Nurses looking to develop their educational and professional portfolio often choose to get their bachelor’s degree in nursing as a quick and easy way to transition into higher-paying roles and more job security. While you may be investing several years into your education with a traditional BSN program, an RN to BSN is a much quicker option for nurses with the right credentials saving you both time and money.

Quickest Online RN to BSN Degree Options

With a traditional BSN program, you could be forced to invest in four years (or more) of enrollment time to receive your degree. But an RN to BSN program is a fast-tracked option, allowing you to graduate in only two years — or even less. These programs build on your previous nursing experience and training and you may even get your degree in as little as 6 months. Below are a few options for the fastest RN to BSN programs in Rhode Island.

School	Degree Name	Length
Salve Regina University	Online RN to BSN	1 Year
University of Providence	Online RN to BSN	1 Year

Learn more about the Fastest RN to BSN Programs.

Do 6-month RN to BSN Programs Exist?

Yes, but you’ll need to meet several important requirements to be eligible to apply. If you want to graduate from your RN to BSN program in under a year, you’ll need to have at a significant number of transferable credits. Not only that, but your prospective school will also need to accept these credits. Unfortunately, many RN to BSN programs have a cap on how many credits you can transfer so it will be somewhat hard to locate an opportunity for 6-month BSN enrollment.

Affordable Online RN to BSN Options

Another important consideration with any potential nursing program is how much it’s going to cost. A traditional BSN program which requires twice the amount of credits is coming to cost you much more than an RN to BSN program. If you’re eligible to enroll in an RN to BSN program, this puts you at a considerable advantage if your goal is to save as much money as possible. Below are a few of the cheapest RN to BSN programs available in Rhode Island, but as you complete your research, make sure that you consider the other costs involved with education such as textbooks, technology fees, and the cost of living in the area where your potential program is based.

School

Degree Name

Tuition Cost

University of Rhode Island

Online RN to BSN

$16,858 per year (Resident)

$36,846 per year (Non-Resident)

Rhode Island College

Online RN to BSN

$10,966 per year (Resident)

$26,499 per year (Non-Resident)

Learn more about the cheapest RN to BSN Degrees.

Admissions Requirements for Accredited RN to BSN Programs

RN to BSN programs have undergone radical expansion in light of our nation’s need for highly qualified nurses. Universities vary in their admissions criteria, but still, there are definitely more similarities than differences in what makes a candidate attractive to nursing faculty. We’ve listed some of the most common criteria below.

Submit a completed application
Overall GPA of 3.0 or higher
Provide a copy of the ADN degree from a regionally accredited school
Provide a record of current immunizations and ‘negative’ drug screening test
Have a recent record of clear background check
Provide current and valid nursing license data

Classes & Courses: What is the Curriculum Like?

Salve Regina University in Newport has been a provider of nursing programs almost since its inception in the 1930s. With its newest online offerings for accredited RN to BSN programming, Salve continues its commitment to the community of Newport to provide quality education and service to residents and guests. A sample of the programming that nurses will be exposed to looks like this:

Experiential Learning: Aging and End of Life Care
Public Health and Disaster Response Planning
Leadership and Management
Service Learning
Healthcare Informatics

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