School of Nursing and Health Professions

According to state statutes, nurses should have a BSN degree to work in public and community health settings. Many healthcare facilities prefer to hire BSN-prepared nurses over those with an associate degree and often require a BSN to advance into leadership roles. Additionally, a bachelor’s degree prepares nurses for graduate studies. A BSN also is required for a number of nursing certifications, including preoperative (CNOR), labor and delivery (RNC-OB), psychiatric (RN-BC), flight nurse (CFRN), and many more. Additionally, a bachelor’s degree is a pre-requisite for many advanced nursing degrees, such as a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree.

The School of Nursing and Health Professions offers Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) for qualified nurses with specialty certification(s). Students are encouraged to contact their faculty adviser after admission into the BSN@Home program.

Students may take general education courses at other UW System schools and transfer the credit to UW Oshkosh. For courses to count as UW Oshkosh requirements, the courses must be similar in nature, level and content to a course in our undergraduate curriculum, and applicable to one of our academic programs. For more information, check our transfer website and consult your advisor.

Students may transfer up to 90 credits towards the BSN degree. Student transcripts are evaluated by the UW Oshkosh Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Ask your advisor about course transfer.

Students submit official transcripts to the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Transcripts are not submitted to the School of Nursing and Health Professions.

The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA), in partnership with the regional compacts, helps SARA expand students’ access to educational opportunities and ensures more efficient, consistent, and effective regulation of distance learning programs. UW Oshkosh is a member of the NC-SARA partnership.

• For more information about NC-SARA schools please visit the website

Students enrolled in the concurrent ADN BSN track are admitted to a Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) associate degree in nursing program and have completed the prerequisites. In partnership with the WTCS, UW Oshkosh offers admission to ADN RN students who have completed the second semester of a full-time program with a 3.0 GPA. Students may take BSN courses concurrently with ADN courses. Following ADN graduation and licensure, students complete the BSN degree.

The RN to BSN program of study is designed for associate degree nurses. Applicants to the RN to BSN program must be admitted to UW Oshkosh and have a cumulative minimum GPA of 2.5 to start nursing courses. To progress in the program, students must earn a C or better in all professional program courses, and 2.0 GPA overall. Students must maintain a current, unencumbered RN license throughout the program, and complete general education coursework prior to their last semester in the nursing program. Students may transfer up to 90 credits toward their BSN degree. The RN to BSN track offers admission each semester and is designed to be completed according to the student’s timeline, within one to five years.

To earn a BSN, RN to BSN /BSN@Home students must complete upper-level general education courses beyond their ADN coursework. These courses broaden academic knowledge and support professional nursing practice. Upper-level general education course requirements are listed here.

In addition to coursework completed in an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program, RN to BSN students complete additional upper-level nursing courses to fulfill the requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. 

• RN-BSN-BSN@Home-plan-of-study example