Advance from LPN to BSN
You've earned your LPN and now you're ready to reach for something more. More responsibility. More income. Most of all, more ways to serve your patients, your community, and your colleagues on the healthcare team.
IUP's BS in Nursing for LPNs will give you opportunities for career growth and satisfaction. Your studies will help you expand your knowledge and skills so you have the confidence to build a rewarding nursing career.
Why Major in Nursing at IUP?
Earning your nursing degree at IUP makes you part of a community that has a track record of success. We're proud to report that 91 percent of our graduates pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for Registered Nurses—and they pass it the first time they take it.
When employers see that you graduated from IUP in nursing, they immediately know you studied at a top school. Nursing Schools Almanac ranked IUP's nursing program as:
- One of the "best prelicensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs in the state."
- Thirteenth in the state, in their 2023 comprehensive review of Pennsylvania programs.
After you graduate and then successfully complete the NCLEX-RN exam, you may apply for your RN license in Pennsylvania and other states.
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at IUP is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Imagine Your Future
As a licensed practical nurse, you know the rewards and challenges of working in healthcare. You also know that a BSN degree can make your rewards even richer.
With a bachelor of science in nursing, you'll be in demand for interesting, well-paid positions in hospitals and acute care settings. You can choose to work in areas such as:
- Critical care
- Emergency/trauma centers
- Medical-surgical
- Obstetrics
- Oncology
- Pediatrics
- Psychology/mental health
If you'd rather serve in community care settings, you'll have plenty of options. Graduates of IUP's nursing degree program have been hired to work in:
- Dialysis
- Emergency shelters
- Forensic and prison health services/facilities
- Home healthcare
- Long-term care
- Public health
- School health centers
Prepare for Graduate and Advanced Practice Education
Thinking about becoming a nurse educator or nurse administrator? You're on the right track. The IUP nursing program gives you the solid academic foundation you need to go on to graduate school.
You'll also have the credentials to further your education in advanced practice nursing. These roles include secure and well-paid specialties, such as:
- Certified nurse midwife (CNM)
- Certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA)
- Clinical nurse specialist (CNS)
- Nurse practitioner (NP)
Classes and Requirements
As an experienced LPN, you know the reality of treating illness and injury. You also know that nursing is an art and a science. Taking care of patients—and the loved ones who collaborate in a patient's care—is challenging.
That's why IUP's nursing degree program is so comprehensive. Your BSN coursework and clinical experience will prepare you to develop your knowledge and skills to their fullest.
On the LPN track, you will follow a nursing major curriculum that recognizes the work you completed for your practical nursing program. Because of your LPN:
- You are not required to take introductory nursing courses at the sophomore level, except for Health Assessment.
- You can test out of Adult Health I, Care of the Child, and Maternal Health theory and clinical, and take a one-credit nursing internship.
- Your curriculum plan includes a course to help you transition from the role of the LPN to baccalaureate nurse.
- You will begin your clinical experiences at the junior level. Clinical sites include a variety of hospitals and acute care settings, community and home health care settings, and schools roughly within 60 miles of Indiana, Pennsylvania.
IUP clinical site affiliates include, but are not limited to:
- Armstrong Hospital
- Beacon Ridge
- Conemaugh Memorial
- Independence Health Latrobe
- Independence Health Westmoreland
- Indiana Regional Medical Center
- Scenery Hill
- St. Andrews Village
- UPMC
- Visiting Nurse Association
- West Penn Hospital
- Windber Hospital
Full Academic Catalog Listing
The course catalog is the official reference for all our degree and course offerings. Check it out for a full listing of the classes available and requirements for this degree.
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Clinical Experiences for IUP Nursing Majors
Strengthening and building on the experience you've earned as an LPN is an important part of your undergraduate nursing education. IUP has partnered with a wide variety of health care facilities so that you and all nursing majors can gain valuable clinical experience.
During your clinical experience, you are responsible for:
- Transportation to and from clinical experiences.
- Any fees related to clinical experiences, such as a lab kit, uniform, etc.
- Any fees for meeting clinical facility requirements.
