BScN nursing student in blue scrubs checking on a human patient simulator in the nursing lab.

Accelerate your health-care career with a nursing degree

Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing RPN to BScN Advanced Standing Pathway (Bridge) Honours Bachelor Degree program

Bridge your RPN credential into a Honors Bachelor of Science – Nursing degree. Study close to home and benefit from more industry connections, hands-on practise, and one-on-one training with small class sizes taught by expert faculty who care.

Program code HBNA
Duration 3 Years
Credential Honours Bachelor Degree
Program Delivery Full-time
Program delivery method(s) In person What does this mean?

Program information

Program description

This pathway prepares graduates for a life-long career as a Registered Nurse. Grounded in a vibrant urban and rural community, faculty work collaboratively with practice partners to provide diverse experiences for students to learn about the complexity of nursing in a modern healthcare environment. The role of nurses as leaders in healthcare delivery is taught from a practice-based framework where real life experiences are a focus of teaching and learning. Faculty and preceptors actively work with students to create opportunities for scholarship and professional growth which support the development of nurses who can serve as leaders and advocates for person-centered care.  

Your Honours BScN nursing degree from Georgian will open doors to careers in hospitals, long-term care, clinics or community health services. This community-based program reflects the specific health needs of local populations, including the elderly, Indigenous and Francophone peoples, as well as those with mental health challenges.

This program is a pathway for those with previous nursing credentials. For individuals with no previous nursing knowledge, please check out Georgian’s four-year Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing degree program.

Intake information

Start dateCampus
Fall 2024 Barrie, Orangeville, Owen Sound

Tuition and fees

Work-integrated learning

  • This program includes a clinical placement component where you’ll get clinical experience under the supervision of an experienced registered or licensed professional.
  • Learn about types of work-integrated learning at Georgian.

What are the admission requirements for the Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing RPN to BScN Advanced Standing Pathway (Bridge) program?

Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing RPN to BScN Advanced Standing Pathway (Bridge) admission requirements

The Honours Bachelor of Science-Nursing RPN to BScN Advanced Standing Pathway provides Registered Practical Nurses with an option of entering the Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing program with advanced standing. Practical Nurses who are Registered with the College of Nurses of Ontario are eligible to receive up to one year of advanced standing into the Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing program. Students who satisfy the admission requirements below can apply for the Advanced Standing Pathway (Bridge) through OCAS using the major code HBNA.

Eligibility Requirements: 

  • Completion of a Practical Nursing Diploma from a recognized post-secondary institution with a graduating GPA of 75% or higher 
  • Registered, in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario 
  • Be entitled to practice with no restrictions 

Full disclosure of the following is required: All post-secondary transcripts taken after the completion of the Practical Nursing diploma and any Nursing post-secondary transcripts. Failure to disclose these postsecondary transcripts may result in immediate disqualification from consideration, or removal from the program.  

Selection Process

Applicants may be ranked based on academic grades. An overall minimum GPA of 75% is required for all applicants.

Additional information

Placement Requirements:

In order to provide quality practicum placements, students are placed in a variety of agencies in the region serviced by the campus. Students are required to provide their own transportation to practicum placements. Placements may be 6, 8, 10- or 12-hour days and may also include holidays, weekends, nights and evenings starting as early as 0600.

Many programs have immunization, criminal reference checks or other requirements that need to be met prior to placements starting and/or the first day of class. Please review your program outline for specific information. Placement forms may be posted at Georgian College Placement Office website

You are responsible for meeting these requirements. To be eligible for all practicum placements, students must have a completed Clinical Preparedness Permit (see BScN Clinical Preparedness Permit forms) which includes: 

  • a current Cardiac Life Support Certificate for Health Care Providers renewed annually and Standard First Aid (only on admission). On-line courses are not acceptable. It is the student’s responsibility to renew CPR certification every year throughout the Nursing Program;
  • a completed and current immunization form in compliance with the Public Hospitals Act;
  • a record of mask fit test, renewed every two years;
  • WHMIS Training.

