How long does Aspen's RN to BSN actually take?
Aspen's courses run eight weeks each and most students take one or two at a time. On the monthly payment plan, the RN to BSN's published total of $14,750 divided by the $325 bachelor's rate works out at roughly 46 monthly payments — about three years and ten months — though transfer credit shortens both the coursework and the bill.
Two different clocks
There is how long the coursework takes, and how long you are paying. At most schools these are the same thing. At Aspen they are not necessarily, because the payment plan continues until the programme is paid for rather than tracking your enrolment week by week.
Courses are eight weeks long with assignments due throughout, and new ones begin on alternating Tuesdays each month, so there is very little waiting between them. Students may take up to three at once, but Aspen notes most take one or two — and taking one at a time is what stretches a programme across years.
What actually shortens it
Transfer credit, and almost nothing else. Every credit accepted is a course you neither sit nor pay for, which reduces the programme total and therefore the number of payments.
Nurses routinely leave credit unclaimed: general education from an ADN completed years ago, coursework from a programme they started and abandoned, employer training carrying credit recommendations, and military coursework. Get the assessment done before you agree to a payment schedule rather than after.
Common questions
How long are Aspen University courses?
Eight weeks, with assignments due throughout the course. New courses start on alternating Tuesdays each month.
Can I take more than one Aspen course at a time?
Yes, up to three simultaneously, although Aspen notes that most students take one or two.
Does transfer credit make Aspen cheaper as well as faster?
Yes. Because the monthly plan runs until the programme total is paid, credit that removes a course removes payments as well as coursework.