Learn More and ApplyBSN Completion (BSN)

The RN to MS program will be offered online except for the clinical requirements. Students will be required to complete clinical nursing experiences, which will be undertaken in their home communities with appropriate local preceptor agreements.

• The Bachelor’s portion of the curriculum builds on the strong theoretical and skills preparation in nursing and general education completed by the Associate Degree prepared RN.
• The Bachelor’s component of the program, leading to the BS in nursing, fulfills professional nursing standards for baccalaureate education in nursing, providing for immediate career mobility and seamlessly transitions into an accelerated path to the master’s degree by offering six double counted graduate level courses.
• The Master’s component of the program prepares practicing nurses to meet the core expectations of graduate education in nursing and to assume the role of a nurse educator, family nurse practitioner, or adult gerontology nurse practitioner.

¹

View Undergraduate Student Handbook to learn of the maximum allowable number of transfer credit hours.

²

The 45 quarter hour portfolio credit will be applied upon successful completion of NSG 330 and NSG 464 with a cumulative GPA of 3.00.

Learning Outcomes

​Students will be able to:

• Synthesize knowledge from the sciences, the humanities, and nursing science to assess, plan, and provide care for individuals, families, and communities using evidence-based and values-based modalities.
• Develop a foundation for professional nursing practice emphasizing autonomy, integrity, change agency, and advocacy to social justice integrating Vincentian and altruistic values.
• Design and deliver culturally appropriate nursing care services to diverse individuals, families, and populations, in coordination with appropriate multidisciplinary providers across the continuum of care.
• Demonstrate progression in life-long learning by applying critical thinking to analyze contemporary health care, including but not limited to social determinants of health, health inequities, serving high-risk populations, technological applications in healthcare, health care policy, and health care finance.

Liberal Studies Requirements

These requirements take into account liberal studies coursework completed as part of the basic Associate Degree/Diploma Nursing program. The requirements outlined below are beyond the associate degree work and are required for the DePaul degree.

Learning Domains

Arts and Literature (AL)

• 1 Course Required

Historical Inquiry (HI)

• 1 Course Required

Math and Computing (MC)

• Not Required

Philosophical Inquiry (PI)

• 1 Course Required

Religious Dimensions (RD)

• 1 Course Required

Scientific Inquiry (SI)

• Not Required​​​​​

Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Inquiry (SCBI)

• Not Required

Liberal Studies Electives 

• 2 Additional Courses Required (must be from different domains)

Notes

Courses offered in the student's primary major cannot be taken to fulfill LSP Domain requirements. If students double major, LSP Domain courses may double count for both LSP credit and the second major. Students who choose to take an experiential learning course offered by the major may count it either as a general elective or the Experiential Learning requirement.

In meeting learning domain requirements, no more than one course that is outside the student’s major and is cross-listed with a course within the student’s major, can be applied to count for LSP domain credit. This policy does not apply to those who are pursuing a double major or earning BFA or BM degrees.​

Major Requirements

Course Requirements

¹

These are bridge courses for ADN with non-nursing MS pursing the RN-MS.

Courses Counting toward BSN and MSN 

*

Each track has a unique set of double counted courses. See individual RN-MS (MS) track pages for a full list of double counted courses specific to track.

​Transfer Credit

This program builds on the strong theoretical and skills preparation in both nursing and general education that the associate degree prepared RN has completed. The learning outcomes achieved at the associate degree level are validated by the National Council Licensing Examination – Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN), a nationally standardized exam considered to be a highly valid and reliable test of basic competence. Students will receive at a minimum 79 quarter hours of transfer credit for the associate degree. Students who have earned more than 79 quarter hours of transfer credit will receive credit based on the transferrable coursework successfully completed. Please note that some liberal studies credit has been accounted for as part of the nursing program's 79 transferrable hours. Only courses in excess of the required nursing program - and still within the restriction on the maximum number of allowable transfer credit hours - can be considered to fulfill the remaining requirements. In addition, students must meet the DePaul residency requirement. View the Undergraduate Student Handbook to learn of the restriction on the maximum number of allowable transfer credit hours and how to meet the residency requirement.