Criminal Record and Vulnerable Sector Check:

Students in the Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing RPN to BScN Advanced Standing Pathway (Bridge) are required by host agencies to provide a current criminal record check and vulnerable sector check from a recognized police service before they are permitted to start their clinical/practicum or work placement. Individuals who have been charged or convicted criminally and not yet pardoned, will be prohibited from proceeding to a clinical/practicum or work placement. A student with an outstanding charge or who has been convicted of a criminal offence and has not obtained a full pardon will be counselled to withdraw from the program as a successful practicum placement is a requirement to progress through the program.

Obtaining the Vulnerable Sector Police Record Check usually requires a processing time of up to 12 weeks and can vary between Police jurisdictions. As some jurisdictions require longer lead-time for processing, ensure you allow for sufficient turn-around time. Checks conducted earlier than six months may not be considered current. Please ensure these requirements are fully met prior to the placement start date. It is the student’s responsibility to provide the completed documents prior to placement start at the designated check time and format as set by the college. Contact the Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing program coordinator on your program’s webpage if you have further questions.

The costs associated with the provision of the Vulnerable Sector Police Record check and/or pardon are to be borne by the student. The college assumes no responsibility for these matters.

Additional Applicant Information:

Upon successful completion of the Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing RPN to BScN Advanced Standing Pathway (Bridge) candidates must write the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX) to work as Registered Nurses.

This college has been granted consent by the Minister of Colleges and Universities to offer this applied degree for a seven-year term starting October 4, 2021. The college shall ensure that all students admitted to the program during the period of consent will have the opportunity to complete the program within a reasonable time frame.

Clinical Simulation Learning Experiences: Students with the Orangeville campus will need to travel to Owen Sound campus in order to participate in high fidelity simulation learning. 

Non-core courses are required in all degree programs to meet the Ministry of Colleges and Universities benchmark for depth and breadth in degree-level learning. These courses are designed to give students the tools to develop interdisciplinary perspectives that inform their approach to their own discipline, their continued education and their life outside work.

Students are required to take: at least one first year interdisciplinary course (INTS1xxx); two introductory courses in their choice of disciplines outside their main field of study, which may include psychology (PSYC 1000 or PSYC 1001), social science (SOCI 1000), humanities (HUMA 1012), or science (SCEN 1000); one advanced course in a discipline (ex. PSYC3xxx, SOSC3xxx, HUMA3xxx), and; one upper level interdisciplinary course (INTS4xxx). These courses and any remaining non-core course requirements to be selected from the program list.

Information about placement requirements

To help you navigate the requirements to complete the clinical placement component(s) of this program (e.g. immunization, First Aid and CPR, criminal record screening and other non-academic requirements), please review the details below.

For more information about placements, visit the Placement Offices webpage.

Placement requirementsGeorgian College Chevron

In order to provide quality practicum placements (“Placements”), students are placed in a variety of agencies, largely in the region serviced by the campus. Students are required to provide their own transportation to Placements. Placements may vary in length (e.g. six to 12 hour days) and may include weekends and evenings, with varying start and end times (e.g. day, afternoon, overnight).

Many programs, including Health and Wellness, have immunization, First Aid and CPR, criminal record screening and  other non-academic requirements that need to be met prior to Placements starting. You are responsible for carefully reviewing and meeting these requirements. The failure to meet them may mean that the host agency may refuse to accept you for a Placement or, if you have started one, that you may be prevented from continuing. The result may be that you cannot complete your program. Program-specific requirements can be found on page 2 of the Clinical Preparedness Permit specific to your program.

You are responsible for meeting all immunization, criminal screening and other requirements by the deadline provided by your program and before you start your Placement.

Notes regarding the Criminal Record Check (“CRC”) and Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS)

Individuals who have been charged or convicted criminally and not yet pardoned or who have adverse entries on their CRC or VSS will be prohibited from proceeding to a Placement. Such a student will normally be counselled to withdraw from the program because the successful completion of a Placement is a program requirement.

