RN to BSN

The RN to BSN program courses are 100% online to accommodate a working nurse’s schedule. Full and part-time options are available to provide flexibility for the working Registered Nurse (RN). Faculty are available at SHSU-The Woodlands Center for questions and advising.  For more information on the RN-BSN program, contact: prenursing@shsu.edu.

The RN-BSN Online Track is designed for the student who is enrolled in or graduated from a community college with a degree in nursing and will be eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN, or who has passed the NCLEX-RN, holds a current, unencumbered Texas license as a registered nurse and wishes to obtain the baccalaureate degree. Earning a baccalaureate degree will open more doors in an RN's nursing career, allowing for positions of leadership, enhanced career advancement opportunities, and the potential to pursue graduate education.

There are three types of admission to SHSU’s RN to BSN program:

1) Unconditional Admission

2) Conditional Admission

3) Joint Admission while enrolled in a partner community college nursing program.

The table below illustrates the requirements for each type of admission.

Admission Type Application to SHSU Application to RN BSN Texas RN License Cumulative GPA Prerequisiste GPA 1Proof of Clinical Readiness Completion of all Prerequisite Courses
Unconditional X X X 2.5 2.5 X X
Conditional X X Within 1 semester, before beginning clinical courses 2.5 2.5 X Within 1 year*
Joint X X Before beginning clinical courses 2.5 2.5 X Before beginning clinical courses**

*For Conditional Admission, prerequisite courses may be taken following enrollment in RN-BSN program, but must be taken within one year.  

**Joint Admission students may apply after completion of 1st semester of ADN courses.  Students must have unencumbered RN license to practice in Texas prior to enrolling in clinical courses.   

RN to BSN
Core Curriculum
Component Area I (Communication)6
Component Area II (Mathematics) 13
Component Area III (Life and Physical Science) 28
Component Area IV (Language, Philosophy, and Culture) 33
Component Area V (Creative Arts)3
Component Area VI (U.S. History)6
Component Area VII (Political Science/Government)6
Component Area VIII (Social and Behavioral Sciences) 43
Component Area IX (Component Area Option) 54
Degree Specific Requirements
BIOL 2403Human Anatomy & Physiology I 2, 64
BIOL 2404Human Anatomy & Physiology II 2, 64
BIOL 2420Introduction to Applied Microbiology4
or BIOL 3470 General Microbiology
CHEM 1406Inorganic & Environmental Chemistry4
or CHEM 1411 General Chemistry I
or CHEM elective or approved elective
FSCN 2362Nutrition 73
or approved elective
MATH 1314Pre Calculus Algebra 13
or MATH 1324 Mathematics for Managerial Decision Making
or MATH 1410 Elementary Functions
or MATH 1420 Calculus I
MATH 1342Elementary Statistics3
or MATH 1370 Introduction to Biomedical Statistics
or PSYC 3402 Psychological Statistics
PSYC 1301Introduction To Psychology 43
PSYC 3374Development Psychology3
Track Specific Requirements
NURS 3340Older Adult Health Management3
NURS 3360Introduction to Research3
NURS 3370RN-to-BSN Role Transition3
NURS 4030Community Nursing3
NURS 4060Leadership and Management3
NURS 4372RN-to-BSN Capstone3
NURS 4381Legal and Ethical Issues in Nursing3
NURS 4382Informatics3
NURS 4383Rural Health Nursing3
NURS 4384Nursing Genetics and Genomics3
Articulation Credit
ADN/Diploma Nursing courses applied to the RN-BSN degree 8,932
Minor: Not Required 10,11
Total Hours121
Prenursing Prerequisites and Texas Core59
Nursing Credit Hours62
Total Hours:121
1

Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area II (Mathematics).

2

Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area III (Life and Physical Science).

3

PHIL 1301 is recommended and satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area IV (Language, Philosophy, and Culture). 

4

Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area VIII (Social and Behavioral Sciences).

5

SOCI 2319 and KINE 2115 are recommended and satisfy Core Curriculum requirements for Component Area IX (Component Area Option).

6

BIOL 2401 and BIOL 2402 may be used as a transfer course for this requirement; please see a SAM Center advisor for more details.

7

FSCN 1367 may be used as a transfer course for this requirement; please see a SAM Center advisor for more details.

8

Includes 12 hours NCLEX exam credit: NURS 3620 and NURS 4620.

9

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is completed at a community college prior to applying to the RN-BSN program (joint admission option allows students to apply to the RN-BSN after completing the 1st semester of ADN).

10

A minor is not required for this degree program; however, a student has the option to add a minor, but to do so additional semester credits hours will be needed above the degree program’s stated total semester credit hours. 

11

All minors can be paired with this degree program.

Notes

Students must earn a minimum 2.5 GPA in nursing prerequisites and Core Curriculum coursework. 

