B.A. to ADN to MSN? (Skipping BSN)????

Nursing Students General Students

Published

Hey everone! Just need some clarification here...I currently hold a B.A. in a field unrelated to nursing. I am going to be attending an ADN program next fall.

I would like to know upon completion of the ADN program if I will be eligible for an MSN (as I will already hold a bachelors and be an RN). Some programs in my local area (San Francisco) offer this option and I wanted to hear about some other schools or online schools that also allow you to do this if you don't have a BSN, but rather a B.A. and an RN...

Anyone else in this situation? I definately want to go for my MSN, but think it's silly to get two bachelor's degrees if I don't need to. I'd like to get people's input on this and hear about some other schools offering this option...

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have a good friend who just applied to a program at Yale that is a BSN-MSN-PhD combo. She has a BS in Health Sciences (pre-med) and still needs a BSN for the program. They include that in the whole combo thing (you do BSN in 13 months) but the bottom line is that, at least for Yale, you do need a BSN. I'm not sure if that requirement is school specific or if that is because it's for students who weren't RNs prior or what.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm also in the same situation - I'm starting my ADN next monday, but I've already researched some "bridge" (RN to MSN) programs in my area (Cleveland). The programs are different and based on what you want to focus on - education, management, practioner, etc. It seems that the more clinical the MSN, the more course work required - makes sense! Good luck with your search and school.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I don't know what area of the country the OP is from but SUNY Upstate (NYS)has an ADN-MSN program.

Basically ADNs with a Bachelors in another field have to take 4 Bachelor level Excelsior exams and then they can begin their MSN.

They have two majors: NP (adult or pediatric) and CNS.

http://www.upstate.edu/con/ms/

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi I am also doing the same thing except I have a B.S. & I'm currently getting my diploma in nursing (16mnths) then straight to the Women's Health MSN-NP (1 1/2 years). Virginia Commonwealth University offers Masters for non-BSN RNs w/ a B.S/B.A in another field. Its not really a bridge program because you apply as a regular masters applicant but you must take community health nursing and leadership & management in healthcare either before you start masters level classes or in the first semester with your masters level classes. You can do any specialty you want. I decided to take this route because it is the same amount of time (3yrs) as getting another B.S. & MSN but alot cheaper plus since I have a B.S. I have all of the science courses that wouldve been required to get a BSN. All I needed was the nursing courses & straight to the masters. I've been told by various mentors from prestigious institutions that any route to get the RN is fine however specificity comes into play at the graduate level when trying to get your foot in the door for certain position advances. Thats when Johns Hopkins & UCSF, Yale, etc. looks good on your resume for those prestigious jobs in research, etc. Don't get me wrong they look good at any level but thats just what I was told ; it starts to count at the graduate level. However, here's the link to VCU if your interested!

http://www.nursing.vcu.edu/program_masters_nonbsn.shtml

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment