RN to BSN Program

Laura Opton, DHSc, RN, CNE
Professor, Associate Dean/Department Chair

Richard Pullen, EdD, MSN, RN, CMSRN, CNR-cl, CNE, ANEF
Professor, RN to BSN Program Director

Program Overview

The RN to BSN Program offers an opportunity for registered nurses (RNs) with either an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or diploma in nursing to be challenged professionally and personally through its innovative online curriculum. It is ideal for RNs who want to advance their careers through practice, leadership, or education. Students can attend full-time and complete the degree in two semesters, or part-time in three semesters.

The RN to BSN Program offers two tracks which include the RN to BSN and the RN to BSN Military Pathway option (beginning Jan 1, 2023). Students in both tracks are admitted and enrolled in the same courses. There are some minor differences in the tracks in terms of eligibility to receive academic credit for military service. The RN to BSN Military Pathway Overview provides additional requirements for this option.

Students in both tracks are admitted three times per year in the fall, spring, or summer semesters. The RN to BSN Admissions and Progressions Committee sets the admission criteria for the RN to BSN Program. Although no single applicant’s attribute is used to make an admission decision, a consistent pattern of success based on grade point averages in prerequisite and nursing coursework as well as the frequency of course withdraws and failures is important.

RN to BSN Military Pathway Overview: The RN to BSN Military Pathway is designed to recognize and provide academic credit for specific military educational training and experiences. To be eligible for this track, students must meet all RN to BSN Program admission requirements and provide evidence of current or prior military service. Completion of specified military occupational trainings verified on a Joint Services Transcript or Community College of the Air Force Transcript may deem these students eligible to be awarded academic credit in the RN to BSN curriculum.

Application Dates - 2022/2023

Application Dates - 2023/2024

Admissions Requirements

All applicants to the RN to BSN Program complete an online application as directed on the RN to BSN Program website. Students must meet the minimum requirements listed below for admission consideration:

Note: International students with F1 and F2 visa status are not eligible to apply to an online program.

Academic Admission Criteria

• Current RN License that is active and in good standing, without any restrictions or stipulations.
  
  • If an Early Decision applicant, submission of NCLEX-RN results may be delayed to no later than the end of the first semester of classes.
  • If a concurrent enrollment applicant, submission of NCLEX-RN results may be delayed to no later than the end of the next to last semester of classes.
  • For any other applicant who meets all academic and admission requirements, submission of NCLEX-RN results may be delayed to no later than the end of the first semester of classes.
  • Applicants who will be submitting NCLEX-RN results no later than the end of the first semester of classes may still receive full admission if they meet all academic and admission requirements.
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher – courses earned must be from an accredited institution. If below 2.5, the applicant can submit a letter to the Admission and Progression Committee requesting review for admission consideration; the letter must include explanation of why the GPA is below 2.5 and what strategies the applicant has in place to support student success in the RN to BSN Program.
  
• All prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or better prior to beginning the program.
• A test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required, unless a degree has been earned from an accredited university in the U.S.
• All general education requirements (Core curriculum) and prerequisites must be documented on an official transcript prior to enrollment in nursing courses.
• Consideration of the number of withdraws in prior courses. State law permits students to withdraw from no more than 6 courses while enrolled in another institution of higher education. See Texas Education Code §51.907. Applicants with 7 or more withdraws on their transcript will not be eligible for admission consideration regardless of meeting other admission criteria.

RN to BSN Military Pathway Academic Admission Criteria

• Individuals admitted to this track must provide evidence on a Joint Services Transcript (JST) (https://jst.doded.mil/official.html) or Community College of the Air Force Transcript (https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/Barnes/CCAF/Display/Article/803247/) of successful completion of one of the following medical trainings:
  
  1. Hospital Corpsman Advanced Technical Field- Navy B-300-0004
     
  2. Independent Duty Medical Technician- Air Force 4N051C
     
  3. Public Health Specialist-Navy- 8432; Army 68S10
     
  4. Hospital Corpsman Basic- Navy B-3000-0100
     
• Applicants for the RN to BSN Military Pathway must submit either a JST or Community College of the Air Force Transcript prior to the application deadline.

