ADN to BSN Pathway
Interested in pursuing a career in nursing? Unsure of which path to take to be part of this rapidly-growing field? Our nursing program strives to promote educational progression by developing a variety of pathways, because the needs of our graduates vary.
The competition to enter nursing programs can be intense. Nursing programs look for students who have strong grades in sciences with few, if any, repeated courses and very high scores on the national nursing entrance test, the TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills).
The ADN to BSN Pathway office provides resources for students in their academic journey as they work towards earning a bachelor of science in nursing (or advanced degree). Montgomery College has numerous nursing transfer and articulation agreements to help students reach their goal of earning their BSN, including the MC and UMSON Dual Admission Program (University of Maryland School of Nursing).
Transfer Options
- Complete an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) at Montgomery College. Then, enter a Dual Admission BSN transfer program to complete a bachelor’s degree in one additional year, or enter an RN to BSN completion program. See a description of BSN completion options below
- Complete a bachelor’s degree at a four-year school offering a traditional bachelor
of science in nursing (BSN). Traditional BSN degrees require completion of science
courses like BIOL150 Principles, BIOL212 & BIOL213 Human Anatomy & Physiology I &
II, BIOL210 Microbiology, and CHEM131 Principles of Chemistry, along with General
Education courses, to finish 60 credits at MC. Then transfer to a four-year school
to take nursing classes in the junior and senior year. See a list of all colleges offering nursing majors within 50 miles of Rockville (PDF,
) .
- The nearest traditional BSN option for many students is the University of Maryland
Baltimore's School of Nursing (UMSON) - Universities at Shady Grove and Main Campus.
A traditional transfer to UMSON means that students complete general prerequisite
courses at MC for two years and then transfer and finish two more years as a junior
and senior at UMB. (This is different from the MC to UMSON Dual Admission Program;
see below.) See the Dual Admission Information Worksheet (PDF, ) and Prerequisite Course List (PDF, ) .
- The nearest traditional BSN option for many students is the University of Maryland
Baltimore's School of Nursing (UMSON) - Universities at Shady Grove and Main Campus.
A traditional transfer to UMSON means that students complete general prerequisite
courses at MC for two years and then transfer and finish two more years as a junior
and senior at UMB. (This is different from the MC to UMSON Dual Admission Program;
see below.) See the Dual Admission Information Worksheet (PDF,
- Montgomery College has developed over 8 different direct paths for Nursing AS degree graduates to immediately enter BSN programs. Six are Dual Admission programs requiring one more year of study, others are RN to BSN degree which require two more years of study. Some BSN completion programs are fully online; several do not require CHEM 131 Principles of Chemistry – an example is the UMGC RN to BSN degree. See the list of MC Nursing Transfer Agreements.
Articulation
In Maryland, as well as many other states, associate degree nursing graduates articulate to universities for a bachelor's and/or master's degree. Articulation is different from transferring. While transferring between schools involves the transfer of individual courses, articulation means that a block of credits are awarded based on having an RN license.
According to the Maryland Board of Nursingnew window, the RN to BSN articulation model states that "No more than half of the baccalaureate degree, with a maximum of 70 non-nursing credits, will be accepted from a community college. Nursing credits will not be transferred. However, Registered Nurses with an active unencumbered Maryland or compact RN license articulating to the baccalaureate level are awarded a minimum of thirty (30) upper division nursing credits in the program they are entering."
This agreement means that associate degree nursing graduates can often complete a bachelor's degree by completing an additional 30 upper division nursing courses. (This depends on each university's requirements and completion of the additional general education courses needed for a baccalaureate degree.) Additionally, several of the articulation agreements that Montgomery College has include benefits, such as guaranteed admission, reduced tuition and/or scholarships. George Washington University, for example, waives application fees and offers ten scholarships of up to $5,000 per year and Trinity Washington University accepts up to 82 credits from the college and program. See all nursing transfer and articulation agreements.
MC to University of Maryland School of Nursing Dual Admission Program
Montgomery College (MC) and the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) have entered into a Dual Admission Program agreement that offers simultaneous admission to MC’s associate degree in nursing (ADN) and UMSON’s bachelor of science nursing degree (BSN).
As an MC nursing student you can apply for the Dual Admission Program after you have completed your first semester of the nursing program, and you can begin taking UMSON courses to fulfill the requirements for the BSN during your third and fourth semesters. Once you complete the ADN and obtain an RN license, you complete the final year of study at UMSON.
To apply for the Dual Admission Program, you must have a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 and a minimum science GPA of 2.75. The science GPA is based on the following courses: Microbiology (BIOL 210), Human Anatomy and Physiology I (BIOL 212), Human Anatomy and Physiology II (BIOL 213), and Chemistry (CHEM 131).
This program is not eligible for F-1 or J-1 student visa sponsorship by the University of Maryland, Baltimore due to the amount of online courses.
You must submit a separate application to UMSON with the following: online application,
official transcripts from every college or university attended, essay (part of online
application), résumé, and the UMSON prerequisite course list. Apply no later than
the beginning of your fourth semester in the MC nursing program. Get complete details
about the dual enrollment process (PDF, ) .
