Ohio State University Nursing Programs

Ohio State University offers nursing education pathways for students at different points in their careers, from those preparing for initial nursing licensure to registered nurses pursuing advanced practice, leadership, education, or doctoral study. The best option depends on the student’s current education, RN licensure status, desired role, preferred learning format, and state licensure requirements.

This profile reflects currently published nursing offerings. Applicants should verify current program availability, admissions requirements, tuition, approval, accreditation, clinical expectations, and state eligibility directly with the university before applying.

School Contact and Location

Official Social Media

The following are general institutional social links identified in official university web resources. Nursing-specific accounts were not independently confirmed in the reviewed official nursing-school pages.bux.osu

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/osu/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theohiostateuniversity/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/the-ohio-state-university/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/OhioStateUniversity

• X: https://x.com/OhioState

• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theohiostateuniversitybux.osu

Campus and Program Images

No verified, reusable university image was identified for this listing.

Use only photos and logos available through an approved institutional media, partnership, or trademark-permission workflow. A school-directory listing should not assume that an image appearing on an institutional webpage is licensed for third-party republication.

Nursing Programs at a Glance

The college currently publishes entry-level, RN advancement, master’s, doctoral, nurse-practitioner, nurse-midwifery, nurse-anesthesia, research-doctorate, and post-master’s options. Program availability, specialty options, application cycles, and delivery formats can change.

Choosing the Right Nursing Path

• Choose an entry-level nursing pathway if you are not yet an RN and want to pursue initial licensure.

• Consider BSN options based on your academic background: direct admission or second-year enrollment for undergraduate students, the ABSN for students with a qualifying non-nursing bachelor’s degree, and LPN-to-BSN for eligible licensed practical nurses.

• Consider graduate entry if you have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree and want a master’s-level route that includes initial nursing preparation. Confirm licensure timing, specialty availability, and program structure directly with admissions. nursing.osu

• Consider RN-to-BSN if you are a currently licensed RN with prior nursing education and want a bachelor’s-completion program.

• Consider MSN, DNP, DNE, PhD, or post-master’s study if you are already an RN and satisfy the prior-degree, clinical-experience, GPA, certification, and state-authorization requirements for the exact pathway.

• Consider APRN pathways only after confirming the population focus, national-certification route, expected clinical requirements, state eligibility, and whether the format works with your location and schedule.

Entry-Level Nursing Pathways

Traditional BSN: Direct Admission and Second-Year Enrollment

Credential: Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Who it is for: Students who are not yet registered nurses. The college publishes a direct-admission option for first-year applicants and a second-year enrollment option for students who did not enter through direct admission. nursing.osu

Direct admission process: Applicants submit the Common Application and select “Nursing (Pre)” as the intended major. The published direct-admission page lists an early-action deadline of November 1, 2026, and states that applicants must be at least 18 by October 1 of the autumn term containing their first clinical course. Dates and age requirements should be reconfirmed for the intended entry cycle. nursing.osu

Second-year enrollment: This path is for students pursuing a BSN who were not admitted through direct admission. Students complete the program’s prerequisite requirements during the first year and then apply to the BSN program. The currently published autumn 2027 deadline is February 1, 2027. nursing.osu

Format and location: Campus-based nursing education in Columbus at the College of Nursing.nursing.osu+1

Nursing-major admission: The college states that formal admission to the nursing major is required before students enroll in nursing courses. nursing.osu

Licensure relationship: The BSN is a pre-licensure program that prepares eligible graduates to seek initial RN licensure. The Ohio Board of Nursing and other state boards determine licensure eligibility.

