Applicants to the BSN Completion Option are often professionals in other disciplines who elect to make a career change after completing a BA, BS, or Associate Degree. Other applicants are inspired to pursue a nursing career by building on the competencies gained in postsecondary courses. For students transferring in general education courses from other accredited institutions, this option provides a focused nursing curriculum with didactic and clinical components built on the general education courses. Graduates are prepared to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN®) and earn a BSN degree. This option consists of seven quarters of nursing courses with both didactic and clinical components built on foundational courses and are generally completed in 21 months of full-time study.
Upon completion, a student should be prepared to:
- Synthesize knowledge from nursing and the arts and sciences in the holistic practice of professional nursing.
- Design, manage, and coordinate nursing care to quality and safety standards.
- Base practice on current knowledge, theory, and research.
- Integrate effective inter-professional collaboration practice to enhance the health of all patients, including diverse and vulnerable populations.
- Use patient care technologies and clinical information systems to facilitate decision making necessary for delivery of safe care.
Note: See “General Education Outcomes.”
Applicants without a Baccalaureate Degree
Applicants to the BSN Completion Option without a prior baccalaureate degree must show completion of a minimum of 56 semester credits or 80 quarter credits of postsecondary coursework from an accredited institution with a GPA of 2.0 or better and with grades of C or above (C- or below are not acceptable) for the courses noted below.
| Course | Semester Hours | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Microbiology with Lab | 4 | 6 |
| Anatomy & Physiology with Labs (2 courses with labs) | 8 | 12 |
| Sciences (2 courses; 1 with lab) | 7 | 10 |
| Algebra (or higher math level) | 3 | 4 |
| Statistics | 3 | 4 |
| Psychology | 3 | 4 |
| Human Growth & Development | 3 | 4 |
| Nutrition | 3 | 4 |
| English Coursework | 6 | 8 |
| General Education Coursework | 16 | 24 |
| Totals | 56 | 80 |
Applicants with a Baccalaureate Degree
Applicants to the BSN Completion Option, who already possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, must show satisfactory completion of 56 semester credits or 80 quarter credits from an accredited institution with a GPA of 2.0 or better and with grades of C or above (C- or below are not acceptable) for the courses noted below.
| Course | Semester Hours | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Microbiology with Lab | 4 | 6 |
| Anatomy & Physiology with Labs (2 courses with labs) | 8 | 12 |
| Statistics | 3 | 4 |
| Human Growth & Development | 3 | 4 |
| Nutrition | 3 | 4 |
| General Education | 35 | 50 |
| Totals | 56 | 80 |
In addition:
- Microbiology, Anatomy & Physiology, and Pathophysiology courses cannot have been completed more than seven years prior to the applicant’s Denver College of Nursing start date.
- General education courses must be from three different disciplines such as Humanities, Arts, Communication, Social Sciences, History, etc.
- Applicants to the BSN Completion Option must show satisfactory completion of 56 semester credits or 80 quarter credits from an accredited institution with a GPA of 2.0 or better and with grades of C or above (C- or below are not acceptable for all listed pre-requisite courses).
- Denver College of Nursing generally does not transfer in nursing courses to the BSN completion program.
Note: Meet additional requirements detailed in the “Admissions Policies and Procedures” section of this catalog.
Required Courses
Quarter 1
Quarter 2
Quarter 3
Quarter 4
Quarter 5
Quarter 6
Quarter 7
| Credit Type | Quarter Credits |
|---|---|
| Program Gen-Ed Quarter Credits | 13 |
| Program Nursing Quarter Credits | 87 |
| Transfer General Education Quarter Credits | 80 |
| Total Quarter Credits Earned for the BSN Degree | 180 |
If interested in a slower paced, reduced class load per term, see your admissions advisor.