Please note: Applicants must be California residents and have graduated from an Accredited Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program (or equivalent accredited Associate Degree program); have passed the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN); and hold a currently active, unencumbered, unrestricted, and unlimited California Registered Nurse (RN) license.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees provide Registered Nurses (RN) with the education needed to improve patient and organizational outcomes, apply evidence into practice, and take on additional responsibilities including supervising others, making emergency decisions without a doctor’s presence, and working in specialized departments. A BSN also allows nurses to meet standards set by the National Association of School Nurses and the Institute of Medicine’s Future of Nursing Initiative and will allow RNs to pursue advanced degrees in Nursing. According to a report in Nurse Journal, the demand for a BSN degree continues to increase along with a nursing shortage in California and other states, while PayScale reports that the salary for nurses with BSN degrees ranks significantly higher than for those with only associate degrees. This demand is further fueled by the increasing number of hospitals seeking the Magnet designation, which identifies BSN preparation as foundational, and relies on nurses' professional development as one of its essential elements.

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Online RN to BSN program at CSULB provides a competitive degree for working nurses in California who already have an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) with 70 lower-division units completed. This undergraduate degree can be completed either part-time in approximately 18 months or full-time within one year. The program provides clinical reasoning and leadership skills to thrive and advance in healthcare careers. The curriculum is designed to explore cultural, political, and socioeconomic issues that affect patient care delivery, including physical assessment skills, knowledge of pathophysiology, applying evidence-based research, and a foundation for improving the quality of healthcare systems and processes.  

The program’s expert faculty include professional clinicians and instructors from CSULB’s School of Nursing, which is currently ranked the #1 Best Bachelor Degree in Nursing Program in California as well as the #5 Best Bachelor Degree in Nursing Program in the U.S. (RNCareers.org). Online classes offer maximum flexibility for working nurses, enabling them upon graduation to pursue further education and/or professional opportunities in nursing administration, management, and education in a variety of settings. 

In order to obtain a BSN degree from CSULB, students are required to complete 120 credit units, of which up to 70 units can be transferred in for the RN-BSN degree. There are three categories of required components of study:

1. Required nursing courses: There are seven required nursing courses (29 credits) that all students must complete at CSULB. Transfer credits for these requirements are not allowed. Two courses (community health and self-directed study) require a preceptor experience with 135 hours at a site chosen/facilitated by the student and approved by the School of Nursing.  
2. Prerequisite courses: These courses are required prior to admission to the RN-BSN program and include courses taken in an accredited ADN nursing program.  If any additional courses in this category are required, they will be identified at the time of advising.
3. General education courses: CSULB and other universities require all bachelor’s degree students to attain a total of 120 credits within specific general education categories. Any additional courses needed in this category will be identified during your advising appointment.

Core Nursing Course Requirements (29 units) 

• NRSG 305 - Pathophysiology for Nurses (3 units)
• NRSG 309 - Dimensions of Professional Nursing (2 units)
• NRSG 312 - Health Assessment (3 units), Prerequisites: NRSG 309 or consent of instructor.
• NRSG 402 - Community Health Nursing (6 units), prerequisites: NRSG 305, NRSG 309, NRSG 312 or consent of instructor.
• NRSG 450 - Nursing Research (3 units). Prerequisites: NRSG 312 or consent of instructor
• NRSG 454 - Professional Nursing Practice Preceptorship (6 units). Prerequisites: NRSG 312, NRSG 305, NRSG 309 or consent of the instructor
• NRSG 456 - Health Care Delivery Systems and Nursing Leadership (3 units). Prerequisites: NRSG 450 or consent of the instructor
• PHIL 403 - Medical Ethics (3 units)

Potential students interested in learning more about this program are encouraged to attend a free information session. The information sessions include short presentations by a program representative, designed to provide you with an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the program's benefits.

Upcoming online Information Sessions are listed below when they are available. Choose a date and click the link to register for that Zoom meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with details about joining the meeting.

If no sessions are listed below, then none are currently available. Please check this page at a later date to view updated sessions.

Registered Nurse (RN) applicants are required to apply for admission to the University and fulfill the following:

1. Be a California resident who holds an active, unencumbered, unrestricted current RN license, or be eligible for licensure in the state of California by the time classes begin;
2. Already graduated from an accredited Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program, or evaluation of diploma program for equivalency by an Accredited Associate Degree program (an Associate Degree in a non-nursing major will not meet this requirement);
3. Have 56 to 70 transferable units including Critical Thinking, Oral Communication, Written Communication, Statistics and Chemistry;
4. Have a minimum GPA of 2.75 in all community college courses required for the Associate Degree in Nursing;
5. Meet these major-specific degree requirements:

• • BIOL 207: Human Physiology Lecture & Lab
  • BIOL 208: Human Anatomy Lecture & Lab
  • BIOL 201: Microbiology Lecture & Lab (General Microbiology for Health Professionals)
  • CHEM: General, Inorganic, Organic or Integrated (with associated lab if required at the institution where the course was taken)
  • Complete one of the following:
    • STAT 108: Statistics for Everyday Life
    • HDEV 190: Elementary Statistics in Social and Behavioral Sciences
    • PSY 110: Introductory Statistics
    • SOC 170: Elementary Statistics
    • STAT 118: Introductory Business Statistics

6. Maintain malpractice and health insurance throughout clinical coursework and submit to a criminal background check;
7. Fulfill the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) either prior to admission or within the first semester in the program.

Admission to the RN to BSN degree program requires approval by the University and the program's Undergraduate Applicant Review Committee. Please follow all directions closely.

Admission Criteria, Documentation, and Information

To be admitted to the program, you must apply for admission using the California State University admissions portal called Cal State Apply. By applying online, you can start, stop, and save your application information throughout the process. You will need the name of previous college(s), dates attended, units completed, major, and GPA.

In total, you will need to fill out three admission forms for your application to be complete:

1. Cal State Apply
2. CSULB Supplemental Application
3. RN-BSN Online Program Application   

Note the following steps to begin the application process:

• Select a term to apply for (Spring or Fall)
• Sign in or create a Cal State Apply account
• Scroll down to the section entitled “Long Beach Extension.” Please do not use the search bar
• Select the program "Nursing - Online RN to BSN" (it will show a green check mark to indicate that you have chosen the correct program)
• Use the dashboard to continue with your application for admission to the program

You will be asked to provide the following:

• Personal Information
• Academic History
• Supporting Information
• Program Materials

When you are ready to apply, please follow the following steps:

1. Apply online at Cal State Apply.
2. Apply to the School of Nursing RN-BSN Online Application
3. Wait for the university's initial admissions decision
4. If requested, submit CSULB Supplemental Application materials
5. When requested, submit official transcripts: see #4 under Steps for Newly Admitted Transfers
6. Receive admission or denial letter from the university
7. Receive admission or denial letter from the School of Nursing
8. Once admitted, schedule an appointment with CHHS Academic Advising 
9. Register and enroll to begin classes: see Registration Information

Note: CSULB uses email as the official means of communication, so applicants are required to maintain a current email address on file with the university and check their email regularly. You may update your email address or check the status of your admission application by visiting the Applicant Self-Service webpage.

Application Periods
The RN to BSN program is currently admitting students for the Spring semester. Applications are open from August 1, 2024 to November 15, 2024 for the Spring 2025 semester; and from October 1, 2024 to March 15, 2025 for the Fall 2025 semester (early start in Summer is available).