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Penn State World Campus · Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing

RN to BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing)

Bachelor'sBSNCredential pathwayBachelor of Science in Nursing

Overview

A 120-credit online RN to BSN degree for licensed registered nurses. Courses are online, and a clinical experience or project is completed in the student's community or clinical setting.

Official program name
RN to BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing)
Awarded degree
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Degree level
Bachelor's
University
Penn State World Campus — Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Administering location
University Park, PAWhere the university or its administering campus is located. Study is online; this is not a residency requirement and does not decide whether you may enroll from your state.
Subject
Required credits
120-credit degree
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Duration
Two to three years taking 6 courses each semester; three to four years taking 4–5 courses; five or more years taking 2–3 courses (Depends on course load per semester)A minimum under the stated conditions, not a typical length.
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Start terms
Spring, Summer, Fall
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Teaching language
English (not separately stated)

Entry pathway

Credential-specific pathway. Requires a specific credential, such as an RN license for an RN-to-BSN.

Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Professional license
RequiredCompleted RN program or US RN license; active RN license in the state where clinical course work is completed
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Credits that must be earned at the institution
Required36 credits — 36 of the last 60 credits must be earned from Penn State
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Credit for prior learning
OptionalUp to 33 credits may be earned through portfolio review
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Why this program is listed

Online RN to BSN degree for registered nurses; courses online with a clinical experience completed near home.

Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

We list online bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from institutionally accredited US universities. Eligibility rules

Online format and attendance

“Online” is not one format. Delivery, campus visits, practical placements and class schedule are shown separately, each only as the university states it.
Academic delivery
Online coursework + local placementCoursework is online; a clinical placement, practicum, internship, fieldwork or student teaching is completed in person, usually near the student.Coursework is online; a clinical placement, practicum, internship, fieldwork or student teaching is completed in person, usually near the student.
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Campus visits
Campus visits: not verified
Practical placement
Practical placement required
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Class schedule
Not verified
Study intensity
Not verified

In-person and practical requirements as published

  • Clinical placement Required

    Clinical experience (a focused project or time in a health care setting) designed by the student and approved by the instructor, completed near home.

    Student's community or clinical setting

    Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Curriculum

Accelerated options

Capstone

  • Final capstone course NURS 475 includes a project completed in the community or a clinical setting.
    Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Admissions

Required, optional, waived and not-required items are shown exactly as the university states them. Anything not listed is not verified — not “not required”.
Transcripts
RequiredOfficial college or university transcripts and/or military transcripts
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Tests

Entrance and English-language test policy: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate admission chances.

Start dates and deadlines

Dates are shown with the term the university printed. A past date is marked passed and is never carried into a new cycle.

  • Application deadline

    June 30, 2027 · for Fall 2027

    Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
    Upcoming

  • Application deadline

    October 31 (start January 11) · for Spring

    The university does not print a year with this date.

    Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
    Year not printed

Tuition and fees

Each amount keeps its student category, academic year and basis. Per-credit, per-term and whole-program figures are not comparable with each other, and tuition is not the full cost of attendance.
CategoryAmountBasis and year
Undergraduate, 11 or fewer credits per semester, 59 or fewer total credits$644per credit · 2026-2027Estimated tuition$77,280 = 120 credits × $644 per credit. Excludes mandatory fees, books, travel for any required visits or placements, transfer credit reductions and rate changes. Not the full cost of attendance.Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Undergraduate, 11 or fewer credits per semester, 60 or more total credits$692per credit · 2026-2027Estimated tuition$83,040 = 120 credits × $692 per credit. Excludes mandatory fees, books, travel for any required visits or placements, transfer credit reductions and rate changes. Not the full cost of attendance.Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Scholarships and financial aid

Awards published by the university for this program or for online students at this level. Loans must be repaid and are not scholarships; financial aid availability does not make a program “fully funded”. Scholarships & funding guide

Program-specific scholarships: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

Accreditation, authorization and licensure

Three separate questions: is the university accredited, can it enroll students from your state online, and does the program meet licensure requirements where you live?

Institutional accreditation

  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) — accreditedSource: ope.ed.gov · verified October 10, 2026

Programmatic accreditation

  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education — The baccalaureate degree program in nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

State authorization

  • Penn State participates in NC-SARA (accepted as a SARA institution on January 25, 2017) and is individually approved to offer programs in California. Official pageSource: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Professional licensure

Accreditation and state authorization do not establish that a program meets licensure requirements in your state.

International applicants

  • International students may apply; English proficiency is required, and institutional, federal or state financial aid requires US citizenship, US national status or permanent residency.Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages below. Last verified October 10, 2026.
  1. DAPIP — MSCHE institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-10) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 10, 2026
  2. worldcampus.psu.edu/degrees-and-certificates/penn-state-online-rn-to-bsn-nursing-bachelor-of-science — Official program page, verified October 10, 2026
  3. worldcampus.psu.edu/state-authorization — Official disclosure page, verified October 10, 2026
  4. worldcampus.psu.edu/state-authorization/disclosures — Official disclosure page, verified October 10, 2026

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Similar programs at other universities

Same degree level and subject group. Listed for discovery, not ranked.

Excelsior University

RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Bachelor'sBSCredential pathwayBachelor of Science in Nursing
Subject: Nursing (BSN, MSN)
Administering location: Albany, NYUniversity location, not a residency requirement
Online format: Online coursework + local placementCoursework is online; a clinical placement, practicum, internship, fieldwork or student teaching is completed in person, usually near the student. · Asynchronous
In-person requirements: Practical placement required
Duration: Duration not verified · 120 credits
Tuition: Tuition: $410 per credit · All online students — RN to BS in Nursing per-credit tuition (effective Spring 2026 trimester registration)
Next deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
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University of Cincinnati

RN to BSN

Bachelor'sBSNCredential pathwayBachelor of Science in Nursing
Subject: Nursing (BSN, MSN)
Administering location: Cincinnati, OHUniversity location, not a residency requirement
Online format: Online coursework + local placementCoursework is online; a clinical placement, practicum, internship, fieldwork or student teaching is completed in person, usually near the student.
In-person requirements: Practical placement required
Duration: Duration not verified
Tuition: Tuition: $548 per credit · All online students — Instructional fee, part-time per credit hour
Next deadline: November 15, 2026 · Spring 2027
View program
University of South Dakota logo

University of South Dakota

Nursing (RN to BSN)

Bachelor'sBSNCredential pathwayBachelor of Science in Nursing
Subject: Nursing (BSN, MSN)
Administering location: Vermillion, SDUniversity location, not a residency requirement
Online format: Fully onlineAll coursework is online and the institution states no required on-site activity for this program.
In-person requirements: In-person requirements not verified
Duration: 16 months (if all other required general education courses are complete (2024 announcement))
Tuition: Tuition not verified
Next deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View program

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