Online Nursing Degree (RN to BSN)

Earn the BSN you need to stay competitive in a changing workplace.

In February 2015, a study published in Nursing Economics found that the percentage of BSN-prepared nurses is increasing while the employment of associate degree nurses is decreasing. Soon, a BSN will be the standard for all nurses who desire job security and opportunities for career advancement.

Here is a convenient way to earn your bachelor of science in nursing degree online—at your pace, on your schedule, using knowledge you already have.

Now offered in the self-paced, competency-based UW Flexible Option format, the UW-Milwaukee College of Nursing RN to BSN program is for nurses with associate degrees who would like to earn a baccalaureate degree while still having time for work and family.

(For more about the challenges and opportunities facing nurses today, see our blog post, “Wall Street Journal Reports on Nurses’ Struggle as More Hospitals Require BSNs.”)

Who Should Apply

The UW Flexible Option is especially designed for self-motivated nontraditional students who want their previous schooling, work skills, and prior knowledge to apply toward degrees or certificates. The competency-based and self-paced format of the UW Flexible Option fits the schedules of students who must balance work and family responsibilities with educational goals. Because most UW Flexible Option competencies and assessments are delivered online, students have the opportunity to learn when and where they choose.

This self-paced online nursing degree is ideal for students who:

• Hold an RN license in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, or Iowa
• Have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher and graduated from an associate-degree program in nursing or diploma program in nursing
• Have work experience as a registered nurse
• Are motivated, disciplined self-starters who can work independently
• Desire the prestige and value of a University of Wisconsin degree

Apply Now

About UW-Milwaukee College of Nursing

The UWM College of Nursing is in the top 15% of nursing programs in the nation (according to U.S. News & World Report graduate rankings). UWM faculty lead the nation in cutting-edge research in a some areas including self-management, geriatric health, global health, healthcare delivery and development and community-engaged health research. As the largest nursing program in Wisconsin, the college is also exceptionally proud of its more than 9,000 alumni who provide quality evidence-based care, inspiring education, exceptional research, and administrative leadership to improve healthcare nationally and across the globe.

Accreditation

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at UW-Milwaukee is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org). The program is also approved by the State of Wisconsin Board of Nursing.

Meet Our Faculty

RN to BSN Completion Curriculum

To earn this degree, students must fulfill the general education requirements necessary for a UWM bachelor’s degree, elective requirements, and the unique competency sets that define this online nursing degree.

• Total degree credits required: 124
• After review of your prior college transcripts, you will be given a minimum of 60 credits for your general education and nursing courses earned in your associate degree in nursing (ADN) or nursing diploma program.
• A program plan will be developed just for you in which you will know what courses you will have to complete in the liberal arts and in nursing. You can complete these courses through competency assessment, online or face to face.

Non-nursing

• English Composition II: 3 credits
• Humanities: 3-6 credits
• Arts: 0-3 credits
• History: 3 credits

Social Science: 9 credits

• Sociology
• Psych 101
• Growth & Development

Natural/Biological Sciences: 21 credits

• Chemistry
• Biochemistry (or alternate science course)
• Anatomy & Physiology I and II
• Microbiology
• Nutrition

Electives: 19-25 credits

Competencies

• Math
• English

Cultural Diversity (may or may not apply)
Foreign Language (may or may not apply)

More information on meeting the general education requirements of the degree can be found here.

NURSING COURSES FROM YOUR ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAM: 60 CREDITS

Advanced Nursing Courses (with a grade of C or higher)

Advanced Nursing Electives (minimum of 9 credits; with a grade of C or higher)

The UW Flexible Option offers working adults a more affordable way to earn a UW degree or certificate. Instead of paying by course or by credit, UW Flex lets you pay a flat rate for a three-month subscription period. You won’t spend valuable time or money sitting through courses you don’t need. If you already know the material, you may be able to pass assessments more quickly, and potentially accelerate your time to graduation. 

During your subscription period, you are able to access learning materials, complete assessments, and receive academic support. Subscription periods begin on the second day of every month. You can choose from two subscription options, each with a different tuition, depending on the number of competency sets you wish to attempt during the subscription period. Not sure what a competency set is?  Check out our sample competency set to see one for yourself.

• All-You-Can-Learn Option: Choosing this option allows you to enroll in two or more competency (skill) sets. You may enroll in as many competency sets as you can successfully master within a three-month period for a flat tuition rate of $2,250. This option is ideal for motivated learners who would like to earn their degrees or certificates more quickly.

• Single Competency Set Option: If you would like to study at a slower pace during a three-month subscription period, you may enroll in a single competency set. As with the All-You-Can-Learn Option, you must successfully demonstrate mastery of each competency in the set through a series of assessments. The tuition for this “one-set-per-subscription-period” model is $900.  Note:  After the tenth day of the subscription period, students who are enrolled in the Single Competency Set level are not eligible to add additional competency sets during their subscription period.  Such students must wait until a subsequent subscription period to add additional competency sets.

Additional Fees: Tuition covers assessments and mentoring, but excludes the cost of books and other special materials that may be required for your program.

Ready to flex your potential and fulfill your goals and dreams? You’ve come to the right place!

