Bachelor/Master of Science (BS/MS) in

Nursing (RN to BSN/MSN Nurse Educator)

Online

Program Overview

The RN to BSN/MSN program of study is an accelerated option for the experienced, highly qualified registered nurse with an associate degree or diploma in nursing. This Master of Science in Nursing degree has a concentration in Nurse Education. Our state authorization map displays the states from which the Capstone College of Nursing currently accepts applications for admission.

Online Program Format

52-58 Credit Hours

Bachelor: $399
Master: $480 Tuition Per Hour

Some Offer Classes. We Offer Futures.

Registered nurses who meet MSN program admission criteria can apply for early admission to the Graduate School while completing their Bachelor of Science in Nursing requirements. The RN to BSN/MSN track decreases the time required to complete both the BSN and MSN programs. The bachelor’s degree is awarded after completing all BSN requirements in the fourth semester. The MSN with a Nurse Education concentration is awarded after completing all master’s level requirements.

The bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in Nursing at The University of Alabama are both accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Application Deadline	Applications to enter the program are accepted year round. Preferred deadlines are July 15 for fall admission, November 1 for spring admission and March 1 for summer admission. Applications for promotion to the master’s portion are for summer admission only.
Required For Entrance	RN licensure
Practicum	Yes
Are test scores required?	ACT and SAT scores are not required through the Fall 2026 entry term
Scholarships and Grants Available	Discover a range of scholarships and grants to support your educational journey

Curriculum

Courses for the program, including core courses (with the exception of the sciences), are offered online. No campus attendance is required. Credit for 40 hours of nursing courses is awarded upon admission to the University as an RN to BSN/MSN student.

Students are required to complete the entire core curriculum before beginning Nursing coursework. However, we can allow students to begin the nursing courses with one or two outstanding or pending prerequisites with departmental approval.

Please note that courses are subject to change.

Prerequisite Requirements

Biology with Lab (or Chemistry with Lab)
Human Anatomy and Physiology with Lab I & II
Microbiology with Lab
English Composition I & II (or English 103)
Fine Arts (or approved Humanities)
General Psychology (or approved Social Behavioral Science or History elective)
History
Human Growth and Development (or approved Social Behavioral Science or History elective)
Humanities (Ethics preferred)
Literature
Mathematics

Prerequisite for Second Degree Students

The Capstone College of Nursing welcomes students with a bachelor’s degree in another field to pursue a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Nursing.

Biology with Lab (or Chemistry with Lab)
Human Anatomy and Physiology with Lab I & II
Microbiology with Lab

These programs require a field placement component. The student is responsible for securing a site for the field placement.

Required Nursing Courses – RN to BSN/MSN Nurse Educator

NUR 319 Nursing Informatics for Registered Nurses
NUR 348 Role Transition in Baccalaureate Nursing
NUR 449 Community Health for Registered Nurses
NUR 465 Complex Client for RN
NUR 506 Advanced Clinical Foundations
NUR 531 Nursing Faculty Roles and Responsibilities
NUR 576 Teaching and Learning Strategies
NUR 577 Academic Immersion
NUR 578 Clinical Immersion
NUR 620 Curriculum, Theory and Practice
NUR 737 Interdisciplinary Leadership and Role Development for Practice Excellence
NUR 727 Foundations of IS and EBP
NUR 740 Health Policy and Politics
NUR 735 Population Health
NUR 733 Informatics for Advanced Practice Nursing
NUR 599 Optional Thesis

Total credit hours in upper division and MSN program: 52–58

View more information about this program in the University’s catalog.

Admission

To be considered for admission to the RN to BSN/MSN track, students must meet the following requirements:

Unencumbered RN license in the United States
Graduation from an ACEN- or CNEA-accredited associate degree program or from a diploma nursing program
Completion of the lower-division requirements (core curriculum) with a 3.0 grade point average
An undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 grading scale) for the last 60 credit hours of undergraduate work

The preferred deadline is March 1 for summer admission. If the application deadline has passed, contact Sanitria Armistad at SanitriaA.bama@ua.edu or by phone at 205-348-2616 or 800-313-3591.

Final admission is contingent upon approved drug and background screen results deemed acceptable by appropriate University officials. Costs for background check and drug screening, which must be renewed annually, are billed directly to the student by a third-party vendor. Instructions regarding this process will be sent upon promotion to the upper division. For more information, please visit the department’s website.

If you reside or intend to seek professional licensure outside of the state of Alabama, please review the requirements for that state before applying to this program.

Find more information and learn about restrictions related to this degree program that may exist regarding licensure in the state in which you reside.