Non-Academic Admission Considerations

• Prior enrollment within the Texas Tech University System
• Permanent resident of TTUHSC service area county
• First generation college student
• Multilingual
• Prior practice as a Registered Nurse
  
• Military service and/or training
• Completion and submission of the SON Computer Literacy Score

Applicants are reviewed by the RN to BSN Admissions and Progressions Committee and are evaluated individually and holistically, not allowing any single attribute to be the determining attribute in the admission decision. The actual number of students offered admission is dependent upon a variety of attributes, such as financial resources, classroom space, and available clinical experiences.

MSN Expressway

The MSN Expressway is designed for RN to BSN Program students who desire to move directly into one of the MSN Degree Programs with a focus in administration, education, or informatics in a seamless manner. TTUHSC full-time RN to BSN students who meet graduate admission criteria can opt to take up to two graduate level courses as a component of the RN to BSN degree plan. Students who elect to pursue the MSN Expressway should contact the Admissions Coordinator prior to the first semester of enrollment.

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR APPLICANTS WHO ATTENDED A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY IN SPRING 2020

An explanation of how TTUHSC School of Nursing considers courses in which a student earns grades of Pass (P), Fail (F), Credit (CR) or No Credit (NC) is outlined below:

Official transcripts with courses awarded with P or CR during the SPRING 2020 semester can be used to meet prerequisite course requirements and will not be used in calculating either the cumulative or science GPA for admissions. TTUHSC SON reserves the right to determine how, and if, courses awarded with P or CR during any semester, outside of spring 2020, will be calculated into a GPA and/or considered for transfer credit. Official transcripts with courses awarded with a Fail (F) or No Credit (NC) during any semester cannot be used to meet prerequisite course requirements

Additional Requirements for Prospective Students

Tuition for Repeated or Excessive Undergraduate Hours

See Tuition for Repeated or Excessive Undergraduate Hours under the Financial Information section of this catalog.

Computer Requirements

See Computer Requirements under the Student Information section of this catalog.

Criminal Background Checks

All applicants who receive offers of admission will be required to consent to a criminal background check. A history of criminal conduct or convictions may result in withdrawal of the admission offer. See Criminal Background Check Requirements under the Eligibility Requirements section of this catalog.  No student will be allowed to start classes without a cleared criminal background check.

Drug Screening

Drug Screenings may be required if requested by the clinical institution site at the cost of the student. See Drug Screening Requirements under the Eligibility Requirements section of this catalog.

Immunizations

See Immunization Requirements under the Eligibility Requirements section of this catalog.

Special Student Enrollment

Provisional Admission

Provisional admission may be granted to students who graduated from Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) schools with current Early Decision admissions agreements with TTUHSC School of Nursing and who have submitted the Declaration of Intent to seek Early Decision Admission at the start of the ADN program. These designations are noted in the letter of admission, along with the condition for removal of the provision. Once the student presents evidence of licensure as a registered nurse per admission guidelines, the student will be granted full admission to the RN-BSN Program. If a student is unsuccessful in passing the NCLEX, a leave of absence for one semester will be granted. If the student has not been licensed during the leave of absence, the student will be academically withdrawn and encouraged to reapply upon passage of the NCLEX. Provisional admission may also be granted to students enrolled in Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) schools with a Dual Enrollment agreement with TTUHSC School of Nursing. Students whose degree plan reflects a Dual Enrollment agreement must pass the NCLEX prior to completion of NURS4234 (Capstone course) or a grade of Incomplete will be issued.

Conditional Admission

RN to BSN candidates may be offered conditional admission if they have not met the following requirements for full admission:

• Nursing degree completion confirmation (student graduating in current semester and verification is not available until the end of the semester).
• Prerequisite courses have not been completed prior to the deadline for application for admission for the semester to which the student is applying.
• Cumulative or nursing GPA below 2.5.
  