Obtaining the CRC and VSS usually requires a processing time of up to 12 weeks and can vary between police jurisdictions. As some jurisdictions require longer lead time for processing, ensure you allow for sufficient turn-around time. Record checks and screenings conducted earlier than six months may not be considered current and not be acceptable. Refer to your Clinical Preparedness Permit for information regarding this. A host agency may refuse a Placement if the CRC or VSS is not satisfactory to it. It is the student’s responsibility to provide the necessary completed documents prior to the start of a Placement at the designated check time, and in the format set by Georgian College and stated in the Clinical Preparedness Permit Information Package. More information can be found on the Placement Offices webpage.

The costs associated with the provision of the CRC and VSS, anything related to them (including, if applicable, obtaining a pardon), and meeting any immunization and other Placement requirements, are to be borne by the student. The non-academic requirements of clinical agencies as described in the Clinical Preparedness Permit are subject to change at any time and host agencies may accept or decline students for any reason at their discretion. Georgian College  is not responsible for any of the costs associated with the foregoing, nor for the consequences of failing to comply with, any of the requirements set out above.  

Why study Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing RPN to BScN Advanced Standing Pathway (Bridge) at Georgian?

Long-standing reputation of excellence

  • Georgian has a long history of delivering high-quality nursing education since 1973.
  • Georgian nurses are well-known in our campus communities – and beyond – for their abilities, compassion and leadership in interprofessional health-care teams.

State-of-the-art facilities

Valuable clinical placements

  • Build your skills and experience with local employers through exceptional clinical placements in various health-care settings across Central Ontario.​
  • Improve your employability and network with potential employers before you graduate.

High employment and high demand

  • Nursing graduates are in high demand at health-care providers in Central Ontario. The demand for qualified nurses in Georgian’s campus communities is expected to increase by 25 per cent by 2028.
  • Our grads get jobs! 88.1 per cent find work within six months, above the provincial average – which we’ve exceeded for more than 20 years.

Learn local, work local

  • With Georgian’s BScN program, you can get your nursing degree without having to leave your local community.
  • The Honours BScN nursing degree allows students who live in the community, to learn in and about the health are needs of our local community and then practice locally to contribute to the health and wellness of our communities.

Expert faculty

  • Georgian nursing faculty are caring, highly-trained experts, with diverse clinical and professional backgrounds along with years of experience in nursing education.
  • Many are experienced researchers and have shared their research in publications and presented their work at local, national and international conferences.
  • Faculty have collaborated with nursing experts across the global, including the Canadian adaptation of Think Like a Nurse: The Caputi Method for Learning Clinical Judgment, used by nursing students at Georgian and across Canada. Purchase this textbook.

Learning spaces

Hands-on health-care education

Our state-of-the-art nursing facilities and simulation labs give you the hands-on training you need with equipment you’ll use on the job.​

  • patient beds occupied by sophisticated, high-fidelity human patient simulators
  • scenario rooms to simulate real life, high-stress situations and gain practice with a wide variety of medical conditions
  • a large hybrid learning classroom equipped with big flat screens for video playback and live streaming of simulations
  • a full apartment-style lab with functioning appliances, furniture and fixtures to facilitate training for in-home care
Sara Lankshear, RN, PhD, Associate Dean
The big appeal about nursing is the possibilities are limitless. You can literally reinvent yourself in so many ways over the course of your nursing career. Sara Lankshear, RN, PhD, Associate Dean

Meet our academic team

Learn from passionate, experienced professors

As a Georgian nursing student, you’ll learn from and be mentored by dedicated, award-winning professors who built their careers in the health-care sector and combine academic theory with vast industry knowledge.

Click on any of the academic team members below to read their profile and learn about their education, experience, research, publications and more.

At Georgian, we all come with a very diverse set of experiences and background in terms of our nursing knowledge. It’s that diverse perspective that makes for a really well-rounded nurse – somebody who understands nursing from a bunch of different perspectives.