Best fit for:

• First-year students ready to apply through direct admission

• Undergraduate students prepared to complete BSN prerequisites before second-year nursing-major entry

• Students seeking a campus-based BSN pathway in Columbus

• Applicants able to meet clinical, health, background-check, CPR, and related compliance obligations

Official links: Direct Admission BSN · Second-Year Enrollment BSN · BSN overview

Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Credential: Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Who it is for: Applicants with a qualifying non-nursing bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. The published page states that the bachelor’s degree must be conferred by the first day of the month in which the program begins. nursing.osu

Length and credits: The current published plan lists 59 credit hours across five semesters. nursing.osu

Academic expectations: The college publishes a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all college-level work. It also states that it does not admit applicants with a nursing diploma, ADN, or bachelor’s degree earned outside the United States to this program. Confirm all current eligibility, prerequisite, transfer, and international-document requirements before applying. nursing.osu

Format and location: Accelerated program format; applicants should verify the current location, clinical schedule, classroom expectations, and any summer-term requirements directly with the college. nursing.osu

Licensure relationship: This is a pre-licensure pathway that prepares eligible graduates to seek initial RN licensure after meeting program and state requirements.

Best fit for:

• Students with a completed non-nursing bachelor’s degree

• Applicants prepared for an accelerated, five-semester academic plan

• Students meeting the published 3.0 cumulative GPA standard

• Applicants able to complete required clinical-compliance steps

Official links: ABSN overview and admissions · College of Nursing tuition information

LPN to BSN

Credential: Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Who it is for: Licensed practical nurses pursuing a BSN and planning to seek RN licensure after completing the relevant educational and regulatory requirements.

Format: The college describes a flexible combination of online education, in-person experiences, laboratories, and clinical training. nursing.osu

Licensure relationship: This is an LPN advancement route that prepares eligible graduates to seek initial RN licensure. It is not the same as an RN-to-BSN completion pathway.

Best fit for:

• Currently licensed LPNs seeking BSN education

• Students who can complete both online learning and required in-person laboratory and clinical components

• Applicants who will verify current LPN license, prerequisite, progression, and clinical requirements with the program

Official links: LPN-to-BSN · Future students

Graduate Entry Master of Science in Nursing

Credential: Master of Science in Nursing.

Who it is for: Applicants without nursing licensure who hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree and seek graduate-level nursing education. The program page directs applicants to choose a specialization as part of their application. nursing.osu

Admissions process: Applicants apply through Graduate and Professional Admissions and pay a published $60 application fee. Program-specific eligibility, prerequisite, specialty, clinical, and licensure timing requirements should be verified directly with graduate admissions. nursing.osu

Licensure relationship: This graduate-entry pathway is intended for non-nurses. Confirm exactly how the pathway addresses initial RN licensure preparation and subsequent specialty progression for the current cohort before applying.

Best fit for:

• Non-nurses who already hold a bachelor’s degree

• Students who want a graduate-entry nursing route rather than another undergraduate degree

• Applicants prepared to choose a specialty and meet graduate admissions requirements

Official link: Graduate Entry MSN

Other Entry-Level Pathways

• ADN/ASN/AAS nursing: Not identified among the university’s currently published nursing offerings. Confirm available pathways directly with the nursing school.

• Practical nursing certificate/diploma: Not identified among the university’s currently published nursing offerings. The college does publish an LPN-to-BSN pathway for already licensed practical nurses. nursing.osu

• Nursing assistant or nurse-aide certificate: Not identified among the university’s currently published nursing offerings. Confirm available pathways directly with the nursing school.

• Pre-Nursing: The college publishes a Pre-Nursing route for students beginning toward a BSN. Students complete prerequisite coursework before applying through the traditional BSN process; it is not presented as a separate nursing credential. nursing.osu

RN Completion and Degree-Advancement Options

RN to BSN

Credential: Bachelor of Science in Nursing completion program.

Who it is for: Currently licensed RNs seeking baccalaureate completion. The college’s current degree listing includes an RN-to-BSN option, and the college identifies it as an online bachelor’s program.

Delivery format: Online. Confirm current state authorization, clinical or practicum expectations, transfer-credit evaluation, program duration, and enrollment requirements with the nursing school before applying.

Prior credential and license: An active RN license is expected for this RN-completion pathway. Verify the exact prior nursing credential, license-state, and transfer-credit requirements directly with admissions.

Progression possibilities: Completing an RN-to-BSN may support later graduate-study applications where separate program requirements are met. It does not guarantee admission to graduate school, certification, employment, or career advancement.

Official links: Degrees and programs · RN-to-BSN information · Future students

Post-Master’s Study Option

Credential: Post-master’s specialty study.

