The Department of Nursing was established at Appalachian State University in 2006. At that time only the RN-BSN degree was offered. Initial accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) was awarded to the program in September of 2008. The College of Health Sciences at Appalachian State University was then established in 2010 in response to a strategic initiative to meet the state and nation's need for highly skilled health care workers in areas such as nursing, nutrition, communication disorders and exercise science. The Nursing Department, originally in the College of Fine and Applied Arts was moved to the new College of Health Sciences, and the first class of pre-licensure students was admitted in May of 2010. CCNE awarded re-accreditation to both the BSN and RN-BSN programs in 2013.
The BSN (or baccalaureate of science in nursing pre-licensure) program is for students who do not yet possess a registered nursing license. Students may begin the course of study as freshmen at Appalachian State or transfer. The first two years of study are comprised of pre-requisite and general education courses. Students apply for the actual nursing program in January of their sophomore year. If accepted, the nursing program begins in the May following application and includes nursing courses both the junior and senior years. ASU now enrolls approximately 45 students annually in the BSN program.
If you not yet a registered nurse and are interested in more information about the BSN pre-licensure program please click here.
The online RN-BSN program is for students who are already registered nurses, but do not yet possess the baccalaureate in nursing degree. This online degree completion program, leading to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, is designed for the student who has earned an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Diploma in Nursing from a hospital program, and holds an unencumbered and unrestricted RN license to practice nursing in North Carolina or a compact state. The RN-BSN program provides the academic knowledge and skills necessary to advance in the nursing field and/or pursue graduate study in nursing. The Appalachian RN-BSN program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
If you are a current registered nurse and are interested in more information on the RN-BSN program please click here.