FAQ for the Online Nursing School at Florida Hospital College

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Am I able to transfer previous college credits toward earning my degree?

Students entering Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences programs may transfer a certain number of credits from regionally-accreditated institutions. Contact an Enrollment Advisor at 1-888-RN-to-BSN today for a free personal assessment of your previous college courses.

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What should I look for in a distance education degree program?

The strongest distance education programs are those with proven track records. They experience low student attrition rates, receive consistently high student satisfaction scores, and require minimal travel. The Florida Hospital College program has all of these important attributes. E-learning expertise has been successfully demonstrated through our online programs.

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How much does the program cost?

Tuition is $290.00* per credit hour. There is also a per trimester $290 matriculation fee as well as the one time $20 application fee. Easy access to affordable education helps us fulfill our goal of ensuring that every student who has the desire to further their education has the opportunity to do so.

*Tuition rates are based on the current Tuition Schedule, are determined annually, and are subject to change.

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How long will it take to earn my degree?

The online degree program can be completed in as little as 18 - 24 months. Applicants may have credits they can transfer to meet general education requirements and decrease the amount of time in the program. You have a maximum of 5 years to complete the program. An Enrollment Advisor can provide an individual assessment of your transfer credit to help you determine approximately how long it will take you to complete your degree.

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Is this College/program accredited?

The Baccalaureate Degree Nursing Program is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), 61 Broadway - 33rd floor, NY, NY 10006, (212) 363-5555 x153.

Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award Certificates, Associate, and Bachelor’s degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences. Note: The Commission is to be contacted only if there is evidence that appears to support the institution's significant non-compliance with a requirement or standard.

General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, Maryland 20904, phone: 301-680-6000, fax: 301-680-6464.

The College is licensed by the State Board of Independent Colleges and Universities Department of Education Tallahassee, Florida 32399, phone: 850-245-0466, fax: 850-245-9685.

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Why is regional accreditation important?

Regional accreditation is the primary type of institutional accreditation recognized in the United States. Some institutions with online programs hold national accreditation rather than regional accreditation because they are unwilling or unable to meet the rigorous standards of regional accreditation. Many educational institutions holding regional accreditation do not recognize credits or degrees earned at institutions that are nationally accredited. Regional accreditation is very important if you plan on transferring credits from one college or university to another during your degree program, or if you plan on pursuing advanced degrees in the future.

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Is online learning for me?

Online learning is ideal for working professionals because it provides the opportunity to study when it is convenient for you. The flexibility this program offers makes it possible for even the busiest individuals to earn their degree. Add to that, the many levels of unprecedented support that you will receive throughout the program. It is easy to see that this may be just the right educational fit for you.

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I am not computer savvy; can I still participate in this program?

Yes. We realize that many students are computer novices, so FHCHS provides technical support and a full-time program manager who will be your personal guide throughout the program. New students also receive special support prior to starting class during an interactive orientation to online courses.

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I have an extremely busy schedule and cannot attend classes each week. Is this program for me?

Yes. You can complete your studies at your convenience in the comfort of your own home. No campus visits are required. You will have access to your coursework 24 hours a day, so you can plan your class time.

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Do I have to repeat basic college classes like English and Psychology that I took many years ago?

Please refer to the current FHCHS Academic Bulletin online to learn about time limitations.

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How many hours per week will I need to study?

On an average, most students spend 15-20 hours per week studying to ensure completion of 12 credits each trimester. However, this can vary greatly, depending on your personal study habits, and professional circumstances.

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What is Angel?

Angel is a classroom-based software program that provides the instructor and student with a user-friendly environment that allows for a number of different learning experiences and environments. The features include discussion forums, e-mail, student presentations, online testing, posting of assignments and lectures, Internet relay chats, online grade book, and many other features that an instructor may make available to the student. Colleges and universities worldwide choose Angel to deliver powerful online teaching and learning experiences.

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Is FHCHS new to online education?

No, Florida Hospital College developed its first series of online courses in 2001 when the College launched the online Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Sciences degree. Since then, FHCHS has added the online Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in 2004 and in 2007 the online Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography degree. Currently more than 1,000 students from around the world enrolled in the College's online programs.

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What are the computer requirements for participating in this program?

Click here for current computer requirements and specifications.

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What are your clinical requirements?

We do not require clinicals for our program. We understand you have done clinicals while completing your Associates degree as well as doing clinicals on a daily basis as a RN.

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How many credits do I have to take per semester?

We do not force you into taking a particular number of credits per semester, however many of our students will take 8-12 credits per semester once they have completed there first semester. Usually for the first semester we recommend that our students only take 1 or 2 courses. We do this so that our students can become familiar with our program and not get overwhelmed with the work that goes into an online degree.

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Will I have to come to the Florida Hospital College at any point while in the program?

You will never have to come to our campus for any reason at all. We do invite all of our graduates to the graduation ceremony once you have completed the program.

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Is there a minimum number of times that I have to login per week?

There is not a minimum number of times that you must login per week, but you must login for your chat session and it wouldn’t hurt to login on a regular basis to check and see if there are changes to your course.

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What if I need help with the program?

With our program you have many layers of support. It starts with the Enrollment Advisor who guides you through the information and gets you started in the program. While in the program, you have the Program Manager who is helping you through the entire BSN. You will always have your Professors and Instructors to ask questions as well as of your classmates. You also have our help desk for technical programs as well as the other office staff.

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Will I have to do any group projects while completing my BSN?

No, we do not require any group projects in our program because it is not realistic to expect our students from different time zones to collaborate effectively. We also understand that nurses have hectic schedules and can change on a daily basis.

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When will I have to login for the chat sessions?

Usually there will be a couple of choices for chat time because we understand that a nurses schedule changes frequently and we also need to accommodate people on the west coast as well as the east coast. The larger the class is, the more options there will be for chat times.