Corrine Lalonde, RN, BScN, MScN, Program Coordinator
  • Avinash Thadani, Honours Bachelor of Science - Nursing (BScN)

    Avinash Thadani

    BSc, MSc, PhD (Medicinal Chemistry), Professor

  • Corrine Lalonde, Honours Bachelor of Science - Nursing (BScN) faculty member

    Corrine Lalonde

    RN, BScN, MScN, Program Coordinator

  • Darci Wright, Honours Bachelor of Science - Nursing (BScN)

    Darci Wright

    RN, BScN, MN, Professor and Clinical Course Lead

  • Gianina Gaitana

    Gianina Gaitana

    RN, BScN, MN, Professor

  • Lesley Macmaster

    Lesley MacMaster

    RN, BNSc, MScN, Professor

  • Headshot of Lisa Keenan-Lindsay, faculty in the Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) program at Georgian College

    Lisa Keenan-Lindsay

    B.Sc., BScN, MN, Professor

  • Sara Lankshear

    Sara Lankshear

    RN, BScN, M.Ed., PhD, Associate Dean

  • Stephanie Atthill

    Stephanie Atthill

    RN, BScN, PhD (Nursing), Professor and Program Coordinator

  • Susan Chapman

    Susan Chapman

    RN, BScN, MN, Professor

  • Treva Job, Honours Bachelor of Science - Nursing (BScN)

    Treva Job

    PhD, BScN, PHCNP, MA Ed, CCSNE, CHSE, Manager, Simulation Centre

  • Headshot of Wendy McDonald, faculty in the Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) program at Georgian College

    Wendy McDonald

    RN, BScN, MN, Professor and Program Coordinator

What career paths can I take in nursing?

Your Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing (BScN) degree gives you many career opportunities

Graduates of Georgian’s Honours BScN program are qualified to work as Registered Nurses (RN) upon completion of the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

Your nursing degree will open doors to careers in hospitals, long-term care, clinics or community health services. Challenge yourself by exploring different patient types, medical conditions, and roles.​ If you want to become a leader, you’ll have the knowledge and skills you need to learn and grow in your career. Graduate practice-ready, prepared to work in a modern, interprofessional health team.

Your future career in nursing

  • Case manager
  • Community health nurse
  • Health administration
  • Health-care co-ordinator
  • Home health-care nurse
  • Nurse practitioner
  • Policy development
  • Registered nurse
  • Researcher/forensics
A Registered Nurse in blue scrubs smiling and assisting an elderly patient with getting up
Registered Nurses in blue scrubs standing next to a patient on a bed in a hospital room

What courses are included in the Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing RPN to BScN Advanced Standing Pathway (Bridge) degree program?

Course overview

17 Mandatory Core Courses
5 Clinical Placements
4 Mandatory Non-Core Courses
1 Elective Non-Core Course 

Program-specific courses

Semester 1 courses are listed below. For a full list of courses in the program including course descriptions, view the Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing RPN to BScN Advanced Standing Pathway (Bridge) program outline.

Your course delivery method(s)

In person

This program is delivered fully in person and requires you to attend campus.

Please note, delivery methods are based on planning for the upcoming semester and are subject to change.

Accreditation

Become a Registered Nurse (RN) in Ontario

Georgian’s baccalaureate nursing program gives you the in-depth knowledge and skills you need to practice as a Registered Nurse!

College of Nurses of Ontario

  • The Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing RPN to BScN Advanced Standing Pathway (Bridge) program at Georgian College received preliminary program approval by the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO).
  • Graduates of this program are eligible to apply for registration as a Registered Nurse (RN) in Ontario.
College of Nurses of Ontario logo

Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario

  • BScN graduates are also qualified to become a member of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO).
  • Established in 1925, RNAO is the professional association representing RNs in Ontario, helping to advance the nursing profession and its leadership role in health care.
RNAO: Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario

Find out MORE.

Ready to explore your future career in nursing?

We’re here to help answer your questions and connect you to all things Georgian College!

Connect with Kailey, Student Recruitment Specialist, to discover more about Georgian’s nursing degree program, our campuses and our services.

Kailey Hawkins, Student Recruitment Specialist at Georgian College

Do you have questions about Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing RPN to BScN Advanced Standing Pathway (Bridge)? Contact us!

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