Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (RN-BSN Completion) requires a minimum of 120 hours. Pre-requisite course requirements can be completed before progressing to upper division RN-BSN courses.

After admission to the RN-BSN program and completion of all BSN degree requirements: Students awarded an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) with an unencumbered RN licensure from an accredited nursing program or Students with an unencumbered RN Licensure with a Diploma in Nursing from an accredited nursing program will be awarded up to 38 credits towards meeting educational competencies for their degree. Number of credits awarded will be determined after careful review of student transcript and program of study degree requirements. Additional coursework may be needed to satisfy outstanding credits not met by ADN or Diploma degree.  Education competency credits are held and will be awarded upon successful completion of all BSN degree requirements.

Progression Requirements

Students must apply directly to the RN-BSN program for admission to the university. Admission is competitive, based on GPA, RN licensure, and degree completion from an accredited nursing institution. 

Only one nursing course may be repeated once to earn a grade of C or better to remain eligible for the nursing major. A minimum grade of C is required in all other nursing courses. All students must maintain a minimum 3.000 institutional GPA in order to maintain good standing in the nursing program. Grades are reviewed at the end of each semester. Students who have less than a 3.000 institutional GPA are placed on probation within the college for one semester but may continue to take all required courses. If at the end of the probationary semester their institutional GPA is still less than 3.000, students are administratively removed from the RN-BSN program.

RN-BSN students are required to attend a face-to-face clinical capstone experience at an approved clinical site in their local community or Columbia, SC. 

Learning Outcomes

1. Provide evidence-based, culturally sensitive, clinically competent care across the continuum of care.
2. Use information and health care technologies to assist in making clinical judgments using reflection, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills for effective health care delivery.
3. Exhibit professional behavior while working as a member of an interprofessional healthcare team and in all other settings.
4. Perform the professional roles of care provider, care coordinator, leader, member of a profession, and life-long learner.

Admissions

RN-BSN Program (Post-Licensure)

In order to be eligible for the RN-BSN program, students must meet all the admission requirements of the College of Nursing and University. Specific RN-BSN program admission requirements are as follows:

• An Associate Degree in Nursing or Diploma in Nursing from an accredited program
• Official Transcripts from all schools attended
• Application
• Application Fee
• English Proficiency Requirement¹
• Other Supporting Materials - Criminal Background check and drug screen
• Current unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) license to practice professional nursing in the United States
• Minimum Nursing (Previous Associate or Diploma) Degree GPA of 3.000²

¹

International applicants must be proficient in the English language. A score of 550 or above on the paper version of the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is required. (A score of 210 or higher on the computerized version is required, and a minimum score of 77 on the Internet version is required.) TOEFL scores are not required for international students from countries where the primary language of instruction is English nor from graduates of high schools in the United States.

²

Students with a life GPA below 3.00 may be conditionally admitted, provided they have not completed more than 120 hours of prior collegiate coursework and have met all other admission requirements. 

Degree Requirements (120 hours)

Program of Study

Program Summary

Requirements	Credit Hours
1. Carolina Core	32-44
2. College Requirements	7
3. Program Requirements	38-50
4. Major Requirements	28

Founding Documents Requirement

All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade in the subject areas of History, Political Science, or African American Studies that covers the founding documents including the United State Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation and one or more documents that are foundational to the African American Freedom struggle, and a minimum of five essays from the Federalist papers.  This course may count as a requirement in any part of the program of study including the Carolina Core, the major, minor or cognate, or as a general elective.  Courses that meet this requirement are listed here.

1. Carolina Core Requirements (32-44 hours)

CMW – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Written (6 hours)

• ENGL 101
• ENGL 102

ARP – Analytical Reasoning and Problem Solving (6 hours) 

• STAT 112
• STAT 205

Note: May substitute STAT 201 or STAT 206 for STAT 205.

SCI – Scientific Literacy (8 hours)

• BIOL 243¹
• BIOL 243L¹
• BIOL 244¹
• BIOL 244L¹

¹

Pre-requisite course for nursing courses.

GFL – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Foreign Language  (0-6 hours)

Demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language by achieving a score of two or higher on the Foreign Language Placement Test or by completing one Foreign Language through 110 or 121.

• CC-GFL courses

GHS – ​Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Historical Thinking (3 hours) 

• any CC-GHS course​ ​ 

GSS – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Social Sciences (3 hours) 

• PSYC 101

AIU – Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding (3 hours)

• any CC-AIU course

CMS – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Spoken Component¹ (0-3 hours)

• any overlay or stand-alone CC-CMS course

INF – Information Literacy¹ (0-3 hours)

• any overlay or stand-alone CC-INF course

VSR – Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility¹ (0-3 hours)

• any overlay or stand-alone CC-VSR course

¹

Carolina Core Stand Alone or Overlay Eligible Requirements — Overlay-approved courses offer students the option of meeting two Carolina Core components in a single course. A maximum of two overlays is allowed. The total Carolina Core credit hours must add up to a minimum of 31 hours. Some programs may have a higher number of minimum Carolina Core hours due to specified requirements.

2. College Requirements (7 hours)

Must be passed with a grade of C or higher.

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
BIOL 250	Microbiology	3
BIOL 250L	Microbiology Laboratory	1
PSYC 420	Survey of Developmental Psychology	3
Total Credit Hours		7

3. Program Requirements (38-50 hours)

Supporting Course (3 hours)

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
SOCY 101	Introductory Sociology	3
Total Credit Hours		3

Licensure Exam Credit (up to 38 hours)

After admission to the RN-BSN program and completion of all BSN degree requirements: Students awarded an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) with an unencumbered RN licensure from an accredited nursing program or Students with an unencumbered RN Licensure with a Diploma in Nursing from an accredited nursing program will be awarded up to 38 credits towards meeting educational competencies for their degree). The number of credits awarded will be determined after careful review of the student transcript and program of study requirements. Additional coursework may be needed to satisfy outstanding credits not met by ADN or Diploma degree. Education competency credits are held and will be awarded upon successful completion of all BSN degree requirements.

Electives (0-12 hours)

As needed to meet minimum 120 hours required for graduation. More than 12 hours may be required depending upon credit given for Licensure Exam.

4. Major Requirements (28 hours)

A minimum grade of C is required in all major courses.

Major Courses (28-29 hours)

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
Upper Division Courses 1
NURS 250	Nursing Science in Professional Practice	3
NURS 309	Nursing Health Assessment	3
NURS 313	Nursing Care of the Older Adult	3
NURS 318	Application of Pathophysiology and Pharmacology in Nursing	3
NURS 400	Evidence-based Nursing Practice	3
NURS 420	Emerging Issues in Health Care	3
NURS 428	Nursing Leadership and Management	4
NURS 431	Population Health Nursing	3-4
NURS 434	Community-Based Clinical Practicum for RNs	3
Total Credit Hours		28-29

¹

Courses are offered in 7-week blocks in an online format 

USC Residency Requirements for BSN Graduation

The last 25% of a student’s degree must be completed in residence (meaning through USC Columbia coursework or other USC campus), and at least half of the hours in the student’s major and minor courses (if applicable) must be taken at the University, i.e.122 credits = 31 hours. Advanced placement exam credits or transfer credits do not meet this requirement. Students must meet these requirements to be eligible for BSN graduation.

Major Map

A major map is a layout of required courses in a given program of study, including critical courses and suggested course sequences to ensure a clear path to graduation.

Major maps are only a suggested or recommended sequence of courses required in a program of study. Please contact your academic advisor for assistance in the application of specific coursework to a program of study and course selection and planning for upcoming semesters.

Nursing-R.N., B.S.N.