Who it is for: Practicing nurses who already hold a master’s degree in nursing and want to pursue advanced specialty certification preparation or add a second specialty. nursing.osu

Format: Applicants should confirm format, clinical requirements, specialty availability, and state eligibility for the selected track.

Official link: Post-Master’s Study Option

Graduate Nursing Programs

Master of Science in Nursing APRN Programs

Credential: Master of Science in Nursing.

Who it is for: BSN- or eligible MSN-prepared registered nurses pursuing a listed advanced-practice specialty. nursing.osu

Published admissions requirements:

• Completed BSN or MSN from a CCNE-, ACEN-, or CNEA-accredited program.

• Degree completed by August 9 before enrollment for the published autumn cycle.

• Active, unencumbered RN license in the state of practice by August 9; applicants may apply before receiving the license.

• International applicants must hold the equivalent BSN or higher from a regionally accredited institution and complete required credential evaluation. nursing.osu

Format: Online and on-campus specialty options are published. Confirm current format, required campus visits, clinical placements, and state availability for the exact specialty. nursing.osu

Published APRN specialty areas:

Potential work settings and professional functions depend on the specialty, state law, certification status, licensure, employer requirements, and individual experience. Completion does not guarantee certification, APRN licensure, employment, or scope-of-practice authority.

Official links: MSN APRN programs · Nursing specialties · Graduate admissions

MS in Nursing Leadership and Strategy in Healthcare

Credential: Master of Science in Nursing.

Who it is for: Working, BSN-prepared registered nurses interested in graduate nursing leadership, strategic decision-making, operational management, and experiential learning. nursing.osu

Format, credits, and duration: Online; 34 credit hours; published expected duration of four to seven semesters. nursing.osu

Published admissions expectations:

• BSN from an ACEN-, CCNE-, or CNEA-accredited institution.

• Active RN license before enrollment.

• Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA in the most recent relevant degree.

• Residence in a state authorized for the program.

• A completed online application and a separate college supplemental application. nursing.osu

Official link: Leadership and Strategy in Healthcare MS

BSN to DNP

Credential: Doctor of Nursing Practice. Students in BSN-to-DNP specialties other than nurse anesthesia earn an MSN partway through the program, according to the college. nursing.osu

Who it is for: Bachelor’s-prepared registered nurses, and in some circumstances MSN-prepared nurses, who meet the program’s current requirements and seek doctoral advanced-practice preparation.

Credits and duration: The current published program page lists 79–92 credit hours and three to four years. nursing.osu

Published academic requirements: Applicants need a BSN or MSN from a CCNE-, ACEN-, or CNEA-accredited program, conferred by August 1 before enrollment for the published cycle. Applicants use Graduate and Professional Admissions and pay a listed $60 application fee. nursing.osu

Format: Both on-campus and online program pathways are indicated. The exact delivery format depends on specialty.

Licensure and state eligibility: The university states that completion of its CCNE-accredited MSN program, or the MSN portion of BSN-to-DNP, meets Ohio educational requirements to apply for APRN licensure. This statement applies to Ohio and does not replace requirements of another state, national certification body, or licensing agency.oaa.osu

Official links: BSN-to-DNP · Nursing boards and state information

Nurse Anesthesia DNP

Credential: Doctor of Nursing Practice, Nurse Anesthesia specialty.

Who it is for: BSN- or MSN-prepared RNs pursuing graduate nurse-anesthesia education.

Published admissions requirements:

• BSN or MSN from a CCNE-, ACEN-, or CNEA-accredited program.

• Active, unencumbered RN license in the state where the applicant practices.

• At least one year of full-time critical-care RN experience, or part-time equivalent, completed within the prior two years and by the application deadline.

• Official transcripts from every undergraduate and graduate institution attended.

• International credential evaluation requirements for international applicants. nursing.osu

Accreditation: The college states that the nurse-anesthesia specialty track in the BSN-to-DNP program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs. nursing.osu

Licensure and certification relationship: The program prepares students for advanced nurse-anesthesia study. Applicants should verify the current national-certification pathway, clinical requirements, and state licensure rules directly with the program, the Council on Accreditation, and the appropriate state board.

