Choosing between programs?
Explore the differences between BSN, MSN and accelerated MSN options
RN-BSN Option
BSN curriculum, 100% online coursework that fits your busy schedule.
Good for Nurses who
- Value Flexibility
- Want to finish in 3 semesters
- Want control over studying pace
- Have an active RN license
Details
- BSN degree earned
- No Specialization
- Receive 77 proficiency credits
RN-BSN to MSN
Enables RNs to advance their education and careers while being cost and time effective
Good for Nurses who
- Value efficiency
- Want to finish in 8 semesters
- Want two degrees with specialization
- Have an active RN license
Details
- BSN and MSN Degree Earned
- 9 MSN specialty tracks
- Receive 77 proficiency credits
RN-MSN Accelerated
RNs advance their degrees without getting bogged down by prerequisites.
Good for Nurses who
- Value expediency
- Want to finish in 4 semesters
- Achieved at least a 3.0 GPA
- Have an active RN license
Details
- MSN Degree Earned
- Clinical Nurse Leadership Option
- No proficiency credits needed
RN to BSN Curriculum FAQ
RN to BSN online courses include Transitions in Professional Nursing, Collaborative Healthcare, Community Health Nursing, Evidence-Based Practice and more. View the curriculum for the online RN to BSN program here.
Practice experiences are woven throughout RN to BSN online program and can often be accomplished on the job, at your workplace. This means you will have professional clinical experiences, but will not experience clinical rotations like you did when you went to school to become a nurse. Students who reside in the state of Tennessee will experience a more traditional clinical experience as part of their Community Health Nursing course.
Chamberlain doesn’t have exams in our nursing RN to BSN courses. In general education classes, exams aren’t proctored – you will have time to complete these around your schedule, and exams are open book.
Liberal arts and sciences courses are a part of any bachelor’s degree program. They are meant to broaden and deepen your learning experience which will in turn enhance your professional practice as a nurse.
RN to BSN Admission FAQ
We value your experience at Chamberlain - you’ll earn a minimum of 77 credits (known as proficiency credits) for your education and clinical experience as a registered nurse towards your RN to BSN.
Yes - you’ll have your transcript assessed for transfer credits that can cut down on general education courses. The median RN BSN online student entering in the 2020/21 school year, started with 89 credit hours through proficiency and transfer credit. Learn more in our RN to BSN Transfer Guide.
Within the RN to BSN online program, you should expect to spend 8-10 hours per course, per week. Everyone learns differently - some may be able to complete the work in less time, others may require more.
Every course listed as part of the RN to BSN online option is offered each session, except for NR-435, ECON-312N, HIST-420N*. Sessions start every eight weeks. NR-435 is only offered in the March and September sessions. ECON-312N and HIST-420N are only offered in the March, July and November sessions.
RN to BSN Tuition FAQs
Financial aid is available in the form of federal and private loans, scholarships, grants and work study, for those who qualify. Learn more about scholarship opportunities.
We encourage you to use the Tuition page, which can provide a breakdown of costs, or request information to connect with our admissions team for personalized advising.
Speak with your employer to see if tuition reimbursement may be available. You can also explore if you’re eligible for exclusive savings for our RN to BSN online program through one of hundreds of partnerships.
View the total program cost and a breakdown of the tuition and expenses. The per-credit-hour tuition rate will remain frozen through 2023. Program revisions may impact total tuition for readmitted students.
On average, new student tuition is less than $14,000 for the RN to BSN program option.*
*Savings vary on transcript evaluation, grant eligibility, and group-specific tuition rates
After 20 Years as a Registered Nurse, Returning for My BSN
April Wojcik had been a registered nurse for 20 years when she decided to go back to school to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in the RN to BSN Online Option at Chamberlain.
Join a Proudly Accredited Institution
Earn your RN to BSN online from an accredited nursing school
Chamberlain has university accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and baccalaureate 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.
Distinguished Recognitions
National League for Nursing
Chamberlain University College of Nursing was named a Center of Excellence™ in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing for promoting the pedagogical expertise of faculty.
The DAISY Foundation
Chamberlain University is a proud partner of The DAISY Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to recognizing extraordinary nurses for their skill, kindness and compassion provided to their patients and families.
Required RN to BSN Nursing Courses
This course, for RN to BSN option students, builds upon students’ existing knowledge of nursing assessment. Students explore current and innovative techniques for assessing an individual’s physical, psychosocial, cultural and spiritual needs. The use of assessment findings for clinical decision making and the creation of individualized patient teaching plans is discussed throughout the course.
This course introduces the RN student to the knowledge, skills, attitudes, theory and roles of the professional nurse in the context of contemporary
and future professional nursing practice. This course provides the student with opportunities to demonstrate skills for success as an online RN to BSN student.
The focus of this course is the understanding of health information systems to ethically manage data, information, knowledge and technology to communicate effectively; provide safe and effective patient care; and utilize appropriate databases to search for evidence-based on research to enhance the quality of patient care and inform practice decisions. Development of competencies in using patient care technologies and information management systems is emphasized.
The research process and its contributions to the professional nursing practice are explored. The skills related to asking research questions and searching for best evidence are reviewed. The skills related to reading published research findings with understanding and using best evidence as the basis for professional nursing practice are developed.
RN to BSN FAQs
If you are a registered nurse with an active RN license looking to earn your BSN, Chamberlain's online RN to BSN option can help prepare you for the next step in your education.
RN to BSN is an academic program for registered nurses (RNs) who have a diploma or associate’s degree in nursing and would like to advance to the bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) level. Not yet a registered nurse? Check out our 3-Year Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
Yes! Coursework for the nursing RN to BSN Option is 100% online. There are no mandatory login times – you can work on weekly assignments when your schedule allows.
Speak with your employer to see if tuition reimbursement may be available. You can also explore if you’re eligible for exclusive savings for our RN to BSN online program through one of hundreds of partnerships.
Looking for a BSN option? Explore our 3-Year Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.