RN-BSN-MSN

As health care shifts from hospital-centered, inpatient care to primary and preventive care, the health system requires registered nurses who not only can practice across multiple settings but can function with more. There's been a movement to increase the number of baccalaureate and master-prepared nurses in the workforce due to the rapidly expanding need for clinical knowledge and mounting complexities in health care, mandating that nurses possess educational preparation commensurate with the diversified responsibilities required of them.

This can be done conveniently online through our RN-BSN-MSN program that allows registered nurses to obtain both the BSN and MSN in a condensed timeframe, along with a reduction in cost. Programs are taught by faculty who are committed and experienced in their specialty. The BSN curriculum and core curriculum of the MSN component are fully online. Students will be required to attend classes on campus once they enter the clinical component of their specialty track. Presently, all programs are offered on the Bloomsburg and Dixon Center campuses of the State System.

RN-BSN-MSN Admission Requirements

All applicants will initially apply to the RN-BSN program with provisional admission to the MSN program of their choice. Once the required undergraduate credits, the application process below, and acceptance into the MSN program of their choice is completed the student can then begin the graduate work towards their specialty.

The following application materials should be submitted directly to the Office of Admissions upon application to the RN-BSN program.

• Proof of an Associate Degree in Nursing from an accredited college (via transcript)
• An undergraduate quality point average (QPA) of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
• Any other official secondary school transcripts and/or official college transcript from each school attended, regardless of whether credit was earned at the other institution(s)
• Online application to the RN-BSN Program

The following criteria will be submitted and evaluated after completion of ALL BSN coursework and prior to starting Graduate coursework:

• A minimum of one year of direct care clinical practice within the past two years in the selected clinical specialty area (for the adult nurse practitioner option, this direct care experience must be in adult health)
• An undergraduate quality point average (QPA) of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale upon completion of the BSN from Bloomsburg University
• Three current letters of professional and/or academic recommendation
• A resume which includes description of professional nursing or clinical experience
• A license to practice professional nursing in your current state of residence
• A narrative describing personal and professional goals for graduate education (rationale and goals for the selected area of advanced practice must be included)
• Interview following submission and screening of admission materials with program director and for the NP option(s) with members of the graduate council
• Applications are due Aug. 1 or Jan. 1 for the NP options and are on a rolling basis for the nursing administration and community health nurse options.

Non-Pennsylvania Applicants

Commonwealth University is not authorized to accept students residing outside of Pennsylvania into the RN-BSN-MSN online program at this time. We're currently working on becoming authorized in other states, please check back frequently for any updates to state authorization regarding distance education.