Official link: Nurse Anesthesia DNP

Post-Master’s DNP

Credential: Doctor of Nursing Practice.

Who it is for: Nurses with an MSN from a CCNE-, ACEN-, or CNEA-accredited program, or eligible BSN-prepared nurses with a non-nursing master’s degree. nursing.osu

Published requirements: The prior degree must be conferred at least one month before the program begins. International applicants must hold the equivalent BSN or higher and complete a course-by-course credential evaluation. The program requires an online application, a separate College of Nursing supplemental application, and a published $60 application fee. nursing.osu

Official link: Post-Master’s DNP

Doctor of Nursing Education

Credential: Doctor of Nursing Education.

Who it is for: Master’s-prepared nurses pursuing doctoral education in nursing education. nursing.osu

Format, credits, and duration: Online; 50 credit hours; published expected duration of two to three years. nursing.osu

Published requirements:

• Master’s degree in nursing from a CCNE-, ACEN-, or CNEA-accredited program.

• Active, unrestricted RN license or APRN certification in the state of practice before the stated enrollment date.

• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in the most recent relevant degree, though the college notes that applicants below 3.0 may still be considered.

• Graduate application and a published $60 fee. nursing.osu

Official link: Doctor of Nursing Education

PhD in Nursing

Credential: Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing.

Who it is for: Applicants seeking nursing research doctoral education. The college allows applicants with a BS or MS in nursing or a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a related discipline, subject to the full published requirements. nursing.osu

Published requirements:

• Active RN license.

• Minimum 3.0 GPA.

• A BSN or MSN from a CCNE- or ACEN-accredited institution, or international equivalent, is stated among the requirements.

• A master’s degree from the university is not required before pursuing the PhD. nursing.osu

Official link: PhD in Nursing

Other Nursing-Related Graduate Degrees

The college also publishes a fully online Master of Healthcare Innovation and a fully online Master of Clinical Research. These are health-related graduate degrees administered or presented through the college, but they are not nursing licensure pathways, RN-completion degrees, MSN programs, or APRN programs.nursing.osu+1

Admissions Requirements

Entry-Level and Pre-Licensure Admissions

Published requirements vary by pathway.

• Direct Admission BSN: Submit the Common Application, select Nursing (Pre), and meet the deadline and age requirement published for the intended cohort. nursing.osu

• Second-Year Enrollment BSN: Complete BSN prerequisite requirements during the first year, then apply to the nursing program. nursing.osu

• ABSN: Hold an eligible non-nursing bachelor’s degree and meet the published 3.0 cumulative GPA requirement. nursing.osu

• LPN-to-BSN: Hold the qualifying LPN credential and verify all current prerequisites, progression criteria, and clinical requirements with the program. nursing.osu

• Graduate Entry MSN: Apply through Graduate and Professional Admissions, select a specialization, and pay the published $60 application fee. nursing.osu

RN Completion Admissions

The RN-to-BSN program is published as an online completion option. Its full current admission, prior-credit, RN-license, practicum, transfer-credit, and state-authorization requirements should be confirmed directly with the College of Nursing before applying.

Graduate, APRN, and Doctoral Admissions

• MSN APRN: Published requirements include an eligible BSN or MSN, an active unencumbered RN license before enrollment, and program-specific requirements. nursing.osu

• Pediatric Acute Care NP: The program publishes at least one year of full-time pediatric acute-care RN experience or equivalent; ICU or another comparable high-acuity setting is preferred. nursing.osu

• Nurse Anesthesia DNP: The program publishes one year of qualifying critical-care RN experience, active RN licensure, and accredited BSN or MSN preparation. nursing.osu

• BSN-to-DNP: The college publishes a BSN or MSN from a CCNE-, ACEN-, or CNEA-accredited program as a foundational requirement. nursing.osu

• DNE: The college publishes an MSN, an active unrestricted RN license or APRN certification, and a stated 3.0 GPA standard. nursing.osu

• PhD: The published requirements include an active RN license and at least a 3.0 GPA. nursing.osu

Clinical Compliance

The nursing school states that students must meet vaccination, licensure, and training standards required by the university and clinical or practicum sites. Published compliance materials reference documentation such as immunizations, CPR certification, drug screening, background checks or fingerprinting, HIPAA, confidentiality, bloodborne-pathogens training, and—where required—an RN license. Required items and deadlines vary by program and entry term.