Professional Nursing Portfolio Credit

The student entering the RN to MS program will be taking more advanced coursework at DePaul; coursework that relies on a knowledge base established by the nursing courses taken at the community college and assessed by the NCLEX-RN® examination. By successfully completing the first quarter of the RN to MS program, students will have demonstrated their success in the RN to BS bridge course and a graduate level course. The 45 quarter hour portfolio credit will be applied to their degree at DePaul upon successful completion of NSG 330 (bridge course) and NSG 464 (graduate course) with a cumulative GPA of 3.0.

Students are advised to talk with their advisor before double majoring, because some major combinations are prohibited.  No more than 50% of the credits that apply to one major may be drawn from another major. 

Student Handbook

A complete list of policies specific to this program of study is contained in the Student Handbook that is updated regularly on the website for the School of Nursing. The complete student handbook can be found here: BSN Student Handbook

Accreditation

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing at DePaul University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.aacn.nche.edu/ccne-accreditation).

Retention Policies

1. Beginning in sophomore year, students will enter nursing courses and will be advised primarily by the School of Nursing. Students must continue to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or greater to remain in good standing with the School of Nursing. A student will be placed on academic probation if the GPA dips below 2.75. Students placed on probation must enroll in the School of Nursing Success Coaching Program. If the GPA is raised to at least 2.75 at the end of the next academic quarter, the student is no longer on probation. If the GPA has not risen to 2.75 at the end of the next academic quarter, the student will be eligible for dismissal from the program, but not from the university. The student may transfer to other majors as appropriate.
2. Students earning a C or below in nursing courses, will be placed on academic probation. Grades below a C- in non-nursing courses or below a C+ for nursing courses, are not considered passing, as such the student must repeat the course and earn a C+ or better. If the student can earn grades in all courses that are C+ or above AND earn a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or greater in the next academic quarter, the student is no longer on probation. If this does not occur, the student will be dismissed from the program.  The student will be considered “out of sequence” for nursing courses but may continue to take non-nursing courses at DePaul if the student remains in good academic standing according to the DePaul undergraduate handbook. 
3. A student may be placed on probation a maximum of two times during their program.
4. In accordance with the nursing licensing regulations, students found to be convicted of a crime will be reviewed by the APR Committee and may be suspended or dismissed from the program. It is the student’s responsibility to disclose any arrests or convictions while enrolled in their program. Degree conferral from the University does not guarantee licensure eligibility in the event the student is convicted of a crime. It is the student’s responsibility to be knowledgeable of the licensure requirements for the state in which they intend to apply for RN licensure.
5. The School of Nursing expects a respectful environment conducive to teaching and learning for all students, faculty, and staff. Inappropriate conduct is defined as any action that interferes with the creation and maintenance of an effective learning environment. Students are expected to display civility in all aspects of their educational experience at DePaul University and affiliated institutions.
6. Appropriate student conduct is outlined in detail in the Professional Development Guidelines (see complete student handbook).

Students displaying inappropriate conduct may be asked to leave the classroom, clinical area, or meeting. Inappropriate conduct will be documented with written contract and placed in the student’s file. Such incidents of inappropriate conduct will then be reported to the Director of the School of Nursing, with copies sent to the Associate Director of the Program, and the APR Committee. Additional sanctions for inappropriate conduct may be imposed, including dismissal from the nursing program. (For additional information, please see the University Student Handbook-available online.)

