Nursing - Bachelor of Science

General Eligibility Requirements

• Graduate of a Nursing AS program
• Registered Nurse (RN) license (Active license, or eligible within the first term)
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0

New Applicants

Students who are not currently enrolled in our Nursing AS program must first complete

• General Application to Hillsborough Community College (HCC) as a Non-Degree seeking student.
• Complete the application for the RN-to-BSN Program.
• Official transcripts of all completed college work must be submitted to the College. Note, Florida public High School transcripts if required foreign language has been completed in high school.
• Finally, the student must provide verification of nursing licensure as a registered nurse. This can be uploaded with the RN-to-BSN application.

Returning Hillsborough Community College (HCC) Students

Former HCC students who have not been enrolled within the last three academic terms must apply for readmission to HCC via the General Application as a Non-Degree seeking student. Former students must then apply for admission to the RN-to BSN Program as a returning student. Verification of nursing licensure as a registered nurse is required and must be uploaded with your application or provided to the Health Sciences Admissions office. 

Transfer Students

A student who has already started nursing classes in an RN-to-BSN program at another institution may be eligible to transfer into the Hillsborough Community College baccalaureate program. The student must apply to Hillsborough Community College as a New Applicant and submit all official transcripts, which are reviewed on a course-by-course basis to determine equivalency to Hillsborough Community College courses. Up to 11 credits of upper level nursing courses may possibly be accepted for transfer into this program.

Degree audits will be provided after acceptance and once the transcripts have been audited by the transcript office prior to second semester.

The RN to BSN Program at Hillsborough Community College affords registered nurses with an associate degree in nursing from a regionally accredited institution the opportunity to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing delivered in an online format. The RN to BSN program is designed for current RNs who are ready to collaborate with interdisciplinary healthcare partners seeking to improve patient outcomes and community health. The focus of the program is on healthcare needs of diverse populations, health promotion and risk reduction in communities, ethical and legal issues, evidence‐based practice, and leadership and management. Nurses in the program will develop a solid foundation for advancing their career or preparing for graduate nursing study. Classes are offered online and are held in eight‐week courses. Experiential learning hours are required for NUR4636C Community and Public Health Nursing and NUR4835C Leadership and Management in Professional Nursing (Capstone Course). These hours are independently arranged by the student, typically at a community agency or at the facility where the student is employed. Every course for the program is taught during every term to facilitate scheduling (i.e. fall, spring, & summer terms).

NOTE 1: This program of study is a suggested sequence of courses for the Nursing BSN program. Classes are offered in 8 weeks terms. Please consult an advisor or counselor for more guidance.

Program Required Courses (48 Credit Hours)

YEAR I – First Semester

†NUR 3145 Pharmacology - 3 cr.

†*NUR 3805 Professional Roles and Dimensions of Nursing Practice - 3 cr.

†SYG 2000 Introduction to Sociology - 3 cr.

†SPC 1608 Public Speaking - 3 cr.

†STA 2023 Elementary Statistics - 3 cr.

YEAR I – Second Semester

†NUR 3065 Health Assessment and Physical Appraisal - 3 cr.

†NUR 3125 Pathophysiology - 3 cr.

†NUR 4636C Community and Public Health Nursing - 3 cr.

Humanities General Education - 3 cr.

AST 1002C Astronomy or CHM 1020C, Chemistry and Society, or PHY 1020C, Conceptual Physics,

or MET 1020C, Meteorology, or OCE 2001C, Oceanography - 3 cr.

Nursing Elective - 3 cr.

YEAR I – Third Semester

†NUR 3826 Ethical and Legal Issues in Healthcare - 3 cr.

†NUR 4169 Evidence Based Practice: Nursing Research - 3 cr.

†**NUR 4835C Leadership and Management in Professional Nursing - 3 cr.

Social Science General Education - 3 cr.

Nursing Elective - 3 cr.

Select 6 specified elective credits from the following:

†NUR 3655 Transcultural Factors in Health Care Delivery - 3 cr.

†NUR 3895 Teaching in Nursing - 3 cr.

NUR 3955C Nursing in Global Health Systems - 3 cr.

†NUR 4177 Introduction to Holistic Nursing - 3 cr.

†NUR 4284 Dynamics of Aging - 3 cr.

†NUR 4257 Introduction to Critical Care - 3 cr.

†NSP 4695 Forensic Nursing - 3 cr.

*NUR 3805 is a prerequisite for all the core courses, and it must be taken in the first term.