Admissions requirements and clinical-compliance standards can change. Confirm all current requirements and deadlines directly with the university.

Accreditation, Approval, and Licensure Considerations

Institutional Accreditation

Institutional accreditation was not independently confirmed in the reviewed official sources for this profile. Prospective students should verify the institution’s current institutional accreditation through its official accreditation information, the Higher Learning Commission, and recognized accreditor directories.

Programmatic Nursing Accreditation

The college states that the following programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE):

• Baccalaureate Degree Program in Nursing

• Master’s Degree Program in Nursing

• Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree Program in Nursing. nursing.osu

The college also states that the Nurse Anesthesia specialty track in the BSN-to-DNP program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs. nursing.osu

Prospective students should verify current program status, coverage, dates, location, and specialty-specific accreditation through the CCNE accredited-program directory and, for nurse anesthesia, the relevant Council on Accreditation directory.aacnnursing

State Approval

The college’s official pages reviewed for this profile did not provide a single, current state-board approval listing for every pre-licensure pathway. Students should verify the exact program’s approval status with the Ohio Board of Nursing before enrollment.

The university states that completion of its CCNE-accredited MSN program or the MSN portion of BSN-to-DNP meets Ohio educational requirements to apply for APRN licensure. This is an Ohio-specific educational statement, not a guarantee of licensure or authority to practice. oaa.osu

Licensure and Distance Learning

Nursing licensure is regulated by states. Before enrolling in an online, hybrid, clinical, MSN, DNP, certificate, or APRN pathway, verify:

• Whether the program is authorized for students located in your state.

• Whether the curriculum meets requirements for your intended nursing license or certification.

• Where clinical, practicum, laboratory, simulation, or residency requirements may occur.

• Whether the program’s delivery format is compatible with your professional and personal obligations.

• Whether you must hold RN licensure in a specific state before clinical enrollment.

Program approval and national accreditation are related but distinct considerations. Approval addresses regulatory permission and licensure preparation, while programmatic accreditation addresses educational quality standards.

Tuition, Financial Aid, and Costs

The college publishes a tuition-and-fees resource and separate information about estimated clinical-compliance expenses. Actual tuition varies by program, credit load, residency, delivery format, specialty, and academic year. nursing.osu

The reviewed tuition page publishes examples of compliance costs, including an estimated $62 background check and estimated immunization expenses ranging from $0 to $650 depending on a student’s individual history and records. These amounts are estimates, not a complete cost of attendance. nursing.osu

Current nursing-program tuition and fees were not clearly published in a single program-specific format for every pathway. Contact the university for an individualized cost estimate.

Ask for a written estimate covering:

• Tuition and mandatory university or program fees

• Clinical, practicum, laboratory, simulation, equipment, and technology costs

• Background-check, fingerprinting, drug-screening, CPR, immunization, health-insurance, and training expenses

• Books, uniforms, testing, certification, and licensing expenses

• Transportation, lodging, and travel costs for clinicals, labs, simulations, or campus sessions

• Financial aid, scholarships, veteran and military education benefits, employer support, and payment options

• College of Nursing tuition and fees

• Student Financial Aid

• Undergraduate tuition and fees

• Graduate tuition and fees

Clinical Learning and Student Support

The college publishes several student-support and clinical-compliance resources.

• Clinical and practicum compliance: Students must meet requirements set by the university and clinical or practicum sites, including health, safety, licensure, and training obligations. nursing.osu

• Background checks and drug screening: Published incoming-student materials reference drug screening and BCI/FBI background checks for specified incoming student groups. nursing.osu

• Immunization documentation: Published instructions cover Hepatitis B, MMR, varicella, Tdap, tuberculosis testing, influenza, and other requirements depending on program and site.

• CPR and professional training: The compliance resources reference CPR certification, HIPAA, confidentiality, bloodborne-pathogens instruction, and required learning modules.

