Understand Your Path
Required Credits and Program Pacing
You need a minimum of 120 credits to earn the BSN degree, and you can transfer up to 90 credits of college-level courses into the program.
All students in the program are strongly encouraged to pursue a part-time track (6 to 9 credits per semester). If a student wishes to enroll in more than 9 credits per semester, a course plan must be approved by an academic advisor.
The UPMC partnership will cover the costs for up to 11 credits per semester and for as long as it takes to complete the program. If a student enrolls in more than 11 credits per semester, the student will be billed directly for the additional credits at the per-credit rate in place at that time.
Example Course Progressions
Below are examples of different course progressions and potential time to complete the program, based on different levels of transfer credits and your previous education experience.
You Have 90 Transfer Credits
If you have 90 transfer credits (from an associate degree in nursing, or nursing diploma program and additional college credits), you may be able to complete the program in four terms. Chatham offers a spring or fall start for UPMC nurse students, and all students will progress through a part-time curriculum unless additional courses are approved by an advisor.
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Part-Time Curriculum Plan (4 Semesters) |
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Semester 1 (8 credits) |
IND175 Academic Resources and Strategies for Nurses (Term 2 | 15 weeks) |
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NUR407 Scholarship Foundations in Nursing |
NUR402 Health Policy and Finance for Nurses |
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Semester 2 (9 credits) |
NUR410 Global, Cultural, and Diverse Populations |
NUR409W Community Health and Prevention |
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Elective (3 Credits) |
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Semester 3 (7 credits) |
NUR414 Nursing Informatics, Technology and Communication |
NUR415 Contemporary Issues in Nursing |
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Elective (1 Credit) |
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Semester 4 (6 credits) |
NUR412 Organizational Quality Improvement and Safety |
NUR499W Nursing Leadership and Professional Identity Development |
You Have Fewer Than 90 Transfer Credits
If you have fewer than 90 transfer credits, you will need to complete the credits for the RN-BSN program and any remaining general education credits to reach the 120-credit requirement. That could be achievable in eight terms. Chatham offers a spring or fall start for UPMC nurse students, and all students will progress through a part-time curriculum unless additional courses are approved by an advisor.
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Part-Time Curriculum Plan (8 Semesters) |
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Semester 1 (8 credits) |
IND175 Academic Resources and Strategies for Nurses (Term 2 | 15 weeks) |
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NUR407 Scholarship Foundations in Nursing |
NUR402 Health Policy and Finance for Nurses |
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Semester 2 (6 credits) |
NUR410 Global, Cultural, and Diverse Populations |
NUR409W Community Health and Prevention |
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Semester 3 (4 credits) |
General Education Course (3 Credits) |
General Education Course (1 Credit) |
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Semester 4 (6 credits) |
NUR414 Nursing Informatics, Technology and Communication |
NUR415 Contemporary Issues in Nursing |
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Semester 5 (6 credits) |
NUR412 Organizational Quality Improvement and Safety |
NUR499W Nursing Leadership and Professional Identity Development |
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Semester 6 (6 Credits) |
General Education Course (3 Credits) |
General Education Course (3 Credits) |
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Semester 7 (6 Credits) |
General Education Course (3 Credits) |
General Education Course (3 Credits) |
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Semester 8 (9 Credits) |
General Education Course (3 Credits) |
General Education Course (3 Credits) |
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General Education Course (3 Credits) |
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You Have A Bachelor's Degree
If you have already earned a bachelor’s degree (in any field) from an accredited institution of higher education, you may complete the RN-BSN at Chatham by completing 26 required core RN-BSN credits. Chatham offers a spring or fall start for UPMC nurse students, and all students will progress through a part-time curriculum unless additional courses are approved by an advisor.
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Part-Time Curriculum Plan (4 Semesters) |
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Semester 1 (8 credits) |
IND175 Academic Resources and Strategies for Nurses (Term 2 | 15 weeks) |
|
|
NUR407 Scholarship Foundations in Nursing |
NUR402 Health Policy and Finance for Nurses |
|
|
|
|
|
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Semester 2 (6 credits) |
NUR410 Global, Cultural, and Diverse Populations |
NUR409W Community Health and Prevention |
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Semester 3 (6 credits) |
NUR414 Nursing Informatics, Technology and Communication |
NUR415 Contemporary Issues in Nursing |
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Semester 4 (6 credits) |
NUR412 Organizational Quality Improvement and Safety |
NUR499W Nursing Leadership and Professional Identity Development |