University of Southern Maine

RN to BS Course of Study

The College of Nursing and Health Professions recognizes a maximum of 30 credits from basic nursing courses transferred from an associate degree (ADN) program accredited by the National League for Nursing at the time the degree was awarded.

These credits are applied toward fulfillment of the baccalaureate requirements for RN students who have successfully completed CON 308 Professional Communication and Technology Utilization in Nursing and Health Sciences. Nursing credits earned in the ADN program beyond the basic 30 credits above may be used as elective credit.

Students who have graduated from a diploma program or a non-regionally accredited associate degree program must obtain the 30 credits through USM's Office of Prior Learning Assessment.

Upper division nursing courses for RN's include:

• NUR 309 / 310 Total Health Assessment
  
• CON 308 Professional Communication and Technology Utilization in Nursing and the Health Sciences
  
• CON 356 Concepts in Community Health
  
• CON 321 Health Related Research
  
• NUR 419 Community Clinical Partnership
  
• NUR 474 Leadership and Management, RNS
  
• Clinical Focus Elective, 3 Credits
  (some choices are :  CON 280 Holistic Health, CON 283 Healing and Spirituality, CON 284 Botanical Therapies, NUR 590 Therapeutic Touch, CON 216 Emergency Response,...)
  
• NUR 476 Theory Related to Clinical Specialty

For more information on these courses, go to the USM Course Search.

Distance Education

The University of Southern Maine has a Collaborative RN/BS distance education program with the University of Maine, Orono (UM).  This allows students to take course from each other's distance education course offerings that count towards residency credits at the other campuses.  Several UM courses are comparable to upper division required RN nursing courses.  For example: 

USM's CON 308 = UM's NUR 304

USM's NUR  474 = UM's NUR 409

USM's NUR 476 = UM's NUR 411

The Nursing Collaborative is designed to give RN students more flexibility and opportunity to complete their Bachelor's of Science Degree.

In the clinical course (NUR 419), students integrate and apply their broad-based learning in a full semester of clinical experience. For most students, this takes place in a community setting. Students are encouraged, however, to work with faculty members in defining learning experiences to expand their knowledge and skills, and to fulfill their personal learning goals and objectives.

For questions or comments, please contact us.

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