Saint Louis University’s accelerated B.S.N. option is an intensive three-semester, 12-month Bachelor of Science in Nursing program designed for students who already have a bachelor's degree in another area of study. Any undergraduate student who has earned at least 77 credit hours may be eligible to apply for the junior-entry accelerated option.
Saint Louis University’s School of Nursing offers students state-of-the-art classrooms
and clinical labs, excellent clinical experiences in a wide variety of settings and
a low student-to-faculty ratio for all clinical courses.
SLU’s accelerated bachelor of science in nursing program (ABSN) begins in May with
a summer session and extends through two additional semesters. Course requirements
total 53 credit hours and include practice lab and clinical work. Students who are reviewing our ABSN program may also consider our direct entry 21-month
accelerated MSN program.
Our one-year bachelor of science in nursing program has the same outcomes as the traditional
four-year option. It incorporates an integrated approach to learning, early synthesis
and application of concepts and concentration on the nursing major. In 2017, our NCLEX
pass rate was 94.4 percent.
Due to the accelerated pace of the ABSN program, it is strongly recommended that students do not work while attending school.
Summer (18 credit hours)
Fall (18 credit hours)
Spring (17 credit hours)
The increasing number and range of opportunities available in nursing in today’s U.S.
job market make SLU’s accelerated bachelor's of science in nursing the perfect second-degree
option.
Students who successfully complete the program are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN,
an exam that measures the competencies needed to perform as an effective entry-level
nurse. The School of Nursing expects its graduates to be successfully hired after
graduation or accepted into graduate programs.
Saint Louis University's nursing faculty is nationally recognized for its teaching expertise, nursing leadership, scholarly research and student mentorship. Faculty members from the School of Nursing have won numerous prestigious awards, honors and fellowships.
Students learn from faculty who are expert teachers and clinicians who excel in their nursing specialty areas and in nursing education. For six out of the last seven years, a Saint Louis University faculty member has been named the top nursing educator in the region in St. Louis Magazine’s Excellence in Nursing awards.
All nursing faculty are master's-prepared; the majority are doctorally prepared.
Saint Louis University takes pride in being one of Barron's Best Buys in College Education and Kiplinger's Best Values in Private Colleges.
For information regarding the upcoming academic year’s tuition rate, fees and financial aid, visit SLU Financial Services.
Saint Louis University School of Nursing adheres to the principles of a holistic admission process in which selection criteria are broad-based and linked to our University’s and school’s mission and goals. We consider a balance of applicant experiences, attributes and academic metrics and consider how applicants may contribute to the school’s learning environment and to the profession.
To be considered for admission, you must have completed a baccalaureate or higher degree at a regionally-accredited U.S. college or university, or an international equivalent, with a grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 system in previous college work. All international coursework must be evaluated by an approved evaluation agency (WES or ECE).
Prior to beginning the program, you must also have successfully completed the following general requirements or comparable courses with a grade of "C" or higher from a regionally accredited university, college or community college:
Contact Scott Ragsdale at sragsda2@slu.edu or 314-977-8995 for an unofficial transcript review.
You must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 system in previous
college work and at least 77 transferable credit hours from a regionally accredited
university, college or community college (a maximum of 64 credit hours can be transferred
from a community college.)
The 77 credit hours must include all courses necessary to meet Saint Louis University School of Nursing requirements. A minimum of 126 semester hours are required to graduate from the ABSN program. Prerequisite courses do not need to be completed prior to submitting the application, but must be completed prior to beginning the program. They include:
* Laboratory components are not required for science courses. Transcripts are evaluated on an individual basis; however, it is recommended and may be required that all sciences are completed within the previous 10 years.
The six regional accrediting bodies are:
Per section 335.066 RSMo of the Missouri Nursing Practice Act: Completion of the nursing program does not guarantee eligibility to take the licensure examination.
Applying for the accelerated BSN option requires careful planning to ensure that all admission requirements are met. You may experience a significant delay in processing if the application instructions are not followed exactly as listed. Although there is no official application deadline, we encourage you to complete the application process as soon as possible, as space is limited.
The application review process begins in October and applications are reviewed monthly until the program is full. Decisions for junior entry students begins in late-December/early-January, once your unofficial fall transcript is on file with Christina Butler at xtina.butler@slu.edu.
Please follow the steps outlined below:
A review of your official transcripts will be conducted when every item above has been received. Notification of your eligibility for consideration for admission to the accelerated BSN program will be sent to you from the School of Nursing's Office of Baccalaureate Admissions. This correspondence will include a list of any required course prerequisites that you must complete prior to full admission to the accelerated option.
For more information, contact Scott Ragsdale, recruitment specialist, at 314-977-8995 or scott.ragsdale@slu.edu.
SLU’s 12-month (May to May) program is completed in three full-time semesters compared to other programs, which are typically 13 to 15 months long.