Nursing (LPN-RN) Advanced Placement Advisement Pathway

Degree Requirements ASN Program Guide LPN-RN Checklist Degree Works

Note: Degree requirements effective for enrolled students beginning Fall 2023. All enrolled students, including matriculating students prior to Fall 2023, can review their degree program requirements and track progress to degree completion with our degree audit and advisement tool, Degree Works.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Associate of Science in Nursing Program is competitive. There are more qualified applicants applying to the program than there are seats available. Those interested in the nursing program should meet with an advisor early to review the criteria and clarify the process. It is important to note that meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee acceptance to the program.

During Fall 2024 advising, it is the students' responsibility to verify with your advisor that you will be completing all prerequisite courses by the end of Spring 2025, in order to get your Ticket to Test from them
*The Ticket to Test will give you information on the LPN to RN Advanced Placement NACE Package that you will use to help you prepare for and to take the exams required to test out of the first year.

In order to be considered for the fall 2025 LPN to RN Advanced Placement, you must have application, pre requisites, and NACE Exams completed by February 28, 2025.
Once you meet all of the requirements and are approved to enter the program, you will be awarded the 8 or 16 nursing credits from the first year of the curriculum.

Admission Deadlines & Timeline

• The program application deadline must be submitted by February 28, 2025 for  consideration into the LPN Advanced Placement to start Fall 2025. You will be notified by March 1, 2025 of the CU Nursing admissions committee decision.
• February 28th- Deadline to submit CU nursing application
• March 1st - CU Nursing admissions notifies applicants

LPN to RN Advanced Placement Advisement Pathway Application Process

Step 1: Application

• Submit general CU application
• Declare your major as Associate of Applied Science - Health Care Professions track.
• Submit the Nursing Program application*

Please Note: Admission to the Nursing program is competitive. There are more qualified applicants applying to the program than there are seats available. Those interested in the nursing program should meet with an advisor early to review the criteria and clarify the process. It is important to note that meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee acceptance to the program.

Step 2: Request Official Transcripts

• Submit all transcripts from other schools you have attended (i.e. high school, LPN school, college)

Step 3: Contact the Nursing department

• After receiving the CU admissions acceptance letter, contact the Nursing Department at 814-768-3450 to discuss your academic plan.

Step 4: Complete prerequisite courses

Must complete Algebra, Biology and Chemistry
Complete A, B, C’s with minimum required grade of C or higher.

• Algebra (can be completed at the High school level)
• Biology/lab (Bio/lab can be completed at the High school level)
• Chemistry/lab (Chem/lab can be completed at the High school level)

Complete Prerequisite Courses: Your transcripts will be reviewed to verify what courses must be completed prior to applying to the nursing program. Complete all prerequisite courses with minimum required grade of C or higher. Must maintain a 2.7 GPA.  All prerequisites must be completed by the end of Spring Semester 2024 for Fall 2024 admission.

• Math 101 - or higher
• WRIT 103 - Foundations in Composition
• HLSC 115 - Anatomy and Physiology I
• HLSC 120 - Anatomy and Physiology II
• PSYC 212 - Lifespan Development

Step 5: Meet with your advisor

During Fall 2024 advising, it is the students' responsibility to verify with your advisor that you will be completing all prerequisite courses by the end of Spring 2025, in order to get your Ticket to Test from them.

*The Ticket to Test will give you information on the LPN to RN Advanced Placement NACE Package that you will use to help you prepare for and to take the exams required to test out of the first year.

Mission

The Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania Breiner School of Nursing mission is to promote excellence, value diversity, and provide education to meet the various and changing health care needs. The educational process which integrates the concepts from the liberal arts and sciences prepares professional nurses at the associate, baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral levels emphasizing critical thinking, clinical judgment, and disparate experiences and perspectives.

Philosophy

The philosophy of the Breiner School of Nursing at Commonwealth University reflects the values and beliefs of faculty which provide a strong foundation for each nursing program, associate to doctoral, and contributes to excellence in professional nursing practice. Our program will prepare the graduate to be proficient in nursing competencies for clinical practice.  Our philosophy is based on the belief that nursing is a unique and valuable profession that requires a commitment to caring, career-lifelong learning, innovation, and professional development. We believe that nurses should be competent, compassionate, and provide person-centered holistic care. Faculty believe in fostering a supportive and collaborative learning environment that equips students with the necessary cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skills, critical thinking, clinical reasoning, clinical judgement, and commitment to the values of the profession to function as effective nurse leaders. The faculty recognize diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning experiences based on the students’ individual learning needs, learning styles, and readiness. Learning is a continuous, career-life-long process that occurs throughout domains enhanced by an environment that encompasses critical thinking, clinical reasoning, clinical judgment, evidence-based practice, clinical simulation, and person-centered holistic care. In a developmental manner, students will progress from knowledge to proficiency in the eight core concepts. We are committed to providing our students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need to succeed as competent, compassionate, and person-centered professional nurses.  

Core Concepts

• Clinical Judgment
• Communication
• Compassionate Care
• Diversity, equity, inclusion
• Evidence-based practice
• Ethics
• Health policy
• Social determinates of Health

Upon completion of the Commonwealth University – Lock Haven Associate Degree nursing program, the graduate is prepared to:

• Provide nursing care across the lifespan, adapted to the health care consumer’s physiological, psychological, socio-cultural, developmental, and spiritual dimensions of health. (Patient-Centered Care)
• Demonstrate professional nursing behaviors, evidencing integrity, legal accountability, ethical responsibility, advocacy, caring and a commitment to lifelong learning. (Professionalism)
• Select informatics and technology to manage information, minimize error, and achieve defined health care outcomes. (Informatics and Technology)
• Select effective and professional communication skills. (Communication)
• Interpret effective relationships with health care consumers and members of the health care team in order to meet mutually determined health care outcomes. (Teamwork and Collaboration)
• Demonstrate the ability to provide nursing care that protects health care consumers and health care personnel from health and environmental hazards. (Safety)
• Evaluate the principles of quality improvement to achieve cost effective, patient-centered outcomes. (Quality Improvement)
• Use critical reasoning and best current evidence to make nursing care decisions. (Evidence-Based Practice)
• Select leadership strategies to direct nursing care, promote change and foster achievement of health care goals. (Leadership).
• Demonstrate professional nursing behaviors related to global health practices that include the effects of the culturally diverse community, from the individual to global perspectives, on such areas as disease transmission, violence, health care policy, and health care economics. (System Based Practice/Global Awareness)

2023 NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 96%