**NUR 4835C is the capstone course, and it must be taken in the last 8 weeks of the program.

In addition to completing the course requirements detailed in the curriculum to graduate, students must:

• Earn a minimum 2.0 Hillsborough Community College (HCC) and Overall GPA.
• Complete all core coursework with a minimum grade of C (2.0) in all courses.
• Satisfy HCC’s General Education requirements and Gordon Rule requirements unless you hold an associate in arts or a bachelor’s degree or have completed the entire general education program at a regionally accredited institution.
• Satisfy the civics literacy requirement. As per Florida Rule 6A‐10.04213, before the award of an associate of arts or baccalaureate degree, students initially entering a Florida College System institution in the 2021‐2022 school year, and after that must demonstrate competency in civics literacy before graduation by:
  
  1. receiving a passing score on the Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE), and
  2. successful completion of one of the following:
     
     1. successfully passing POS 2041 U.S. GOVERNMENT or AMH 2020 U.S. HISTORY 1877 TO PRESENT or
     2. successfully pass a prescribed assessment: AP Government & Politics: United States Test** (passing score =3), or AP United States History Test** (passing score = 4), or CLEP American Government** (passing score = 50) *The Department of Education has provided guidance that the Civic Literacy requirement is based on the studentʹs governing catalog year (e.g., it is for all students who have a catalog year of Fall 2021 or after even if they had previously attended a Florida public institution). **receiving a passing score will satisfy both the FCLE and course requirements.
• Complete the Florida foreign language graduation requirement: Option 1: High School Foreign Language You may complete two credits (two years) of high school instruction in one language other than English with a passing grade each year as documented on your official high school transcript. Option 2: Demonstration of Proficiency through Exam Demonstration of intermediate proficiency by passing the AP (Advanced Placement) or CLEP (College Level Examination Program) foreign language test or a foreign language proficiency test administered by the University of South Florida. Option 3: College Foreign Language. You may complete two semesters in a single foreign language (FRE, GER, ITA, SPN, or ASL) with a letter grade of “C” or better.
• Complete at least 25% of the 120‐credit hour degree program (30 credits) at Hillsborough Community College, based upon the Florida College Systemʹs requirement of a 2+2 admission into the baccalaureate program. Fifteen of those hours must be 3000 or 4000 level courses from the program core course list.
• Apply for graduation by the deadline listed in the Academic Calendar’s official online catalog. To submit a graduation application, the student must have at least the minimum number of college‐level credits for the degree, including all courses currently registered.
• Fulfill all financial obligations to Hillsborough Community College.
• Total Semester Credits required – 120 credit hours in addition to completing the Foreign Language Requirement above. The credit courses required may vary depending on the student’s credits to the BSN program. Additional courses to complete the required 120 credit hours for graduation must apply to the degree and be approved by an advisor.

†Courses symbolized by a dagger (†) are offered online. Online availability may vary by academic term.

____

Experiential learning hours are required for NUR4636C Community and Public Health Nursing and NUR4835C Leadership and Management in Professional Nursing (Capstone Course). These hours are independently arranged by the student, typically at a community agency or at the facility where the student is employed.

Upper-Level Nursing Core Credits: Complete 24 credits

Upper-Level Nursing Elective Credits: Complete 6 credits

General Education Credits: Complete 18 credits plus HCC’s ASN General Education requirements

Degree audits will be provided after acceptance and once the transcripts have been audited by the transcript office prior to second semester.

• Earn a minimum 2.0 Hillsborough Community College (HCC) and Overall GPA.
• Complete all core coursework with a minimum grade of C (2.0) in all courses.
• Satisfy HCC’s General Education requirements and Gordon Rule requirements unless you hold an associate in arts or a bachelor’s degree or have completed the entire general education program at a regionally accredited institution.
• Satisfy the civics literacy requirement. As per Florida Rule 6A‐10.04213, before the award of an associate of arts or baccalaureate degree, students initially entering ma Florida College System institution in the 2021‐2022 school year, and after that must demonstrate competency in civics literacy before graduation by:
  
  1. receiving a passing score on the Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE), and
  2. successful completion of one of the following:
     
