Students wishing to take more than six semester hours must enroll in a degree program or be admitted as a part-time enrollee. There are currently no limits to the number of courses a student may take online. Students are encouraged to contact their advisor before registering for online courses.
Online students may choose one of the following payment methods: Pay online with Visa, MasterCard or Discover. Pay your bill online here.
Payment by check or money order should be made payable to, ‘Spring Arbor University,’ and mailed/delivered to:
SAU Business Office
106 E. Main St.
Spring Arbor, MI 49283-9799
Payment by phone with credit card can be made by calling 517-750-6477. SAU accepts VISA, MasterCard and Discover; please have your credit card available when you call. Pay in person by cash, check, or credit card at the SAU main campus Business Office or any of the Adult Studies Centers.
The White Library can be accessed through the library link on the MySAU portal, the library tab at SAUonline, or directly at library.arbor.edu/home. We have 100,000 ebooks available through our library and the majority of our journals are available to be searched and accessed via online research databases. If you have questions or need assistance with the library, please contact us. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter.
Look at our tuition and fees page for the current rate. Campus undergraduate students will be charged according to the current campus tuition rates and policies.
You can access your classes* via Blackboard, which you can access directly at https://mysau.arbor.edu.
88% first-time pass rate / 100% of students who have taken the exam have passed it.
Our online nursing programs emphasize a Christian worldview that will better prepare you to meet the spiritual and physical needs of those for which you care. This does not mean you need to be a Christian to enroll in our programs; all health care professionals – no matter their background or beliefs – will benefit from the recognition of a spiritual component to nursing.
Yes, SAU’s online nursing programs are all accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) – an autonomous accrediting agency, contributing to the improvement of the public's health.
As an online nursing student at Spring Arbor University, you will have direct access to dedicated educators who are known for their active involvement in improving nursing care, and you will have your very own Student Success Coach who will walk beside you and offer support throughout your program.
Very accessible and supportive. Typically professors will give out their phone numbers to have students connect. Support staff is here as a liaison for the student at all times.
SAU offers two tracks in its MSN/NP program:
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Adult Gerontology, Primary Care
Find more information visit our MSN/NP program page here.
To be accepted in SAU Online’s MSN programs, you must meet the following requirements:
- A BSN degree from a regionally accredited institution and nursing program (CCNE or NLN)
- Official transcripts from all institutions of higher education attended
- A 3.0 GPA calculated from the most recent 60 academic credits
- Unrestricted, unencumbered, current nursing license from the state of employment
SAU offers five concentrations in its MSN/MBA program:
- Healthcare Administration
- Human Resource Development
- Management
- Organizational Consulting
- Executive Leadership
The flexibility of the program attracts students with all sorts of work schedules. The program is designed for full time working nurses. We follow the flexibility of the 7-1-7 model where students take one class at a time every 7 weeks with a week break in between. There are no set login times and students have access to their classroom any time.
The flexibility of our clinical requirement is also beneficial to the students. You will choose your own preceptor in your home state. Students who work M-F can find clinical experience to complete during the weekend. Some students have the opportunity to reduce their schedule to M-Th while completing the clinicals as well and do their clinicals on Fridays. The faculty are very supportive and work with students to offer this flexibility.
- SAU’s online RN-BSN program can be completed in as few as 20 months.
- SAU’s online RN-MSN/NP programs can be completed in as few as 48 months.
- SAU’s online RN-MSN/Education program can be completed in as few as 42 months.
- SAU’s online RN-MSN/MBA program can be completed in as few as 54 months.
- SAU’s online MSN/NP programs can be completed in as few as 24 months (AGNP 24, FNP 30).
- SAU’s online MSN/Education program can be completed in as few as 24 months.
- SAU’s online MSN/MBA program can be completed in as few as 36 months.
- SAU’s online Post-Master’s Cert programs can be completed in 8 to 18 months, depending on necessary prerequisites and the program you choose
To be accepted in SAU Online’s RN-MSN programs, you must meet the following requirements:
- Associate degree from a regionally accredited institution and nursing program (CCNE or NLN)
- Official transcripts from all institutions of higher education attended
- A 3.0 GPA calculated from the most recent 60 academic credits
- Unrestricted, unencumbered, current nursing license from the state of employment
To be accepted in SAU Online’s Post-Master’s Cert programs, you must meet the following requirements:
- MSN degree from a program accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Official graduate transcripts from all institutions of higher education attended
- A 3.0 GPA calculated from the most recent 60 academic credits
- An unrestricted, unencumbered, current nursing license from the state of employment
Students can only take one course at a time (excluding clinical & residency). Our programs are uniquely designed for working nurses to be able to advance their education while continuing to work shifts.
To be accepted in SAU Online’s RN-BSN program, you must meet the following requirements:
- An associate degree in nursing from an accredited school or a diploma from a National League for Nursing (NLN) accredited school
- Completion of at least 58 transferable semester hours
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 for all prior college work
- Demonstrate computer literacy
- Unrestricted, unencumbered, current nursing license from the state of employment
Loans are available for those nurses who qualify.
There isn’t a waiting list for any of Spring Arbor University’s online nursing programs. You can start now by filling out the form on this page.
At the graduate level there are no scholarships or discounts available. Students will work with our finance team to discuss possible outside resources available to help individualize their plan.
