Delivered Fully Online
Nurses are able to work full time while completing the program. In addition to the
coursework below, you will...
- Attend a mandatory online orientation at the beginning of the program.
- Complete 180 total practicum hours. The final 90 hours are completed during your final
semester and will require a clinical preceptor at a facility, set up by you and faculty.
Required Courses (30 Credit Hours)
To see a typical list of courses by term, visit an example Current Students page for this program.
Dual enrollment pathway: the UNC Dual enrollment nursing program is a concurrent program; students take online
courses at UNC while enrolled in an accredited ADN program. Most students take one
online class at UNC in addition to their ADN courses, then continue with UNC after
completion of their ADN program.
Additional Credits Required for UNC Graduation
- 120 total credit hours are required for graduation from this UNC program. For full
program requirement details, see the official program listing in the UNC Undergraduate Catalog.
- Many of these credits may come from the courses you transfer as you apply. See the
Eligibility & Transfer Credit tab for details about transferring your previous college
credit.
Liberal Arts Curriculum (LAC) Coursework
UNC's Liberal Arts Curriculum provides students with a grounding in the liberal arts
that is infused with critical and creative inquiry, and which also satisfies the six
general education areas required for undergraduate degree programs at all public higher
education institutions in the state of Colorado.
Many of these courses will potentially be fulfilled from your transferred credit.
View the current LAC requirements and policies. Course requirements by category (with links to list of eligible courses) are available
at the bottom of the page.
Please note additional LAC recommendations for this program: certain UNC LAC courses are also prerequisite for admission to this program, so you
will have a portion of your LAC requirements fulfilled via those courses. These and
other LAC courses may transfer in if taken as part of your ADN or diploma degree program.
You can see the list of these courses in the Liberal Arts Curriculum section of the Degree Requirements.
Remaining Credits for Graduation
The remainder of your 120 total credit hours will be comprised of credits you take
at UNC or elsewhere. Please also see the additional information in the Eligibility
& Transfer Credit tab about articulation model credits and taking additional courses
online.
Admission Requirements
You must meet the UNC undergraduate admission requirements for the academic year for
which you are applying. See the current admission requirements in the UNC Catalog.
All Applicants
- Minimum 2.5 GPA.
- Must be certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for the adult and child/infant
(health professional) as evidenced by current American Heart Association CPR card.
Registered Nurse Applicants
- Graduate of an accredited ADN (Associate Degree in Nursing) or Diploma Nursing Program.
For those without an ADN or Diploma Nursing Degree (such as LPN program graduates),
the Program Coordinator can advise you on choosing state-approved programs and other
steps required for you to be eligible for the RN–BSN program.
- Current, unencumbered RN license in your state of residence (exception for new ADN
graduates who have not yet taken the NCLEX at the time of application).
- Recommended: 1,000 hours RN practice in last 3 years (exception for new ADN graduates).
Dual Enrollment Applicants
- Current enrollment in an accredited ADN or Diploma Nursing Program (or admission and
starting in the same semester of RN-BS program start).
Required Courses (All Applicants)
The following courses should be completed before program entry (community college
equivalents are listed). If any courses are outstanding at the time of admission,
the Program Coordinator will work with you to develop a plan for completion.
Eligibility by State
At this time, the University of Northern Colorado can provide postsecondary distance
education in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and all major U.S. territories.
We are continuing to monitor requirements in all U.S. jurisdictions and seek clarification
from government agencies when needed. If you have questions about whether UNC can
offer distance education where you are located, please contact us and we will gladly
assist you.
Additionally, each state Board of Nursing may have additional approval processes required
for students to conduct their clinical learning placements in that state. It is strongly
encouraged that students contact the School of Nursing to verify that UNC meets these
requirements in the student’s state prior to beginning the program. Students may face
barriers to degree completion if a state Board of Nursing were to deny clinical learning
placements in the student’s state of residence. Please contact the School of Nursing
and visit the SARA page for more information on state approval processes for clinical learning placements.
Licensure Eligibility by State
All UNC professional licensure programs are designed to lead to Colorado licensure.
However, since each state has their own educational preparation requirements, UNC's
programs may or may not meet these requirements in each state. For a complete list
of states where UNC has determined that this program will or will not fulfill educational
requirements for licensure, please visit the UNC Licensure page.
UNC encourages all students entering a professional licensure program to understand
licensure requirements in the state where they intend to seek employment. Please review
the State Licensure Boards page to find contact information for licensing agencies in each state.