If you haven’t already read our Frequently Asked Questions, please do so now to gain a better understanding of the UW Flexible Option before you apply for admission.  You may apply for a start date five months in advance, but no later than one month in advance. All of your application materials must be received by us a full month in advance of your desired start date.

Guidelines and Applying for Admission

Our admission review process considers many factors when assessing your application for admission to a UW Flexible Option program. Your high school records, strength of prior college coursework, rigor of curriculum and academic readiness, test scores, grade point average, academic goals, relevant work experience, and your potential for success will all be considered. If you have not connected with one of our helpful UW Flexible Option Enrollment Advisers yet, please contact us at 1-877-895-3276 or via email at flex@uwex.edu to discuss your readiness for this program.

The UW-Milwaukee Bachelor of Science in Nursing RN to BSN completion program admission requirements include:

• A Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, or Iowa RN license*
• Have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher and graduated from an associate-degree program in nursing, or a diploma program in nursing
• Have work experience as a nurse
• Please also note that, while there are no on-campus requirements for the final capstone competency set, students must find their own clinical project and a qualified preceptor in their own workplace or another setting in their community.

*If you live in a different state, you may be eligible depending on the regulations through your state board of nursing (speak with an Enrollment Adviser if you have questions).

UW Flexible Option is only admitting domestic students at this time.  A domestic student is someone who is either a U.S. Citizen, a U.S. Permanent Resident, or holds Refugee, Asylee, or Jay Treaty status.  All applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores or similar proof of English proficiency. 

Students New to UW Flexible Option

Once you have spoken with a UW Flexible Option Enrollment Adviser (1-877-895-3276) to determine whether this innovative education option is right for you, your next step is to formally apply. Keep in mind that when you apply to a UW Flexible Option program, you are applying to the institution granting the degree or certificate. The requirements for admission and graduation are the same as if you were applying to a traditional on-campus or online program.

To apply for admission to a UW Flexible Option program:

1. Complete the online University of Wisconsin System Application for Undergraduate Admission, found at apply.wisconsin.edu.
2. Submit the application processing fee. A $50 nonrefundable fee is required for students applying as degree-seeking candidates to a UW System campus. The fee is not required if any of the following is true:

   > Your last campus at which you were pursuing a degree was one of the 2-year UW Colleges or UW Colleges Online, or
   > You previously were pursuing a degree at the campus to which you are now applying, or
   > You are pursuing a non-degree certificate program at UW-Milwaukee or UW-Parkside

3. Send transcripts. We require official transcripts, sent directly from your high school of graduation (beginning with grade 9) and all post-secondary institutions you have attended. If you did not graduate from high school, completion of a GED and an official copy of your scores are required.  Please have your official transcripts sent either electronically via a secure credentialing service such as Parchment or Credentials or have your official transcripts mailed to:
   UW Flexible Option Enrollment Team
   UW Extended Campus
   5602 Research Park Blvd., Suite 303
   Madison, WI 53719
4. Complete the Holistic Student Profile. Each student enrolling in UW Flexible Option is provided with academic guidance and coaching that is tailored to meet individual needs. To assist our team in preparing the best path for you, you are asked to complete our Holistic Student Profile.  A link to this brief online survey will be provided when we receive your application.
5. Complete Orientation, Part 1. After you have submitted your application, you will be sent a link to Orientation, Part 1. This required online orientation session will explain the key features of competency-based education, UW Flexible Option, what makes us different from other programs, tuition and financial aid opportunities, and next steps in the admission process.
6. Be sure to review important dates to remember

Students Returning to UW Flexible Option

If you were previously enrolled in the UW Flexible Option and now wish to return after a period of time away, discover your next steps.

Residency Requirement

Most University of Wisconsin System campuses require students to complete a specific number of credits “in residence” to earn a degree. (“Resident credits” are credits earned at the campus granting the degree.) Transfer students are responsible for fulfilling these residency requirements.

UW-Milwaukee’s resident credit policy

Transfer students must complete at least 30 credits with UWM, even if this brings the total number of earned credits beyond the total number of credits required for the degree. For example, if you enter a UW Flexible Option program with 100 transferable credits, you must complete 30 credits with UWM to receive the bachelor’s degree (even though normally the degree requires 124 credits).

Placement Tests

Placement tests are designed to measure prerequisite skills that help us place you into the correct college-level English and math competency sets.

You will be asked to take a placement test if:

• You are a new freshman student who has not previously attended college
• You are a transfer student who has not completed a transferable college-level English composition and/or math course.

If you fit one of these categories but previously took placement tests for another UW campus within the last 2 years, you will not be asked to take the tests again.

During the application process for UW Flexible Option, you will be notified if a placement test is required. If you are required to take a test, an Admissions Specialist will explain the process and provide you with instructions to make arrangements. A variety of testing options are available to meet your needs.

It is important that you complete your placement tests in a timely manner—preferably as soon as possible after you learn they are required. Test results must be received by no later than the first day of the month prior to your subscription period start date. This allows your Academic Success Coach time to talk with you about the appropriate English or math level at which you should begin your studies, and ensures that you have enough time to enroll in your required competency set(s).

Still have questions about the admission process?  Check out our Admission FAQ page.