Associate Degree Nursing (RN) Time Commitment for Nursing Courses

Colleges throughout the country typically follow a learning schedule advocating 3 hours outside of class for every hour spent in the classroom, and 2 hours outside of class for every hour in a laboratory.  A nursing student’s classes are an important commitment to and investment in the future. 

With a 6.5-unit classroom course such as REGN 15 Theoretical Foundations of Nursing Care, and a 5.5-unit laboratory class such as REGN 15P Clinical Foundations of Nursing Care, an appropriate nursing studies time commitment is:

The nursing program is a major life change. This change affects the student, the student’s loved ones, and the student’s lifestyle. We strongly recommend that students share this document with their loved ones, partners, parents, and significant others.  Family plays an important role in a student’s success in school.    

Effective scheduling will involve planning for adequate time for nursing studies balanced with the needs and commitments to family. We recommend that students carefully plan for each semester by completing a Time Commitment Schedule Planner.  For those students starting the first semester, use this schedule planner.

We urge students to examine other commitments carefully and make appropriate arrangements early in the semester allowing them to devote adequate time to the nursing program.  Our experience shows that devoting sufficient time to education outside of class is one of the keys to success in nursing school.  Our students’ success is our common goal!

The following table represents the time commitment for the four semesters of nursing school: