Degree Requirements for the RN-BSN Student

A minimum of 123 semester hours and satisfactory completion of all RN-BSN program requirements is required, including prerequisites, general education and elective requirements, and 32 semester hours of required and elective nursing major courses.

Must be completed with a grade of "C" or higher at the time of matriculation (beginning) the RN-BSN program: 

  1. Prerequisites (9 credits):
    • 3 credits Composition II
    • 3 credits Speech/Public Speaking
    • 3 credits Statistics
  2. Nursing Degree (ADN/Diploma)

By the end of the first semester in the RN-BSN program, students must show proof of an active, unencumbered registered nursing license.

Complete prior to graduating with your BSN:

  1. General Education Electives (6 credits)
  2. General Education Requirements (12 credits):
    • 3 credits Values and Society or Understanding Cultural Perspectives (VSUCP)
    • 3 credits Literary, Visual & Performing Arts (LVPA)
    • 3 credits International & Global Issues (IGI)
    • 3 credits Additional course from one area above (if you haven’t completed through level II of the same foreign language, this additional course must be from the VSUCP category)

Students should work with the RN-BSN program office for assistance in selecting electives.

You may complete all prerequisites and General Education Requirements at your local community college. To find courses that transfer to Iowa for each requirement, use our Course Equivalency Guide at myui.uiowa.edu. This is a tool for you to search for courses that transfer from the community college to the University of Iowa.

Brief instructions on how to use the transfer tool are as follows:

  • Click on the above link and use the drop-down boxes
  • Transfer Institution = put in school where you want to take your courses
  • UI College = College of Nursing
  • Select the curriculum area of courses = put in whatever is marked “X” need on your transcript evaluation (i.e. Literary, Visual & Performing Arts, International & Global Issues, Rhetoric, etc)
  • Hit search

The courses that appear will transfer to Iowa for that particular requirement.