RN to BS in Nursing Pathway

100% Online and Built for Working Nurses

Admission into the RN to BS program will be paused starting Spring 2024 with no new admissions being offered.

The last courses offered will be in Fall 2024 after which time the official pausing of the program will commence and no other courses will be offered.

Open the door to greater career options within the nursing profession by completing a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. The University of Colorado College of Nursing RN to BS in Nursing program is completely online, allowing you to seek your BS degree, balance your life, and work at the same time. The availability of online courses supports the unique need for flexibility and access to adult learners who want to complete their Bachelor of Science degree while working. Educational technology, such as web-based courses, helps to accommodate work schedules and other life commitments for our students.

The RN to BS program offers flexible enrollment allowing students to choose their pace including:

  • Fast-Track Pathway – complete the program in one year or three semesters (fall start only),
  • Traditional Pathway – designed to be completed in 4 semesters/16 months, or
  • Extended Pathway – designed for students looking for a slower pace taking 1-2 courses a semester for up to three years.

 

About the RN to BS Nursing Pathway

  • 30 credits - Working RNs will find the program aligns with scheduling needs and agency tuition reimbursement policies.
  • Admission is offered every fall, spring, and summer term. The cohort model provides you with an opportunity to interact with CU Nursing students from within and out of the state of Colorado.
  • The program includes courses to add value to your education and experiences designed to meet your personal goals.
  • Focus on leadership and Quality Improvement areas of interest (create a project meaningful and useful to you and your organization).
  • Admission requirements include 60 hours of pre-requisite work, however provisional admission allows students to complete 1 or 2 prerequisites in the first semester of the RN to BS program.
  • Tuition buy-down is applied in the last semester of enrollment for students who complete the program on time, bringing the total cost of the program to $12,000.
  • A nursing license is required but may be earned in the first semester of enrollment to allow a seamless transition for new ADN graduates.
  • Western Undergraduate Exchange participates.
  • No enrollment deposit is required.
  1. Display novice, professional nursing leadership qualities to promote quality and safe care.
  2. Engage in effective communication and collaboration in intra– and interdisciplinary teams across a variety of contexts.
  3. Provide socially just, ethical, and inclusive care to diverse populations across the continuum of care.
  4. Apply principles of healthcare informatics as a meaningful user of health information systems and technology.
  5. Reference relevant theoretical frameworks to improve patient and population health outcomes across a range of settings.
  6. Integrate evidence-based practice into patient-centered care using the nursing process across a range of settings.
  7. Articulate how policy, advocacy, finance and regulatory environments influence healthcare delivery.
One component of the Bachelor of Science program is clinical experiences.

As a student, you will complete one credit hour (60 practicum hours) in a clinical setting under the supervision of a nursing professional. This is an integral part of our mission as a college to provide you with comprehensive nursing education. You will have a wide variety of clinical settings and nursing environments in which to complete your clinical hours. The student clinical education section provides more information on the clinical experience. There are very specific requirements concerning immunizations, background checks, etc. that you will need to follow.

A Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in nursing provides a wide variety of career choices. Upon successful completion of the BS in nursing program and the national licensure examination (NCLEX), baccalaureate prepared nurses are able to choose from a wide variety of practice settings.

Additionally, unlike graduates prepared with an associate degree in nursing, bachelor's prepared nurses are able to pursue advanced degrees in nursing including careers as an adult or pediatric nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse midwife, or certified nurse anesthetist. Doctorate-level education is also possible for bachelor's prepared nurses who wish to pursue a PhD or DNP (doctor of nursing practice).

Examples of potential practice areas for a bachelor of science graduate include:

  • Providing patient care in the hospital settings (the most popular choice of nursing graduates).
  • Caring for patients in community-based settings.
  • Providing nursing leadership through nursing management positions.
  • Pursuing a nursing career at Magnet designated hospital facilities.
  • Providing nursing care to individuals, families, and communities internationally.
  • Working in clinical research by coordinating human subject studies.
  • Helping shape future nursing clinicians through teaching opportunities.

View the BS Alumni Report 2016​ to see which positions and settings our undergraduate alumni move on to following graduation.

For more information on the wide variety of career options available to BS in nursing graduates, please visit the Johnson and Johnson Discovering Nursing website.​​

RN to BS in Nursing course descriptions

Below are the course descriptions for this program. The curriculum is subject to revision. We have updated the courses to help prepare students for the next level in their nursing career.