This unique completion major is specifically designed for the registered nurse (RN) who wishes to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree, on a full- or part-time basis, for professional development, advancement, or job mobility. Designed for the working RN, the curriculum builds on the knowledge and skills possessed by RNs who have graduated from diploma- and associate-degree nursing programs. Offered in an accelerated online format, this major allows the RN to satisfy the bachelor-degree requirements within 12-18 months, depending on transfer credits and seat availability.
The B.S.N. degree prepares licensed RNs to contribute to the provision of quality nursing care in a rapidly changing health care environment. This major enables nurses to build upon their knowledge base and assume positions with increased responsibility in a variety of health care settings, from promoting health and facilitating adaptation to increasingly complex health care problems/needs. The curriculum offers a required core of nursing and general education courses with elective course options based on student educational and career goals.
Effective Fall 2025
- School of Nursing & Health Sciences
- Bachelor of Science Degree (B.S.)
Available Online via Distance Learning- More Information about Nursing
Career Opportunities
The B.S.N. degree can lead to advanced clinical and administrative positions in the traditional in-patient setting, as well as opportunities in other patient care settings which include, but are not limited to, home health nursing, public health nursing, nursing education, the armed services, and case management. A nurse with a B.S.N. degree is desired at regional and nation-wide hospital systems who have or are seeking Magnet nursing status. The Magnet nursing designation has driven many local institutions to seek B.S.N. prepared graduates or require completion of a B.S.N. degree upon hire.
Special Admissions Requirements
Registered nurses seeking entrance must (1) be a graduate of an accredited associate degree and/or diploma nursing program, (2) submit a copy of their current, active, unencumbered RN license in any state with eligibility for licensure in Pennsylvania to the Admissions office. Alternatively, students currently enrolled in an accredited associate degree nursing program at another institution may be eligible for concurrent enrollment; eligibility will be based on additional requirements beyond College admission. Questions about the concurrent enrollment option may be directed to the Nursing, RN to BSN, Completion program director. All students entering the major will be treated as transfer students, including students who have graduated with Penn College's associate-degree major.
Special Equipment Needs
Students must have access to a computer with consistent Internet access. Technical requirements are as follows:
- Windows 11 or higher (recommended).
- Intel Core i5 or i7 (generation 10 or higher) processor (recommended).
- 8+ GB RAM (recommended).
- 250+ GB Solid State Disk (SSD) drive (recommended).
- Laptop/computer must include a webcam and microphone (required).
- Laptop/computer must include a wireless network card (required).
- Broadband Internet connection when working off campus (required).
- Additional plug-ins may be required (Information Technology Services Service Desk available for assistance).
- Chromebooks and other devices running Chrome OS are prohibited.
Remediation Strategies
All incoming students must meet placement requirements in math. Students are expected to remediate any deficiencies as explained in the College Catalog (see https://www.pct.edu/catalog/admissions-policy).
Transfer Procedures
Students who have studied previously at the college level are required to submit all transcripts to the Admissions Office. All general education/liberal arts courses that meet core College requirements for baccalaureate degrees will be eligible for transfer according to College policy. The transfer of nursing credits is evaluated on an individual basis according to the nursing program's policy. Students must have a minimum grade of 'C' (2.0) in courses transferred into the major. All Pennsylvania College of Technology associate-degree requirements will apply toward the bachelor-degree requirements. A block of 38 nursing credits will be transferred from an accredited associate-degree or diploma nursing curricula. Students must complete at least 36 credits at Pennsylvania College of Technology for course work prescribed in the final four semesters of a student's profile including required summer courses within or following the final four semesters.
International health credentials/licensure, sciences courses, and most math courses will not be accepted to satisfy requirements of this major. Please see additional information for international students applying to the School of Nursing & Health Science Majors.
Program Goals
A graduate of this major should be able to:- exemplify professionalism within the legal, ethical, and regulatory framework of nursing in an atmosphere of mutual respect, understanding, and appreciation to improve the delivery of healthcare. (Professional Identity)
- synthesize knowledge from nursing, liberal arts, and sciences to facilitate comprehensive, holistic care built inclusively with the person in consideration of their distinct needs. (Comprehensive Person-Centered Care)
- facilitate the teaching-learning process with respect for a person's unique choices to promote health and prevent disease across the lifespan and to inspire the nurse's professional growth and development. (Teaching and Learning)
- utilize clinical judgment within the nursing process and apply leadership and management skills to optimize person-centered outcomes across the continuum of healthcare environments. (Nursing Process)
- guided by integrity, utilize informatics to collect, manage, and analyze data to support decision-making and mitigate errors related to the delivery of nursing care to all populations. (Information Literacy)
- incorporate therapeutic communication and inter-professional collaboration into meaningful relationships to promote healthy persons, families, and communities. (Collaboration)
- identify, integrate, and use theory or peer-reviewed research to develop nursing expertise for the delivery of optimal healthcare unique to each person's situation and needs. (Evidence Based Practice)
Performance Standards
All students in this major are required to maintain a cumulative (GPA) of 2.0 or greater to remain in the nursing major. In addition, all students must earn a "C" (2.0) or higher in all NUR, BIO, and CHM courses; if a lower grade is earned in any of these courses, the course must be repeated.
