Academic Catalog

College of Nursing - Undergraduate/Post-Licensure Admission Requirements

Admission requirements varies by program. See the programs below for the exact admission requirements. 

RN to BSN Option

  • A nursing diploma or Associate Degree in Nursing from an institution accredited by an organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the U.S. Department of Education1
  • A minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.
  • Current, active, unrestricted RN license in the U.S. or in a jurisdiction that is an associate member of the NCSBN2. Before entering any clinical courses, students must provide proof of current, active, unrestricted license to practice as a Registered Nurse (or equivalent licensure outside the U.S.) in the state or country where the student will conduct the clinical(s). Students who fail to maintain an active, unrestricted license throughout their clinical courses do not meet the clinical requirements and cannot progress. Students are required to maintain RN licensure throughout the entire program of study and required to self-report any restrictions or adverse reports applied to their RN license as a professional best-practice.
  • Applicants who are unable to provide proof of RN licensure may be admitted if they can submit proof of graduation.  Additionally, applicants must have temporary licensure in the form of either an email from a board of nursing showing proof of completed application, proof of completed application listed on a nursing board website, proof of a scheduled NCLEX exam or a passing score, or the authorization to test/ticket to test. They may be allowed to start and have the official licensure documentation by the end of their first semester (see Official Documentation Requirements section).
1

Chamberlain reserves the right to admit candidates with equivalent educational qualifications from accreditors that are not recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the U.S. Department of Education, as determined by an independent transcript evaluation.

2

Chamberlain reserves the right to admit candidates with nurse licensure from countries outside the U.S. that are not affiliated with NCSBN but where equivalent standards can be demonstrated. These decisions are made on a case-by-case basis according to the general academic principles of integrity outlined by the Academic Standards committee.

RN-BSN to MSN Option

  • A nursing diploma or Associate Degree in Nursing from an institution accredited by an organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the U.S. Department of Education1
  • A minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale
  • Current, active, unrestricted RN license in the U.S. or in a jurisdiction that is an associate member of the NCSBN2. Before entering any clinical/practicum courses, students must provide proof of current, active, unrestricted license to practice as a Registered Nurse (or equivalent licensure outside the U.S.) in the state or country where the student will conduct the clinical(s). Students who fail to maintain an active, unrestricted license throughout their clinical/practicum courses do not meet the clinical/practicum requirements and cannot progress. Students are required to maintain RN licensure throughout the entire program of study and required to self-report any restrictions or adverse reports applied to their RN license as a professional best-practice.
  • Applicants who are unable to provide proof of RN licensure may be admitted if they can submit proof of graduation.  Additionally, applicants must have temporary licensure in the form of either an email from a board of nursing showing proof of completed application, proof of completed application listed on a nursing board website, proof of a scheduled NCLEX exam or a passing score, or the authorization to test/ticket to test. They may be allowed to start and have the official licensure documentation by the end of their first semester (see Official Documentation Requirements section).
  • CGPA of 3.0 or greater in RN to BSN coursework (minimum of 24 credit hours of coursework must be taken at Chamberlain), excluding NR-361 and NR-451
  • Completion of all general education courses for the BSN degree, and patient care experience (if admission to the AGACNP specialty track is desired)3
1

Chamberlain reserves the right to admit candidates with equivalent educational qualifications from accreditors that are not recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the U.S. Department of Education, as determined by an independent transcript evaluation.

2

Chamberlain reserves the right to admit candidates with nurse licensure from countries outside the U.S. that are not affiliated with NCSBN but where equivalent standards can be demonstrated. These decisions are made on a case-by-case basis according to the general academic principles of integrity outlined by the Academic Standards committee.

3

Admission to the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner track requires one year of RN experience at the time the application is submitted.

Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) 30 Unit Option for California Campus Students Only

Chamberlain provides the opportunity for a vocational nurse licensed in California to become eligible to apply for licensure as a registered nurse in accordance with California Regulation 1429 (a) (b) and (c). Applicants with an active, unrestricted LVN license must indicate their intent to apply for licensure under the LVN 30 Unit Option at the time of application; such applicants will be admitted on a space available basis.

Students may not exceed 30 semester credit hours in the LVN 30 Unit Option. Coursework is limited to 12 credit hours in science:

BIOS-251Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab2
BIOS-252Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab2
BIOS-255Anatomy and Physiology III with Lab2
BIOS-256Anatomy and Physiology IV with Lab2
BIOS-242Fundamentals of Microbiology with Lab4

and 18 credit hours in clinical nursing:

NR-326Mental Health Nursing4
NR-329Adult Health I6
NR-446Collaborative Healthcare4
NR-453Capstone Course4

Applicants considering the LVN 30 Unit Option should carefully consider the following before pursuing admission:

  • Graduates may be unable to apply for RN licensure in other states due to not having an earned nursing degree.
  • Graduates may be unable to find employment in an RN role due to not having an earned nursing degree.
  • Graduates may be unable to enroll in advanced nursing education including an RN-BSN completion program due to not having an earned nursing degree.