RN to Bachelor to Master of Science in Nursing
Accelerate your path to nursing leadership.
Quick Facts
years to complete
total credit hours
per BSN/MSN credit hour
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Fill out the form below and a skilled and knowledgeable Admissions Representative will get in touch to answer your questions and help with the application process.
[UPBEAT MUSIC]
KAREN BAUCE: We have a full suite of online nursing programs that meet the educational needs of just about anybody, wherever you are.
MARY ALICE DONIUS: We’re not just a picture on a screen. We really are a presence in their life.
PATRICIA CUNLIFFE: The Sacred Heart online program made going for my BSN attainable.
KAREN BAUCE: What’s unique about Sacred Heart University is that we have full-time faculty for all of our online nursing programs. And they are all doctorally prepared.
MARY ALICE DONIUS: And they live all over the country. And they bring different kinds of perspectives to that virtual classroom. One of the things I think our online faculty do very well is to create that intimacy.
KAREN BAUCE: Jean Watson, who is a prominent nursing theorist, coined the term “cybercaring.” And in the online learning environment, what’s really critical for student engagement is that the faculty teaching the course establish presence.
DR COOK: Good morning, Tim. It’s Dr. Cook. How are you today?
SUBJECT 1: It looks to me like you got transfer credit for health assessment and statistics. Is that your understanding as well?
SUBJECT 2: I’m seeing that right here.
KAREN BAUCE: I was fortunate to have had Emily as a student in two of my courses. She was a great example of how it is possible to get to know your students in an online environment.
EMILY NGUYEN: The research course I had with Dr. Bauce really allowed me to take a deeper dive into how research is conducted, how to analyze research, and how to use it in my clinical practice.
KAREN BAUCE: Emily came to me for advice at one point because her mother had recently been diagnosed with a rather serious illness.
EMILY NGUYEN: (CRYING) So I called Dr. Bauce. And I said, I don’t think I can finish the program. I’m going to take a break.
KAREN BAUCE: I knew that Emily wanted to stay in school. And I have to think that in the back of her mind, she probably wanted to finish so that her mother could share in the celebration of her graduation.
EMILY NGUYEN: (CRYING) And Dr. Bauce said, nope. You’re going to get through this. And you’re going to do it. So I give her a lot of credit to this day because if it wasn’t for her and to help me have the support to keep going, I probably wouldn’t be here. It was the best feeling ever and most gratifying. And I was so very happy that she was able to see me walk across the stage.
KAREN BAUCE: We have a full suite of online programs, anything from a nurse needing to complete her BSN to a nurse who already has a master’s degree and wants to get a doctor of nursing practice. We even have opportunities for nurses who have an MSN in one field but decide they want to be an advanced practice nurse. And for that, we have our online family nurse practitioner program.
PATRICIA CUNLIFFE: I graduated in 1989 from a nursing diploma program. And that’s why I found it, initially, difficult learning online. And then I found it very flexible with my work schedule, my family life, to be able to do my assignments whenever I had time available.
I’m in the last two modules before graduation. And it’s required that you perform clinical. In the ICAN program, the whole team navigates the system for homeless people. So it’s trying to engage them and getting them into detox, housing, maybe set up preventative care visits, so they’re not always going into the emergency room. And with going through the Sacred Heart program, I’m starting to look at it different. Like, how can we break these patterns?
EMILY NGUYEN: So the master’s program really helped me transition from a clinical staff nurse at the bedside to have a different way of thinking, more in the perspective of patient safety, quality care, and outcomes.
MARY ALICE DONIUS: We’re very committed to sustaining the quality that we’ve already established in our programs as we launch new programs. So whether they’re on ground or online, they have the same foundation. They have the same core curriculum. They have the same student outcomes. And they’re measured as such.
EMILY NGUYEN: Overall, this program has allowed me to be able to work full-time, go to graduate school, graduate with honors, and have this amazing degree. I found it to be very flexible, rewarding, and achievable.
[UPBEAT MUSIC]
A High-Quality Degree. Customized to You.
Study on your schedule and benefit from the 24/7 flexibility and convenience of Sacred Heart University’s asynchronous online curriculum.
You’ll choose between six start dates throughout the year and tailor your degree to your career with MSN specializations in Nursing Education, Nursing Management & Executive Leadership, and the Clinical Nurse Leader position.
Sacred Heart University is ranked a Top 30 Master’s Level College and University in the North, according to U.S. News & World Report. The RN-BSN-MSN is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), affirming it meets the highest standards of nursing education.
Career Outlook: Graduate Ready for Magnet Positions
Jobs in nursing are booming, with a projected growth rate of 12 percent — more than twice the national average — between 2018 and 2028.1
Earning both your BSN and your MSN gives you access to top-tier leadership positions and an incredible variety of roles. Focus your career on bedside nursing and providing truly exceptional patient care, or branch out into an advanced skill set in education, research, consulting or management.