     1. successfully passing POS 2041 U.S. GOVERNMENT or AMH 2020 U.S. HISTORY 1877 TO PRESENT or
     2. successfully pass a prescribed assessment: AP Government & Politics: United States Test** (passing score =3), or AP United States History Test** (passing score = 4), or CLEP American Government** (passing score = 50) *The Department of Education has provided guidance that the Civic Literacy requirement is based on the studentʹs governing catalog year (e.g., it is for all students who have a catalog year of Fall 2021 or after even if they had previously attended a Florida public institution). **receiving a passing score will satisfy both the FCLE and course requirements.
  • NUR 3805 Professional Roles and Dimensions of Nursing Practice 3 credits (Can be taken prelicensure and prerequisite to all other upper-level Nursing core courses)
  • NUR 3125 Pathophysiology 3 credits
  • NUR 3065 Health Assessment and Physical Appraisal 3 credits
  • NUR 4636C Community and Public Health Nursing 3 credits
  • NUR 3145 Pharmacology (can be taken prelicensure) 3 credits
  • NUR 3826 Ethical and Legal Issues for Health Professionals 3 credits
  • NUR 4169 Evidence-based Practice: Nursing Research (Prerequisite: Statistics) 3 credits
  • NUR 4835C Leadership and Management in Professional Nursing 3 credits (Prerequisites: NUR 3805, NUR 3065, NUR 3125, NUR 3145, NUR 4169, and NUR 4636)
  • NUR 4284 Dynamics of Aging (can be taken prelicensure) 3 credits
  • NUR 3655 Transcultural Factors in Healthcare Delivery (can be taken prelicensure) 3 credits
  • NSP 4257 Forensic Nursing 3 credits
  • NUR 3955C Nursing in Global Health Care Systems (can be taken prelicensure and requires approved travel) 3 credits
  • NUR 3874 Introduction to Nursing Informatics 3 credits (TBD)
  • NUR 3895 Teaching in Nursing 3 credits
  • NUR 4177 Introduction to Holistic Nursing 3 credits (TBD)
  • NUR 4257 Introduction to Critical Care 3 credits
  • STA 2023 Statistics 3 credits
  • SPC 1608 Public Speaking 3 credits
  • SYG 2000 Introduction to Sociology 3 credits
  • Physical Science elective 3 credits
  • Humanities Elective OR Social Science Elective 3 credits
  • Social Science Elective 3 credits

In addition to completing the course requirements detailed in the curriculum to graduate, students must:

• Satisfy HCC’s General Education requirements and Gordon Rule requirements. If you hold an associate in arts or a bachelor’s degree or have completed the entire general education program at a regionally accredited institution, degree audits will be provided after acceptance and once the transcripts have been audited by the transcript office prior to second semester.
• Satisfy the civics literacy requirement. As per Florida Rule 6A-10.04213, before the award of an associate of arts or baccalaureate degree, students initially entering a Florida College System institution after Spring 2021 must demonstrate competency in civics literacy before graduation by:
  • Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE), cs/civic-literacy-proficiency-requirement and
  • Successful completion of one of the following:
    • Successfully passing POS 2041 American Government OR AMH 2020 Modern American History.  No course substitutions allowed.
  • Foreign Language: Complete the Florida foreign language requirement: two years at a Florida public high school or two semesters of college (at least eight credits) in a single foreign language. American Sign Language is acceptable. Foreign language taken at the college level does not satisfy the General Education credits.

Program Cost (RN-to-BSN Courses Only)

Note: The following list of tuition costs and fees are estimates and are subject to change without notice. A student may be required to take additional General Education requirements to meet the 120 hours required for a baccalaureate degree, and this may incur a higher cost than represented below. The Program Requirements Section provides more details about these requirements.

There are opportunities for nursing-based scholarships available for RN-to-BSN Program students throughout the Academic Year. Please see the BSN Scholarship page for information about scholarships.

Hillsborough Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate and baccalaureate degrees. HCC began offering a Bachelor’s degree for the RN to BSN Completion Program in the Fall of 2022 after receipt of eligibility from ACEN to pursue Candidacy status for accreditation.

Effective August 17, 2023, the BSN completion nursing program at Hillsborough Community College  located in Tampa, FL is a candidate for initial accreditation by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. This candidacy status expires on August 17, 2025.

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)

3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta, GA 30326

(404) 975-5000

Publicly disclosed information regarding ACEN accreditation can be viewed online.

• Registered Nursing AS Degree and RN Licensure to Bachelor of Science in Nursing

1. What are the application deadlines for the BSN program? 

There are no specific application deadline dates for the BSN application. However, it is important that students apply early enough to allow for the general admissions process by the college to be completed. As a result, it is recommended that students apply 2 –4 weeks prior to the start of the courses. RN to BSN courses will be offered every 8 weeks during the Fall & Spring terms and during the 1st 8 weeks of the summer term. BSN applications can be submitted before the start of any 8-week block that classes are offered. 

2. Who is eligible to apply to the BSN program? 

As an RN to BSN Completion program, this means that to be eligible to apply, applicants must already have an Associate of Science Degree in Nursing (ASN) and must either already be a Registered Nurse (RN) or at least be eligible to sit for the Nursing Board exam.  

3. What is the likelihood of admission to the RN to BSN program? 

Any student who meets the admission criteria will be accepted. See admission requirements detailed above. 

4. How long will it take to complete the program? 

Depending on a student’s course load each semester, the rate of completion will vary. Students may work on the BSN coursework at their own pace, which generally speaking, can take between 4 and 6 semesters to complete the program. Attending the program year-round at full-time enrollment can in some cases make it possible for students to earn their RN to BSN in as few as three semesters – typically, if no general education courses are needed for them to complete the BSN degree. Please note that students who prefer to work at their own pace can enroll in classes part-time and adjust their course load every 8-week session to best accommodate their work schedule and other obligations. All students must complete the program within 5 years. 

