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RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Program Details

Application Deadlines

Applications to the online RN to BS in Nursing program are reviewed on a rolling basis; apply at any time! For priority consideration and to align with your preferred start date, please note the following deadlines: 

  • Fall I 2026: July 8, 2026
  • Fall II 2026: Sept. 16, 2026
  • Spring I 2027: Dec. 2, 2026
  • Spring II 2027: Feb. 3, 2027

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Admission Requirements

To be eligible for admission to the ADN/RN to BS in Nursing program you must complete the pre-nursing core prerequisite courses and meet the following general transfer requirements. Applicants must be currently enrolled in an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program. This means your transcript must show you are taking ADN program courses, either currently in progress or with at least one semester of ADN coursework completed.

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  • General Transfer Requirements
    • Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 in all transferable units attempted 
    • Minimum 2.5 GPA for students who have already completed a bachelor’s degree 
    • Successful completion of at least 60 transferable units  
    • Residency in an approved state 
  • Prerequisite Courses (Pre-Nursing Core)

    You must complete 29 semester units of pre-nursing core courses before admission. Each course must be completed with a minimum grade of C or better (credit/no credit options are not allowed) and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75.

    Pre-Nursing Core Courses 

    • Oral Communication (A1) 
    • Written Communication (A2) 
    • Critical Thinking (A3) 
    • MATH 200 - Statistics (B4) 
    • BIOL 160 - Microbiology for Health Sciences  
    • BIOL 175 - Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology I  
    • BIOL 176 - Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology II 
    • CHEM 105 - General, Organic and Biochemistry for Life  
    • CHEM 105L - General, Organic and Biochemistry for Life Laboratory 
  • NOTICE TO STUDENTS RE: PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE AND CERTIFICATION
    California State University programs for professions that require licensure or certification are intended to prepare the student to meet California licensure and certification requirements. Admission into programs for professions that require licensure and certification does not guarantee that students will obtain a license or certificate. Licensure and certification requirements are set by agencies that are not controlled by or affiliated with the California State University and licensure and certification requirements can change at any time. The California State University has not determined whether its programs meet other states’ educational or professional requirements for licensure and certification. Students enrolled in a California State University program who are planning to pursue licensure or certification in other states are responsible for determining whether they will meet their state’s requirements for licensure or certification. This disclosure is made pursuant to 34 CFR §668.43(a)(5)(v)(C). 

Connect With a Specialist

Set up an appointment with your enrollment specialist to learn how you can take advantage of the RN to BSN program. 

Sujeith Ordonez

Sujeith Ordonez, M.A.
Senior Outreach & Recruitment Specialist
CSUSM Extended Learning
(760) 750-8454

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Funding Options

The online RN to BSN degree program is eligible for financial aid. 

Visit the funding page or call 760-750-4850 to learn more about your funding options. Active-duty military, veterans and dependents should visit the military services page or call 760-750-8705. 

Federal VA educational benefits can be used for this program (not eligible for Cal Vet fee waiver). 


FUNDING OPTIONS

Program Costs

Complete the online RN to BS in Nursing program in just three semesters (plus summer) with guaranteed class availability, ensuring no delays in your education. The program requires 35 units at $360 per unit, with tuition discounts available for active-duty military personnel. 

Invest In Your Future: A Look at Your Educational Journey's Cost Breakdown 

Semester Units Subtotal*
Fall Semester 1 – Block 1  6 $2,160 
Fall Semester 1 – Block 2  6 $2,160 
Spring Semester 1 – Block 1  5 $1,800 
Spring Semester 1 – Block 2  7 $2,520 
Summer Semester  5 $1,800 
Fall Semester 2 – Block 1  6 $2,160 
Total 35 $12,600 

*Not all university semester fees are included in this table—see the comprehensive breakdown of Extended Learning fees. Semester tuition subtotals are based on a sample program sequence. All quoted tuition rates are based on previous academic years and are subject to change without notice.

Courses

This program follows a set schedule of courses that you will complete as part of your online cohort. The following course sequence is for a fall start. Students starting the program in the spring will take the same courses, though the order may vary. 

Year One                                            Summer                                           Year Two

Fall Semester 1 – Block 1 
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  • NURS 350: Role Transition for the RN (2)

    Provides the ADN/RN-BSN student with the conceptual base for the practice of nursing, built around a core of theories and related concepts that will facilitate transition to the baccalaureate nursing curriculum. Focuses on the roles of the professional nurse as advocate, educator, provider and coordinator of care.

    Units: 2

  • NURS 351: Role Transition Seminar for the RN (1)

    ADN/RN-BSN students will apply, review, and validate concepts and theories related to medical-surgical, mental health, pediatrics and obstetrical nursing practice that are the basis for the upper-division baccalaureate nursing major courses. Seminar discussions of the application of these concepts to patient care in clinical settings.

    Units: 1

  • PHIL 345: Bioethics and Medical Ethics (3)

    A survey of ethical issues in biological and medical research and practice. Offers an introductory survey of ethical and moral theory, and investigates the application of moral and ethical theory to issues such as animal and human research, the doctor-patient relationship, reproductive technologies, and biotechnology.

