RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing

RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Transfer Credit Guidelines

Applicants to the RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing program must meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • Hold and maintain an active and unencumbered U.S. Registered Nurse (RN) license or the equivalent.
  • Submit an official transcript showing the completion of an associate degree in nursing or an RN diploma education. The associate degree in nursing or RN diploma education must be earned from a program with specialty accreditation, a regionally accredited institution, or a New York State (NYSED) approved program.

Provisional Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing Option

Associate in nursing graduates looking to pursue the BS in Nursing while preparing for the NCLEX can get a jumpstart with the Provisional Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing option, which is open to:

  • Graduates of an RN diploma program of nursing.
  • Graduates of an accredited college or university in the United States with an associate degree in nursing.

Excelsior University is not accepting applicants to the associate, bachelor’s, RN to MS, or MS in Nursing degree programs who reside in California or the state of Washington.

A maximum of one hundred and twenty (120) credits, including 60 Arts & Sciences electives and 30 nursing credits at the upper level, are needed for completion of the RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in the following distribution areas:

TUT 101 Purple badges indicate Excelsior University courses.

TUT 101 Green badges indicate non-Excelsior University courses.

Courses must be completed with Excelsior with a minimum grade of a C or higher.

Course IDCourse TitleRequirementsCredits
INL 102 Information Literacy Complete within the first 13 of attempted credits 1
IND 301 Cornerstone B (Pathways) Complete in the first term of credit-bearing activity 3
Total Credits | 4

Courses may be transferred in from outside sources of credit with a minimum grade of a C or higher.

Requirement Course ID Course Title Equivalency Notes Credits
Written English ENG 101A Advanced Composition Recommended Excelsior course, but other course options are available to meet the requirement. Written English Requirement (6 semester hours to include 3 semester hours in expository writing (to be completed within the first 13 semester hours) and 3 semester hours in applied writing or writing within the discipline). 3
Written English ENG 102A Advanced Composition II Recommended Excelsior course, but other course options are available to meet the requirement. Written English Requirement (6 semester hours to include 3 semester hours in expository writing (to be completed within the first 13 semester hours) and 3 semester hours in applied writing or writing within the discipline). 3
Ethics IND 203 Introduction to Professional Ethics Recommended Excelsior course, but other course options are available to meet the requirement. Ethics Requirement (Subject areas that meet the requirement include, but are not limited to, classical or contemporary ethical theory and philosophy; ethical and moral reasoning; applied ethics relevant to disciplines and careers). This topic is required to meet the specified requirement. 3
Humanities COMM 125 Public Speaking Recommended Excelsior course, but other course options are available to meet the requirement. Humanities Requirement (Subject areas that meet the requirement include, but are not limited to, art, music, literature, foreign language, philosophy, religion, speech, or a subject area other than writing). 3
Humanities COMM 210 Interpersonal Communication Recommended Excelsior course, but other course options are available to meet the requirement. Humanities Requirement (Subject areas that meet the requirement include, but are not limited to, art, music, literature, foreign language, philosophy, religion, speech, or a subject area other than writing). 3
Social Sciences / History SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology Recommended Excelsior course, but other course options are available to meet the requirement. Social Sciences / History Requirement (Subject areas that meet the requirement include, but are not limited to, anthropology, criminal justice (theory-based, not applied criminal justice), economics, geography, government, history, political science, psychology, and sociology). This topic is required to meet this specified requirement. 3
Social Sciences / History PSY 101 Introduction to Psychology Recommended Excelsior course, but other course options are available to meet the requirement. Social Sciences / History Requirement (Subject areas that meet the requirement include, but are not limited to, anthropology, criminal justice (theory-based, not applied criminal justice), economics, geography, government, history, political science, psychology, and sociology). 3
Social Sciences / History PSY 360 Social Psychology Recommended Excelsior course, but other course options are available to meet the requirement. Social Sciences / History Requirement (Subject areas that meet the requirement include, but are not limited to, anthropology, criminal justice (theory-based, not applied criminal justice), economics, geography, government, history, political science, psychology, and sociology). 3
Natural Sciences / Mathematics MAT 114 Intermediate Algebra Recommended Excelsior course, but other course options are available to meet the requirement. Natural Sciences / Mathematics Requirement (Subject areas that meet the requirement include, but are not limited to, astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth science, physics, algebra, geometry, analysis (which includes calculus), and applied mathematics (which includes probability and statistics)). Restrictions include developmental or remedial courses, no more than three courses of mathematics credit below the level of calculus, no more than one course or examination may be applied that is (1) terminal in nature with no prerequisite beyond the level of arithmetic; (2) intended for students outside of science or mathematics; or (3) a mathematics appreciation course. Students must complete a minimum of 3 credits in natural sciences and 3 credits in mathematics. This topic is required to meet the specified requirement. 3
Natural Sciences / Mathematics MAT 201 Statistics Recommended Excelsior course, but other course options are available to meet the requirement. Natural Sciences / Mathematics Requirement (Subject areas that meet the requirement include, but are not limited to, astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth science, physics, algebra, geometry, analysis (which includes calculus), and applied mathematics (which includes probability and statistics)). Restrictions include developmental or remedial courses, no more than three courses of mathematics credit below the level of calculus, no more than one course or examination may be applied that is (1) terminal in nature with no prerequisite beyond the level of arithmetic; (2) intended for students outside of science or mathematics; or (3) a mathematics appreciation course. Students must complete a minimum of 3 credits in natural sciences and 3 credits in mathematics. This topic is required to meet the specified requirement. 3
Natural Sciences / Mathematics NS 110 Science in Today's World Recommended Excelsior course, but other course options are available to meet the requirement. Natural Sciences / Mathematics Requirement (Subject areas that meet the requirement include, but are not limited to, astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth science, physics, algebra, geometry, analysis (which includes calculus), and applied mathematics (which includes probability and statistics)). Restrictions include developmental or remedial courses, no more than three courses of mathematics credit below the level of calculus, no more than one course or examination may be applied that is (1) terminal in nature with no prerequisite beyond the level of arithmetic; (2) intended for students outside of science or mathematics; or (3) a mathematics appreciation course. Students must complete a minimum of 3 credits in natural sciences and 3 credits in mathematics. 3
Total Credits | 33