In addition, more and more hospitals are pursuing the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s Magnet Recognition, the gold standard for health care that emphasizes the importance of a BSN-educated staff. Stand out to these ambitious institutions with your advanced degree.
CAREERS AND SALARIES“The online RN-MSN program is very flexible. It allows you to work your schedule around your job and family and study at your own pace.”
– Monika Costa, Newington, Conn., RN to Bachelor to Master of Science in Nursing, Nursing Education Specialization
Curriculum: Two Programs in One
Our online RN-BSN-MSN allows you to experience two full degrees’ worth of coursework in a single program. You’ll start your coursework with Sacred Heart University’s signature core curriculum, The Human Journey, exploring what it means to be a human being through literature, philosophy, religion, sociology and more.
Complete your coursework with 8–9 MSN courses, depending on your specialization. That’s 3–4 fewer courses than the 12 required by most MSN programs, saving you time and money.
PREVIEW COURSESProgram Outcomes: Become a Nursing Leader
You will complete Sacred Heart’s RN-BSN-MSN program ready to:
- Excel in today’s diverse health care community
- Understand complex organizational structures and the future role of nursing
- Improve health care safety, quality and patient outcomes with interprofessional collaboration
- Apply a background in sciences and the humanities to your practice
- Provide organizational and systems leadership
- Translate and integrate academic research into your practice
- Harness informatics and other new technologies to improve your patient care
Choose From Three MSN Specializations
As part of the online RN-BSN-MSN program, you will choose from three Master of Science in Nursing specializations. Deepen your expertise in nursing education, nursing administration, or the Clinical Nurse Leader position to build a career that suits you.
If you already have your bachelor’s degree, in nursing or another field, you may be interested in our online Master of Science in Nursing.
Admission Requirements
To apply for Sacred Heart University’s online RN-BSN-MSN program, you’ll need:
- Completed application
- Associate’s Degree in Nursing or Diploma in Nursing
- Unencumbered RN license in the state where you reside
- Minimum 3.0 GPA on a scale of 4.0
- Résumé
- Statement of professional goals
- Two letters of recommendation
- Completed criminal background check
- Official transcripts of all prior nursing and academic work
Tuition Details
The online RN-BSN-MSN program consists of 30–120 undergraduate credits and 24–27 graduate credits and costs $590 per undergraduate credit and $695 per graduate credit.
Transfer in up to 90 credits (subject to credit eligibility) to graduate even faster and save even more money on your degree.
Affordability and transparency are priorities at SHU. We want you to have everything you need in order to make a decision about investing in a high-quality education.
TUITION & FEESFaculty: Accomplished and Accessible
Our online RN-BSN-MSN faculty have years of experience in their nursing specialties, extensive scholarly credentials and cutting-edge knowledge from the field.
These award-winning professors are well-versed in online teaching and they’re available to answer your questions and support you as you take the next step in your nursing journey.
Accommodate your busy schedule and learn when and where it’s convenient for you. As an online student, you’ll work with the same accomplished faculty, receive one-on-one support and benefit from the same opportunities as our on-campus students.
ONLINE AT SHUAt Sacred Heart University, we strive to keep our programs affordable and encourage you to explore all of your financial aid options, including federal aid, military benefits and available scholarships.
FINANCIAL AIDFrequently Asked Questions
If you have a question we don’t cover here, request more information or call 877-791-7181.
Our distinguished faculty members have years of clinical experience and in many cases have studied nursing education and performed scholarly research.
Sacred Heart University’s RN-BSN-MSN is a CCNE-accredited program that helps you save time and money as you earn two advanced nursing degrees. We’ve designed this program to fit the life of a busy working nurse with all the flexibility and convenience of online learning.
Most of our students are registered nurses who work full-time and are returning to school to obtain their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing through one cost-saving program.
They’re seeking a degree from an accredited nursing school that has been regionally recognized for nursing excellence, and they desire a specialty in either clinical leadership, nursing management and executive leadership or nursing education.
You can apply right now. Our academic calendar has six RN-BSN-MSN start dates a year, with flexible modules to accommodate your financial aid, tuition reimbursement or scholarship funds. We can help you determine which start date is right for you.
If you have any questions, request more information or call 877-791-7181.
Online learning requires as much time and effort as a traditional campus course. In general, we suggest that you plan on spending 12–15 hours each week for a 3-credit, 8-week-long course.
Yes, Sacred Heart University offers nursing students the opportunity to travel internationally via Global Programs. If you have any questions, request more information or call 877-791-7181.
Sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2019 September 4). Registered Nurses. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved October 8, 2019, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm