour)
- N5115 Mindstrong (1 credit hour)
- Thematic Course General Education Course (4 credit hours)
- N2500 Introduction to Social Justice and Health Policy (1 credit hour)
Year 1: Spring
- N3272 Nursing Care of Adults and Older Adults II (4 credit hours)**
- N3240 Population Health Local to Global (3 credit hours)
- General Education Launch Seminar (1 credit hour)
- Human Nutrition 2200 Nutrition for Health Professionals General Education Course (2 credit hours)
- Citizenship for a Diverse and Just World General Education Course (4 credit hours)
- N3780 Evidence-based Nursing Care for Patients in Palliative and End of Life Care (2 credit hours)
Year 2: Summer
- N3280 Nursing Care of Women and Families During Reproductive Transitions (4 credit hours)**
- N3260 Nursing Care of Children and their Families (4 credit hours)**
- Historical and Cultural Studies General Education Course (3 credit hours)
- Literary, Visual and Performing Arts General Education Course (3 credit hours)
Year 2: Autumn
- N4241 Synthesis of Determinants of Health to Address Population Health Outcomes (4 credit hours)**
- N4341 Nursing Clinical Judgement in the Care of Psychiatric and Mental Health Conditions (4 credit hours)**
- N4401 Innovative Strategies in Leadership and Systems-based Practice (2 credit hours)
- Race, Ethnicity and Gender Diversity General Education Course (3 credit hours)
- N4310 Science of Wellness and Self-care (1 credit hour) General Education Reflection (1 credit hour)
Year 2: Spring
- N4402 Synthesis of Nursing Practice and Patient Care in Complex Healthcare Systems (2 credit hours)
- N4590 Practicum for the Utilization of Nursing Clinical Judgement (6 credit hours)**
- N4520 Utilization of Information and Healthcare Technology to Drive Decision Making in Nursing (1 credit hour)
- Statistics 1350 (3 credit hours)
#Human Nutrition 2200, Stats 1350 and MINDSTRONG are core major requirements.
**Along with class experiences, courses contain clinical and/or laboratory components. Clinical and laboratory requirements will be one to two days per week depending on the course required hours reported to the Ohio Board of Nursing.
Allow up to five business days for the status of materials to be updated on your application status. You can track the status of your application through your applicant center. Direct questions about application materials to gpadmissions@osu.edu.
- Application deadline
- Submit your application and all required materials by the posted deadline.
- Transcript deadline
- Official transcripts for coursework, test scores or AP exams completed outside Ohio State must be submitted to Graduate and Professional Admissions.
- Transcripts must include final grades for all completed courses, including prerequisites.
- Official transcripts for coursework, test scores or AP exams completed outside Ohio State must be submitted to Graduate and Professional Admissions.
- Decision
- Late March
- Your application status will show "pending" until a decision is posted.
- You will be notified through your Applicant Center and by email from Graduate and Professional Admissions.
- Accept offer
- Within two weeks of notification
- Newly admitted students are required to pay a $100 acceptance fee.
- This fee is waived for current Ohio State students.
- If you are unable to begin your studies in the term to which you applied, you will be required to reapply in the future.
How to apply to the LPN to BSN program
Apply online through the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions. Pay the $60 application fee at the time of submission.
Two essay questions, included in the application, must be answered prior to submitting the application. You are encouraged to work on the essay in a separate word processing program and then copy and paste your response into the application.
All transcripts and test scores, including those for prerequisite courses, must be received by the posted deadline.
- Submit official transcripts from all colleges, career technical schools, and universities you have attended or currently attend.
- Include transcripts for any college credit earned through dual credit programs (for example, College Credit Plus).
- If your LPN training appears only on your high school transcript, submit that transcript.
- Do not submit transcripts for coursework completed at Ohio State.
- Official transcripts must be submitted to the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions.
- If a transcript is marked “required” on your application to-do list but you did not attend that institution, contact the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions and the College of Nursing at nursing@osu.edu.
- Early-action applicants: If you are completing prerequisite courses in the autumn semester, submit updated transcripts by Jan. 9, 2026.
Applicants must submit all application materials by 11:59 p.m. ET on the deadline to be considered for admission.
Contact
FAQ
Yes, out-of-state applicants are welcome to apply, but this is an on-campus program and requires an unencumbered LPN license before starting the program.
No.
The Clinical Placement Office will arrange your clinical experiences.
You cannot enroll in nursing classes unless you have applied and been admitted into the LPN to BSN program.
Yes, an Ohio unencumbered LPN license is required for admission into the program. You are required to submit a copy of the LPN license when completing the LPN to BSN application.
We invite you to consider our Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing option.
No, international students are not eligible for the LPN to BSN program.
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Nurse, Education, Practice, Quality and Retention - Pathway to Registered Nurse Program (NEPQR-PRNP) Grant UD749618 entitled the LIVEWELL LPN to BSN Bridge Program as part of an award totaling $3,999,074. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, visit HRSA.gov.