Semester hours of nursing credit granted for prior learning validated by nursing education and successful completion of the NCLEX-RN.

Course IDCourse TitleEquivalency NotesCredits
Nursing Education and Completion of NCLEX-RN 30
Total Credits | 30

Courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C or higher. Non-collegiate sources of credit may not be used to fulfill Lifespan Development Psychology, Anatomy & Physiology I and II, and Microbiology requirements.

Course IDCourse TitleEquivalency NotesCredits
PSY 235 Lifespan Development Psychology Recommended Excelsior course, but other course options are available to meet the requirement. This topic is required to meet the specified requirement. 3
BIO 115 Anatomy and Physiology I (Non Lab) Recommended Excelsior course, but other course options are available to meet the requirement. This topic is required to meet the specified requirement. 3
BIO 116 Anatomy and Physiology II (Non Lab) Recommended Excelsior course, but other course options are available to meet the requirement. This topic is required to meet the specified requirement. 3
BIO 212 Microbiology Recommended Excelsior course, but other course options are available to meet the requirement. This topic is required to meet the specified requirement. 3
Total Credits | 12

Courses must be completed with Excelsior with a minimum grade of C or higher.

Course IDCourse TitleEquivalency NotesCredits
NUR 301 Bridge for Professional Socialization Course must be completed with Excelsior University to meet the requirement. 2
NUR 338 Introduction to Informatics for Nurses Course must be completed with Excelsior University to meet the requirement. 2
NUR 342 Holistic Health Care Across the Lifespan Course must be completed with Excelsior University to meet the requirement. 4
NUR 356 Leadership and Management in Nursing Course must be completed with Excelsior University to meet the requirement. 4
Total Credits | 12

Courses must be completed with Excelsior with a minimum grade of C or higher.

Course IDCourse TitleEquivalency NotesCredits
NUR 430 Research in Nursing Course must be completed with Excelsior University to meet the requirement. 3
NUR 446 Teaching and Learning in a Diverse Society Course must be completed with Excelsior University to meet the requirement. 3
NUR 448 Community Health Nursing: Caring for the Public's Health Course must be completed with Excelsior University to meet the requirement. 4
Total Credits | 10

Courses must be completed with Excelsior with a minimum grade of C or higher.

Course IDCourse TitleEquivalency NotesCredits
NUR 462 Nursing Capstone Course must be completed with Excelsior University to meet the requirement. 4
Total Credits | 4

Required for students who have not earned Excelsior’s associate degree in nursing. Courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C or higher.

Course IDCourse TitleEquivalency NotesCredits
HSC 403 Nutrition for Wellness Recommended Excelsior course, but other course options are available to meet the requirement. 3
Total Credits | 3

Approved arts and sciences elective credit in the areas of humanities, social sciences, history, natural sciences, and mathematics may apply. Courses may be transferred in from outside sources of credit with a minimum grade of a C or higher.

Course IDCourse TitleEquivalency NotesCredits
Arts & Sciences 12
Total Credits | 12