This Kaplan University overview is a summary of the main features of the university as they relate to those wishing to pursue an online nursing qualification in the field of health care. Although not exhaustive, this overview does serve to highlight the main features of the university and should aid you in your decision about whether or not you wish to enroll in an online LPN program through Kaplan University.
College Information
The physical address of the university is:
Kaplan University, Pembroke Pines
10131 Pines Blvd, Suite B
Pembroke Pines, FL 33026
However, since you are interested in the universities online LPN programs you will not really need to know this unless a face-to-face interview is required for enrollment in the online program.
As compared to other universities that offer online training and degrees, Kaplan stands out for a few very simple and obvious reasons:
- As compared to other universities Kaplan University offers more online programs and certificates than any other, making it one of your best options to consider if you are looking for online LPN programs.
- As compared to other online universities Kaplan does offer an on-campus option which increases your sense of trust in the institute. Some online universities are in fact scams that cannot be trusted.
- With Kaplan, you will be able to plan your classes and adjust your schedule so that it suits your individual needs perfectly – this is great for nursing students who need to work while they learn.
- There are a number of real-life opportunities that you may have access to when you engage in a program from Kaplan.
Program Information
Kaplan University offers a number of programs. These are the ones that may be relevant to you as a nurse:
Master’s Degrees
- Master of Science in Nursing
- RN-to-Master of Science in Nursing Option
Bachelor’s Degrees
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Associate’s Degrees
- Associate of Science in Nursing
Note: This is the degree that you will be taking in order to become an LPN nurse. This is for nurses with no prior nursing education or experience.
The following are the core subjects and courses that you will need to complete in order to become an LPN through this program:
- CS 118: ACADEMIC STRATEGIES FOR THE NURSING PROFESSIONAL
- CM 108: COLLEGE COMPOSITION I-EFFECTIVE WRITING I FOR THE NURSING PROFESSIONAL
- HS 200: DISEASES OF THE HUMAN BODY
- MM 212: COLLEGE ALGEBRA
- NU 200: LPN PROFESSIONAL ROLE TRANSITION
- PS 124: INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY
- SS 144: SOCIOLOGY
In addition to the above you will also have the opportunity to choose from various majors. The majors that you will be able to choose from are as follows:
- HS 120: ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I
- HS 130: ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II
- NU 101: NURSING FUNDAMENTALS
- NU 105: PHARMACOLOGY
- NU 110: MEDICAL-SURGICAL NURSING I
- NU 120: CARE OF SPECIAL POPULATIONS-OBSTETRICS
- NU 130: MEDICAL-SURGICAL NURSING II
- NU 220: CARE OF SPECIAL POPULATIONS, FAMILY II-PEDIATRICS
- NU 240: CARE OF SPECIAL POPULATIONS-MENTAL HEALTH NURSING II
- NU 260: MEDICAL-SURGICAL NURSING III
- NU 270: TRANSITIONS COURSE-ISSUES AND TRENDS
- NU 299: ASSOCIATE’S DEGREE INTEGRATED CARE STRATEGIES CAPSTONE
Certificates
- Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Certificate
- Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate
- Nurse Administrator Graduate Certificate
- Nurse Educator Graduate Certificate
- Nurse Informatics Graduate Certificate
Details relating to the nursing and health care specific courses that the university offers are contained in the previous section. This overview serves to give you an idea of your options. As you can see your options are many and varied and there are plenty of opportunities offered by this university in terms of online LPN programs.
Program Requirements
In order to get into the Associate’s degree program you need to earn a total of 110 credits. Additional requirements for gaining entry to the program are:
- You must be a high school graduate, or
- You must possess a General Education Development (GED) certificate, or
- You must possess a Home Study certificate or transcript from a Home Study program that is equivalent to high school level and recognized by your home state, and be beyond the age of compulsory attendance in that state
- You must submit evidence of high school graduation or equivalent must be presented to the University.
- You may be required to take an entrance examination
- You must complete an Enrollment Agreement and all required documents
- You must submit monies as outlined on the Tuition and Fees Schedule
- You must complete an informational interview.
- All courses are taught in English. You must be able to speak, read, and write English fluently.
- You must complete financial arrangements prior to starting class. If applicable, financial aid applications must be completed.
Tuition
To take part in the Kaplan Associate’s Degree program online in order to become an LPN you will have to pay the following:
- A $100 technology fee per term
- A clinical fee of $300 per clinical course in the program and there are eight clinical courses in the program
- A pre admission test fee of $35 and is the responsibility of the applicant
Loans and Scholarships
There are a few loans and scholarships that you may be able to benefit from if you intend to attend Kaplan University:
Scholarships:
- Kaplan University’s merit-based scholarship
- Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship
- Kaplan University Success Scholarship
- Kaplan University Accelerated Scholars Award
Loans:
- Pell
- Stafford
- PLUS
- FSEOG
- ACG
If you need financial aid in order to study you should contact a Kaplan University Financial Aid Adviser to find out more about what options are available to you and what sort of help you can qualify for. Kaplan University has reasonable tuition fees to begin with, but if you think that you will need additional help, the university often offers aid in the following areas, most of which we have already discussed:
- Employer reimbursement
- Financial aid
- Scholarships
- Benefits for military personnel, spouses and veterans
There are a number of financial aid options available if you are interested in studying nursing at this school, so it is well worth your while to look into it.
Accreditation
Before enrolling in any online LPN programs it is important that you know whether or not the program is appropriately accredited. If it is not you will be wasting your time and your money with that program. You also need to ensure that the program you attend will allow you to work in the state that you would ideally like to work in.
Kaplan University is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association.
A large portion of the online nursing colleges out there are not appropriately accredited. You need to keep this in mind if an online program is what you are looking for. It is better in this case to go for the more well known university names in your decision as these are far more likely to provide you with a good education from a school that is appropriately accredited.
Online Teaching Methods
Kaplan University has an interactive and highly efficient online learning system that results in students coming away with all of the knowledge that they need for successful careers as nurses. Through online quizzes, discussion boards, web field trips, and seminars the university creates programs that are appealing to its students and that keep them interested in the coursework that they are engaged in.
A lot of students specifically need the structure of a classroom based situation in order to learn well. Kaplan University succeeds in creating a distance-learning experience that is similar to a class based experience in many ways. For instance there are few online universities out there that are so successful at adding the much-needed human touch to the learning experience.
Students are often given the opportunity to engage in real-life experiences that add to their knowledge and make their learning experience a lot more valuable. Real life experiences allow you to retain information more reliably. It will also provide you with some of the knowledge that will serve you well once you are actually employed as a nurse.
Students also have access to a large number of library books both through the online library that the university offers as well as in a physical format if that is what they would prefer. Books can be mailed to students if necessary.
Last but not least, students will be able to connect and interact with other students from around the world. This can be very important as this interaction often forms an essential basis for learning things and retaining information.
This Kaplan University overview serves as a summary of what you can expect should you choose to enroll at Kaplan in order to complete your nursing qualification. It is advised that you do further research into this university and others before reaching your final decision. Reading online reviews left by students who have attended the university will make your decision easier as these will be firsthand accounts. Consider all of the above mentioned parameters carefully before making your final decision.
