RN-to-BS Program Information

The Framingham State University undergraduate Nursing Program is an RN-to-BS program, intended for licensed Registered Nurses (RNs) with either an Associate's degree or Diploma in Nursing who want to advance their careers by obtaining the bachelor's degree.  It is not a prelicensure program that teaches Nursing fundamentals and skills, and is not meant to prepare graduates to take the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

All nursing majors enrolled in Nursing courses are considered Transfer Students in the Day Division, not in the Division of Graduate at Continuing Education (DGCE).  Students may enroll as part-time students with one or two courses a semester or be full-time with 3 or 4 courses/semester.  Students may change from part-time to full-time status and vice versa.

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Framingham State University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Nursing Department is to promote the intellectual, social, cultural, and ethical development of the student to address healthcare of diverse individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations through formal and informal teaching and learning processes.  The curricula are based on the premise that the baccalaureate and graduate levels of education in Nursing provide the foundation for active and collaborative life-long learning and foster a commitment to excellence. 

PROGRAM GOALS

The goal of the undergraduate program is to prepare nurses who are able to function as generalists that can address the wide range of issues that affect the delivery of health care in a variety of settings.  At the graduate level, the goal is preparation of professional nurses who can synthesize practice with theory and research to provide education, leadership, and service to the public and to the profession.

RN-to-BS CURRICULUM 

The Nursing curriculum is supported by a broad educational base in the humanities and in the natural and social sciences gained through prelicensure coursework. The program encourages self-directed learning, critical thinking, independent action, and professional awareness. The goal is preparation of a nurse who is able to function as a generalist in a variety of health-care settings. The course of study provides a base for graduate work in education, research, clinical specialization, or administration.

RN-to-BS Program: Organized Around Prevention

The curriculum is organized around the concept of prevention as a means of attaining wellness. The goal of prevention includes:

1. Primary prevention - to prevent the initiation of illness through the reduction of risk factors and the promotion of wellness.
2. Secondary prevention - to arrest the development of illness through early detection of illness and the promotion of wellness.
3. Tertiary prevention - to minimize the consequences of illness and disability through the promotion of wellness.

UNDERGRADUATE EXPECTED STUDENT PROGRAM OUTCOMES

The RN-to-BS program prepares graduates to:

I. Formulate decisions about nursing practice using a foundation of evolving knowledge from Nursing, biological, and behavioral sciences and the humanities.
II. Integrate ethics, integrity, and respect into patient-centered, evidence-based nursing practice.
III. Apply effective written and oral communication, teamwork, and collaborative strategies to influence health-related outcomes.
IV. Analyze the role of health promotion and disease/injury prevention to improve the health and safety of populations.
V. Demonstrate leadership skills in the oversight of, and accountability for, safe care delivery in a variety of settings.
VI. Employ innovations in information management and technology for the delivery of quality patient care.

Applicants must meet the following requirements for undergraduate admissions

I. Submit evidence of current unrestricted Registered Nurse licensure in Massachusetts (may apply during the final semester of the prelicensure nursing program, but must be licensed prior to taking nursing courses).
II. Apply to Framingham State University
III. A GPA of 2.5 or higher in prelicensure nursing courses.
IV. Submit official transcripts from prelicensure nursing program and all colleges/universities attended.

More information about entry requirements.

Nursing Education Transfer Policy (NETP)

For Registered Nurses who graduated from public or private Associate Degree in Nursing Programs in Massachusetts, the NETP includes:

Acceptance in transfer all courses earned as part of a Board of Registration in Nursing (BORN) approved public or private Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program, without time restriction*, as a body of knowledge and practical experience that is a prerequisite to National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) licensure.

*Exceptions to this policy may be applied by FSU for specific courses, i.e. sciences

Transfer credit evaluations are completed by the Office of the University Registrar. Registered Nurses may receive credit for nursing and non-nursing college-level courses successfully completed at other regionally-accredited higher education institutions.

Lower Division Nursing Knowledge

Credit for Prelicensure Program Coursework

Accepted Credit 

Accepted RN-to-BS program students will have all prelicensure program Nursing coursework accepted in transfer, excluding any remedial work, which will be reflected in the Open/Free Elective area on students' degree audits. The list below reflects the numbers of semester hour credits that would be transferred for the prelicensure Nursing courses from the state community colleges:

Bristol - 36 semester hours

Bunker - 39 semester hours

Cape Cod - 38 semester hours

Greenfield - 40 semester hours

Massasoit - 35 semester hours

MassBay - 40 semester hours

Middlesex – 39 semester hours

Mount Wachusett - 37 semester hours

North Shore - 40 semester hours

Northern Essex – 40 semester hours

Quinsigamond - 37 semester hours

The General Education Requirement
As per the Nursing Education Transfer Policy (NETP), nursing students who attended a Massachusetts state community college and have completed the MassTransfer Block (General Education), as indicated as such on the community college transcript, may be required to complete no more than two additional courses at FSU to satisfy FSU’s Domain General Education model. A nursing student who has previously completed a bachelor’s degree from a regional-accredited institution in the United States will be considered as having completed FSU’s Domain General Education Model.

Students who do not meet the General Education requirements through the Mass Transfer Block must meet the University’s Domain General Education Requirements. See the Framingham State University Undergraduate Catalog for details.

Course Prerequisites
Courses may have specified conditions for enrollment, such as prior completion of less advanced courses, permission of the instructor, or appropriate placement test scores. Students should refer to course descriptions in the department listings for prerequisite requirements.