The following grading system applied to all nursing courses in this major. There is no rounding of grades:
A = 90-100
B = 80-89.99
C = 75-79.99
F = 74.99 and below
Curriculum
| Pre. Program | Credits | Notes | Lecture | Lab/Clinical | M/S | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NUR304 | Credentials Proven by License | 38 | 38 | M | REQ | ||
| TOTAL CREDITS | 38 | ||||||
| First Semester | Credits | Notes | Lecture | Lab/Clinical | M/S | Type | |
| BIO115 | Human Anatomy & Physiology I | 4 | 3 | 3 | M | REQ | |
| ENL111 | English Composition I | 3 | 3 | S | REQ | ||
| PSY111 | General Psychology | 3 | 3 | S | REQ | ||
| MNA | Math Elective (MTH123 or Higher) | 3 | S | MNA | |||
| HIP | Core Historical Perspective | 3 | S | HIP | |||
| TOTAL CREDITS | 16 | ||||||
| Second Semester | Credits | Notes | Lecture | Lab/Clinical | M/S | Type | |
| SCL | Science Elective with lab | 4 | M | SCL | |||
| ENL121 | English Composition II | 3 | 3 | S | REQ | ||
| or | |||||||
| ENL201 | Technical & Professional Communication | 3 | 3 | S | REQ | ||
| PSY203 | Developmental Psychology | 3 | 3 | S | REQ | ||
| SOC111 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 | 3 | S | REQ | ||
| CSC124 | Information, Technology & Society | 3 | 3 | S | REQ | ||
| or | |||||||
| CSC229 | Cybersecurity for Non-IT Majors | 3 | 3 | S | REQ | ||
| TOTAL CREDITS | 16 | ||||||
| Summer Session | Credits | Notes | Lecture | Lab/Clinical | M/S | Type | |
| OEE | Exploration Elective | 3 | S | OEE | |||
| MTH159 | Statistics for Health & Behavioral Sciences | 3 | 3 | S | REQ | ||
| TOTAL CREDITS | 6 | ||||||
| Third Semester | Credits | Notes | Lecture | Lab/Clinical | M/S | Type | |
| NUR321 | Transition to the BSN Program | 1 | 1 | M | REQ | ||
| NUR315 | Nursing in an Aging Society | 3 | 3 | M | REQ | ||
| NUR353 | Teaching & Learning Concepts & Strategies | 2 | 2 | M | REQ | ||
| NUR311 | The Philosophy of Professional Nursing | 3 | 3 | M | REQ | ||
| NUR410 | Community Health Nursing for the Practicing RN | 4 | 4 | M | REQ | ||
| FIT | Fitness & Wellness Elective | 1 | S | FIT | |||
| TOTAL CREDITS | 14 | ||||||
| Fourth Semester | Credits | Notes | Lecture | Lab/Clinical | M/S | Type | |
| NUR414 | Evaluating Professional Nursing Practice | 3 | 3 | M | REQ | ||
| NUR493 | Research & Theory for the Practicing RN | 3 | Writing Enriched Requirement | 3 | M | REQ | |
| NUR | Directed Nursing Elective | 3 | M | NUR | |||
| HTH303 | Nutrition Science | 3 | 3 | M | REQ | ||
| TOTAL CREDITS | 12 | ||||||
| Summer Session | Credits | Notes | Lecture | Lab/Clinical | M/S | Type | |
| NUR466 | Leadership & Management for the Practicing RN | 3 | 3 | M | REQ | ||
| NUR | Directed Nursing Elective | 3 | M | NUR | |||
| FIT | Fitness & Wellness Elective | 1 | S | FIT | |||
| TOTAL CREDITS | 7 | ||||||
| Fifth Semester | Credits | Notes | Lecture | Lab/Clinical | M/S | Type | |
| ARP | Core Arts Perspective | 3 | S | ARP | |||
| SPC101 | Fundamentals of Speech | 3 | 3 | S | REQ | ||
| or | |||||||
| SPC102 | Fundamentals of Small Group Communication | 3 | 3 | S | REQ | ||
| or | |||||||
| SPC201 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 | 3 | S | REQ | ||
| OEA | Open Elective | 6 | S | OEA | |||
| TOTAL CREDITS | 12 | ||||||
Students seeking to complete the BSN degree in a part-time status may follow this sample suggested curriculum plan.
Notice of Conviction
Child abuse clearances and criminal background checks are required by some agencies involved in clinical practice experiences. Agencies can prohibit students from participating in clinical experiences at their sites if a criminal record exists or a positive drug test is noted. By virtue of contract for Pennsylvania College of Technology, when students are at a clinical site, agencies have the right to ask for random drug testing. Inability to complete clinical, fieldwork, or intern educational experiences will result in the inability to meet course and program outcomes. For additional clarification, students can speak with their program director.
The Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing advises that a drug-related conviction and/or conviction of a felonious act or two misdemeanors might result in denial and/or revocation of a license to practice nursing. In accordance with the professional Nurse Law, Act of 1951, P.L. 317, No. 69, as amended, the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing shall not issue a license to an applicant who has been convicted of a felonious act prohibited by the Act known as “The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and cosmetic Act” or convicted of a felony relating to a controlled substance in a court of law of the United States or any other state, territory or country unless a least 10 years have elapsed from the date of the conviction.
Penn College complies with the federal Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments of 1989. Pursuant to this Act, all forms of marijuana, including medical marijuana, are classified as prohibited controlled substances. Additionally, alcohol, illegal drugs, and legal drugs obtained without a prescription, or which may impair a student’s ability to perform his/her educational responsibilities are strictly prohibited. Students are subject to drug screening at various phases of the program. Please note that a positive drug screening for marijuana will be deemed a positive test and will result in a student being dismissed from the program, even if the student has been lawfully certified to use medical marijuana and/or possesses a valid medical marijuana identification card issued in accordance with applicable state law.
Accreditation
The baccalaureate nursing program at Pennsylvania College of Technology located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania is accredited by the:
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, Georgia 30326
(404) 975-5000
The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the baccalaureate nursing program is continuing accreditation.
View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at https://www.acenursing.org/search-programs .