Online Nursing Degree Programs

Yes, you can definitely get a nursing degree online. Whether you choose to study at a university or at an online college of nursing, it’s not only possible to earn your nursing degree virtually — it’s smart. Learning online can help you save on tuition costs and give you greater control of your time.

Most of today’s online nursing degree programs are widely accepted, well-respected sources for beginning a nursing career, advancing your current credentials, or keeping your nursing skills up-to-date. Whatever level of the nursing profession you’re in, there’s an online program designed for you.

You can get your nursing career started by earning an associate’s degree (ASN) or completing a prelicensure bachelor’s degree program. After that, you can advance your career expertise with an online RN-to-BSN, Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).

To become a licensed RN, you must graduate from a nursing program (such as Purdue Global’s ASN, available only to students in Iowa and Maine) and then pass the national nursing licensure exam, NCLEX-RN. This process is exactly the same whether you attend a traditional on-campus or online nursing school.

Employers today realize that graduates with online nursing degrees have the same quality academic and clinical education and training as their on-campus counterparts. They understand that most students choose to earn a nursing degree online for the flexibility it gives them to study wherever and whenever works best for their schedule — and help them achieve their goals sooner.

While online nursing programs deliver coursework fully online, most require a live clinical or practicum experience where you can apply the knowledge you’ve gained in the classroom. Purdue Global degrees allow you to complete these practice experiences where you work, or at a participating health facility in your community.

Our School of Nursing, founded in 2004, was among the first to offer a wide range of accredited online nursing degrees. Purdue Global’s baccalaureate degree in nursing, master’s degree in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and the postgraduate APRN certificate programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (www.CCNEAccreditation.org). Accreditation by the CCNE tells you that Purdue Global programs meet national standards for upholding quality and rigor in nursing education.

See Notes and Conditions below for important information.

For years, the types of nursing degrees have been expanding to meet the needs of a changing health care system. Due to shortages of nurses and a shrinking number of family physicians, nurses now have opportunities to take on a wide variety of roles. Getting the proper education and training is paramount to your success as a nurse. Health care roles are available for a variety of nursing education and experience levels.

To begin your nursing career, you could earn a licensed practical nurse (LPN) certificate or diploma, which usually takes 1 year of full-time study to complete. An LPN’s role is limited compared to a registered nurse (RN), but you’ll still perform important patient-care duties, including monitoring patient health, assisting with tests or procedures, recording patient histories, consulting with RNs, and more.

The Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) takes about 1.5 to 2 years of full-time study to earn at many universities, community colleges, and career-focused schools. Upon successful completion of your ASN degree, you can apply to sit for the national licensure exam known as the NCLEX-RN® exam. After passing your NCLEX exam and becoming a registered nurse (RN), you are prepared to pursue work in a variety of health care settings including:

• Emergency nursing
• Peri-, intra-, and postoperative nursing
• Family practice, geriatric, and adult-health nursing
• Maternal, infant, and pediatric nursing
• Mental health nursing
• Medical-surgical nursing

A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is the next step for RNs seeking to enhance their skills and pursue advanced roles. Many people choose to earn their ASN first and then return for their bachelor’s after working for a few years as a licensed RN. Health care employers often require a bachelor’s degree in nursing, and some employers are giving RNs a deadline to earn theirs. If you’re already a working RN, completing your RN-to-BSN degree — on-campus or online — is a smart way to get ahead.

Enrolling in an RN-to-BSN program prepares you for greater responsibilities and gives you the academic credentials to seek advanced nursing career paths. You can work in areas such as:

• Community education and public health
• Nursing case management
• Nursing management and leadership
• Patient care coordination
• Nonhospital employment opportunities
• Health care administration
• And more

The next level of nursing education is the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), which builds on your prior learning and practical experience with leadership and independent-practice opportunities. Purdue Global’s online MSN includes specialized courses in organizational theory, health care finance, health policy, human resources, information technology, and health care systems. You can specialize in one of multiple pathways aligned to specific advanced nursing roles. There’s even an MSN with a direct pathway to a doctoral degree in nursing (DNP). Popular nursing career options for master’s degree graduates include:

• Directors of nursing
• Medical and health services managers
• Postsecondary nursing instructors and teachers
• Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), including nurse practitioners
• Nurse educators

Finally, the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a terminal nursing degree that prepares nursing leaders to practice at the highest levels of the profession. It’s possible to complete your DNP program online while you continue to work. As a graduate, you can pursue careers in executive leadership and a variety of advanced practice nursing roles. APRN roles include:

• Nurse practitioners
• Certified nurse-midwives
• Certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs)
• Clinical nurse specialists (CNSs)

Our School of Nursing also offers online postgraduate certificates for advanced-practice nurses, including adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner, adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, as well as graduate certificates for nurse educator and executive leader.

See Notes and Conditions below for important information.

Many online nursing programs today offer the same rigorous, rewarding experience as brick-and-mortar nursing schools—without the commute or inconvenient class hours.

Returning to campus can be a bit intimidating for nurses who’ve been away from school for several years, and the challenges of balancing work and family with school can make taking nursing classes online very appealing. This is why a growing number of students are choosing to study nursing online for the more flexible course experience it offers.

As an online nursing school student, strong organizational and time management skills are especially important. The only equipment you’ll need to get started is a computer, an internet connection, and any class software that may be required. You must be ready to participate in online seminars and communicate about the material with instructors and fellow students via email and discussion boards. In an online learning setting, you’ll be evaluated by the level and substance of participation on these discussion boards, as well as on your course assignments throughout the term.

You’ll also need to become comfortable accessing online academic support services.

