The website Top RN to BSN has named Marian University’s online RN to BSN completion degree program one of the Top 10 Best Online RN to BSN programs in Wisconsin. The list recognizes schools that offer quality education and give students “improved skills and a leg up on the job market.”

The website highlighted the convenience and flexibility of the 100% online program that is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Marian University also received praise for how its students benefit from “small school values and the individualized attention needed to succeed.”

The RN to BSN program, offered through Marian University’s unique MPath online learning system, is designed for working associate degree nurses (ADN) committed to developing the baccalaureate-level skills needed for healthcare management and leadership roles.

 Marian University Officials Praise Faculty, Students

Marian University officials said inclusion on the list of best online RN to BSN programs in Wisconsin made them proud of what the school’s administrators, faculty and students have accomplished.

“It’s a remarkable achievement and one that should be credited not only to school officials and professors but the many ADNs who have gone through our RN to BSN program and onto further success in their careers,” said Katie Hughes, D.N.P., undergraduate program director for the Marian University nursing program.

“The courses and coursework that we designed for this program support nurses in both their career ambitions and personal growth. We feel we accomplish that with every new class. Making the Top 10 list really feels like validation for both our efforts and those of our students.”

In alignment with feedback from healthcare organizations, the RN to BSN curriculum focuses on honing students’ skills in evidence-based nursing practice, healthcare leadership and policy, and developing management skills. Hughes said it’s “a combination that has proven successful for our students.”

The Top Online Nursing School Rankings

The Top RN to BSN website only considered online nursing programs offered by regionally and nationally accredited institutions for inclusion on the list of best online RN to BSN programs. Schools on the list ranged from public regional universities to “model private institutions” such as Marian University.

To develop the list, editors at the Top RN to BSN website researched all online nursing programs offered by accredited schools in Wisconsin. They ranked the programs based on tuition cost, student reviews, and income potential of graduates.

In addition to writing about the advantages of Marian University’s student support and program focus, the website also touched on the liberal arts school’s history. Marian University was founded in 1936 as a teacher’s college by the Congregation of Sisters of Saint Agnes, a Roman Catholic order.

Advantages of the Marian University RN to BSN Program

As noted by the Top RN to BSN website, Marian University “offers a flexible and convenient RN to BSN degree program” that is provided through the school’s distance-learning platform, MPath.

The degree program includes 27 nursing credits in areas such as Leadership and Healthcare Systems, Evidenced-Based Nursing, Population Health, Healthcare Economics and Policy, and Theoretical Foundations for Nursing Practice.

Marian University RN to BSN students need 120 credits to graduate. However, the university offers a generous transfer credit policy that allows for up to 90 transfer credits. Associate degree transfer credits and RN licensure credits count towards the baccalaureate degree.

Students at Marian University can graduate within just 12 months. Because the courses are online through the MPath system, students can immediately apply what they learn to their jobs.

Graduates from the program gain competencies in leadership, policy, management, and evidence-based practice. Nurses who graduate from the program have the knowledge and skills needed to take on management and leadership positions in many healthcare settings, including hospitals, clinics, emergency rooms, health departments, home care, hospice programs, long-term care facilities, and mental health agencies.