The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) has granted accreditation to a number of on-campus university nursing programs. However, only a few online nursing programs from the best online nursing schools are CCNE-accredited.
This article, by using statistics from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and rankings from the Nursing Online Education Database (NOEDb), presents the best online nursing schools students should consider.
Drexel University – Online RN to BSN Program
One way to determine the integrity and reputation of a university as a medical research institution is to find out the level of NIH funding that university has been granted. Drexel University received $30,528,162 of NIH funding through 79 research grants (according to the latest data), making it one of the largest NIH grant recipients among campus-based colleges which have online nursing schools.
Drexel University's online RN to BSN program is intended for registered nurses who are interested in pursing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Below are some of the program's highlights:
- The online nursing degree program is CCNE-accredited
- The degree can be completed fully online, as there are no on-campus requirements
- Students can transfer in up to 133 of the 180 credits required
- Tuition reductions are available for employees of partnering health agencies and community colleges
Online courses are delivered on an asynchronous schedule, meaning students have the freedom to log in and learn whenever it is most convenient for them. The program is set up this way primarily because it is intended for working nurses unable to attend campus-based programs. Online students are required to attend live chat sessions at least four times each quarter.
In addition, students must complete an offline clinical requirement, which entails 60 hours of on-site work at an appropriate nursing facility (other than hospitals).
In order to apply, students must meet the following criteria:
- RN licensure
- College GPA of at least 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale)
- High school degree or equivalency
- Transcripts from previous colleges and universities attended
Interested students should also be aware that Drexel University offers an RN to BSN to MSN degree as well. For more information on tuition and requirements, contact Drexel University at (877) 215-0009.
Walden University – Online BSN Degree Program
Walden University, ranked by NOEDb as one of the ten best online nursing schools, offers an online Bachelor of Science in Nursing completion program (which in reality is an online RN to BSN program).
Interested students must meet the following criteria in order to apply:
- Students must have a current nursing license
- High school degree or equivalency
- Transcripts from previous schools
Online courses at Walden University are asynchronous, giving working students the ability to choose when and where they would like to learn online. The online platform provides students with lectures, reading materials, assignments, access to research resources, and access to discussion forums.
While the program takes 180 credits to complete, students are able to transfer in as many as 135 credits from other institutions. While the degree can take as little as 18 months to complete, graduation times will depend on the number of credits a student transfers in with and the number of courses a student takes each semester.
Students should be aware that, while Walden University's MSN program has received CCNE accreditation, the BSN program is awaiting accreditation.
For more information on tuition and requirements, contact a Walden University enrollment advisor at 1-866-492-5336.
University of Phoenix – Online RN to BSN Program
The University of Phoenix, ranked by NOEDb as one of the top 10 online nursing schools, offers a CCNE-accredited online RN to BSN degree program.
The online nursing school requires that students take at least 41 of the 120 credit hours required for completion at the University of Phoenix; thus, students are allowed to transfer in with a large credit load having already been completed elsewhere.
Students are required to complete a senior practicum, which demands 25 hours of a clinical practicum. This capstone course is intended to give students the opportunity to demonstrate that they have internalized (and can thus practice) all that they have learned.
Online courses at the University of Phoenix are delivered both in real-time (synchronous) and via archived lectures (asynchronous). This format allows students to learn whenever it is most convenient for them by taking advantage of the asynchronous schedule while giving them the opportunity to attend live classes when their schedules allow such flexibility.
The University of Phoenix also has over 200 physical campus locations, and online students have the option of attending lectures on-campus to supplement their online learning if they so choose.
For more information on tuition and requirements, contact an enrollment officer at 1-866-766-0766.
Financial Aid at Online Nursing Schools
Online nursing students are eligible for federal students loans provided by the Nursing Student Loan Program. To be eligible, students must be enrolled at least half-time in a participating degree program that is accredited, and demonstrate a financial need.
For more information concerning eligibility requirements and how to apply, see "Nursing Loans and Nursing Loan Repayment."
Benefits of Online RN to BSN Programs
Online programs allow working health professionals to attain an academic degree while maintaining their professional careers. This flexibility gives working nurses the opportunity for professional advancement from the comfort of their own homes.
With CCNE-accredited online nursing schools and programs available, working nurses and health professionals interested in attaining a bachelor degree are encouraged to find the program which is the best educational fit.
For more information on the programs detailed in this article, see Drexel University and NOEDb's online rankings.
David Harris-Gershon - David Harris-Gershon – a blogger for Tikkun magazine and a freelance writer on Israel, the Middle East and America’s role in ...
Join the Conversation