Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN)

• Curriculum
• Course Descriptions
• Faculty and Research Staff
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in the Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) Program. We are a fully online nursing program with all courses delivered in a virtual environment. The program has been delivered using hybrid courses for a decade. To reach and respond to the needs of the working nurse, the curriculum was redesigned to offer 11 courses that can be completed in less than 16 months.

In addition to being certified to teach online, the faculty also hold expertise in public and community health, critical care, nursing leadership, and health policy. Faculty research interests include mindfulness in nursing students, breast cancer in minority women, and retention of nursing students. The program is committed to improving health outcomes in diverse and underserved communities, focusing on the lifespan of individuals and families. Students will have opportunities to develop evidence-based projects of their choice to strengthen their clinical decision-making.

Admissions Process

Introduction to School and Program   

Welcome to the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) Program.  UDC is the only exclusively urban-focused, public, land-grant university in DC. We are also designated as a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Our mission is to provide graduates with a well-rounded nursing education that is grounded in theory and applicable to clinical decision-making. We provide a complete and diverse education to all communities, with a special emphasis on underrepresented and vulnerable populations.

We pride ourselves in providing licensed nurses with a supportive environment that facilitates their growth and development as bachelor’s prepared nurses. We want you to succeed, because when you succeed, we succeed. Our vision is that every graduate of our program will rise to the highest level of human potential. Please consider joining our stellar program. If you have questions about the program, please contact Dr. Pier Broadnax, Program Director, at pbroadnax@udc.edu or (202) 274-5916.

Criteria for Admissions Consideration

• Admissions requirements met/profile completed
• GPA of 2.7 or higher
• Diploma or associate degree from a regionally accredited university
• An unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) license from one of the 54 jurisdictions in the United States
• Evidence of completion of 67 credits of pre-licensure courses, including the following:
  • College-level mathematics courses to satisfy general education requirements (minimum of 6 credits)
  • Anatomy & Physiology lecture and laboratory (minimum of 6 credits)
  • Microbiology & Chemistry lecture and laboratory credits (minimum of 4 credits)
  • College-level English (minimum of 6 credits)
  • A maximum of forty (40) pre-licensure courses

Deadlines:

The RN to BSN Program has a rolling, continuous admissions process. Please review the deadlines and course start dates below, then submit your materials, accordingly, for consideration.

Application Instructions:

Applicants must submit the following items to apply to the University of the District of Columbia RN to Program:

1. Complete the NursingCAS application.
2. Request official transcripts from all institutions attended. Upload the official transcripts into NursingCAS.
3. Upload a resume/cv in the documents section of NursingCAS.
4. Request that 2 letters of recommendation be sent through the NursingCAS recommender portal.
5. Submit application (https://nursingcas.liaisoncas.org/apply/).
6. The Student Advising Specialist will confirm the submission of your application and will forward it to the Admissions, Program, and Graduate Committee for review and decision.
7. If admitted into the RN to BSN Program:

• Submit active CPR Certification
• Submit proof of health insurance coverage
• Submit evidence of physical examination (completed within the past 12 months)
• Submit evidence of Professional Liability
• Submit evidence of the following vaccinations: influenza, tetanus, varicella, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, plus tuberculosis status.

International Applicant Instructions

International applicants who are F-1 visa holders are ineligible to enroll in this program.

Permanent U.S. residents must submit official transcripts and a credential evaluation for degrees earned outside of the United States. Secondary or university-level academic work must be evaluated by a member organization of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. (NACES). Evidence of English language proficiency is required by submission of TOEFL or ILETS scores.

OVERVIEW

Vision

All nursing students will maximize their potential, increase the diversity of the nursing workforce, and improve the health of the residents of the District of Columbia and beyond.

Mission

The mission of the RN to BSN program is to produce well educated, autonomous, competent, and resourceful graduates to practice nursing in today’s multiethnic, global, and technology-driven society.

Goals

1. Prepare graduates with specific knowledge, skills, and behaviors that demonstrate the professionalism of a baccalaureate nurse, and commitment to lifelong learning.
2. To foster characteristics for leadership, evidence-based practice, and clinical competencies to guide decision making and the delivery of safe, culturally relevant nursing care across health care settings and the health continuum.

Outcomes

1. Facilitate employability and career mobility opportunities in a digital healthcare environment.
2. Promote degree completion within 150 percent of the time spanning the possible length of online nursing courses (24 months or 2 years).
3. Enhance the level of satisfaction by stakeholders with the quality of a contemporary curriculum.
4. Prepare global citizens with technological proficiency that transcends physical boundaries in addressing individual, family, and community health in various settings, including virtual environments.
5. Encourage lifelong learners to pursue graduate studies, achieve specialty certification, participate in professional organizations, complete continuing education, and assume leadership roles.
6. Provide appropriate didactic and experiential learning opportunities to meet UDC’s land-grant mission, and increase interprofessional collaboration in culturally diverse populations.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

The RN to BSN Program requires the completion of 11 nursing courses that encompass a theory-based curriculum with clinical application. Each course is delivered online over a six-week period. Courses are designed to be taken one class at a time. The following curriculum fulfills the knowledge requirements of the baccalaureate nursing degree, approved by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) with 120 semester credit hours required to complete the BSN.

CURRICULUM

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• Overall GPA of 2.7 or higher
• Diploma or Associate Degree from a regionally accredited institution
• Two letters of recommendation
• An unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) license from the United States
• Current Basic Life Support (CPR) certification
• Evidence of completion of 67 credits of pre-licensure and general education courses, according to the Program of Study

COST & FINANCIAL AID

Tuition rates for the University of the District of Columbia can be found here. Financial aid information for the University of the District of Columbia can be found at https://www.udc.edu/admissions/financial-aid/starting-the-financial-aid-process/

FACULTY CONTACT

Pier A. Broadnax, Ph.D., RN
Program Director/RN to BSN Program
202.274.5916
pbroadnax@udc.edu

For general inquiries and application support, please directly contact Kenneth J. Cooper, Ph.D. Student Recruitment and Academic Advising Specialist/RN to BSN Program at 202.934.9426 or kenneth.cooper@udc.edu.

RESOURCES

Course Descriptions
Fact Sheet
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

ACCREDITATION REQUIREMENTS

The RN to BSN program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). The ACEN contact information is as follows:
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, Georgia 30326
USA
Phone: 404.975.5000
Email: info@acenursing.org
Web: www.acenursing.org