• Simulation and skills learning: The LPN-to-BSN pathway specifically describes in-person labs and clinical training, while hybrid and on-campus programs may have additional learning-site requirements. nursing.osu

• Recruitment assistance: The outreach and recruitment team assists prospective students with applications to the college’s academic programs. nursing.osu

These resources do not guarantee an individual clinical placement, preceptor, site, schedule, or outcome. Ask the program how it handles placements, travel, clinical-site eligibility, online-program support, academic advising, accessibility accommodations, career support, and specialty-specific preparation.

Questions to Ask Before Applying

• Is this program approved or authorized for a student who lives in my state?

• Does it meet educational requirements for my intended RN, APRN, nurse-midwifery, nurse-anesthesia, or other license or certification?

• Am I applying through direct admission, second-year enrollment, ABSN, LPN-to-BSN, RN-to-BSN, graduate entry, MSN, DNP, DNE, PhD, or post-master’s study?

• Are university admission and nursing-program admission separate processes for my intended pathway?

• Which prerequisites and GPA standards apply to me, and how will transfer credits be evaluated?

• What is the total cost, including tuition, fees, labs, clinicals, simulations, travel, technology, screening, health compliance, books, and testing?

• Which program components are online, hybrid, or campus-based?

• What in-person visits, labs, clinicals, practicums, simulations, or residencies are required?

• Where might clinical education occur, and what travel or scheduling flexibility should I expect?

• Can I work while enrolled, considering the program’s course, lab, and clinical workload?

• What accreditation and nursing-board approval information applies to my exact degree, specialty, delivery format, and location?

• What academic, accessibility, compliance, clinical-preparation, and career-planning support is available?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which nursing programs are currently offered?

The currently published offerings include several BSN pathways, RN-to-BSN, graduate entry MSN, MSN APRN specialties, leadership-focused graduate study, BSN-to-DNP, nurse anesthesia DNP, post-master’s DNP, DNE, PhD in Nursing, and post-master’s specialty study.

Which option fits someone who is not yet an RN?

Published non-RN options include direct-admission BSN, second-year enrollment BSN, ABSN for eligible second-degree students, graduate entry MSN for non-nurses with a bachelor’s degree, and pre-nursing preparation. Eligible LPNs may also consider the LPN-to-BSN pathway.

Does the college offer an ADN or LPN certificate?

An ADN/ASN/AAS program and an initial practical-nursing certificate were not identified among the currently published offerings. The college does publish an LPN-to-BSN pathway for licensed practical nurses. nursing.osu

Does the college offer an accelerated BSN?

Yes. The published ABSN lists 59 credit hours across five semesters and requires an eligible non-nursing bachelor’s degree plus a 3.0 cumulative GPA. nursing.osu

Does the college offer an RN-to-BSN option?

Yes. The college lists an online RN-to-BSN completion program for currently licensed RNs. Confirm full admission, transfer-credit, state-authorization, and course requirements directly with the college.

Are MSN and DNP programs available?

Yes. The college publishes graduate-entry and APRN MSN options, an online MS in Nursing Leadership and Strategy in Healthcare, BSN-to-DNP, nurse-anesthesia DNP, and post-master’s DNP options.

Which APRN specialties are listed?

Published specialties include adult-gerontology acute care, adult-gerontology primary care, family, neonatal, pediatric acute care, pediatric primary care, psychiatric mental health, women’s health, and nurse-midwifery.

Are clinical experiences required?

Clinical, practicum, laboratory, and simulation requirements depend on the program and specialty. The college’s compliance materials describe health, training, background-check, CPR, and clinical-site requirements. Verify the current plan for your exact program.

How can applicants verify accreditation and state eligibility?

Review the college’s accreditation and recognition page, the CCNE directory, the Ohio Board of Nursing, and state-specific disclosures where applicable. Confirm the details for your specific degree and specialty directly with the nursing school.

How should transfer applicants begin?

Transfer applicants should first identify the correct path—second-year BSN enrollment, ABSN, LPN-to-BSN, RN-to-BSN, or a graduate route—then use the official program page and contact the nursing school for transcript, prerequisite, and transfer-credit guidance.

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