Excelsior University (rebranded from Excelsior College in 2021) is one of the oldest and most distinctive online nursing programs in the United States. Founded in 1971 as Regents College of the University of the State of New York, it pioneered the idea that working nurses could earn a BSN by demonstrating competency rather than sitting through coursework. That philosophy still shapes its program today — and understanding it is essential to succeeding in the Excelsior nursing capstone.
What makes Excelsior different
Most online RN-BSN programs are credit-hour based: you complete a fixed number of courses, each with assignments graded by faculty, and accumulate credits toward your degree. Excelsior's foundational model was competency-based: you demonstrate mastery of defined learning outcomes, often through standardized assessments, rather than by completing seat-time-based courses. While Excelsior has evolved toward a more hybrid credit-and-competency model over the decades, its DNA remains performance assessment — and this shapes how the capstone is structured.
Excelsior University nursing programs
| Program | Format | Accreditation | Key feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| RN to BSN | Online, self-paced within terms | CCNE accredited | Performance assessment model; EBP capstone project |
| BSN (for non-nurses) | Online | CCNE accredited | Traditional curriculum; fewer performance-assessment elements |
| MSN — various tracks | Online | CCNE accredited | Specialty capstone projects aligned to MSN competency domains |
The CPNE: clinical performance nursing examination
The Clinical Performance in Nursing Examination (CPNE) was Excelsior's most famous — and most feared — requirement for RN-BSN students. It was a two-day, in-person, standardized clinical performance exam administered at testing sites around the country, where students were observed performing patient care by trained examiners. Students had to demonstrate clinical competency across nursing process domains, medication administration, documentation, and patient communication in real or simulated clinical scenarios.
Important: CPNE status as of 2021–2024
Excelsior announced changes to its clinical requirements following regulatory and accreditation pressures. In 2020, the California Board of Registered Nursing decertified Excelsior's program, determining that the CPNE did not meet clinical hour requirements for California nursing licensure. In response, Excelsior restructured its program to incorporate more traditional clinical practicum hours for new students. If you enrolled before 2021, your clinical requirements may differ from students who enrolled after the restructuring. Verify your specific degree requirements with your Excelsior academic advisor — do not assume your catalog year requirements match current program descriptions.
The Excelsior RN-BSN capstone: EBP project
The written capstone component of the Excelsior RN-BSN is an evidence-based practice project, consistent with standard RN-BSN capstone expectations. It differs from the CPNE in that it evaluates scholarly and analytical competency — critical appraisal of evidence, EBP framework application, and professional writing — rather than hands-on clinical skills. Many Excelsior students find the written capstone more challenging than expected, particularly if their nursing education predates the widespread emphasis on EBP and academic writing in practice.
Excelsior RN-BSN capstone structure
- Clinical problem identification — a practice problem from the student's current nursing work environment; significance supported by current data (incidence, outcomes, cost)
- PICOT question — structured with all five elements labeled; guides the literature search and frames the intervention
- Evidence-based literature review — 8–10 peer-reviewed sources; evidence table with level of evidence ratings (Melnyk hierarchy Levels I–VII); narrative synthesis organized by theme
- Conceptual framework — Iowa Model of EBP most common; Lewin's Change Theory and Donabedian Model also accepted; must be applied to the specific project, not just described
- Implementation plan — step-by-step EBP or PDSA-based implementation; identifies stakeholders, timeline, resource requirements, and potential barriers with mitigation strategies
- Evaluation plan — specific, measurable outcome indicators; data collection method; pre/post or baseline-comparison design; how you determine whether the intervention achieved the desired outcome
- Conclusion and implications for practice — limitations, generalizability, recommendations for future research
- APA 7th edition throughout — all sources must be peer-reviewed; no textbooks, no websites as primary references
Challenges specific to Excelsior students
- Long career gaps from formal academic writing: Excelsior attracts nurses who may have been practicing for 10–20 years since their ADN or diploma program. Academic writing conventions, APA formatting, and the expectation to critically appraise evidence (rather than describe it) can feel unfamiliar after years of clinical documentation and shift notes. The transition to scholarly voice is one of the most common stumbling blocks.