Students applying for the Dual Admission Program cannot have more than six outstanding prerequisite courses in their fall or spring semester prior to enrollment at UMSON.
Prerequisite courses to be completed at MC:
- BIOL150 Principles of Biology I (NSLD): 4 Credits
- BIOL212 Human Anatomy & Physiology I (NSLD): 4 Credits
- BIOL213 Human Anatomy & Physiology II (GEEL): 4 Credits
- BIOL210 Microbiology: 4 Credits
- BIOL226 (or NUTR101) Nutrition: 3 Credits
- CHEM 131 General Chemistry: 4 Credits
CHEM 131 Prerequisite: Either appropriate score on the chemistry placement test, or a grade of C or better in CHEM 099 within the past two years, or consent of department. -
ENGL Prerequisites: 6 credits
Complete one of the following sequences:
ENGL101--> ENGL 102; OR
ENGL101--> ENGL 103; OR
ENGL 102--> ENGL 103 (Literature or Creative Writing course is also accepted)
Please note that an AP score of 4 or 5 is required for transfer of ENGL 101 credits to UMSON - MATH 117: 3 Credits
- PSYC102 General Psychology (BSSD): 3 Credits
- PSYC203 Human Growth and Development: 3 Credits
- SOCY100 (BSSD): 3 Credits
- Humanities Distribution: 3 Credits
Distribution Choose one Humanities Distribution (HUMD) course from the MC General Education Program List, including COMM 108/112; ENGL Literature; any world language including ASLP; GHUM; LING; PHIL; WMST - Humanities Elective: 3 Credits
Choose one more course from the MC Arts [ARTD] or Humanities [HUMD] General Education - Arts Distribution (ARTD): 3 Credits
Choose one Arts Distribution (ARTD) course from the MC General Education Program List. See the current year catalog for choices. (ARTT, DANC, FILM, MUSC, THET) - Social Sciences Elective: 3 Credits
Social Sciences Elective Choose from ANTH, ECON, GEOG, HIST, POLI, PSYC beyond 102, SOCY beyond 100, or WMST - General Elective: 3 Credits
Use the Dual Enrollment Checklist (PDF, ) to help you through the process
The Healthcare Initiative Foundation (HIF) Scholarship provides scholarship support of $1,500 each academic year for students accepted into MC’s nursing program who intend to earn their bachelor’s degree in nursing through the ADN to BSN dual admission program at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG). Bilingual students are particularly encouraged to apply, but this opportunity is open to any nursing student who meets the criteria.
Additional benefits for recipients will include healthcare interpreting certification or cultural communications training, as well as participation in an annual hands-on interprofessional collaboration activity with students in other healthcare fields.
The HIF Scholarships are structured to provide ongoing support to recipients during your studies at Montgomery College and at the Universities at Shady Grove through completion of your bachelor’s degree, as long as you continue to meet the criteria.
- Need based
- Montgomery County resident
- Student already accepted or enrolled in MC’s nursing program with the intent to enroll in the ADN-to-BSN dual admission program with the University of Maryland School of Nursing at the Universities at Shady Grove
- Meets the eligibility requirements for the Dual Admission nursing program, including an overall GPA of at least 3.0 and a science GPA of at least 2.75
- Must commit to an internship/clinical rotation at a nonprofit (or hospital); and maintain academic standing in their degree program
- Go to the Montgomery College Foundation Scholarship Application website.
- Click on “Sign in With Your Institution”
- Use your Montgomery College MyMC credentials to login to the site.
- Read and follow all instructions provided on the home page.
- We strongly encourage you to fill out the FAFSA in order to maximize your financial aid opportunities at Montgomery College. In addition, this scholarship opportunity is based on financial need and by you completing the FAFSA it will assist us with the selection process.
- If this is your first time logging in, you will need to complete the General Application, located by clicking on the ‘Application’ link in the top menu bar. To be considered for the scholarship, please ensure your application is complete. Make sure to answer both essay questions and sign and submit your online scholarship application.
- To search for information regarding the Healthcare Initiative Foundation ADN-to-BSN Nursing Scholarship, click on "Opportunities."
- Click the “Apply” button next to the Healthcare Initiative Foundation ADN-to-BSN Nursing Scholarship, answer the questions, and then click “Submit.” Follow these same steps for any other scholarship opportunities of interest.
- You will be notified of your application status by email. If you are awarded a scholarship, you will receive an award letter in the mail. Please be sure to complete all requirements on the award letter.
For questions regarding the scholarship application process, please contact the Scholarship Office: by email at: Scholarships@montgomerycollege.edu or by telephone at 240-567-4021.
No. Advanced Placement courses cannot be used to satisfy requirements. However, certain scores on the AP exam can be used to fulfill certain UMSON prerequisite requirements.
The courses for the Montgomery College nursing program are completed at the College’s Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus. Coursework for the UMSON program can be completed online or in person at the following locations:
University of Maryland School of Nursing: 655 W. Lombard Street, Baltimore
The Universities at Shady Grove: 9630 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville