Advance your RN degree by earning your BSN, MSN or both online
RN to MSN Options
Accelerated RN to MSN and RN-BSN to MSN
Accelerated RN-MSN and RN-MSN with Clinical Nurse Leadership Option
Students who do not desire to earn their BSN and are instead looking to earn their MSN degree faster, can take full advantage of our Accelerated RN-MSN or Accelerated RN-MSN with Clinical Nurse Leadership (CNL) options. Chamberlain’s Accelerated MSN programs are designed to prepare nurses for a variety of advanced roles such as delivering direct and indirect care, leading healthcare initiatives and educating patients, staff, and the community.
After earning your MSN degree through our accelerated program, two additional CNL courses can be added to help align with your career goals. If your interest is creating and coordinating care plans for patient, this CNL option may be the right fit for you. Being enrolled in this program means that you will develop the appropriate leadership skills and knowledge to work at the bedside with patients and evaluate client care.
See the full curriculum plan.
Why Accelerate?
For both Accelerated RN-MSN options, time to completion is shortened in comparison to other MSN tracks and offers registered nurses the chance to advance your degree without getting bogged down by prerequisites. Therefore, licensed RNs who choose to enroll into either Accelerated MSN route will not receive the baccalaureate degree, allowing for more rapid progression towards achieving your MSN degree. Upon successful completion of all degree requirements, the MSN degree will be conferred.
Your time is valuable, especially as a practicing RN. Given your academic history and goals, it is important to use your free time as efficiently as possible. That is why we developed the Accelerated RN to MSN (with or without CNL) programs as an additional option for busy professionals to earn your master’s degree in your spare time or dedicate focus to your studies full-time.
RN-BSN to MSN Option
For RNs looking to advance their education and careers, we offer an RN-BSN to MSN Online Option. Registered Nurses can earn a BSN and MSN together, making it more cost and time effective than earning them separately.
In the RN-BSN to MSN Online Option, eligible RN students completing their BSN degree at Chamberlain may apply for admission to the MSN degree program prior to completing their BSN degree. Students are able to complete their BSN degree while enrolled in the MSN program, by taking selected MSN courses in place of two required BSN nursing courses.
Students enrolled in the RN-BSN to MSN option will graduate with their BSN degree upon successful completion of the MSN core courses. Earn your degree while you work and in as few as 8 semesters with year-round, full-time enrollment. After you complete the required MSN coursework, you will then earn your MSN degree – leaving you with two degrees.
As you progress through earning your online MSN degree, you can select from a specialty track of your choosing within the following key areas:
| Nurse Practitioner (Clinical) Tracks | Non-Clinical Tracks |
|---|---|
| Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Acute Care | Healthcare Policy |
| Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Primary Care | Nurse Educator |
| Family Nurse Practitioner | Nurse Executive |
| Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner | Nursing Informatics |
| Population Health |
See the full curriculum plan.
Maximize your full potential with the following benefits that our programs offer:
| RN-BSN to MSN | Accelerated RN - MSN |
|---|---|
| Flexible course scheduling | Flexible course scheduling |
| Complete in as few as 8 semesters | Complete in as few as 4 semesters |
| BSN and MSN degrees conferred | MSN degree conferred |
| Choose from 8 MSN specialty tracks | Option to add CNL courses |
| Take up to 2 courses at a time | Take up to 3 courses at a time |
| General education courses required | No general education courses required |
| Receive 77 proficiency credits |
RN to MSN FAQs
Chamberlain has several resources that can help you become acclimated to the online classroom. Once you apply you will have access to Chamberlain Care Student Success Strategies, which provides information on time management, scholarly writing, using the library and more. You can also ask your admissions representative for a personal tour of the online environment in which you will be taking classes or you can view the Online Classroom Demonstration Video Series to learn about what you can expect when you log into your class.
We are dedicated to supporting you throughout your educational journey. To further support your success, a Student Online Readiness Assessment is designed to help assess the skills needed for success in online courses. You will see the assessment listed as a task in the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) course.
No. Coursework is completed 100% online. (Note: All Nurse Practitioner specialty tracks require one visit for the immersion experience as part of NR-509. Also note that the AGACNP track requires two immersions. The Capstone intensive review session also requires in-person experiences.)
There are no mandatory login times. Most classes require that you login two to three times per week. Check the course syllabus for information specific to your class.
While tablets, smartphones and other mobile devices may allow for some completion of coursework, they are not guaranteed to work in all areas. Please ensure you have a Windows (preferred) or Mac-based computer available to complete coursework in the event your selected mobile device does not meet the needs of the course. The Help Desk does not provide technical support for tablets, smartphones and other mobile devices at this time.
Request more information to have an admission representative provide you with a course tour.
It is possible to transfer from the RN-BSN to MSN into the Accelerated RN to MSN Option but, students may need to complete the full Accelerated RN to MSN curriculum. Please speak to an advisor for more information regarding transfer credits.
Admissions
How do I get in?
Admission Criteria
Chamberlain College of Nursing looks for candidates with the following qualifications for admission to the RN-BSN to MSN and Accelerated RN to MSN Options:
- A nursing diploma or Associate Degree in Nursing from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the U.S. Department of Education* for the RN-BSN to MSN Option.
- A nursing diploma or a degree in nursing at the associate's level or higher from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by either the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the U.S. Department of Education* for the Accelerated RN to MSN Option
- A minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale for RN-BSN to MSN, a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for prior undergraduate nursing degree for the Accelerated RN to MSN options and
- Current, active, unrestricted RN license in the U.S. or in a jurisdiction that is an associate member of the NCSBN. Before entering any clinical/practicum courses, students must provide proof of current, active, unrestricted license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the state where the student will conduct the clinical(s). Students who fail to maintain an active, unrestricted license throughout their clinical/practicum courses do not meet the clinical/practicum requirements and cannot progress. Students are expected to maintain RN licensure throughout the entire program of study as a professional best-practice.
- For RN-BSN to MSN students only, we require:
- a CGPA of 3.0 or greater in RN to BSN coursework (minimum of 24 credit hours of coursework must be taken at Chamberlain**), excluding NR-361 and NR-451
- completion of all general education courses for the BSN degree, and
- patient care experience (if admission to the AGACNP specialty track is desired)***
* Chamberlain reserves the right to admit candidates with equivalent educational qualifications, from institutions outside the U.S. that are not recognized by the Department of Education or CHEA, as determined by an independent transcript evaluation.
** For the 129 curriculum, minimum of 26 credit hours of coursework must be taken at Chamberlain, excluding NR-361 and NR-451.
*** Admission to the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care nurse Practitioner track requires 1 year of RN experience at the time the application is submitted.
Our admission representatives are available to answer your questions about admission requirements and walk you through the application process.
Call 877.751.5783 to speak to a representative or request more information.
Tuition & Expenses
What types of financial assistance are available?
Accreditation
Accreditation, State Authorizations & Approvals
Chamberlain has university accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) as well as baccalaureate degree program in nursing and master’s degree program in nursing accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).† Chamberlain continuously earns new approvals from respected agencies across the nation.
Chamberlain University confers online degrees from its Main Campus in Addison, IL.
For a complete list, check out our authorizations or view our approvals in your state.