The student with conditional admission is required to comply with the conditions stated in the letter of admission offer prior to the first day of class for the semester to which the student has applied. Failing to do so will result in retraction of the offer.

Note: If a student is offered both provisional and conditional admission, the terms of conditional admission govern at the time of the first class day.

Readmission

All requests for readmission must be made no later than two (2) months prior to the first day of the semester in which readmission is requested. The RN to BSN Program Council is responsible for overseeing all requests for readmission via the Admissions and Progressions Committee. A student who left in good standing and seeking readmission shall complete and submit a readmission application showing the expected entry point to the appropriate Student Affairs Coordinator. The Coordinator will notify the chair of the Admissions and Progressions Committee of the request for readmission along with providing the most current transcript, and a summary of the circumstances of the student’s withdrawal, if known.

A student who left with a record not in good standing (academic or disciplinary causes) must complete and submit a readmission application to the appropriate Student Affairs Coordinator along with a letter explaining the circumstances resulting in the withdrawal/dismissal and the plan to improve or correct performance if offered readmission. The appropriate Student Affairs Coordinator will forward the application, the letter, any observations regarding academic performance and behavior during prior enrollment at the School of Nursing, and any available academic records including the most recent transcript to the chair of the Admissions and Progressions Committee. The Admissions and Progressions Committee review all such requests and may take one of the following actions regarding readmission of a student:

1. eligible and admit,
2. eligible pending space availability in nursing courses and in sequence to date of action in relation to other readmission applicants,
3. not eligible.

The Admissions and Progressions Committee may assign requirements to be met as a condition of enrollment, i.e. readmission on a part-time degree plan.

Transfer Admission

All requests for transfer to TTUHSC School of Nursing from a different School of Nursing must be made no later than two months prior to the first day of the semester in which transfer admission is requested. The minimum cumulative GPA for transfer admission consideration is 3.0. A student seeking transfer completes an online application showing the expected entry point. The criteria considered for transfer are the same as those criteria considered for a new admission. In addition, the transfer student must submit a letter of standing from the dean or department chair of the School of Nursing previously attended. Requests for transfer of credits to the RN to BSN Program is not an option due to state regulations requiring 25% of credits must be earned at the institution awarding the degree.

Special Student Enrollment

Under certain circumstances, it may be appropriate for an individual to seek admission as a special non-degree seeking student. This admission is for the purpose of taking a limited number of courses for one semester only. It is not an avenue for seeking a degree. The individual must receive approval from the RN to BSN Program Council for enrollment.

Deferment of Admission

RN to BSN students who have been admitted to the School of Nursing but wish to defer the start date to a later semester will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Admissions and Progressions Committee. Deferments may be granted for reasons including, but not limited to, personal illness or illness of immediate family member, military service, humanitarian or religious service, or financial hardship. All requests for deferment will be forwarded to the Chair of the Admissions and Progressions Committee along with supporting documentation for requested deferment. Faculty will notify Admissions staff as to the decision. All decisions are final. Deferments will be granted for no more than one academic year from the time of initial offer of admission.

Enrollment without Credit/Course Audit

Students who wish to audit a course for no grade must obtain approval from the Associate Dean/Department Chair. Students who audit a course will not be listed on the class roll, and no notation of the audit will be made on the student’s transcript. Students who are enrolled for 12 semester credit hours or more may audit a course without paying an additional fee.

Prerequisite Courses and Requirements

The prerequisite course requirements listed below should be completed with a grade of “C” or higher in each course prior to enrollment in the first nursing course. These requirements as detailed in the table below include a total of 54 semester credit hours and can be taken at any regionally accredited college or university. A maximum of 15 credit hours can be earned via credit by examination.

The prerequisite courses listed in the following table for the RN to BSN Program also incorporates the 42 hours of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Core Curriculum for undergraduate nursing degrees. See Core Curriculum Requirements under the Eligibility Requirements section of this catalog to review the Texas Core Curriculum requirements.

