Four-Year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Programs
The traditional route to a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) spans four years and admits high school graduates. Read on for details about four-year BSN programs.
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Opportunities With a BSN
partial online offering
clinical hours required
Good career mobility
Most administrative and supervisory positions require a BSN.
Path to advancement
Grants entry to master’s or doctoral nursing programs, leading to career advancement and higher salaries.
Job potential
With a BSN, a range of specialized nursing jobs outside of the traditional floor nursing is available.
Skills Learned
Clinical and leadership skills
Case management
Community participation
Nursing care of children and adults
Image: SDI Productions / E+ / Getty Images
What To Expect From a Traditional BSN Program
While curriculum content and timelines vary by program, the University of Washington’s (UW) BSN program offers a general idea of the traditional, four-year nursing school progression during each year of study. BSN students typically spend the first two years completing prerequisite coursework and their final two years immersed in their nursing studies.
Year One
Applicants begin with prerequisite coursework. UW’s School of Nursing, for example, requires 90 quarter credit hours, with a 2.0 cumulative GPA and at least a 2.0 in each course. Students might also consider volunteer work at a hospital or healthcare facility during their first two years to gain experience and augment their applications.
Sample Year One Courses:
English composition
Mathematics: algebra with applications, precalculus, calculus with analytic geometry
Nutrition
Philosophy: practical reasoning or introduction to logic
Principles of chemistry
Statistical reasoning or elements of statistical methods
Survey of physiology and elementary physiology lab
Visual, literary, and performing arts classes
Year Two
During their second year, students complete their remaining prerequisite coursework and apply to nursing schools. Candidates must have enough time to order transcripts, arrange for recommendation letters, and write personal statements. Some four-year nursing programs require an entrance exam (HESI or the Test of Essential Academic Skills), which requires preparation, as well. Students should also plan to prepare for nursing program interviews, if required.
Sample Year Two Courses:
Accelerated (honors) calculus
Chemistry covering general, organic, and biochemistry
Intermediate logic
Introduction to probability and statistics
General microbiology with lab
Growth and development through the lifespan
Literature and medicine
Preparing for college writing
Year Three
Once students begin nursing school, their workloads increase and intensify. Four-year nursing schools usually discourage employment during the final two years of BSN programs, due to the full slate of nursing coursework, labs, seminars, and practicum hours focusing on clinical practice and specific patient populations. We’ve compiled the following course lists from the UW School of Nursing.
Sample Year Three Courses:
Health assessments
Healthcare systems and policy
Health equity
Foundational skills for professional nurses
Foundations in pharmacotherapeutics and pathophysiology
Fundamentals of nursing practice for illness care
Introduction to research
Populations health through community health nursing partnerships
Year Four
The fourth year typically includes classes at least three days a week, one 6-8-hour day of clinical work, and a significant amount of homework. In general, for every credit hour of coursework, learners should expect a minimum of two hours spent reading, writing, and studying. In addition, students must look ahead to their NCLEX-RN licensure exam and begin preparing at least six months before their test date.
Sample Year Four Courses:
Ambulatory care
Care coordination and case management
Child health
Informatics, patient safety, and quality improvement
Foundations of interprofessional practice
Nursing care of childbearing families
Psychosocial nursing in health and illness
Transition to professional practice
Admission Requirements for a Traditional BSN Program
Four-year nursing programs maintain distinct application requirements and timelines, but a program beginning in the fall typically sets a January or February deadline to apply. Students should begin assembling their application materials early, particularly if the program requires test scores. Common admission requirements for four-year BSN programs include the following:
Prerequisite coursework
Online application
Minimum 2.5 GPA (potentially higher for individual courses)
High school transcripts (and college transcripts, if applicable)
Test scores
2-3 letters of recommendation (professional or academic)
A personal essay or letter outlining academic and career goals and reasons for pursuing a nursing degree
Volunteer/work experience (50-100 hours)
Interview with admissions department (in-person, pre-recorded, or virtual)
Resume or CV
Writing sample or short-essay question responses
Traditional BSN vs. Bridge Programs
As opposed to traditional BSN programs, bridge programs serve nurses who already possess RN or licensed practical nurse licenses. Bridge programs commonly offer online and full-time or part-time options that provide flexibility for working nurses.
They can also streamline the process of earning separate degrees. For example, an RN with an ADN can pursue a master of science in nursing (MSN) via an RN-to-MSN bridge program to bypass the four-year traditional BSN. RN-to-BSN bridge programs allow RNs with ADNs or nursing diplomas to earn their BSNs in 18-24 months of full-time study.
Traditional BSN vs. Accelerated BSN Programs
Accelerated BSN (ABSN) programs enable applicants with bachelor’s degrees in non-nursing fields to transfer undergraduate credits and fulfill general education and prerequisite coursework requirements. ABSNs allow some students to finish in 1-2 years.
Many programs only accept applications from candidates with GPAs of 3.0 or higher. The full-time, compressed nature of the ABSN curriculum makes it quite rigorous. Other admission requirements mirror those of four-year BSN programs. At some nursing schools, ABSN students can take classes online and complete their clinical hours at hospitals and medical facilities near their homes.
Featured BSN Specialties
Beyond working in hospitals as RNs, individuals with a BSN degree find careers as geriatric nurses, OBGYN nurses, and neonatal nurses. Check out the descriptions below to learn more about these specialty occupations.
adn or bsn Required
High Demand
Registered Nurse
RNs work in hospitals, clinics, physicians’ offices, and other medical facilities, caring for and educating patients and their families about treatments and health maintenance.
Salary
$73,300
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
These professionals work with elderly patients and specialize in dementia, osteoporosis, and other diseases that affect older adults. They also assist with basic living activities.
Travel nurses work on a contract basis and temporarily help in physicians’ offices, hospitals, and clinics. They may be self-employed or receive assignments through agencies.
These professionals care for newborns in neonatal intensive care units, treating premature babies and infants with illnesses until they gain enough strength to go home.
Elizabeth Clarke (Poon), FNP, MSN, RN, MSSW is a board-certified family nurse practitioner. A native of Boston, Massachusetts, Clarke tired of the cold and snowy winters and moved to Coral Gables, Florida in order to complete her undergraduate degree in nursing at the University of Miami. After working for several years in the UHealth and Jackson Memorial Medical systems in the cardiac and ER units, Clarke returned to the University of Miami to complete her master of science in nursing (MSN). Since completing her MSN degree, Clarke has worked providing primary and urgent care to pediatric populations.