Progression Policies

1. All students must attend an orientation session before beginning the BSN program.
2. Each student is responsible for reading the Student Handbook. Students are responsible for signing and submitting the Student Handbook Agreement Statement (Appendix F) to affirm they have read and fully understand the policies therein.
3. Students will be assigned a primary and secondary academic advisor, one from CSH and one from the SON. During the first year, BSN students will be primarily advised by their CSH advisor, and during the remainder of their program, they will be primarily advised by their SON faculty advisor.
4. A student may not register for any course that has a prerequisite that has not been completed.
5. Students may not attend classes for a class which they are not enrolled.
6. Students are responsible for maintaining and updating all required records. See Clinical Guidelines for further information. Failure to have all records submitted and up to date at the beginning of each course will result in inability to attend the clinical component of the course.
7. Leave of Absence:
   1. Students who need to interrupt their studies for personal, health or other reasons may request a leave of absence for up to one full year. The request should be made to the Associate Director of the Program and the Coordinator of Clinical Placements, APR Committee and Director of School of Nursing should be notified. Depending on circumstances and estimated length of absence, the Associate Director or student’s academic advisor may recommend additional action to complete the request process.
   2. Students who wish to return to the program following a leave of absence will need to submit a written request for resuming coursework to the APR Committee. It is the student’s responsibility to send a copy of such request to the Director of the School of Nursing, the student’s faculty advisor, the Associate Director of the Program, and the Coordinator of Clinical Placements. This written request should demonstrate the resolution of the extenuating circumstances contributing to the original need to leave the DePaul Nursing Program. This request for reinstatement must be made no less than 6 weeks prior to resuming the nursing course sequence. Students will be notified in writing regarding the decision concerning their re-entry to the program. Individual assessment of current knowledge and clinical skills will be made prior to placement of the student in the appropriate level within the nursing program. Students who become “out-of-sequence students” due to withdrawal, or military/medical/family leave of absence will be placed into a clinical rotation upon re-entry based upon space available and cannot be guaranteed placement in the next available clinical course needed. “Out-of-sequence students” cannot displace in-sequence students from a clinical spot.
8. Students who have taken a leave of absence from the program for greater than 12 calendar months must re-apply to the University. Their application will then be considered with all other qualified applicants applying for admission to the nursing program.
9. A student who withdraws from a core nursing course while in good standing cannot progress in the sequenced nursing curriculum until that course has been successfully completed. In courses that contain both a clinical practicum and a lecture component, both course segments must be completed simultaneously. Exceptions may be identified and defined by the APR Committee in consultation with both the Director of the School of Nursing or Associate Director of the Program and the course faculty.
10. A student who withdraws from a core nursing course who is “not in good standing” (with a grade of “C” or lower or on probation) at the time of withdrawal, will be referred to the APR Committee. The APR Committee will review the student’s past and current performance and elicit recommendations from the course faculty. A representative of the APR Committee may then meet with the course faculty, Associate Director of the Program, and student, to counsel the student and to establish a contract for academic improvement. Such students may not progress in the sequenced nursing curriculum until the course has been retaken and successfully completed. In courses that contain both a clinical practicum and a didactic theory portion, both course segments must be completed simultaneously.
11. A student may withdraw from a core nursing course “not in good standing” (with a grade of “C” or lower) only once during their program of study. A second such withdrawal will result in dismissal from the program.
12. All out-of-sequence students will be placed in clinical on a space/faculty available basis. Scheduling priority will be given to students who are out of sequence for military service, illness, or family leave before students who are out of sequence for failure or withdrawal “not in good standing.”
13. A student who has a grade of B- (83% or less) at mid-quarter may be placed on contract for academic improvement by the instructor. The student must satisfactorily fulfill all course and contract requirements by the end of the quarter of contract initiation in order to progress in the program.
14. Failure to meet all of the agreed upon terms outlined in the student contract will result in the consequences identified in the contract which may include program dismissal.
15. In accordance with DePaul University policy, students must complete their program within 6 years of matriculation.

Academic Integrity Policy

Violations of academic integrity in any form are detrimental to the values of DePaul, to the students' development as responsible members of society, and to the pursuit of knowledge and the transmission of ideas. Violations of academic integrity include but are not limited to: cheating, plagiarism, fabrications, falsification or sabotage of research data, falsification of clinical data, destruction or misuse of the University's academic resources, academic misconduct, and complicity. If an instructor finds that a student has violated the Academic Integrity Policy, the appropriate initial sanction is at the instructor's discretion. An instructor may choose to file an academic integrity violation with the University. Actions taken by the instructor do not preclude the School of Nursing, College of Science and Health or the University from taking further action, including dismissal from the University. Conduct that is punishable under the Academic Integrity Policy could result in criminal or civil prosecution. The full Academic Integrity Policy can be found at: https://offices.depaul.edu/academic-affairs/faculty-resources/academic-integrity/Pages/default.aspx

Academic Integrity Policy Extension for Clinical and Service Settings

DePaul University is committed to education that engages its students, faculty and staff in work within Chicago's institutions and communities. As DePaul representatives to our partner institutions and community organizations, we ask that you take seriously your responsibilities to these institutions during service, clinical experiences and internships. The community and its institutions are extensions of the DePaul classroom.

The University's Academic Integrity Policy and Code of Responsibility apply to professional interactions as well. See also Professional Development Guidelines (see complete student handbook).