Bachelor of Science in Nursing - RN to BSN Bridge Program
The RN to BSN program is for students who are Registered Nurses who wish to earn a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Nursing OR for students who are participating in a collaborative program from an affiliated community college who wish to earn a B.S. in Nursing.
The RN to BSN program is designed for two groups of students: licensed Registered Nurses seeking a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Nursing, and students enrolled in a collaborative program through an affiliated community college who also aim to earn a B.S. in Nursing.
The program follows a hybrid model. All theory courses are delivered online, while clinical experiences are conducted in person at designated clinical sites.
For students in the Concurrent Enrollment Program, courses are initially offered in a hybrid format, with face-to-face instruction equivalent to four classes per semester until they complete their Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) at the community college. After graduation, these students continue with fully online theory courses and in-person clinicals as part of the BSN program.
Admission Requirements:
Applicants must:
- Document achievement of IGETC certification. Please note the prerequisite support courses listed below satisfy specific IGETC certification areas.
- Designate the pathway of the RN to BSN program track to which admission is being requested (i.e., collaborative or post-associate-degree).
- Meet the requirements of the desired pathway.
- Collaborative pathway - current enrollment and good standing in an Associate of Science in Nursing degree program at a collaborating community college.
- Post-associate-degree pathway - completion of an Associate of Science in Nursing degree and an active California RN license.
- Earn a grade of C (2.0) or better in all required prerequisite courses.
| Prerequisite Support Courses (28-29) | ||
| BIOL 2200 | Microbiology for Allied Health Majors | 4 |
| BIOL 2230 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I for Allied Health Majors | 4 |
| BIOL 2240 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II for Allied Health Majors | 4 |
| Choose one of the following: | 4-5 | |
| Fundamentals of General, Organic, and Biochemistry (preferred course selection) | ||
| Survey of General Chemistry and Survey of General Chemistry Laboratory | ||
| MATH 1201 | Introduction to Statistical Thinking | 3 |
| Course that fulfills the GE 1A Written Communication requirement | 3 | |
| Course that fulfills the GE 1B Critical Thinking requirement | 3 | |
| Course that fulfills the GE 1C Oral Communication requirement | 3 | |
| Total Units | 28-29 | |
Degree Requirements (95 units)
Total units required for graduation: 120
(Program Code: RNBS)
Admitted students must earn a grade of C (2.0) or better on all courses required for the major.
Admitted students may transfer in lower-division General Education courses, prerequisite support courses, and acceptable Associate Degree nursing courses, for a maximum of 70 semester units.
- 16 units of completed Associate of Science in Nursing coursework will be transferred in and applied to the major.
An additional 20 upper division academic units will be awarded to admitted students who are licensed Registered Nurses and have earned an Associate of Science in Nursing, for completed Nursing courses that were not included in the transferred units and for demonstrating nursing knowledge sufficient to pass the National Council of Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).
Detailed distribution of units in the RN to BSN (Bridge) program is as follows:
- Units for courses that may be transferred to CSUSB (total of 64 units):
- 48 units of prerequisite support courses, many of which will also meet lower-division GE requirements
- 16 units of completed Associate of Science in Nursing courses
- Units awarded to licensed Registered Nurses (RNs) (total of 20 units)
- 20 upper-division units for demonstration of knowledge required to pass the NCLEX-RN
- Units for courses that must be taken at CSUSB:
- 27 units of upper-division nursing courses, which also meet requirements for 3 units GE UD-2/5 and 3 units GE UD-4, as well as half of the WI designation requirement.
- 3 units of upper-division GE courses to meet GE UD-3 requirement
Foundational Courses/Credits
| Prerequisite Support Courses | 29 | |
| Associate of Science in Nursing Courses | 16 | |
| Credit for RN Licensure | 20 | |
| Total Units | 65 | |
CSUSB Core Courses
| NURS 3010 | Role Transition to Professional Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS 3026 | Health Assessment RN | 3 |
| NURS 3100 | Pathophysiology and Pharmacology | 4 |
| NURS 3610 | Patient Education, Health Promotion and Care Coordination | 3 |
| NURS 4222 | Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice | 3 |
| NURS 4510 | Community/Public Health Promotion | 3 |
| NURS 4512 | Community/Public Health Promotion Practicum | 3 |
| NURS 4610 | Nursing Leadership | 3 |
| NURS 4612 | Nursing Leadership Practicum | 2 |
| One GE course that meets the UD-3 Arts & Humanities | 3 | |
| Total Units | 30 | |
Note: Three required upper division nursing courses double-count toward GE requirements for nursing majors ONLY. Those courses are NURS 3010 for half of the writing intensive requirement, NURS 4222 for the UD Scientific Inquiry (Category UD-2/5) requirement, and NURS 4510 for the UD Social Science (Category UD-4) requirement.
After graduation, students are eligible to apply for a public health nurse certificate from the California Board of Registered Nursing.