The RN to BS in Nursing online degree program provides registered nurses with the academic credential necessary to retain relevance and positions them to advance in the field. Through the flexibility of online study, students of this program build on prior knowledge gained at the associate's degree level, and explore pressing issues related to today's changing global healthcare environment. The program is designed to assist students in developing intellectual curiosity and a spirit of inquiry essential to professional development.

Dedicated CUNY faculty and expert practitioners draw on the Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing to help students develop and demonstrate competency in:

• Health assessment
• Leadership and management
• Nursing research
• Care of culturally diverse populations
• Global health and policy
• Nursing informatics

Career and Academic Prospects

The RN to BS in Nursing program prepares licensed registered nurses to assume leadership positions in acute care, as well as community-based and long-term care settings. Students gain the expertise needed to meet the challenges of the evolving healthcare system, as well as the knowledge and experience required to move forward into graduate level studies and advanced practice nursing.

Accreditation

The RN to BS in Nursing at CUNY School of Professional Studies is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Nursing Dual/Joint with Queensborough Community College

Qualified students enrolled in the Queensborough Community College AAS in Nursing degree program have the opportunity to seamlessly transition to the BS in Nursing degree program at CUNY SPS. Students interested in this program can learn more here.

Articulation Agreements

Articulation agreements are formal agreements between CUNY SPS and two-year colleges and universities, allowing students to transfer the maximum number of credits with ease to our RN to BS in Nursing program from institutions with which we have an established transfer process in place.

Borough of Manhattan Community College - A.A.S. in Nursing (PDF)
Bronx Community College - A.A.S. in Nursing (PDF)
Kingsborough Community College - A.A.S. in Nursing (PDF)
Queensborough Community College - A.A.S. in Nursing (PDF)

Prior Learning Assessment

CUNY SPS accepts selected nursing certifications for evaluation for college credit. Evaluations represent recommendations of potential credit available for degree program planning purposes.

The certification must be current in order for the student to be eligible for credit. Students are not required to have any additional review or to have the credit transcribed on a transcript for CUNY SPS to evaluate.

Click here for a list of credentials that have been evaluated for college credit.

Please be advised that Supporting Documentation must be submitted and includes:

1. An official letter on the organization’s letterhead attesting to the certification provided in a sealed envelope OR
2. Certificate of the selected nursing certification with the organization’s letterhead.
3. The letter/certificate needs to include the following information
   • name of individual
   • identifier such as individual’s date of birth or last four digits of social security number
   • indication of successful completion of examination
   • title and date of certification
   • length of certification/date the certification expires.

Prospective students and applicants should schedule a meeting with their academic advisor to obtain an unofficial credit evaluation. For more information about credit for non-collegiate prior learning please click here or contact us at pla@sps.cuny.edu.

Admissions Criteria

To qualify for admission to the RN to BS in Nursing program, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Associate's degree in nursing from the City University of New York or from a non-CUNY regional or nationally accredited credit-granting institution with an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
• Current licensure in New York State as a Registered Professional Nurse, or eligibility to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination - RN (NCLEX-RN) - in New York State. Students who do not currently hold an RN license may apply to the program in the last semester of their pre-licensure program in anticipation of licensure. Unlicensed students who meet the eligibility criteria will be admitted on a case by case basis and will be required to obtain their RN license before beginning their second term in the program.
• Nurses who hold a nursing diploma from a non-credit granting institution may also apply. Diploma applicants will be awarded 36 credits for their nursing education, if they have passed the NCLEX-RN and have an NYS RN license to practice, and will be required to complete nursing program and general education coursework to be awarded the BS in Nursing degree.
• All University policies regarding skills and proficiency testing, grading, transfer credit, and degree completion will apply.

The online application requires students to complete a personal essay that will help us understand your educational goals and readiness to return to college.

Residency Requirement*
In order to enroll in the RN to BS in Nursing program, students must provide documentation of one of the following categories:

• U.S. Citizenship
• Permanent Residency
• Granted asylum, refugee status, temporary protected status, withholding of removal, deferred enforced departure, or deferred action status by the U.S. Government

*International students may enroll in fully online degree programs. However, our online programs do not qualify for student visas.

Students may view the Nursing Student Handbook (PDF) here. 

Click here to see a full list of the online nursing degrees offered at CUNY SPS.

Application Deadlines

Applications for Fall 2017 are due by June 1, 2017