Online Nursing Programs

The length of time it takes to earn one of our online nursing degrees will depend on your previous education and individual schedule. RN to BSN candidates who want to earn an MSN can accelerate their nursing education by choosing the BSN to MSN fast track option. Fill out the form on this page to speak with an enrollment representative and learn more about your opportunities.

Online nursing programs complete classwork online, with the practicum capstone hours accomplished in your local area. Clinicals are an essential part of most nursing programs, as they allow you to apply your knowledge and gain hands-on skills. Many of GCU's online nursing programs contain a clinical practicum and an evidence-based capstone course, which are designed to help put your knowledge into practice. At GCU, the Office of Field Experience can help you set up your clinical/practicum experience.

Students enrolled in the RN-BSN Program at GCU receive exposure to community and public health content in their Concepts in Community and Public Health course and have an opportunity to apply their learning by way of a community teaching project however, the program does not prepare graduates for specialty certification in community or public health which is regulated by individual state boards of nursing. Students are encouraged to contact their individual boards of nursing to obtain specific information regarding additional content and clinical requirements to obtain community/public health certification in their state.

If you are a registered nurse and hold a bachelor’s degree that is not in nursing, you may be eligible to enroll in one of our bridge to MSN pathways. At GCU, you may enroll in bridge pathways that accelerate the completion of a graduate degree in nursing. Students completing a bridge pathway do not receive a BSN degree upon completion but rather finish their program with an MSN. The nursing bridge pathways include six “bridge” courses designed to help you gain the knowledge needed to successfully complete an MSN program. Each program can be taken online. Contact an enrollment representative for more information on our nursing bridge pathways.

All online nursing degrees require some form of direct clinical experience or practicum that allow you to demonstrate achievement of clinical competency at the baccalaureate or master’s levels. Therefore, both traditional and online nursing programs at GCU require clinical or practicum experience. For many online nursing programs, you complete your clinical requirements in your local community. Many students find that these experiences not only enhance their knowledge of leadership and public health but also lead to meaningful change in their local health organization or community. Contact the Office of Field Experience to learn more about the specialized support offered to GCU students completing their nursing clinical experiences.

There are various nursing degrees offered for those aspiring to become nurses or wishing to advance their nursing career. These include the Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing with an Emphasis in Health Informatics and Doctor of Nursing Practice, to name a few. With these various programs comes different program formats, including online nursing programs like the RN to BSN program.

Nursing program length can vary depending on the program format and required number of credits. The RN to BSN core courses can be completed in 14 months. Students that transfer in the maximum of 90 credits, including six upper division, may be able to complete the core courses in as little as 12 months.² Traditional nursing programs, such as an undergraduate BSN program, typically take four years to complete, while accelerated BSN programs can take only 16 months.³

Online and on-campus nursing programs still deliver the same caliber of education. The main differences between the two lies in their flexibility, time of completion and location of clinical sites. For example, an online nursing program that takes 12 months to complete may require you to secure your own clinical sites, while an on-campus program that takes four years to complete may already have arrangements made for you. The cost of these programs is typically comparable, but there may be slight differences in specific fees or tuition that are important to consider. It’s also important to assess your ability to self-discipline, as that is a more critical factor when completing online programs than on-campus programs.