5. Is this BSN program the same as a traditional BSN program at a 4-year institution? 

No. The BSN program at HCC is an RN to BSN completion program that is designed for AS. Nursing program graduates and Registered Nurses (RNs) who are looking to further advance their education and careers. The HCC BSN program is approximately a 4- 6 semester program.   

6. Is Financial Aid available? 

Unfortunately, HCC cannot offer federal financial aid to RN to BSN students until the program is fully accredited. However, there are scholarships available through the HCC Foundation. Inquire about scholarships at foundation@hccfl.edu. 

7. I have general education coursework from another institution. How and when will I know if my credits have been applied toward my BSN degree? 

Students will be provided with a customized degree audit detailing which requirements have been fulfilled with their previously completed coursework. This report will be sent via hawkmail email no later than the beginning of the second semester. We ask for your patience, as all coursework from prior institutions must be reviewed by the college before it is determined whether or not the transfer coursework can be applied toward the BSN degree. Please note that the credit evaluation process can take several weeks to be completed. While the evaluation process is in progress, students are asked to begin their first semester by registering for nursing courses.  

8. I was in a BSN program at another institution and completed some BSN-level nursing coursework while there. Will these courses be accepted?  

BSN Nursing coursework completed at an Accredited Institution will be reviewed for possible equivalency to HCC BSN coursework before the start of the second semester. Up to 10 credit hours may possibly be accepted toward BSN degree.  Please note that further documentation of your BSN coursework may be requested if needed.  

9. If I already have a degree (such as an Associate’s, a Bachelor’s, or a graduate-level degree), will this satisfy every general education requirement for the BSN? 

In many cases, having a prior degree will advance students in meeting the general education degree requirements for the BSN. However, this cannot be guaranteed for every student, as some of the HCC BSN requirements must specifically be fulfilled without exception. Additionally, some upper-level coursework may not be accepted. Please note that clarification on whether a student’s prior coursework and degree have satisfied all the general education requirements for the BSN, will be listed in the detailed degree audit students will receive prior to their second semester in the BSN program.  

10. Can I work while earning my BSN? 

Absolutely! Our RN to BSN Completion program is designed for busy, working nurses. With a fully online program you will be afforded the flexibility to complete your weekly assignments according to your schedule. 

11. When do classes meet? 

BSN nursing classes are held online so there are generally no specific meeting times. The class week is considered Monday through Sunday.  

12. Are clinical hours required for the program? 

Minimal clinical hours are required for the BSN degree. These clinical hours may generally be fulfilled through the student’s workplace or through volunteer hours.  

13. Is the BSN program entirely online? 

The BSN nursing courses are fully online. Unfortunately, there are no on-campus offerings of the BSN nursing classes.  

However, students needing to complete general education courses for the degree have the option to choose those specific classes as either entirely online, hybrid, or fully on-campus. To search for which course options are available, please visit: https://classes.hccfl.edu/?utm_campaign=search_for_classes&utm_medium=web&utm_source=second_menu.  

14.  Do I have to be a general HCC student to apply to the BSN Program?  

Yes, an applicant to the BSN Program must already have been accepted by HCC as a general student and have completed the HCC general student admissions process.   

15. Can I apply to the BSN program if I have my ASN but not my license? 

Yes, as long as a student is eligible for licensure, they may apply to the BSN Program. Documentation of licensure will be required to be submitted to the Nursing Department before the end of the second semester for ability to progress forward in the BSN Program.  

16. Can I apply to the BSN program if I do not already have an Associate of Science Degree in Nursing? 

No. Applicants must have an Associate’s of Science in Nursing Degree to apply.  

17. May I take a BSN class if I am not in the BSN Program?  

No. A student must be accepted to the BSN program to enroll in BSN classes.  

18. Do the BSN courses have to be taken in a specific order? 

No. Students can select the order in which they complete the BSN classes, with exception to the following courses: 

NUR-3805 Professional Roles in Nursing: must be taken in the first semester of the BSN program  

NUR-4835C Leadership and Management in Professional Nursing: must be taken in the final semester of the program 

NUR 4169 Evidence Based – Nursing Research: STA 2023 Statistics must be taken prior to this course. 

19. Can any of the BSN courses be taken on-campus? 

Unfortunately, the BSN nursing classes cannot be taken on-campus. However, General Education classes needed for the BSN may be taken in-person on any HCC campus or can also be completed entirely online.   

20. I already completed Pharmacology and/or Pathophysiology in my AS. Nursing program. Do I have to retake these courses again? 

The Pharmacology and Pathophysiology courses in the BSN program are higher-level than the courses taught in the ASN degree program, and as a result, are not the same. The content and expectations of these BSN courses are significantly higher than those in the ASN program and will still need to be taken.