The path to becoming a nurse has never been more accessible. Online nursing programs are revolutionizing nursing education, offering flexible options for aspiring healthcare professionals.
Let’s explore three different pathways available and what makes these programs successful when bringing them online.
Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN)
Traditionally, a two- to three-year undergraduate degree program, the ASN prepares students to become Registered Nurses (RNs). The program focuses on equipping students with the foundational knowledge, clinical skills, and competencies needed to provide direct patient care in various healthcare settings.
Credits: 60-70
Time to Complete: 18-20 months excluding pre-reqs
Admission Requirements:
- High school GPA or 2.5 GPA in prior course work
- No expiration on non-natural science general education courses
- Science prerequisites do not exceed 7-10 years
- Direct program admission with online general education/prerequisite courses
- HESI A2 or TEAS Admissions testing
- No essay, interviews, or letters of recommendation
Additional:
- ACEN or NLN CNEA accreditation
- All general education courses offered online with frequent availability
- Minimal on-campus visits*
- Extensive NCLEX preparation throughout program with ATI/HESI fully integrated into curriculum with individualized testing and remediation plans
- Scalable administrative support and faculty resources
Clinical coordinator and clinical management system in place
- Competitive e-tuition rate
- Program financial aid eligible
- Scholarship pricing available if warranted
- No competing online programs
- Initial in-state marketing followed by contiguous state consideration
- State operating authority granted by Boards of Nursing prior to start
- Carousel model utilized
- 100% online asynchronous didactic coursework
- Minimal on-campus testing requirements
- Minimal on-site clinical readiness intensives
- 4-6 prerequisite courses offered online
- Variable course length:
- Didactic theory 7 weeks
- Clinical courses 14-16 weeks
- 6 starts per/year for gen-eds and 2-3 starts per year for nursing core
- No enrollment caps unless regulated
- Rolling admissions (students satisfying all requirements admitted as they apply)
Accelerated Bachelor of Science Nursing (ABSN)
Traditionally, an intensive, fast-track nursing program, an ABSN is designed for individuals who already hold a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field. The ABSN allows these individuals to transition into nursing by leveraging their prior education, focusing solely on nursing courses and clinical requirements.
Credits: 60 upper division with 120 hours overall
Time to Complete: 12-16 months excluding pre-reqs
Admission Requirements:
- Transfer eligible with 60+ credfits or Bachelor degree with 2.7 GPA
- 2.75-3.0 GPA in nursing/science pre-reqs
- 4-6 prerequisites with a C or better
- No expiration on non-natural science general education courses
- Science prerequisites do not exceed 7-10 years
- Suggest 2 step process with students officially admitted to nursing program after completion of general ed and nursing pre-requisite courses
- HESI A2 or TEAS Admissions testing with possible wavier for prior bachelor degree GPA > 3.0
- No essay, interviews, or letters of recommendation
Additional:
- ACEN, CCNE, or NLN CNEA accreditation
- All general education courses offered online with frequent availability
- Minimal on-campus visits*
- Extensive NCLEX preparation throughout program with ATI/HESI fully integrated into curriculum with individualized testing and remediation plans
- Scalable administrative support and faculty resources
Clinical coordinator and clinical management system in place
- Competitive e-tuition rate
- Program financial aid eligible
- Scholarship pricing available if warranted
- No competing online programs
- Initial in-state marketing followed by contiguous state consideration
- State operating authority granted by Boards of Nursing prior to start
- Carousel model utilized
- 100% online asynchronous didactic coursework
- Minimal on-campus testing requirements
- Minimal on-site clinical readiness intensives
- 4-6 prerequisite courses offered online
- Variable course length:
- Didactic theory 7 weeks
- Clinical courses 14-16 weeks
- 6 starts per/year for gen-eds and 2-3 starts per year for nursing core
- No enrollment caps unless regulated
- Rolling admissions (students satisfying all requirements admitted as they apply)
Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing (DEMSN)
Traditionally, the DEMSN is an accelerated graduate program designed for individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field and wish to transition into the nursing profession. Unlike other nursing pathways, the DEMSN provides students with both the foundational nursing education required to become a Registered Nurse (RN) and advanced graduate-level training, often preparing them for leadership roles, specialization, or further advanced practice.
Credits: 70-74
Time to Complete: 18-20 months excluding pre-reqs
Admission Requirements:
- Bachelor degree with 2.8 with holistic review, 3.0 automatic admit
- 2.75-3.0 GPA in nursing/science pre-reqs
- 4-6 prerequisites with a C or better
- No expiration on non-natural science general education courses
- Science prerequisites do not exceed 7-10 years
- HESI A2 or TEAS Admissions testing
- Nursing/science pre-req completion required before nursing core
- No essay, interviews, or letters of recommendation
Additional:
- ACEN, CCNE, or NLN CNEA accreditation
- All general education courses offered online with frequent availability
- All general education courses offered online with frequent availability
- Minimal on-campus visits*
- Extensive NCLEX preparation throughout program with ATI/HESI fully integrated into curriculum with individualized testing and remediation plans
- Scalable administrative support and faculty resources
- Clinical coordinator and clinical management system in place
- Competitive e-tuition rate
- Program financial aid eligible
- Scholarship pricing available if warranted
- No competing online programs
- Initial in-state marketing followed by contiguous state consideration
- State operating authority granted by Boards of Nursing prior to start
- Carousel model utilized
- 100% online asynchronous didactic coursework
- Minimal on-campus testing requirements
- Minimal on-site clinical readiness intensives
- 4-6 prerequisite courses offered online
- Variable course length:
- Didactic theory 7 weeks
- Clinical courses 14-16 weeks
- 6 starts per/year for gen-eds and 2-3 starts per year for nursing core
- No enrollment caps unless regulated
- Rolling admissions (students satisfying all requirements admitted as they apply)