- Selecting a clinical problem that meets scope: because Excelsior students are drawn from every conceivable practice setting, the range of capstone topics is enormous. The challenge is framing a problem that is practice-relevant, evidenced in the literature, and implementable within the constraints of an RN-BSN project (not a DNP). A topic must have existing evidence to draw on — if you choose something too narrow or too new, you will find inadequate peer-reviewed sources.
- Evidence table completion: many students underestimate the time required to locate, appraise, and summarize 8–10 primary research studies. Each row of the evidence table requires reading the full article — not just the abstract — and making a judgment about study design, level of evidence, quality, and applicability to your PICOT question.
- The "implementation plan" is not an action plan: a common mistake is writing the implementation plan as a general task list ("Step 1: present findings to nurse manager; Step 2: develop educational materials"). A scholarly implementation plan explains WHY each step follows from the evidence, names the theoretical model that structures the sequence, identifies specific stakeholders and their roles, estimates timelines with rationale, and anticipates barriers. This requires substantive thinking, not just project management.
Making the most of Excelsior's library access
Excelsior University provides enrolled students with access to the Excelsior University Library, which includes CINAHL, PubMed/MEDLINE, ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Database, and the Cochrane Library. Online students sometimes overlook library resources and default to Google Scholar, which does not provide full-text access to most nursing journals. Using the Excelsior library databases — especially CINAHL with its nursing-specific indexing (MeSH nursing terms, evidence-based filters, full-text links) — dramatically improves the quality and efficiency of the literature search. Librarians are available virtually for research consultations and can help you build a PICOT-based search string that captures relevant evidence efficiently.
Need help with your Excelsior nursing capstone?
Our writers understand Excelsior University's performance-assessment background and the specific demands of the EBP capstone — PICOT, evidence tables, implementation plans, APA 7th edition. We've helped Excelsior students at every level.
Start your capstone RN-to-BSN capstone guideRelated guides
Frequently asked questions
Excelsior University's BSN program is CCNE-accredited and is recognized by most state boards of nursing for NCLEX-RN eligibility and licensure. However, there is an important exception: as noted above, the California Board of Registered Nursing decertified Excelsior's nursing program in 2020, meaning graduates of the program (specifically those who completed the CPNE-based clinical pathway) are not eligible for California RN licensure based on their Excelsior degree alone. If you plan to practice in California or are seeking a California endorsement, you must verify your eligibility with the California BRN directly — do not assume CCNE accreditation equals California eligibility. For all other states, Excelsior graduates have historically been eligible for licensure endorsement, but always confirm with the specific state board before enrolling or transferring.
Yes. The CPNE and the written capstone are independent degree requirements. Completing the CPNE does not fulfill the written capstone requirement, and vice versa. Excelsior students sometimes complete these elements years apart — the self-paced structure of the program accommodates working nurses who progress at varying speeds. If you completed the CPNE under the earlier program format but still have the capstone course remaining, you enroll in the capstone course and complete the EBP project. Your CPNE completion remains on record and does not need to be repeated. Contact Excelsior's registrar to confirm your current degree audit and exactly which requirements remain for your specific catalog year and program version.
The Excelsior RN-BSN capstone is typically letter-graded using a rubric that evaluates each component of the project: problem statement, PICOT question, literature review, conceptual framework, implementation plan, evaluation plan, and APA formatting. Each criterion is weighted, and the overall paper grade contributes to your capstone course grade. Unlike the CPNE (which was historically pass/fail), the written capstone allows for partial credit within each rubric criterion and often includes a revision opportunity if the initial submission has deficiencies. Your specific grading rubric will be provided in your capstone course — read it carefully before you write your first draft, as it defines exactly what the evaluators are looking for in each section.