International Student Eligibility
International students residing outside of the United States are eligible to apply
to our online programs. Applicants for online programs must demonstrate English proficiency,
or enroll in the UNC Intensive English Program, in order to be considered.
Students in completely online UNC programs are not required to come to the United
States. You will not need a student visa or receive any immigration documentation,
and do not need to provide financial documentation.
Please visit the International Students Admission Requirements page for details about English proficiency requirements and applying as an international
student.
Transferring Credit
UNC Transfer Policies
Students are considered transfer students if they have completed any college-level
coursework after completing high school. As part of your UNC application, you will
need to submit official transcripts from all institutions attended.
Please visit the Transfer of Credits pages on the UNC Office of the Registrar website for information about:
- How many credits can transfer
- Requirements of credits transferred, such as your earned grade and institutional accreditation
- The transfer evaluation process
- Transferology – this service allows you to view our published course equivalencies for your previous
courses. This can be done for free before you apply to UNC.
- For those students who have taken or are taking supporting courses at a Colorado public
two-year institution, see the Transfer Articulation Guides.
Colorado Articulation Model and Nursing Coursework Transfer
Credit earned in your earned in your diploma or ADN program (approximately 40 credits)
will be awarded to you upon successful completion of the first 12 credits earned at
UNC. This process is called giving credits in escrow and is in accordance with the
Colorado Articulation Model. There is no need to test out of or challenge this previous
nursing coursework.
Taking Prerequisite, LAC or Elective Courses Online
Some options if you need this additional coursework:
- The UNC Course Search – use the "Go to schedule of classes" button (online LAC course availability varies
by term).
- You can also search for online courses at Colorado Community Colleges Online or peruse options at any community college, particularly one near you (tuition is
often lower for local residents).
Tuition
This is an Extended Campus program, which means:
- We charge a flat per-credit tuition rate for all students (in-state or out-of-state).
- There are no added student fees or technology fees. However, certain courses may carry
specific course fees to support additional services and materials.
Program tuition for the 2025-26 academic year (which runs Fall, Spring, and Summer
terms) is $350 per credit hour. Tuition for the 2026-27 academic year will be determined
mid-June 2026.
Estimates of additional costs: For the purposes of determining financial aid, UNC
follows Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) and federal guidelines to develop
an estimated, average Cost of Attendance (budget) for different student classifications.
For your personal tuition estimates, we recommend using the program-specific tuition
information above. But UNC's official Cost of Attendance/Student Budgets page can help you identify other estimated expenses for which you may be responsible while
completing your program.
Financial Aid
Degree-seeking students who cannot pay for tuition alone are encouraged to apply for
federal financial aid. Students must first complete the Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA). The UNC FAFSA/financial aid page for current undergraduate students has key dates and support, including the release date and deadline for each academic
year (a Fall-Spring-Summer cycle which begins each August).
Late submissions of the FAFSA are still accepted throughout the school year but you
may not be considered for the maximum amount of aid. If the priority deadline has
passed for the upcoming/current school year, we encourage you to apply for FAFSA consideration
as soon as you enroll for your first courses. Depending on the time of year, you may
be able to submit an application for the current academic year and an early/priority
application for the following academic year.
Bachelor's students must be enrolled in in a minimum of 6 credits per academic term for financial aid eligibility. Full time
enrollment is based on 12 credits per term.
To apply for federal financial aid assistance
Fill out the FAFSA form at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
For more specific help, contact the Office of Financial Aid: ofa@unco.edu, 970-351-4862 or via the UNC Financial Aid website.
Students can also find helpful information such as the Guide to Federal Student Aid
at https://studentaid.gov/resources. Most of the resources are available in English, Spanish and Braille.
Dual Enrollment Applicants
Please note that you will continue to file for your federal financial aid through
your ADN program institution until you complete that program. You will begin to coordinate
federal aid with UNC starting in the first semester after competing your ADN program.
Student Health Insurance
The University of Northern Colorado offers a Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)
to all degree-seeking students who enroll in courses on our main UNC Campus, an Extended
Campus Center, or Online.
Degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in 9 or more credit hours will automatically
receive this benefit each term. SHIP premiums will appear on your semester bill. If
you have comparable insurance coverage, and do not want to be charged for SHIP coverage,
you must opt out of this plan each Fall via an online waiver process.
Please visit the UNC Student Health Insurance pages for more information about the insurance plan.
