Nursing Associate Degree
Experience learner-centered collaborative education, built on a legacy of preparing Pennsylvania’s nurses.
Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences was founded as a nursing school more than 100 years ago. Today, our Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) degree builds on that legacy while offering best-in-class associate in nursing classes and hands-on experience for students.
Students are able to hone their clinical nursing skills by pairing rigorous classroom learning with time in the area’s most advanced simulation lab. From the day they’re accepted, our students are guaranteed clinical placements at some of the area’s leading health care organizations.
We offer several paths to earning a nursing degree, for students at every stage of their life. After finishing the ASN program, you can seamlessly start the RN to BSN program to attain your Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.
Questions about ASN prerequisites or associate degree in nursing costs? Complete the Request More Information form below.
See the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ job outlook.
PA College cannot guarantee clinical rotations for students who have not received the COVID-19 vaccine.
Accreditation
The Associate in Science in Nursing program at Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences, located in Lancaster, PA, is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30326, (404) 975-5000.
The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Associate in Science in Nursing program is Continuing Accreditation with Conditions. See more accreditation information.
Degree Paths
5-Semester Track
Beginning Fall 2022
If you are passionate about nursing and driven to succeed, begin your career in nursing with an associate nursing degree. Beginning in Fall 2022, this concept-based associate degree gives you flexible options for class and clinical scheduling over 5 semesters and sets you on a course for a rewarding career as a competent and compassionate professional nurse. The newly revised curriculum is presented conceptually and allows students to develop their nursing knowledge, critical thinking skills, and clinical judgment through a combination of classroom and clinical experiences. Whether you are just out of high school, a parent, or working professional seeking a career change, you can begin your studies to become a professional RN without pausing your life.
LPN Advanced Placement
While PA College doesn’t offer an LPN program, the school has an LPN to RN assessment module. This accelerated enrollment option – designed for licensed practical nurses looking to continue their education – offers two options: daytime or evening/weekend. The six-week daytime module begins in mid-May and ends in late June, with classes and clinical work held Wednesdays through Fridays during daytime hours. The evening/weekend option, also held from May to June, consists of classes every Tuesday and Thursday from 5-8 p.m., and clinicals every other weekend on Saturday and Sunday. You must also complete all of the general education requirements before these semesters begin (which can be done with us).
Successful completion of the module exempts students from NUR101, NUR102, NUR111, and NUR112. The module is offered as a Pass/Fail grade. Those students who do not pass the assessment at the end of the module have the option of enrolling into the first semester of the Associate Nursing Degree program beginning in the Fall 2022 semester. Completion of all general education requirements as is a pre-requisite for the LPN placement module.
Beginning Fall 2022, the curriculum will be transitioning into a 5-semester concept-based program with flexible course offerings including day, evening, and weekend classes and clinical rotations. See 2.5-Year track tab for more information. The LPN placement module will exempt students from NUR110, NUR120, and NUR265. Students who do not pass the assessment will have the option of enrolling in the first semester of the concept-based Associate Nursing Degree program. Completion of all general education requirements as is a pre-requisite for the LPN placement module.
Curriculum
The College will begin a five-semester concept-based ASN curriculum that allows students to develop their nursing knowledge, critical thinking skills, and clinical judgment through a combination of classroom and clinical experiences. The existing ASN curriculum will end as of Summer 2022.
Associate in Science in Nursing Program: Five-Semester Track Total Credits: 67
First Year: Associate of Science in Nursing Program
| Semester 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| BIO 175 | Human Anatomy & Physiology I | 4 |
| CSS 101 | College Studies Seminar* | 3 |
| ENG 100 | English Composition | 3 |
| Total Credits | 10 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| BIO 176 | Human Anatomy & Physiology II | 4 |
| PSY 100 | General Psychology | 3 |
| NUR 110 | Concepts of Health & Illness I | 2 |
| NUR 120 | Concepts of Health & Illness II | 2 |
| NUR 265 | Health Assessment | 3 |
| Total Credits | 14 | |
| Semester 3 | ||
| NUR 280 | Concepts of Pathophsiology | 3 |
| BIO 185 | Microbiology | 3 |
| MAT 150 | Clinical Mathematics for the Health Sciences | 3 |
| NUR 130 | Concepts of Health and Illness #3 | 3 |
| NUR 140 | Concepts of Health and Illness #4 | 3 |
| Total Credits | 15 | |
| Total Combined Credits | 39 |
*CSS101 is preferred pre-requisite, but it can be a co-requisite if BIO175 is transferred/Student must have 7 general education credits completed or transferred prior to start of clinical courses.