    Units: 3


Summer Semester 1 – Block 1
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  • NURS 450: Nursing Leadership and Professional Issues (2)

    Covers organizational theory and management practices applied to health care systems. Explores the role of the nurse as leader and change agent in the delivery of care to patient groups and communities within complex and diverse health care settings. Examines contemporary issues affecting the delivery of health care and discipline and professional practice of nursing.

    Units: 2

  • NURS 451: Nursing Leadership and Management Laboratory (1)

    Applies organizational theory and management practices in health care settings. Develops skills and competencies for the frontline nurse manager within and beyond the walls of the acute care setting. Operationalizes the role of the nurse as leader and change agent in the delivery of care to patient groups and communities within complex and diverse health care settings.

    Units: 1

  • NURS 480: Family Nursing: Theory and Practice (2)

    Introduction to the theory, research, and practice of family nursing. Includes an exploration of the current theoretical foundation of family nursing, elements of family assessment, cultural diversity among families, and nursing practice associated with family health patterns, health promotion, and interventions.

    Units: 2


Spring Semester 1 – Block 1
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  • NURS 352: Nursing Research (3)

    An understanding of the research process and research utilization in clinical practice. Students develop skills in reading, analyzing and critiquing research related to nursing.

    Units: 3

  • NURS 370: Health Promotion and Patient Education Strategies (2)

    Integration, application and evaluation of specific information regarding health education and health promotion theory, research, and practice, which is essential to the professional nursing role, and critical to improving the health of individuals and the population at large. Explores the effects of developmental, motivational, and sociocultural factors on patient teaching, health education, and health promotion.

    Units: 2


Fall Semester 1 – Block 2 

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  • NURS 310: Nursing Assessment for the RN (2)

    Covers health assessment including history-taking, physical examination and documentation of findings, interpretation of diagnostic testing, psychosocial assessment techniques and health promotion across the life span for the ADN/RN-BSN student.

    Units: 2

  • NURS 311: Nursing Assessment for the RN Laboratory (1)

    Provides clinical practice of health assessment including history-taking, physical examination and documentation of findings, interpretation of diagnostic testing, psychosocial assessment techniques and health promotion across the life span for the ADN/RN-to-BSN student.

    Units: 1

  • ANTH 301: Culture and Medicine: Healers and Healing Practices (3)

    Every culture and society has had to deal with illness and thus has well-developed concepts about the healing process, healers, medical knowledge, and healing practices. Offers a cross-cultural exploration of healers and healing approaches. Examines differences and similarities in the ways that people approach illness and healing by relying heavily on an abundance of examples from various cultures, including that of the United States. Examines illness causation and classification theories, diagnostic practices, therapeutic procedures, preventive care, the assumptions that underlie these concepts and practices, and their relationship to the social, cultural, and technological environments in which they are constructed. Focuses on the role of the healer in the context of culture and examines physicians, shamans, witch doctors, curandero/as, midwives, wise men and women, and other healers. Explores the use of music, botanicals, healing aids, and pharmaceuticals in the healing process. Informed self-reflection and critical analysis of one’s own world view assumptions and medical belief system are fundamental objectives of the course.

    Units: 3


Spring Semester 1 – Block 2 

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  • NURS 312: Pathophysiology and Pharmacology (4)

    Systematic review of the principles of pharmacology with a focus on specific pharmacological agents in relation to pharmacokinetic effects on all body systems. Reviews related pathophysiological disruptions to normal system functioning, provides pathophysiological rationale for nursing interventions and the impact of these alterations on the individual throughout the life span.

    Units: 4

  • BIOL 316: The Biology of Cancer (3)

    Considers the chemistry, cell biology, and etiology of human cancer. Includes characteristics of tumor cells, malignant transformation of cells, tumor viruses, chemical and environmental carcinogens, effects of radiation, oncogenes, and the genetics of cancer.

    Units: 3


Fall Semester 2 – Block 1
 
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  • NURS 440: Community Health Nursing (4)

    Focuses on the nurse’s role in working with aggregates in the community; exploring contemporary public health issues; addressing social determinants of health and health equity; and working collaboratively with interprofessional team members across systems to comprehensively meet the needs of individuals, families, and groups/populations in the community. Prepares the nurse for practice across the lifespan and with diverse populations, focusing on the following spheres of care in the community setting: promotion of health/well-being/disease prevention; chronic disease care; and hospice/palliative/supportive care.

    Units: 4

  • NURS 447: Public Health Nursing and Nursing Case Management (2)

    Provides clinical experience for registered nurses (RNs) working with diverse populations targeting public health problems.  Involves work with community partners and health agencies to assess populations, develop programs, provide health education, and assist high-risk or vulnerable populations within the community attain and maintain their optimum level of health.  Clinical practicum is a community-based and population-focused public health nursing practice that meets the requirements for CA BRN PHN certificate and Quad Council competencies for public health nursing.

    Units: 2


Course sequences are subject to change at the discretion of program faculty; the schedule shown here is intended as a representative sample.

Take the Next Step in Your Nursing Career

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