Students must earn a 2.0 minimum overall major GPA in all Nursing coursework. 

Students must earn a 2.0 minimum SHSU GPA in all coursework.

Students must meet a 2.0 minimum SHSU major GPA in all major coursework.

Students must apply and be accepted into the SHSU School of Nursing prior to registering for any NURS courses.

Science courses do not require a 7 year renewal.

Students admitted not core complete, must meet the SHSU core curriculum requirements.  For students who are taking prerequisite hours at SHSU, see the pre-licensure BSN requirements.

The nursing credit hours include 32 articulation credits and 30 hours taken at SHSU.  Course substitutions in the degree specific credit hours may require additional elective credit hours to reach the total 121 credits required for the degree.

Students must receive a grade of “C” or better in each NURS course.

Students accepted into the SHSU School of Nursing are required to adhere to additional policies indicated in the School of Nursing student handbook.

NURS 4372 is recommended to be taken in the final semester.

First Year
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours 
BIOL 240314BIOL 240414 
CHEM 1406 or 1411 (or CHEM elective or approved elective)4ENGL 130223 
ENGL 130123HIST 130153 
MATH 1314, 1324, 1410, or 142033MATH 1342, 1370, or PSYC 34023 
PSYC 130143PSYC 33743 
 17 16 
Second Year
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours 
Component Area IX63Component Area IV93 
BIOL 2420 or 34704Component Area V3 
FSCN 236273Component Area IX1 
HIST 130253POLS 230683 
POLS 230583  
 16 10 
Third Year
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHoursThird SemesterHours
NURS 33603NURS 40303NURS 33403
NURS 33703NURS 40603NURS 43723
NURS 43823NURS 43833NURS 43813
 NURS 43843 
 9 12 9
Fourth Year
First SemesterHours  
ADN/Diploma Nursing courses applied to RN-BSN Degree10,1132  
 32  
Total Hours: 121
Nursing Prerequisites and Texas Core 59
Nursing Credit Hours (32 credits transferred in from ADN and 30 credits in nursing taken at SHSU)62
Total Hours121
1

Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area III (Life and Physical Science).

2

Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area I (Communications).

3

Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area II (Mathematics). 

4

Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement Component Area VIII (Social and Behavioral Sciences).

5

Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area VI (U.S. History). 

6

SOCI 2319 is recommended and satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area IX (Component Area Option).

7

FSCN 1367 may be used as a transfer course for this requirement; please see a SAM Center advisor for more details.

8

Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area VII (Political Science/Government).

9

PHIL 1301 is recommended and satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area IV (Language, Philosophy, and Culture). 

10

Includes 12 hours NCLEX exam credit: NURS 3620 and NURS 4620.

11

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is completed at a community college prior to applying to the RN-BSN program (joint admission option allows students to apply to the RN-BSN after completing the 1st semester of ADN).

Notes

Students must earn a minimum 2.5 GPA in nursing prerequisites and Core Curriculum coursework. 

Students must earn a 2.0 minimum overall major GPA in all Nursing coursework. 

Students must earn a 2.0 minimum SHSU GPA in all coursework.

Students must meet a 2.0 minimum SHSU major GPA in all major coursework.

A minor is not required for this degree program; however, a student has the option to add a minor, but to do so additional semester credits hours will be needed above the degree program’s stated total semester credit hours. 

All minors can be paired with this degree program. 

Students must apply and be accepted into the SHSU School of Nursing prior to registering for any NURS courses.

Science courses do not require a 7 year renewal.

Students admitted not core complete, must meet the SHSU core curriculum requirements.  For students who are taking prerequisite hours at SHSU, see the pre-licensure BSN requirements.

The nursing credit hours include 32 articulation credits and 30 hours taken at SHSU.  Course substitutions in the degree specific credit hours may require additional elective credit hours to reach the total 121 credits required for the degree.

Students must receive a grade of “C” or better in each NURS course.

Students accepted into the SHSU School of Nursing are required to adhere to additional policies indicated in the School of Nursing student handbook.

NURS 4372 is recommended to be taken in the final semester. 

For more information on the RN-BSN program, contact: prenursing@shsu.edu

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) marketable skills initiative is part of the state’s 60x30TX plan and was designed to help students articulate their skills to employers.  Marketable skills are those skills valued by employers and/or graduate programs that can be applied in a variety of work or education settings and may include interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skill areas.

The RN to BSN is designed to provide graduates with the following marketable skills:

  • Lead in the provision of safe quality care using evidence-based practice.
  • Collaborate with patients and members of the healthcare team to promote health and provide preventive care.

  • Incorporate ethical principles and professional standards to provide quality care to diverse populations.
  • Advocate for patients and the nursing profession while incorporating dynamic system practices, health policies, and global healthcare factors.

  • Maintain confidentiality and protect patient rights utilizing technology and information management systems.