FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY PANAMA CITY on The Chipola Campus in Marianna, Florida | About the RN-BSN Program | Admission Requirements | Prerequisite Courses | Financial Aid | | Textbook Information | Contact Information |  UC Home |

RN-to-BSN Program
Practice as an RN can begin with the Associate Degree, however, career advancement and/or mobility is often dependent upon attainment of the BSN.  Because the BSN nurse is prepared to practice in ALL health care settings, many of today’s nursing positions require the BSN for employment.  BSN prepared RN’s receive a broad based education that prepares them to assume roles in nursing leadership, case management, public and school health, health promotion, disease management and other positions in both the hospital and community setting.  In addition, the BSN is the gateway to graduate education and advanced practice roles. 

In Fall 2002, FSU Panama City began a partnership with the University Center at Chipola College to offer upper-level courses leading to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing.  These FSU classes will meet on the Chipola campus in Marianna and will be taught by FSU faculty from the Panama City campus. 

Admission Requirements 

• RN licensure in the state of Florida
• RN licensure in Alabama or Georgia is acceptable for Alabama and Georgia residents in the designated counties effected by the special tuition differential. (NOTE: All clinical requirements must be performed at clinical sites in Alabama or Georgia and approved by contractual agreement with the FSU School of Nursing.)
• An AA degree from a Florida public institution OR satisfactory completion of the state liberal studies requirements
• A cumulative grade point average of 2.7 (minimum)
• A grade point average of 2.5 (minimum)
• Completion of all prerequisite courses

Prerequisite Courses for the RN-to-BSN Nursing Major 

 Additional Requirements for Graduation 

 Financial Aid 

Students who are interested in federal financial aid – whether grant or loan - or any of the FSU Panama City Foundation Scholarships should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (also known as FAFSA).  The institution code for FSU is 001489. 

You can complete the FAFSA online by going to www.fafsa.ed.gov.  There are many excellent reasons to complete the FAFSA on the Web but, for the sake of time and space, I will only mention three: 

    1.   FAFSA on the Web is faster than applying for aid by paper

2. FAFSA on the Web uses skip logic based on your particular information, so you will need to answer fewer questions than on the paper application
3. FAFSA on the Web checks your answers before you submit your application, so there is less chance your application your application will be rejected because of missing or conflicting information.

 As a first step, be sure to register for a PIN number.  The PIN serves as your identifier to let you access your personal information in various U.S. Department of Education systems. It's like the Personal Identification Number that you get from your bank that enables you to access your account. Because your PIN serves as your electronic signature, you should not give it to anyone.

Once you have completed the FAFSA on the Web, you can use your PIN number as your electronic signature.

If you choose to complete the paper application, forms are available in the FSU and Chipola Financial Aid Offices.  For additional assistance, contact the FSU Panama City Office of Financial Aid at (850) 522-2003 or toll free at (866) 693-7872 or the Chipola College Office of Financial Aid at (850) 718-2293. 

Deadlines for financial aid from your state (Florida), from your school (FSU) and from private scholarship sources tend to be much earlier than deadlines for federal aid.  To make sure that any financial aid package FSU offers you will contain aid from as many sources as possible, apply as soon as you can after January 1, 2008. 

Registration and Textbook Information 

Attendance at an Orientation/Registration session is mandatory.  Oreintation/Registration session dates for new students entering
Spring Semester 2008 are:

                                    Monday, October 22                                                            12:30 PM

                                    Tuesday, November 27                                                         4:00 PM

                                    Thursday, January 3                                                              12:00 PM or 4:00P M 

                                    Friday, January 4                                                                  12:00 PM

All sessions will be held on the Panama City Campus.

Textbooks may be purchased in person at the Panama City Campus Bookstore, 1^st floor, Barron Building or on-line by visiting www.pc.fsu.edu and clicking on “Student Services” then “Bookstore”. 

Contact Information 

For further information about this program, contact: