RN to BSN degree
RN to BSN At-A-Glance Heading link
RN to BSN Curriculum Heading link
The Online Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is a high-quality, rigorous program designed for the working RN. The program is delivered fully online at an affordable cost. Our faculty are dedicated to our students’ success.
The program is housed within UIC’s College of Nursing, and the curriculum incorporates a philosophy of “high teach, high touch” which creates an atmosphere of quality learning, student accountability and achievement. The support of our instructors and the advising team help make that achievement possible.
RN-BSN students bring a wealth of clinical knowledge and skills to their BSN learning experience. Content and application in the RN-BSN program builds on that experience by enhancing clinical thinking, evidence-based practice, health assessment skills, leadership and management ability, quality and safety knowledge, interprofessionalism, nursing informatics utilization, population focused nursing and health promotion, and an overall understanding of the broadened role of the nurse and issues facing nurses and healthcare in the US and globally.
Students may begin prior to receiving RN license, providing proof of passing the NCLEX by the end of the first semester.
Tuition and Completion Time Heading link
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Low-cost tuition Our RN to BSN online program offers affordable tuition, which is the same for in-state and out-of-state students.
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12 months Full-time students can complete the entire program in as little as seven consecutive 8-week terms, or 12 months.
RN-BSN RFI Heading link
RN-BSN program page ping Heading link
RN to BSN Degree Learning Outcomes Heading link
- Integrate and apply nursing knowledge and that of other disciplines to inform ethical clinical judgment and innovative nursing practice.
- Provide safe, holistic, compassionate person-centered care across the lifespan to clients with respect for diversity, equity and inclusion.
- Engage in community-driven collaborations to identify responsive interventions and advocacy strategies to improve health equity and social justice and support emergency preparedness.
- Demonstrate knowledge of principles of research and evidence-based practice in providing optimal nursing care.
- Demonstrate standards for safety and quality to promote a culture of safety, civility, and respect for patients, providers, and work environments to improve patient outcomes.
- Engage in effective communication and collaboration to encourage respectful interprofessional partnerships and team dynamics to address healthcare delivery and outcomes.
- Apply systems knowledge to improve the quality and equity of care across a variety of healthcare delivery environments.
- Employ health information and communication technologies to support the documentation of care, support patient usage, and comply with ethical, legal, professional, and regulatory standards.
- Develop a nursing identity that embraces the history, characteristics, and values of nursing by responding to challenges through professional experiences.
- Commit to self-reflection, health, and well-being that promotes professional growth, leadership, and advocacy skills.
RN to BSN Courses Heading link
A BSN degree requires 120 credit hours, consisting of the following:
- 30 core nursing credits as listed below
33 proficiency credits for prior nursing education, awarded at no cost.- 57 general education credits, taken as co-requisites or transferred in
There are no pre-requisite courses; students can start the program as soon as they are ready and take both nursing core courses and general education courses throughout the duration of the program. See below for more information on the general education requirements.
Click the arrows below to view RN-BSN online program requirements.
