Online Courses for a Nursing Degree
Online Nursing Program Options are Available to Most Students
© John Wu
Jun 12, 2009
To get either an associate's or bachelor's degree in nursing, students need to take more than just the courses in the major. There are many general education classes that also need to be completed in order to graduate with a degree. This means online courses can be very helpful even for students in programs that do not accept online courses.
Online Courses for Nursing
Taking required non-nursing courses online can be very helpful in reducing the amount of incomplete degree requirements prior to entering the program. If taking classes online allows a student to complete more college requirements prior to entering the nursing program, that will help students avoid taking extra courses during the program.
In many cases, nursing major courses that do not involve a laboratory section may also be acceptable as an online course. For example, some nursing programs require a class in general psychology, which does not have a lab section. Because psychology is not a science lab course, most programs accept the online version of this class.
Distance Learning with Science and Nursing Courses
Many nursing programs do not accept science laboratory courses in an online format. Students need to ask prospective nursing schools whether their online courses are acceptable or not. It is best to take science courses with labs in person if at all possible. If that is not possible, there are a few schools that offer science lab courses with online labs or home lab kits.
Another reason to avoid taking science lab courses online is to allow students to remain eligible for admissions to as many programs as possible. Admission is very competitive throughout the country. If science lab courses are taken online, the student will be ineligible to many schools, thus reducing chances of getting admitted somewhere.
Nearly all nursing programs require in person classes and clinical sessions during the actual program. This means nursing classes cannot be taken online. Nevertheless, a student who needs to take an extra general education course to graduate on time can take that class online to fit it around a very busy nursing schedule.
The Advantages of Online Classes
Because it is extremely difficult to hold employment while in nursing school, many students work full time in anticipation of the loss of income during the program. For many students who work, taking online classes in required general education and non-science courses allows them to take more courses concurrently thus allowing for earlier graduation and an earlier career in nursing. Just the time savings from not having to commute to school results in less hours being spent on classes.
No matter the nursing program a student enrolls in, online classes can play an important role in helping a student graduate from nursing school earlier. The time savings from taking classes online can be beneficial due to non-major requirements that are also needed to confer a nursing degree.
Readers who find this article useful may be interested in learning about California Nursing School Prerequisites.
Reference:
Chandler, Genevieve. The Ultimate Guide to Getting into Nursing School. McGraw-Hill Professional (2007).
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