University of Alaska

Nursing Programs Offered

ADN Programs
BSN Programs
LPN Programs
Medical Assistant Programs
MSN Programs
Radiography Programs
RN Programs
RN to BSN Programs

RN to BSN Program Details

For students who hold current licensure as a Registered Professional Nurse in the State of Alaska, the School offers Bachelor of Science, Nursing Science, Registered Nurse Option distance delivered "RN-only" courses and sections within the nursing major designed to build upon the RN's basic preparation and experience and to facilitate progress in meeting program objectives. Previous college credits are evaluated for comparability to established requirements within the program and may be accepted for transfer. In addition, credit by examination is available to satisfy some General Education Requirements. Additional information is available upon request.
Admission Requirements

Registered nurses returning to complete the baccalaureate degree in nursing science must successfully complete the same academic prerequisites as basic students. Students who apply to the baccalaureate nursing major and who qualify for admission to baccalaureate study are admitted as nursing pre-majors. Admission as a pre-major does not guarantee admission to the Nursing major. Registered Nurses must apply for admission to the nursing major during the semester in which they are completing the final prerequisites for the first RN course, NS 205. The deadline for RN admission is twice a year; November 1st and March 1st. Formal admission to the Nursing program is based on the Registered Nurse's relative standing on the following minimum requirements:

UAA Certificate of Admission to the BS nursing pre-major and transcript evaluation from Enrollment Services.
Current licensure as a Registered Professional Nurse in the State of Alaska. Copy of licensure on file with the School..
A current Plan of Study signed by a Nursing advisor and the RN student on file with the School of Nursing. The student may call (907) 786-4550 to set up an advising session.
An extracted minimum grade point average of 2.00. The grade point average will be calculated using grades from all courses which are required for the nursing major that have been completed at the time of application to the major.
A grade of "C" or better in all specified courses required for the nursing major.
Completion of or credit for specified prerequisite courses (17 credits): BIOL A111 (4 credits); CHEM A103/L (4 credits); ENGL A111 (3 credits); COMM A111, ENGL A120, PHIL A101, PHIL A201, or PSY A150 (3 credits); General Education Requirement (3 credits).
Enrollment in, or credit for the following courses, at the time of application to the major, on achieving a "C" in the specified courses for the major that are in progress when admission is sought (i.e., CHEM A 104/L, BIOL A112), and on maintaining a minimum of 2.00 grade point average until beginning nursing courses. Courses are: BIOL A112 (4 credits); CHEM A104/L (4 credits); ENGL A120, PHIL A101, or PHIL A201 (3 credits) or PSY A150 (3 credits); ENGL A213 (3 credits).
A School of Nursing application on file in the School of Nursing.
Three letters of recommendation: two from individuals you have dealt with on a professional basics, i.e., instructor of employer; one from a non relative who knows you well.

Registered Nurse students not formally admitted by UAA as a baccalaureate seeking student in the Nursing program or admitted as pre-majors are eligible to take Nursing electives for which prerequisites have been met.

RN CLINICAL REQUIREMENTS: Courses NS305L, NS314L, NS408L and NS411L are clinical courses requiring clinical attendance. These may be accomplished in any community in Alaska. Students need not come to Anchorage for these courses.

RN ACADEMIC PROGRESS: See Academic Progress[link needs to be found for this] under the Basic Student Option[link needs to be found for this].

GRADUATE REQUIREMENTS: Students must complete the following graduation requirements:

General University Requirements - Complete the General University Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees in the UAA Course Catalog.
General Education Requirements - Complete the baccalaureate general education requirements listed in the UAA Course Catalog. In the Nursing program, some required prerequisite courses fulfill general education requirements.
Application for Graduation - Submit UAA Application for Graduation.

Support Courses: Complete support courses for the Nursing Science major (44 credits). All support courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better prior to admission to 300-level clinical nursing courses.

*Reasoning Skills and Human Development must be in addition to the required General Education Requirements.
RN Licensure Credit.

A total 126 credits is required for the degree, 42 credits of which must be upper-division.

Explore the RN to BS Open House course in Blackboard. To login you will need the following information:

Login Name (ayrntobs)

Password (RN2BSprog).

Click on the UAA Tab. Actual classes will vary but, will all be using the Blackboard system.

BSN Program Details

Students pursuing the baccalaureate degree in nursing science are provided both the theory and clinical base to enable them to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate health care to meet the needs of individuals, families, groups, and communities whose health status varies qualitatively and quantitatively.

Students working on a degree in Nursing Science may choose from two options: The Basic Student Option and the Registered Nurse Option. The baccalaureate degree program is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission (61 Broadway, New York, NY 10006; 212-363-5555 ext. 153).

Admission Requirements

Students who apply to UAA for the baccalaureate nursing program and who qualify for admission are admitted to UAA as nursing pre-majors. Declaring as a nursing pre-major does not guarantee admission to the Nursing major. There are a limited number of seats available in each nursing course. Students must apply for admission to the nursing major during the semester in which they are completing the final prerequisites for the first nursing courses (see 6 below). Applications must be submitted prior to October 1 in the fall semester, and February 1 in the spring semester. The School of Nursing strongly recommends that students submit their University application up to six months prior to the School of Nursing deadlines to ensure complete processing of the application and transcript application. The process for advancement to the major and the formal admission to the Nursing program are:

UAA Certification of Admission for BS Nursing Science and transcript evaluations (if any) from Enrollment Services.
Advising sessions with Nursing Academic Advisor.
An extracted minimum grade point average of 2.70 for courses required for the Bachelor of Science, Nursing Science. The GPA will be calculated using grades from all courses required for the nursing major and completed at the time of Application to the Nursing Major.
A grade of "C" or higher in all specified courses required for the nursing major.
Completion of specified prerequisite courses (34 credits)

For students not required to take ENGL A111, a 200-level English composition course will be substituted. For transfer students, grades from equivalent courses will be substituted.