The clinical practice experiences within our undergraduate and graduate nursing programs will help you apply the knowledge you’ve gained in class to a real-world setting. They provide enriching training opportunities to support your academic and career goals. You can complete these experiences where you work, or work with our skilled clinical placement team to help you locate an approved health facility in your community.

Our MSN and RN-to-BSN online nursing programs offer a number of ways to complete your clinical practice experience:

• Engage in patient simulation (face-to-face or virtually)
• Develop nursing protocols or tools for specific patient populations
• Meet with nurse leaders in the community
• Assess different patient populations
• Work with nursing staff in a patient care environment to implement new protocols or procedures

Our blog has even more specifics on how online nursing programs work at Purdue Global.

See Notes and Conditions below for important information.

Yes, many online nursing school programs are accredited, including those offered by Purdue Global. But you must do your due diligence and research the accreditation status of each institution you are considering.

Accredited nursing programs qualify graduates to sit for industry licensing and certification exams, including the NCLEX-RN®, which must be passed to practice as a registered nurse. Accreditation tells you that an impartial agency recognized by the Department of Education (DOE) has validated the nursing program for quality and rigor.

When evaluating accredited online nursing programs, consider which university or college is offering the program and see whether the school itself is accredited — and, if so, by which accrediting body. Purdue Global is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The HLC is one of six regional institutional accreditors, covering degree-granting postsecondary educational institutions in the North Central region of the U.S.

Purdue Global’s associate’s degree in nursing is approved by the boards of nursing in Iowa and Maine. Additionally, the baccalaureate degree in nursing, master’s degree in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and the postgraduate APRN certificate programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (www.CCNEAccreditation.org).

CCNE-accredited programs assure you of the quality and integrity of an institution’s undergraduate, graduate, and residency programs in nursing. Our School of Nursing hosts regular, formal visits from the CCNE to maintain accreditation of its programs.

Another organization that accredits online nursing schools in the U.S. is the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), which covers nursing programs at all levels, from diplomas to doctoral degrees. Typically, most programs aim to earn accreditation from either CCNE or ACEN.

In addition to choosing an accredited online nursing program, you should be sure your program meets the educational requirements of the Board of Nursing in the state where you want to practice. You must complete a program that fulfills your State Board of Nursing’s academic requirements to apply for your nursing license.

Visit the Accreditation page for more more details.

How many years of school it will take to become a nurse depends on where you are in your educational journey and career, and the level of nursing degree you wish to pursue.

Here’s a look at the requirements for each online nursing program at Purdue Global:

• The Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) consists of 116 quarter credit hours. Typically, students can complete the program in as few as 18 months of full-time study.
• The RN-to-Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-to-BSN) consists of 180 quarter credit hours. Admission requires a license to practice as a registered nurse (RN), as well as an associate's degree, diploma, or certificate in nursing. Current, active RN licensees are awarded 119 articulation credits, leaving 46 to 61 credits to complete a BSN. Full-time students can complete this in 5 ten-week terms.
• The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) consists of 60 to 90 quarter credit hours, depending on the specialty track you choose. Dual degree options are available to earn an MSN–MBA (88 credits), MSN-MHCA (74 credits), or an MSN-MPH (82 credits). A bachelor’s in nursing is required. You can complete the MSN in as few as 18 to 24 months of full-time study, while a dual degree can be completed in as few as 2.5 years.
• The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) consists of 50 quarter credit hours, depending on your prior degree. A master’s in nursing is required. You can complete the DNP through our MSN-to-DNP path to save time. On average, our students complete their DNP in as few as 18 months.
• Postgraduate Certificates: Our CCNE-approved programs can prepare you to become a nurse practitioner or apply new expertise to your career. Certificates consist of 48 to 60 quarter credit hours. A master’s in nursing is required.
• Graduate Certificates: Nurses with a bachelor’s degree can add new expertise with a graduate-level certificate in nurse education or nursing executive leadership. Each certificate is 20 quarter credit hours (4 courses), which can be applied toward a future MSN degree at Purdue Global. 

You can read more about the time it takes to progress your nursing career on our blog.

See Notes and Conditions below for important information.

There are many career paths in nursing. To find the type of nursing that’s right for you, it’s important that you read up about the available options to help identify your career preferences.

Your personal strengths, professional skills, and the patient population you want to care for will help determine your nursing career path. You can start by becoming a registered nurse (RN) after earning your associate’s degree in nursing, a general nursing degree that prepares you for a wide variety of nursing roles.

Next, you must take and pass the national licensure exam (NCLEX-RN®) to become registered to practice as an RN in a variety of settings. The needs of the organization where you work, and job availability, will determine where you practice at this stage. After gaining some on-the-job training, you’ll be ready to consider additional certification.

With an undergraduate nursing degree, you can pursue a career as a neonatal nurse, clinical nurse, critical care nurse, dialysis nurse, ER nurse, informatic nurse, geriatric nurse, nurse advocate, pain management nurse, pediatric nurse, psychiatric nurse, oncology nurse, telehealth nurse, and more.

With a graduate nursing degree and more experience, you could pursue work as a nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, clinical nurse specialist, certified registered nurse anesthetist, nurse educator, travel nurse, or trauma nurse, or serve in a research or public health role, among other opportunities.

Degree specializations assure health institutions and patients alike that you are highly knowledgeable and competent in a specific area of expertise. Many professional nursing organizations provide specialty certifications in nursing. Read Purdue Global’s list of nursing specialties to learn more.

Whichever nursing role you pursue, you’ll be part of a growing field with a recognized shortage of qualified professionals.

When evaluating your nursing career options, also consider the state in which you intend to practice. Check to see what your state licensure requirements are and which nursing roles are in demand where you live.

See Notes and Conditions below for important information.