Educational Mobility Policy
Berkshire Community College
Nursing Division
Educational Mobility Policy
Berkshire Community College recognizes the crucial role nurses play in transforming our healthcare system and acknowledges that those with Associate Degrees in Nursing (ADN) are essential to providing quality care. Additionally, we recommend that the Practical Nurse (PN) certificate serves as an initial step in a continuous academic journey. Nurses should be encouraged to pursue higher levels of education and training through an improved system that ensures seamless academic progression. BCC, along with other nursing programs across Massachusetts, is actively collaborating to make it easier for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) to advance to ADN programs and for Registered Nurses (RNs) to pursue advanced degrees.
LPN to ADN Mobility:
Students with two nursing program failures or two withdrawals or a combination of (taken at another institution, at BCC, or in combination) will not be admitted or readmitted to the program. The student must have been in good standing - rectifying any documentation of unprofessional behavior or clinical safety concerns before leaving the program for any reason or in any manner - failure versus withdrawal, in order to be considered for readmission.
A student with two nursing program failures or two withdrawals or a combination of (taken at another institution, at BCC, or in combination) within 10 years, who successfully completes a Practical Nurse Program and is a Licensed Practical Nurse would be eligible to apply to the LPN to RN Education Mobility Program and will be considered if they meet all admission requirements. The accepted bridge student will not be eligible for readmission after one failure/withdrawal.
After a period of 10 years from the first failure/withdrawal, qualified students with two nursing program failures/withdrawals will be considered for admission one time as long as they were in good standing - rectifying any documentation of unprofessional behavior or clinical safety concerns before leaving the program for any reason or in any manner - failure versus withdrawal.
Students who are dismissed from any of the BCC nursing programs for unprofessionalism or unsafe clinical behavior will be denied admission and/or readmission into any BCC nursing program as per the nursing dismissal policy.
Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) who apply to BCC’s Associate in Science degree in Nursing may challenge the first two nursing courses (NUR-101 and NUR-102) through a standardized theoretical test (NCLEX-PN or BCC LPN-ADN Entrance Exam -75 questions).
The LPN who immediately enters the Associate Degree program within one year of graduation from an approved PN program may use their successful NCLEX-PN exam as the standardized theoretical test. The LPN who does not immediately enter the Associate Degree program within one year of graduating from an approved PN program will be required to pass the BCC LPN-ADN Entrance Exam (75 questions). A passing score will be a minimum score of a level 2 (please see leveling system below). The leveling system is based on the probability of passing through a conversion score recommended by ATI.
- Below level 1: 0%-49.5%
- Level 1: 49.6%-65.4%
- Level 2: 65.5%-78.8%
- Level 3: 78.9%-100%
Mobility students will need to pay for 17 challenge exam credits unless their practical nursing certificate qualifies for a waiver.
Applicants seeking to bridge into NUR 201 in the fall:
- Will take the BCC LPN-ADN Entrance Exam in May and/or October (within one year of the application deadline) for the fall semester unless they are using their recent NCLEX exam as their challenge exam.
- Must have proof of licensure as a practical nurse by June 1st of the year of admission into the Associate Degree in Nursing program.
- Admission into the Associate Degree in Nursing program requires the successful completion of a “bridge” course (NUR-106) during the summer of the year of admission.
- Applicants will notify the Director of Nursing of their intention to bridge by April 1st of the year of application.
- The applicant must submit an LPN/ADN matriculation form by June 1stof the year of application into the Associate Degree in Nursing program.
Applicants seeking to bridge into NUR 201 in the spring:
- Will take the BCC LPN-ADN Entrance Exam in May and/or October (within one year of the application deadline) of the spring semester unless they are using their recent NCLEX exam as their challenge exam.
- Must have proof of licensure as a practical nurse by November 1st of the year of admission into the Associate Degree in Nursing program.
- Admission into the Associate Degree in Nursing program requires the successful completion of a “bridge” course (NUR-106) during the winter of the year of admission.
- Applicants will notify the Director of Nursing of their intention to bridge by Sept 1st of the year of application.
- The applicant must submit an LPN/ADN matriculation form by November 1st of the year of application into the Associate Degree in Nursing program.
- A minimum of five (5) seats are reserved in the spring semester for the most recent graduates from BCC’s PN program who have declared intention to transition to LPN/and mobility pathway and have met all ADN admission requirements.
- Students who have met all admission requirements are considered for acceptance on a space availability basis.
- There is no deferral for an Educational Mobility student. Students must reapply to the program for the semester they are seeking entry.
LPN to ADN Admission Criteria:
- Minimum GPA OF 2.0
- Completion of prerequisite courses, including;
- BIO-201, BIO-202 (Anatomy & Physiology 4 credits); each with a grade of C+ (77) or better within seven years of application deadline. Effective fall 2025 bridge students may take BIO 154 and BIO154L - Intro to the Human Body in place of BIO 201.
- Math: ACCUPLACER Next Generation QAS score of 262 or greater OR successful completion of MAT 136 or higher (with a minimum grade of C). (MAT-123 Statistics recommended for transfer).
- ENG-101, PSY-107, and PSY-204 with a grade of C (73) or better
- Students not matriculating within one year of graduation must have proof of employment as an LPN for a minimum of 6 months of clinical experience within two years of admission into the Associate Degree in Nursing program.
RN to BSN Mobility:
Students accepted into BCC’s associate degree in nursing (ADN) program have a variety of opportunities for academic advancement. While the RN to BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) pathway is the most common, students with other degrees may also have the chance to pursue additional advanced nursing degrees. To support this, BCC has an RN to BSN Coordinator who is available to guide students through their future educational options. Below are the colleges and universities with which BCC has established nursing articulation agreements. More about these programs can be found on our RN to BSN webpage along with the RN to BSN advisor contact information.
- Colby Sawyer College
- UMass Dartmouth
- Elms College
- Western Governors University
- UMass Amherst
Created Nursing Faculty Committee – 5/1/23, revised 10/16/23, revised 9/30/24, revised 11/18/24, 3/10/25