Lead with Care. Advance with Confidence
Designed to shape leaders in nursing practice, FSW’s RN-to-BSN Program equips you to take on advanced roles in patient care, education, and healthcare leadership.
* RN-to-BSN applicants are not required to have all general education courses completed prior to being admitted into the program.
* Prospective applicants interested in learning more about our RN-to-BSN program, application requirements, and more, may register for a virtual information session.
Program Overview
The BSN Program at Florida SouthWestern State College is a post-licensure, RN-to-BSN program that provides a pathway to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing for licensed registered nurses who have completed an associate degree, nursing diploma, or another nursing education program that qualified them for RN licensure. Coursework builds upon students' prior nursing education and professional experience.
The program serves a diverse student population by providing innovative educational experiences that prepare graduates to meet the healthcare needs of the communities they serve. Through this educational process, students strengthen their understanding of the values, traditions, and responsibilities of professional nursing while developing a broader professional perspective, enhanced critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Career Outlook
The BSN Program prepares graduates for career advancement in nursing, including opportunities in leadership, management, community health, and academia. It also provides a strong foundation for graduate-level nursing education. Current employment, wage, and career outlook information for registered nurses is available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Program Structure
The BSN Program is a planned 120-credit-hour curriculum consisting of 36 credit hours of General Education Requirements, 30 credit hours of Upper-Division Nursing Core Requirements, Additional Lower-Division Nursing Core Requirements, and Additional Program Requirements.
The curriculum includes coursework in professional nursing, informatics, pathophysiology, pharmacology, research, advanced health assessment, multicultural nursing, community health, and leadership. All courses are offered online, providing the flexibility to balance professional, personal, and academic responsibilities. Students must complete all General Education Requirements before enrolling in NUR 4827C Leadership in Nursing Practice, the program's capstone course, taken during the final semester.
BSN Admission Requirements
Registered Nurse (RN) License
- Applicants must have a valid, active, and unrestricted/unencumbered RN license that authorizes them to practice in Florida.
- The license must remain current throughout enrollment in the program.
- License status is monitored through Nursys throughout the program. Upon admission to the BSN Program, students must provide their employer information and the last four digits of their Social Security number to enable enrollment in the Nursys monitoring system.
Minimum GPA Requirement
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale in all college-level coursework.
Prerequisite Course Admission Requirements
Applicants must complete one course from each of the four prerequisite categories listed below.
Mathematics (Choose one of the following mathematics courses)
- STA 2023 STATISTICAL METHODS or
- STA 2014 DESCRIPTIVE AND INFERENTIAL STATISTICS* or
- STA 2122 STATISTICAL APPLICATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE* or
- MAC X105 COLLEGE ALGEBRA* or
- MAC X311 CALCULUS I* or
- MGF X130 MATHEMATICAL THINKING*
Anatomy & Physiology I (Choose one of the following A&P I courses)
- BSC X085 ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY I AND BSC X085L I (LAB) or
- BSC X085C ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY I (COMBO) or
- BSC X093 ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY AND BSC 1093L (LAB) or
- BSC X093C ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY (COMBO)
Anatomy & Physiology II (Choose one of the following A&P II courses)
- BSC X086 ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY II AND BSC X086L II (LAB) or
- BSC X086C ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY II (COMBO) or
- BSC X094 ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY AND BSC 1094L (LAB) or
- BSC X094C ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY (COMBO)
Microbiology (Choose one of the following Microbiology courses)
- MCB X000 INTRO MICROBIOLOGY AND MCB X000L (LAB) or
- MCB X000C INTRO MICROBIOLOGY (COMBO) or
- MCB 2004 INTRO MICROBIOLOGY AND MCB 2004L (LAB) or
- MCB 2004C INTRO MICROBIOLOGY (COMBO) or
- MCB X010 INTRO MICROBIOLOGY AND MCB 2010L (LAB) or
- MCB X010C INTRO MICROBIOLOGY (COMBO) or
- MCB 2013C INTRO MICROBIOLOGY (COMBO)
*Revised Common Prerequisites for the Florida College System
Application Process
- Complete the online bachelor's degree admissions application. The Apply link is located at the top of this webpage.
- Pay the $30 college application fee. Re-admitted students are exempt from this fee.
- Pay the $25 BSN application evaluation fee.
- Submit official transcripts from all previously attended institutions directly to the Office of the Registrar.
Priority Application Deadlines**
| Term | Priority Application Deadline |
|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | August 17, 2026 |
| Spring 2027 | January 7, 2027 |
| Summer 2027 | May 15, 2027 |
BSN Program Applicants with Previously Earned Associate of Arts or Baccalaureate Degrees
Students who transfer to Florida SouthWestern State College with a previous associate of arts degree from a Florida college or a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited university are considered to have met the General Education Core and Elective coursework (60 credit hours) of the degree. All Coursework will be evaluated by the College to determine credit transfer or applicability to the program.
