BSN-MSN • Academics • Penn Nursing

Prospective applicants previously interested in applying to our Accelerated BSN Second Degree or BSN/MSN program would now apply to our Master of Professional Nursing (MPN) or MPN/MSN program. To learn more about the MPN program, click here.

Many students come to Penn Nursing knowing they want an advanced practice degree, and are able to confidently identify an area of specialization they’d like to pursue. For them, we offer a direct entry BSN/MSN program.

Flexibility

We offer quite a bit of flexibility to students who are pursing multiple degrees, because we understand that the educational and professional trajectory of each nurse is as unique as they are.

Some of our students take time off from school to gain work experience, and then return to the MSN program, while others work full-time as an RN as they complete their MSN program coursework part-time. We only ask that students complete their MSN degree within five (5) years of their BSN graduation date.

Once a student is admitted into a particular MSN program, they may apply to change programs if their interests change.

We also offer a variety of specialty minors that may be completed with the MSN.

Why Our Accelerated Program?

<div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p><img width="250" height="250" alt="" data-decoration="true" src="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,25,560,584/9603_Kimberly_Abbey.rev.1564000194.jpg" class="lw_image lw_image9603 lw_align_left" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,25,560,584/9603_Kimberly_Abbey.rev.1564000194.jpg 2x" data-max-w="560" data-max-h="840"/>As a person of color, I have a passion for health promotion and disease prevention while acknowledging the disparities among populations that are most disadvantaged. In my career as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, I’ll be a provider that listens, supports, and collaborates with women during the most pivotal times throughout their life. I chose Penn Nursing because of the responsibility that accompanies that role. I wanted to ensure that I was being trained by leaders within the field and that I would be joining a community where I would always be supported. Penn Nursing has been all of that for me. It is an institution that provides access to an abundance of resources, has faculty that are all currently in practice, and is driven by evidence-based research, and I’m confident that it has prepared me well for the real world.</p><p> – Kimberly Abbey</p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p><img width="250" height="250" alt="" data-decoration="true" src="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,640,2133,2771/9548_Penn_Nursing_ad-61.rev.1561405996.jpg" class="lw_image lw_image9548 lw_align_left" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,640,2133,2771/9548_Penn_Nursing_ad-61.rev.1561405996.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,640,2133,2771/9548_Penn_Nursing_ad-61.rev.1561405996.jpg 3x" data-max-w="2133" data-max-h="3200"/>I first learned about Penn Nursing through a recruiting event at UC Berkeley where I attended undergrad. I talked to Penn Nursing students and alumni in both CA and the Northeast to garner multiple honest perspectives. What persuaded me to attend the University of Pennsylvania was the general consensus that Penn Nursing is a top-tier program, fostering curiosity and innovation. It was necessary for me to attend a second degree BSN to MSN program that would provide more than just a basic foundation to nursing practice. Through challenging <a href="/academics/a-penn-nursing-education/learning-through-simulation/">simulations</a>, comprehensive lectures by experts in the topic, and <a href="/practice/practice-partners/">top clinical placements</a>, Penn Nursing provides tools for the student nurse to think critically and work cohesively in a team-based, patient-centered approach that translates to quality nursing care. Initially, choosing nursing and Penn Nursing was one of the most terrifying decisions I’ve had to make, but also one of the most exhilarating. It has become one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life thus far. </p><p> –Julie Truong</p></div>