Requirements for Students at Clinical Facilities
As a student in IUP's nursing program, you must meet certain requirements before starting your clinical experiences. Some of these requirements include:
- Criminal background checks
- Drug testing
- Immunization records
- Proof of health insurance
- Proof of immunity
- Proof of liability insurance
- Vaccinations
Specific facilities may list additional requirements. You are responsible for making sure you have met all requirements before your clinical experience begins.
At the completion of the degree program, you are responsible for fees related to the NCLEX-RN exam and licensure.
Student Organizations for Nursing Majors
At IUP, your undergraduate nursing education goes far beyond the classroom and clinical location. Take advantage of the learning and networking—and fun—you'll experience as part of these student organizations.
Sigma Theta Tau-International Honor Society of Nursing and the Zeta Lambda Chapter
This organization supports the learning, knowledge, and professional development of nurses committed to making a difference in health worldwide.
Student Nurses Association of Pennsylvania (SNAP)
As a member, you'll have opportunities to be involved in current legislative nursing issues, social and service projects, informative programs, and networking with nursing majors across the state and the country.
Alpha Tau Delta (ATD)
Join and receive all the benefits of membership in a national fraternity for nurses that promotes academic, professional, and social growth.
Nurses Christian Fellowship (NCF)
If nursing is part of your spiritual path, consider joining the NCF. NCF is a professional organization and ministry for nurses and nursing students.
American Assembly for Men in Nursing (AAMN)
As a man pursuing the nursing profession, you might want to join the AAMN. The mission of this organization is to provide a framework for nurses, as a group, to meet, discuss, and influence factors that affect men as nurses.
Class Officers
Want to develop your leadership skills? Run for class office and take responsibility for planning and organizing group activities and fundraising projects.
Student Advisory Committee
Attending Student Advisory meetings, and maybe even serving as an elected voting member, is another way to stay on top of issues that affect students in the nursing program and other majors.
Guide, Coach, Cheerleader: Your Academic Advisor
Enrolling in a bachelor of science in nursing program is a big step—one of many that will take you from today to a long and rewarding career. Your academic advisor will be with you every step of the way.
Class Registration Schedule
Ready to start planning for your first semester as an IUP nursing student? Here's what you need to know.
- Registration for spring semester begins in mid-October.
- Registration for fall semester and summer session begins in mid-March.
Class schedules are usually posted several weeks before the registration period begins.
Early Registration for Science Classes
Each semester, a certain number of nursing students can register early so they may enroll in the science courses they need. Be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to get the best schedule possible.
Academic Advisor Meetings
Your nursing advisor is here to help you make progress and get the best class and clinical schedule possible. As a nursing student, you are required to schedule an appointment to meet with your advisor each semester. During the meeting, your advisor will give you a Personal Identification Number (PIN). You'll need this to log in to the registration system.
Advisor appointment schedules are posted in mid-February and mid-September. Watch your IUP email account for details.
Use Your Student Email for All IUP Communication
While you are a nursing major, you will use an official email account for all IUP student communication. Your faculty, advisor, department chair, registrar, and other staff members will contact you only via IUP email. Be sure to check this email inbox frequently.
Need help with your IUP email? Contact the university’s IT Support Center.
Build Your Skills in Simulation Laboratories
Your competence and confidence in the patient care setting come from practice. To help you get that practice, IUP has built state-of-the-art simulation laboratories for nursing majors to use to hone their skills.
These innovative laboratories allow you to:
- Practice using healthcare equipment.
- Get hands-on training in using electronic medical records.
- Collaborate with IUP's theater students, who use their acting talents to portray patients and other roles in diverse health care situations.
Incoming LPN Students with a Current LPN License
If you're ready to take the first step to earning your BS in Nursing for LPNs from IUP, we're ready to help.
To apply, you'll need the following:
- An LPN license from an accredited, approved practical nursing program.
- Completion of the following courses with a grade of C or better:
- BIOL 150 Human Anatomy
- CHEM 103 Introduction to Chemistry for Health Sciences and CHEM 225
or
CHEM 101 College Chemistry I and CHEM 102 College Chemistry II
or
CHEM 111 General Chemistry I and CHEM 112 General Chemistry II - Human Physiology
Student Information Handbook
College life. Organizations to join. Facilities to use and enjoy. You'll find everything you need to know in the Student Information Handbook.
Be sure to review the pages explaining policies on professional behavior and clinical requirements.