CSU lowers tuition for Online RN to BSN program that can be completed in only three semesters

Flexible schedule allows nurses to acquire degree while practicing

CLEVELAND (Tuesday, May 19, 2015) – Cleveland State University has lowered the cost of courses in its Online RN to BSN program to accommodate the growing demand from employers for nurses with a baccalaureate degree. The total cost per credit hour has been reduced to $240 for in-state students and $243 for out-of-state students, which adds up to savings of more than $4,300 over the course of the program. The tuition matches the lowest rates in Ohio.

At CSU the required nursing courses can be completed in just one year: three consecutive semesters--fall, spring, and summer. CSU participates in the Northeast Ohio Access in Nursing model, which grants college credit toward a BSN to graduates of associate degree and diploma nursing programs.

"We designed this program with working professionals in mind. It is taught by accessible and supportive faculty in a flexible format," said Vida B. Lock, Ph.D., RN, dean of the CSU School of Nursing. "CSU also maintains close relationships with large employers in the region to ensure that our graduates are prepared for placement and advancement opportunities."

Many Cleveland-area employers, including major hospitals, require a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. In addition, one of the recommendations of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Initiative on the Future of Nursing was that the percentage of the current nursing workforce holding a BSN degree should increase to at least 80 percent by 2020, from 50 percent in 2010.

The CSU School of Nursing's BSN program is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and has full approval from the Ohio Board of Nursing. Applications are being accepted for the program through July 1. More information is available at www.csuohio.edu/onlinebsn or by calling (216) 687-3598.