Academic Standards
The BSN Program maintains rigorous academic standards. Students are expected to meet the following requirements:
- A student may repeat a BSN nursing course only once and only on a space-available basis.
- Any course registration that remains in effect after the add/drop period is considered an attempt.
- A student who fails or withdraws from a second nursing course may be dismissed from the BSN Program.
- A student dismissed because of course failures or withdrawals must petition the BSN Program Director and BSN faculty for consideration for readmission.
Graduation Requirements
To be eligible for graduation, students must meet the following requirements:
- Fulfill all degree requirements for the BSN Program.
- Successfully complete a minimum of 120 credit hours as outlined in the BSN Program curriculum.
- Meet the residency requirement by completing at least 15 credit hours of Upper Division Program Requirements and a minimum of 30 total credit hours at Florida SouthWestern State College.
- Earn a minimum cumulative program GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Earn a grade of C or better in all Upper Division Nursing Core (3000- and 4000-level) Program Requirements and all Additional Program Requirements. Students must also complete the State of Florida General Education Core Requirements, including any College-required assessment of General Education outcomes. Transfer coursework will be evaluated for equivalency.
- Satisfy the State Civic Literacy Competency Requirements.
- Complete 12 credit hours of coursework demonstrating college-level writing skills with a grade of C or better to satisfy the Writing Intensive Requirement. This includes 6 credit hours of English Composition and 6 credit hours of additional writing-intensive coursework.
Satisfy the State Foreign Language Competency Requirement by completing one of the following:
- Two semesters of the same college-level foreign language (Level II proficiency). - Documented foreign language proficiency through an approved assessment (for example, CLEP); or - Two years of the same foreign language in high school;
BSN Degree - Lower Division Requirements
General Education Requirements: 36 Credit Hours - Refer to the FSW General Education Program Guide
BSN Degree - Additional Lower Division Requirements
*NOTE: Some of the courses listed below may satisfy General Education Requirements.
- PSY 2012 – Introduction to Psychology (3 credits)
- DEP 2004 – Lifespan Development (3 credits)
- HUN 1201 – Human Nutrition (3 credits)
- STA 2023 – Statistical Methods I (3 credits)
- MCB 2010C – Microbiology (4 credits)
Anatomy and Physiology I (Choose one course)
- BSC 1085C – Anatomy and Physiology I (4 credits) or
- BSC 1093C – Anatomy and Physiology I (4 credits)
Anatomy and Physiology II (Choose one course)
- BSC 1086C – Anatomy and Physiology II (4 credits) or
- BSC 1094C – Anatomy and Physiology II (4 credits)
BSN Degree – Upper Division Nursing Core Requirements (30 Credit Hours)
- NUR 3805 – Professional Roles and Dimensions (3 credits)
- NUR 3870 – Informatics for the Health Professional (3 credits)
- NUR 3125 – Pathophysiology for Nursing Practice (3 credits)
- NUR 3145 – Pharmacology and Alternative Therapeutics (3 credits)
- NUR 3655 – Multicultural Nursing (3 credits)
- NUR 4165 – Nursing Research (3 credits)
- NUR 3066C – Advanced Health Assessment (3 credits)
- NUR 4636C – Community Health Nursing (4 credits)
- NUR 4827C – Leadership in Nursing Practice (5 credits)
BSN Degree – Additional Program Requirements
Complete additional coursework numbered 1000–4999 as needed to satisfy the 120 credit hours required for the BSN degree. Students who have not previously met the Florida Civic Literacy Requirement must do so before qualifying for graduation.
Total BSN Degree Requirements: 120 Credit Hours
BSN End-of-Program Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the BSN Program, graduates will be able to:
- Integrate knowledge from nursing and general education into the practice of professional nursing.
- Incorporate contemporary concepts of professional nursing practice within the interprofessional healthcare community to promote social determinants of health.
- Apply transcultural principles and patient-centered care to professional nursing practice.
- Analyze current and changing information technology and organizational systems to promote a caring, safe practice environment.
- Evaluate current evidence-based practice within the framework of healthcare.
- Apply leadership knowledge, skills, and attitudes that support healthcare policies promoting safe, quality nursing care within healthcare systems
Accreditation
The Associate and Baccalaureate of Science degree nursing programs at Florida SouthWestern State College at the Charlotte, Collier, and Lee campuses located in Punta Gorda, Naples, and Fort Myers, Florida are accredited by the: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. (ACEN) 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta, GA 30326 (404) 975-5000 https://www.acenursing.org/
*The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Baccalaureate nursing program is Continuing Accreditation.
Student Achievement Outcome Data
Student achievement outcome data (PDF) provides evidence to demonstrate the extent to which FSW Nursing graduates are adequately prepared. This information is updated annually and made publicly accessible.