Spring Arbor University offers seven CCNE-accredited online nursing programs:
- RN-Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN)
- RN-MSN/NP (Family Nurse Practitioner & Adult Gerontology, Primary Care)
- RN-MSN/Education
- RN-MSN/MBA dual degree
- MSN/NP (Family Nurse Practitioner & Adult Gerontology, Primary Care)
- MSN/Education
- MSN/MBA dual degree
- Post-Master’s Certification - Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Post-Master’s Certification - Family Nurse Practitioner
- Post-Master’s Certification - Nurse Educator
- Post-Master’s Certification - Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Post-Master’s Certification - Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Yes, especially during the FNP program.
Typically our nursing classes have 20-25 students.
The Spring Arbor University School of Nursing and Health Sciences (SONHS) is responsible for ensuring adequate and sufficient clinical experiences for students in all programs, including students enrolled in distance programs. Clinical placements are arranged by the SONHS Clinical Coordinator for students in campus-based programs. For those students in distance programs, the program fosters interprofessional collaboration practice by allowing students to play an active role in selecting preceptors from varied practices. The SONHS asks the students to participate in finding clinical preceptors/sites using resources provided by the program including existing approved preceptors and clinical sites. However, if a student is unable to find a clinical preceptor(s)/site, the SONHS will provide the student with a clinical site, which may not be in the geographic location of the student but will provide the student an adequate experience to meet the program outcome.
We accept a maximum of nine transfer credits from prior graduate courses taken. Transcripts will be evaluated to ensure there is a 100% course for course match. If the courses don’t match we cannot guarantee transfer. We usually ask that the student provides course syllabi in their application process to make the evaluation of credits seamless.
The residency is a 3-day visit to our main campus during the 2nd year of the program and is tied into the Health Assessment Course (7th course). It is a practicum that provides students with clinical opportunities to further refine and practice history taking a physical examination. You will meet their professors, fellow classmates and gain a personal sense of community within the program. We offer discounted rates in the nearby hotels in the area.
Courses are 7 weeks in length typically 3 credit hours.
Nursing education is an investment. To help you see a return on your nursing educational investment sooner, Spring Arbor University offers competitive tuition rates. You can find more details here.
Online classes are unique in that they require self-management. Because you will be learning at your own location and during the times you prefer, you must be able to attend to online tutorials and complete your assignments without being reminded by your instructor. However, as an online student, you will be assigned your own Student Success Coach who will help you every step of the way.
Yes! We encourage all online graduates to join us for the graduation ceremony. It’s a great time to reflect on what you’ve accomplished and share your accomplishments with those who matter most in your life.
The degree you receive for completing your online degree program is the same degree you would receive had you completed your program on campus. It won’t say “online.” Employers won’t be able to tell where you earned your degree, unless you tell them.
Technology plays a huge role in online learning. As a prospective online student, you should have basic computer skills; Internet access; and the ability to send email, navigate the Internet and install software. Of course, we will help you navigate this technology every step of the way.
Just like on-campus courses, you will have the ability to choose when you start and the specific program concentrations you want to complete. We offer various undergraduate and graduate degrees, along with concentrations within the MSN and MBA programs to meet industry need.
Typically, you will pay the same amount per credit hour as you would for an on-campus program. (Read more about Spring Arbor University-specific tuition and fees.) However, taking classes online will save you gas money and parking fees, as you won’t have to drive to a campus location to complete your courses. Since you will be at home while taking your courses, you also can save money (and time) on food by not having to prepare or buy food on-the-go.
Yes! SAU is well known for its quality programs, and you will find that same reputation in our online programs. Spring Arbor University has been an accredited four-year institution since 1963, and also has a long history of providing real-world education to the adult learner.
Online learning, also called distance learning, is instruction that takes place using computer technology and the Internet. This can occur between students in the same town or in different countries. Within semester limits, SAU Online courses are completely asynchronous, which means students may sign on and work any time during the day or night. Likewise, the instructor and students need not be logged onto the course at the same time, unless the faculty member has set test dates or chat sessions indicated on the course syllabus.
To learn more about the benefits of online education, check out our Blackboard Intro Video.
Within semester parameters, SAU Online course sections vary in length. Depending on the subject matter and number of credit hours they can range from 6 - 15 weeks.
This depends on the program you are enrolled in. Some master’s level programs can be completed in as little as one year.
The academic catalogs may be acquired from the Office of Registration and Records and on this page here.
Students wishing to take more than six semester hours must enroll in a degree program or be admitted as a part-time enrollee. There are currently no limits to the number of courses a student may take online. Students are encouraged to contact their advisor before registering for an online Christian degree program.
No, as part of its flexibility, Spring Arbor University Online offers part-time programming. Also, many courses are open to on-campus students, guest students, and those that are dual-enrolled.
Eligible students may receive all federal, state and/or institutional financial aid for SAU Online course charges. *Note: Remember to apply early in order for your financial aid eligibility to be determined before you enroll. Click here for more information regarding financial aid.
Course offerings are fluid. With the exception of HIS310, which is offered twice every other year, and endorsements, each course is offered a minimum of twice a year. A list of courses available through SAU Online can be found within the program pages.
Ideally, a class will contain 15 students, but may contain from 7 to 23 students, depending on interest and enrollment.