Second Year: Associate in Science in Nursing Program
| Semester 4 | ||
|---|---|---|
| PHI 210 | Ethical and Legal Dimensions in the Health Sciences | 1 |
| NUR 210 | Concepts of Health and Illness #5 | 4 |
| NUR 220 | Concepts of Health and Illness #6 | 4 |
| NUR 230 | Concepts of Health and Illness #7 | 5 |
| Total Credits | 14 | |
| Semester 5 | ||
| NUR 240 | Concepts of Health and Illness #8 | 5 |
| NUR 250 | Concepts of Health and Illness #9 | 3 |
| NUR 290 | Transition to Practice | 3 |
| SOC 100 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| Total Credits | 14 | |
| Total Combined Credits | 28 |
RN to BSN
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| CSS 101 | College Studies Seminar | 3 |
| IPC 302 | Introduction to Capstone | 1 |
| NUR 301 | Conceptual Foundations of Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NUR 312 | Human Diversity and Cultural Care in Nursing | 3 |
| Total Credits | 10 | |
| Spring Semester | Credits | |
| ENG 300 | Advanced Composition for Health Care | 3 |
| IPC 322 | Teaching and Learning | 3 |
| NUR 340 | Comprehensive Health Assessment | 3 |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
| Summer Semester | Credits | |
| ECO 310 | American Health Care System | 3 |
| PHI 330 | Ethical Issues in Health Care | 3 |
| Total Credits | 6 | |
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| IPC 401 | Research in Health Care | 3 |
| MAT 260 | Statistics | 3 |
| Total Credits | 6 | |
| Spring Semester | Credits | |
| NUR 410 | Issues and Trends in Nursing | 3 |
| NUR 420 | Nursing Leadership and Management | 3 |
| NUR 430 | Nursing in a Global Society | 3 |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
| Summer Semester | Credits | |
| IPC 450 | Capstone | 3 |
| Total Credits | 3 | |
| Electives | Credits | |
| Humanities Elective | 3 | |
| 300- or 400-level Elective | 3 | |
| Other Electives | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
| Total RN to BSN Credits | 55 | |
| Total Combined Credits | 120 |
ASN Curriculum (for students admitted prior to Fall 2022)
Associate of Science in Nursing Program
| Year 1, Semester 1 | ||
| BIO 175 | Human Anatomy & Physiology I | 4 |
| ENG 100 | English Composition | 3 |
| MAT 150 | Clinical Mathematics for the Health Sciences | 3 |
| NUR 101 | Foundations of Nursing Practice | 5 |
| NUR 111 | Foundations of Nursing Practice: Clinical Laboratory | 2 |
| Total Credits | 17 | |
| Year 1, Semester 2 | ||
| BIO 176 | Human Anatomy & Physiology II | 4 |
| NUR 102 | Families Within the Community | 7 |
| NUR 112 | Families Within the Community: Clinical Laboratory | 3 |
| PSY 100 | General Psychology | 3 |
| Total Combined Credits | 34 | |
| Year 2, Semester 1 | ||
| BIO 185 | Microbiology | 3 |
| BIO 250 | Nutrition for Life | 3 |
| NUR 201 | Acute and Chronic Health Problems | 7 |
| NUR 211 | Acute and Chronic Health Problems: Clinical Laboratory | 4 |
| Total Credits | 17 | |
| Year 2, Semester 2 | ||
| NUR 202 | Crisis and Complex Health Problems | 7 |
| NUR 212 | Crisis and Complex Health Problems: Clinical Laboratory | 5 |
| PHI 210 | Ethical and Legal Dimensions in the Health Sciences | 1 |
| SOC 100 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| Total Combined Credits | 67 |
Associate in Science in Nursing Program: LPN Track
Licensed practical nurses who successfully complete the LPN Assessment module (NUR010) have the opportunity for advanced placement into the ASN program. Additional requirements must be met to qualify.
Will I Be Successful?
| Graduation Year | *150 % Graduation Rate | **Employed % | ***Passed Licensure Exam % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | 62.2% | Not available yet | 98.04% |
| 2018-19 | 65.9% | 100% | 95.02% |
| 2017-18 | 76.4% | 100% | 98.02% |
| *150% or 3-year graduation rate for the 2-year track and 4.5-year graduation rate for the 3-year track. | |||
| **Employment rate from Graduate Survey and personal communication with graduates. This data is self-reported from the respondents. | |||
| ***NCLEX pass rate for first-time test takers from October to September. | |||
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