After completion of the first 34 credits, the student meets with a Nursing Academic Advisor to verify course completion and GPA, and completes the Application to the Nursing Major.
School of Nursing Application and Confidential Required Information form on file in the School.
Three letters of recommendation.
A current Plan of Study signed by a Nursing Academic Advisor on file with the School of Nursing.
After completion of all the above steps, the student's file is forwarded to the School's Admissions Committee for acceptance into the Nursing Major. Formal admission to the Nursing program is based on the student's relative standing on the minimum requirements as outlined above. There are two deadlines for consideration by the Committee: October 1 and February 1. Placement in the major varies with each ranking.
Must achieve a "C" or higher in the specified courses for the major that are in progress when admission is required (i.e., PSY A150, BIOL A240, and maintenance of a minimum 2.70 GPA until the semester of enrollment in the beginning nursing courses (NS A204, NS 216 and NS 300).

Academic Progress

In order to progress within the baccalaureate nursing program, students must earn a satisfactory grade (C or higher or P) in all nursing courses.

Re-Enrollment: Students who are unable to earn a satisfactory grade in a nursing course during their initial enrollment may attempt to earn a satisfactory grade one additional time on a space-available basis.

Concurrent Enrollment: Students enrolled in one course must be concurrently enrolled in all courses with that common number (NS A313, NS A313L; NS A315, NS A315L; NS A401, NS A401L; NS A411, NS A411L; NS A406, NS A406L; NS A416, NS A416L.

Basic Student Option Progress: The four trimester clinical sequence must be completed within eight* trimesters and no more than a one semester delay between sequential clinical courses will be permitted without validation of continued competence and currency.
Graduation Requirements

Students must complete the following graduation requirements:

Complete the General University Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees in the UAA Course Catalog.
Complete the Baccalaureate General Education Requirements listed in the UAA Course Catalog. In the Nursing program, some required prerequisite courses fulfill general education requirements.
Submit UAA Application for Graduation.
Complete Major Requirements:

Complete 12 credits of support classes for the Nursing Science Major with a grade of "C" or better.

Complete required nursing courses for the Nursing Science major (64 credits).

A total of 126 credits is required for the degree; 42 credits of which credits must be upper-division.

Recommended Course Sequence

Each student's pre-major course schedule sequence may vary according to initial entry level into University General Education Requirements (GERs) and pre-requisite courses such as Math, English, and Chemistry. Additionally, the date of entrance into the Nursing Major will determine the length of time needed to complete the BS degree program. All Nursing courses must be completed according to the specified sequence.

MSN Program Details

Graduate studies at the master's level place primary emphasis upon advanced professional nursing practice, theory, research, and health care delivery systems. Students may select one of three specialty tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner or Nursing Education.

Master's level study provides the student with a basis for further study at the doctoral level. The graduate program is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission (3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 500. Atlanta Georgia, 30326; 404-957-5000).

Graduates of the Family Nurse Practitioner option are eligible to write the national certification examination for advanced professional practice as a family nurse practitioner from the American Nurses Association (ANA) or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).
Graduates of the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner option are eligible to write the national certification examination for advanced practice as a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner-adult, or psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner-family.
Graduates of the Nursing Education track, who have had two years of full time academic teaching experience, are eligible to take the NLN Certified Nurse Educator Exam.

Graduate Certificate and 2nd Master's in Nursing

For individuals who already have a Master's degree in nursing and are licensed nurse practitioners but want to expand their scope of practice, the School of Nursing offers a graduate's certificate for the Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner specialties. The school also offers a graduate's certificate for Nursing Education (with this option, you just need a Master's degree in nursing). There are also special provisions for those seeking a second Master's degree, including a slightly different application process. If you are interested in either option, please see the UAA Catalog and School of Nursing Graduate Handbook for more details.
MS Nursing Program Graduate Outcomes:

The graduate is prepared to:

Engage in scholarly inquiry and critical thinking, including evaluation and application of evidence based research to advanced nursing practice.
Practice in a manner that incorporates ethical, legal, & professional standards for advanced nursing practice.
Collaborate across disciplines and in partnership with communities, groups, families and individuals incorporating culturally sensitive principles.
Demonstrate competence and caring in the role of the advanced practice nurse to serve as a leader, provider, and educator in the health care system.
Articulate a plan for self directed, life-long learning, and professional development.

UAA Admission Requirements

Refer to the current UAA Course Catalog for UAA graduate admission requirements and deadlines. The following application submission deadlines are recommended to ensure full processing of application and transcripts:

November 1st for March 1st applicants
July 1st for November 1st applicants

SON Admission Requirements

The School of Nursing's application is different than the University (although there are similarities). Applications must be submitted directly to the SON.

Earned baccalaureate or master's degree in nursing from a program accredited by the National League for Nursing (NLN) or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Undergraduate (and graduate, if applicable) grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
Graduate Record Examination scores - Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytic Writing. In order to be considered for the nursing graduate program, the analytic writing score must be 3.5 or higher and the combination of the Verbal & Quantitative score must be 800 or higher.
Grade of 2.0 ("C") or higher in an undergraduate or higher research methods course and a statistics course that covers descriptive and inferential statistics.
Licensure as a registered professional nurse in the State of Alaska concurrent with enrollment in first clinical course.
Three letters of professional recommendation. These letters of support must be submitted directly to the School of Nursing by the author (not the student). References may be contacted by a member of the Admissions Committee.
Professional portfolio.
Minimum of one year of half-time clinical experience as a Registered Nurse.