Requires 32 hours of WCU course work – 24 hours in the major and 8 hours of elective credits
No time limits on the transferability of previous academic credits to WCU
Distance education with a personal touch—faculty / advisers work with individual students
Distance education students can complete the RN to BSN Program for approximately $3,000
The program can be completed on a part-time basis within two years. You can finish the program in as few as 3 semesters and a summer if given permission to assist on a full-time basis
Only two visits to the Enka campus are required each semester: Orientation and Wrap Day
Students are required to complete two clinical course rotations which MUST be scheduled in counties across western North Carolina
Students may enter the program in August or January, and graduate in May, August or December
The Student Services Manager provides an unofficial reading of transcripts for anyone interested in the program
WCU provides students with excellent technical support via Web sites and toll-free numbers
What makes this program special?
This upper-division Nursing major is geared to Registered Nurses (RNs) who want to earn their BSN. (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) primarily online and on their own schedule. Students meet face-to-face in Enka (Buncombe County, just west of Asheville) at the start and end of each term to get acquainted and establish community. We strive to add value to each student’s knowledge and skills by making most assignments directly applicable to present and future practice of nursing.
Students must have completed with grades of “C” or better: human anatomy and physiology, microbiology, general psychology or equivalent, and one transfer chemistry course with a lab; must possess a current unrestricted license to practice as a Registered Nurse in North Carolina; must have completed at least 65 semester hours of course work and must have a cumulative grade-point average of 2.50 on a 4-point scale. Find out more about the RN to BSN admission requirements.
What scholarship monies are available?
All students are considered for merit-based scholarships at the time of admission. Additional scholarships are available based on FAFSA information. Students are encouraged to consult their tax advisers about deductible expenses.
What will I be able to do with this degree when I graduate?
The BSN opens additional doors for RNs in fields like public health and management. A minimum of a BSN is required for nurses who want to teach in NC practical Nursing programs or do clinical teaching in RN programs. A BSN from an accredited institution (WCU’s Nursing program is accredited by CCNE) is required for admission to most master’s-level programs such as WCU’s FNP, Nurse Educator, and CRNA tracks. Many nurses want the BSN for personal satisfaction and a sense of achievement.
What is the RN to BSN team like?
All four RN to BSN faculty have earned doctoral degrees. Most of the faculty has taught at the community college level and all have a warm regard for graduates from those programs. Their clinical backgrounds lean heavily toward maternal/child nursing. Each RN to BSN faculty member has a regional assignment for academic advising. The Student Services Manager works closely with students to help them navigate the educational system both before and during admission to WCU.
What are the students in the program doing?
Many students use independent study to gain academic credit while they are studying for specialty certification like oncology nursing. Recent projects in the management clinical course included revision of a peri-operative flow sheet, a protocol to reduce re-hospitalization for patients with CHF, and creation of an orientation manual for newly hired nurses. Teaching projects in community health have involved aggregates from pre-school to the elderly. Graduates of the RN to BSN program have assumed leadership positions in a wide variety of settings, including home health agencies, school health, hospital units large and small, and public health departments. Many graduates have earned the MS(N) or other master’s degrees and are now high-level administrators and educators.
Will I be able to participate in internships, clubs and other extracurricular opportunities?
Most RN students are already heavily involved in their work settings and family responsibilities, but some have gone on international study trips to Ecuador, Jamaica, Zambia, Ireland and the United Kingdom. The top 35 percent of each year’s graduates are invited to join the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International, where they may interact with nursing leaders and researchers from around the globe. Students are also encouraged to be active members of the NC Nurses Association or their specialty practice association.
Contact
Sandra Brown, Student Services Specialist
e-mail: slbrown@email.wcu.edu
phone: 828-670-8810 ext 246
Visit the School of Nursing