Important Information about General Education and Associate Degree Nursing Course Requirements

• Pass/Fail grades for general education prerequisites are NOT accepted for credit toward degree requirements.
• Pass/Fail grades for nursing course prerequisites will be awarded a 2.0 grade value in determination of admission GPA. Students may not take any courses required for a degree in nursing as Pass-Fail.
• Courses previously taken as Pass-Fail will not be transferred for credit if the course is required for a School of Nursing Degree
• Applicants may choose to request grades for all non-nursing courses greater than 10 years old not be considered in the GPA for admission. If this option is selected, those credits excluded are not eligible for prerequisite course consideration. The applicant must have at least 34 credit hours within the past 10 years to use this option.
• Courses taken at Texas Tech University or any other college/university are not used in calculating the TTUHSC grade point average once a student has been admitted to the School of Nursing. However, all grades earned at all schools attended are calculated in the admission grade point average. The quality points and semester credit hours used to calculate the cumulative grade point average for admission to the School of Nursing are taken from the official transcripts submitted during the application process.
• The School of Nursing accepts courses completed via classroom, internet, correspondence, CLEP (College Level Examination Program), or advanced placement examination for which credit has been awarded and posted on an official transcript from an accredited college or university when determining completion of prerequisite non-nursing course requirements.

Effective Spring 2021 admissions cycle:

TTUHSC School of Nursing is no longer requiring CHEM 1305 & 1105 or 1406 or 1411 (4 SCH) as a prerequisite for the RN to BSN Program. If an applicant has already successfully taken Chemistry, those hours will be counted toward the required 54 SCH prerequisites for consideration of admissions into the program. This includes the mandate for all applicants to be core complete. If an applicant has not taken CHEM 1305 & 1105 or 1406 or 1411 (4 SCH), they now have the option to take an additional 4 SCH of electives which would count toward the required 54 SCH as well as meeting core curriculum requirements.

RN to BSN Program Prerequisite Coursework Table

Recognition of Previous Nursing Learning

The TTUHSC School of Nursing utilizes two methods to acknowledge previous nursing learning for students enrolled in the RN to BSN Program. They are (a) transfer of credit and (b) advanced placement. Both methods are described below:

Transfer of Credit

• Applicants must submit original copies of official college transcripts from all institutions in which the student has enrolled. These transcripts will be reviewed and course work evaluated by the program administrator’s office. Final determination regarding applicability of completed course work toward degree requirements lies with the Associate Dean/Department Chair.
• Course equivalencies for transfer credit are assessed based upon the catalog course description or the course syllabus and/or notes provided by the student. Generally, courses of equivalent course content completed with the grade of “C” or higher at any accredited educational institution will be accepted for transfer credit toward degree requirements.
• The School of Nursing accepts courses completed through classroom, internet, correspondence, College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or advanced placement examination for which credit has been awarded and posted on an official transcript from an accredited college or university when determining completion of general education course requirements.
• No more than 54 general education course hours will be transferred, as well as a minimum of 36 hours of basic nursing education courses will be posted, for a total of 90 semester credit hours that may be transferred in fulfillment of RN-BSN degree requirements. (If a basic nursing program has less than 35 hours, details for this should be arranged with the Associate Dean/ Department Chair.) These transfer hours will be posted upon admission to the School of Nursing by the Registrar’s office of TTUHSC, thus the RN-BSN student will be classified as a senior student upon entering TTUHSC School of Nursing.
• Applicants are encouraged to meet with or send transcripts to (fax is acceptable) the Student Affairs office to discuss applicability of transfer credit for degree purposes before submitting their application.

Offer of Admission

Offers of admission will be made from the RN to BSN Associate Dean/Department Chair approximately eight weeks following the application deadline. Applicants are required to respond to the offer of admission no later than the deadline stated in the letter offering admission by returning a $175 non-refundable placement guarantee/orientation fee, as well as a signed response form accepting the offer. Failure to respond by the deadline results in withdrawal of the offer of admission.