Online RN-BSN Core Courses Heading link
Online RN-BSN Core Courses
| Course # | Course Title | Credit Hours | Course Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| NURS 212 | Health Assessment and Communication | 3 hours | Introduces physical assessment and interview skills to assess health status of clients across the lifespan. Concepts of communication, health literacy, patient centeredness and interprofessionalism are investigated as they impact health and risk assessment. |
| NURS 232 | Concepts in Professional Nursing | 3 hours | Introduces contemporary concepts for professional nursing practice including the definition of nursing, nursing paradigm, values, ethics, health, and continuity of care in restorative and chronic conditions. |
| NURS 312 | Nursing Research and Statistics Methods for EBP | 3 hours | Basic concepts of research utilization and critique emphasizing relationship between research, scholarship, and evidence based nursing practice. Includes study of basic statistical measures, vocabulary, data analysis, and hypothesis testing. |
| NURS 316 | Nursing Informatics | 3 hours | Explores the concepts of data, information, knowledge, and wisdom as they derive from patient care technology, communication methods, interprofessionalism and computer applications. Course Information: Previously listed as NUEL 316. |
| NURS 332 | Caring Theory in Professional Nursing Practice | 3 hours | Exploration of the complex nature of caring, its critical role in nursing, and its application to acute, chronic, and palliative patient needs, and individual's self-care and wellness. |
| NURS 352 | Population Focused Nursing Care | 3 hours | Explores concepts of population focused nursing, public health, community health nursing, social and cultural determinants of health, health disparities, wellness, ethics, leadership, and interprofessionalism. |
| NURS 362 | Nursing Health Promotion | 3 hours | Introduces concepts of health promotion and disease prevention for individuals, families, groups, and populations through evidence-based research and interaction with clients and stakeholders. |
| NURS 372 | Leadership and Management in Nursing | 3 hours | Exploration and application of principles of nursing professionalism, leadership, management functions, and the nursing process to the support of clients, groups, and systems. |
| NURS 382 | Nursing Role in Healthcare Quality and Safety | 3 hours | Exploration of healthcare systems’ effectiveness and individual nursing performance as they impact outcomes of patient care and quality and safety within healthcare systems. |
| NURS 397 | Issues in Nursing Practice | 3 hours | Analysis of social, economic, and policy issues affecting the practice of professional nursing with emphasis on strategies for advancing the profession and professionalism. |
Online RN-BSN General Education Requirements Heading link
Online RN-BSN General Education Requirements
| Course Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| English Composition I | 3 |
| English Composition II | 3 |
| Chemistry | 4-5 |
| Human Anatomy | 4 |
| Human Physiology | 4 |
| Microbiology | 4 |
| Nutrition | 2-3 |
| Life Span Human Growth and Development | 3 |
| Understanding the Individual and Society | 3 |
| Understanding the Past | 3 |
| Understanding the Creative Arts | 3 |
| Exploring World Cultures | 3 |
| Understanding U.S. Society | 3 |
| Liberal Arts & Sciences Electives | 13-14 |
| TOTAL HOURS | 57 |
Transcript Reviews Heading link
Upon admission to the program, a no-cost transcript evaluation will be conducted. Each student will receive their individualized list of remaining general education courses which can be taken as co-requisites while enrolled in the RN to BSN degree program.
Students who would like to estimate the courses still needed may use the resources provided in the Community College Transfer Guide.
Nursing Careers Heading link
This online program prepares you for advanced nursing opportunities such as:
- Enhanced patient care knowledge
- Expanded roles within your nursing specialty
- Nursing Management & leadership roles
- Nursing Informatics
- Research and Evidence Utilization
- Nursing Case Management
- Community or Public Health Nursing
CCNE Accredited Heading link
The baccalaureate program at University of Illinois Chicago is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.
Job Growth Heading link
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for RN-BSN graduates is very favorable nationally. Employment is projected to grow 6% from 2022 to 2032, twice the rate for all occupations. The 2023 median pay was $86,070.
According to Hanover Research and JobsEQ, Registered Nurses were the most commonly sought occupation in 2023 with a total of 25,243 job postings. The average annual salary for RN-BSN graduates in Illinois is $88,000.
Job Growth Heading link
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6% Increase Demand for RN-BSN graduates.
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$86k+ According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, $86,070 was median pay for an RN in 2023.
Online RN to BSN Faculty Voices Heading link
The RN to BSN curriculum is set up so working students can continue to work while completing their education and advancing their careers. The curriculum is set up so students can obtain a degree that applies to the work they are doing and allows them to progress to higher level positions in nursing.
| Clinical Instructor
RN-BSN nurses learn while working. Education can be applied to practice weekly. Knowledge retention and holistic patient-centered quality patient care is improved. They promote patient autonomy. They respect the informed patient decision. They listen and learn from the patient with a health issue! They are lifelong learners. The BSN is a gateway to advanced practice nursing.
| Clinical Instructor
The UIC RN-BSN program requires a great deal of commitment, and we ask a lot of our students. Many of our courses challenge them to see nursing through a different lens, so it is especially gratifying to help facilitate those “aha” moments; when a student comes to the realization that their experience in the RN-BSN program enriches and adds value to the very important work they do every day in the clinical setting.
| Clinical Instructor
Disclaimer Heading link
*Library and Technology Fees are an additional $20 per credit hour.
The Online Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-BSN) is a Full Cost Recovery Program and is not eligible for tuition waivers by University of Illinois employees.