Aug 31, 2025  
Fall 2025 Health Sciences Catalog 
    
Fall 2025 Health Sciences Catalog

Registered Nurse - BS/MS Program


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Note: This program is currently suspended.
 
Offered through Distance Learning with On-Site Requirements
 
The Registered Nurse Baccalaureate to Master of Science Program is designed for students with an associate degree in nursing. The curriculum is concentrated in the upper division and leads to a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in nursing. Upon meeting progression criteria, students will continue to the Master of Science program in their designated specialty.

Admission Requirements

  • Cumulative GPA of 3.00
  • Minimum of 1 year clinical experience as a Registered Nurse in clinical area of interest
  • 60 college credits with a grade of C or better in the pre-admission coursework listed below.

Required Pre-Admission Coursework


  • Lower Division Clinical Nursing Courses Credits: 30 credits
  • English Composition Credits: 3 credits
  • Introduction to Psychology Credits: 3 credits
  • Microbiology/Lab Credits: 4 credits
  • Anatomy & Physiology I/Lab Credits: 4 credits
  • Anatomy & Physiology II/Lab Credits: 4 credits
  • Statistics Credits: 3 credits
  • Humanities Credits: 3 credits
  • US History Credits: 3 credits
  • Global Issues Credits: 3 credits

Total Credits: 60


Registered Nurse/Baccalaureate to Master of Science Program Curriculum


Total Credits: 60


Students enrolling in the Registered Nurse to BS/MS program may apply for up to a maximum of 8 transfer credits provided the courses meet specific criteria:

  • Credits for all courses must carry a grade of C+ or higher at regionally accredited institutions
  • Credits must not be more than 5 years old at the time the student is admitted to their program of study at the School of Nursing
  • Courses must be 300 or 400 level

Courses considered for transfer credit will be evaluated and maybe accepted for applicability to specific School of Nursing degree requirements. Grades received for transferred courses are not shown nor are they included in the calculation of the student’s cumulative grade point average at Stony Brook University. Please refer to the School of Nursing Student Handbook for the full policy on Transfer Credits. Students who have received a prior bachelor’s degree from Stony Brook University or another accredited institution may be eligible to apply a maximum of 19 credits of upper-division level coursework (undergraduate courses numbered 300 or higher) toward the undergraduate liberal arts & sciences component of the Registered Nurse to BS/MS degree program. Only courses with a minimum grade of C+ shall be considered. Please speak to a School of Nursing Undergraduate Program Advisor for more information regarding the School of Nursing Transfer Credit Policy.

Admission requirements for the Master of Science programs

  • Completed application
  • Baccalaureate degree with a major in nursing (non-nursing bachelor’s degrees, see Clinical Practice Portfolio below)
  • Minimum of one year’s recent relevant experience(preferred)
  • Unofficial transcripts from all college/universities attended
  • Cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00
  • Current professional Registered Nurse license
  • Three online letters of recommendation
  • Three credit undergraduate course in Health Assessment (by advisement for Nursing Leadership Program)
  • Three credit undergraduate course in Statistics (by advisement for Nursing Leadership Program)
  • Meet all Technical Standards for Admission and Retention (see application)
  • Current curriculum vitae/resume

Applicants With Non-Nursing Bachelor Degrees


Applicants to a Master of Science program with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree are required to submit a clinical practice portfolio to be evaluated for baccalaureate-level nursing competencies once they have been offered conditional acceptance to a program. There is a $300 non-refundable fee for evaluation of the Clinical Practice Portfolio. If the portfolio does not meet academic standards, the student cannot be matriculated.

Additional Requirements Upon Admission

  • Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended
  • Evidence of meeting all Stony Brook University and School of Nursing health requirements
  • Evidence of health insurance
  • Certification in Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (BLS) with AED (must be acquired through American Heart Association or American Red Cross). In addition to BLS, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner students must have Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Acute Care Program students must have Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS).
  • Certification in Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)for Nurse Midwifery and Neonatal Students
  • Evidence of student malpractice insurance is required for all Master of Science students

Transcripts from foreign institutions must be evaluated by a NACES accredited evaluation service, such as the World Education Services (WES) http://www.wes.org

Honors


Degree candidates may receive school or departmental awards for superior performance upon the recommendation and review by the School of Nursing Awards Committee.

Dean’s List

Each semester, part-time students must have completed at least six credits of letter-grade work in order to be considered.

Degrees With Distinction

School of Nursing undergraduate students are eligible for Degrees with Distinction. Degrees with Distinction are conferred on candidates for the Bachelor of Science degree who have completed at least 55 credits at Stony Brook, excluding special examination and waiver credit, and who attain the requisite grade point average. Students in the Registered Nurse to Baccalaureate Program or Registered Nurse to Master of Science Program who entered the program prior to 2022, must follow the policy in place during their entry term into the program. The levels of distinction are suma cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude, and constitute approximately the 98th percentile, the 93rd percentile and the 85th percentile, respectively.

The grade point average cutoffs for the three levels of distinction are: summa cum laude, 3.80; magna cum laude, 3.70; and cum laude, 3.60.

Attainment of a degree with distinction is indicated on the student’s diploma and permanent academic record.

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