Degree Requirements for Students Admitted to Program

Graduation under a Particular Catalog

A student is expected to complete the degree requirements set forth in the School of Nursing Catalog in effect at the time the student enters the chosen area of study. Only with the specific approval of the Non-Traditional Undergraduate Associate Dean/Department Chair may a different Catalog be selected. Students, in all cases are prohibited from completing the requirements set forth in a catalog more than seven years old. The Catalog is published at least biennially and its provisions are applicable during the following academic year (September 1 through August 31).

Maintaining Minimum Academic Requirements

• Maintain a 2.0 GPA for each semester and overall cumulative.
• A minimum grade of “C” in all nursing courses is required.
• Students receiving a “D”, “F” or “WF” in a nursing course are eligible to repeat the course one time only.
  
• Students earning an overall cumulative GPA or a semester GPA less than a 2.0 in the semester of graduation are ineligible for graduation.

Academic Dismissal

Academic Dismissal may occur when students earn:

• A grade of "D", "F" or "WF" in two or more nursing courses even when the first "D" or "F" has been replaced by a passing grade upon retaking the course.
  
• A grade point average (GPA) of less than a 2.0 semester or cumulative GPA for two consecutive semesters.
• A grade of “D”, “F”, or “WF” in the same nursing course twice.

Residence Credit

The minimum credit required of each undergraduate RN to BSN student is 30 hours at TTUHSC which includes the final 15 hours in nursing courses taken for a grade. Final determination for completed course work toward degree requirements is with the Non-Traditional Undergraduate Associate Dean/Department Chair.

Semester Credit Hours and Course Loads

The semester credit hour is the unit of measure for credit purposes. Didactic (lecture) hours are measured on a one-to-one basis; clinical hours are measured on a one-to-three basis. Approximately two hours in preparation for each hour of lecture or recitation and an appropriate amount of time for preparation for clinical activity is required. Non-Traditional Undergraduate enrollment in 12 or more credit hours per semester (6 or more credit hours in each summer session or 12 or more credit hours in a full summer session) constitutes full-time enrollment. The number of semester credit hours a student may carry (course load) is regulated by the Non-Traditional Undergraduate Associate Dean/Department Chair, taking into account the quality of prior scholastic work performed and the types of courses involved. Permission is needed to enroll in more than 15 semester credit hours. Refer to example course loads in the sample degree plans for the RN to BSN student.

Degree Plan

The RN to BSN Program degree plan is provided as a sample degree plan for reference. This degree plan is designed for applicants with a RN license only. The information is provided here as an overview of a basic course schedule of a full-time student and will vary depending on each student’s ability to progress through the program. Standard program degree plans are approved by RN to BSN faculty and completed by the RN to BSN Enrollment Coordinator in the Office of Student Affairs during the initial advising session with the student prior to enrollment. The degree plan may be revised based on a student’s ability to successfully progress through the curriculum. All general education courses must be completed prior to enrollment. Students can expect to complete this program going full-time while maintaining a standard 40 hour work week. Attempting to carry greater than 15 semester credit hours per semester and working in excess of 40 hours per week is discouraged.

If a student is unable to complete the program in three semesters, the student must seek approval of the extended degree plan from the RN to BSN Program Director. Approval will only be granted for demonstration of an unexpected life event due to illness or change in job which has disrupted the student’s progression of studies. If a student is unable to enroll in any courses for a semester, a leave of absence (LOA) request should be submitted by the student for one semester and maybe renewed for a second semester if circumstances require. (See Student Handbook). The degree requirements must be completed within 4 semesters (16 months) unless a student took an approved leave of absence. If at any time the student elects to not enroll in a course for an entire semester or does not complete the program within 16 months, without authorization, the student will be dismissed from the program.

All pre/corequisites and any designated conditions/criteria for previous courses apply throughout the curriculum. All general education courses should be completed prior to beginning the nursing curriculum.