Nursing, B.S. (Accelerated)

Saint Louis University’s accelerated B.S.N. option (A.B.S.N.) 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. However, undergraduate students who have at least 77 credits may be eligible to apply for the junior-entry accelerated option.

The Saint Louis University Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing created the accelerated B.S.N. program in 1971, which was the first and only program of its kind in the United States. The Valentine School of Nursing developed the program to specifically meet the growing demands of students who choose to pursue nursing after completing their undergraduate study. The Valentine 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. The A.B.S.N. program begins once a year in May with a summer session and extends through two additional semesters. Course requirements total of 53 credits and include practice lab and clinical work.  Due to the accelerated pace of the A.B.S.N. program, it is strongly recommended that students do not work while attending school.

The Trudy Busch-Valentine School of Nursing is renowned for excellence in nursing education. In 2021, 94% of our graduates passed the NCLEX on their first try and Niche ranked Saint Louis University’s Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing as the No. 8 best college in the country for nursing.

Additionally, U.S. News and World Report consistently ranks our MSN-NP program as a top 50 program in their Best Graduate Schools survey. 

Students who are reviewing our A.B.S.N. program may also consider our direct entry 21-month accelerated M.S.N. program.

Curriculum Overview

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. 

Careers

Nursing graduates are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN, an exam that measures the competencies needed to perform as an effective entry-level nurse. The Valentine School of Nursing expects its graduates to be successfully hired after graduation or accepted into graduate programs.

Admission Requirements

The Saint Louis University Trudy Busch Valentine 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. While we do consider academic metrics we also look at applicant experiences, attributes, potential for success, and how applicants may contribute to the school’s learning environment and to the profession.

Licensure Disclosure

The curriculum for this program meets the educational requirements for licensure as a Registered Nurse in the State of Missouri.  Note that the Missouri Board of Nursing may impose additional requirements on candidates prior to granting a license; we encourage you to investigate these requirements.

The Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing has not determined whether the curriculum for this program meets the educational requirements for nursing licensure in any other states or territories. We encourage you to investigate the requirements in your state or territory prior to accepting an offer of admission at the Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing.

Students with a Non-Nursing Baccalaureate or Higher Degree

To be considered for admission, you must have completed a baccalaureate or higher degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university, or an international equivalent, with a grade point average of 3.20 on a 4.00 system in previous college work.  If you are a second-degree student who does not meet the 3.2 GPA requirement, we have a holistic admissions process. This process will be detailed in an official emailed letter to you after your initial application is completed. The items we review for holistic admissions are community service, life experience, values, beliefs, integrity, maturity and leadership skills. 

Prior to beginning the program, you must complete the following course prerequisites with a grade of "C" or higher from a regionally accredited university, college or community college.  Please contact slunurse@slu.edu for an unofficial transcript review.

ABSN Prerequisites
 

• Chemistry (3 credits)
• Human Anatomy* (3 credits)
• Human Physiology* (3 credits)
• Microbiology (3 credits)
• Inferential and Descriptive Statistics (3 credits)
• Theology or Religion (3 credits)
• Ethics or Philosophy (3 credits)
• Human Growth and Development / Lifespan Psychology (3 credits)
• Social Behavioral Science (3 credits)
• Written Composition (3 credits)
• Oral Communication (3 credits)
• Fine Arts (3 credits)
• Any History, Literature, Politics, Geography, Philosophy, Religion, or Art (3 credits)

*Human Anatomy and Human Physiology can be substituted for Anatomy & Physiology I and Anatomy & Physiology II, but you must take either-or, not a combination. 

Requirements for Undergraduate Non-Degreed Students (Junior Entry)

You must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.20 on a 4.00 system in previous college work and at least 77 transferable credits from a regionally accredited university, college or community college. The 77 credits must include all courses necessary to meet Saint Louis University School of Nursing requirements. A minimum of 130 credits is required to graduate from the A.B.S.N. program. 

Prior to beginning the program, you must complete the following course prerequisites with a grade of "C" or higher from a regionally accredited university, college or community college. For more information regarding the Jr. Entry A.B.S.N. option, please email Dr. Laura McLaughlin at laura.mclaughlin@slu.edu and Christina Butler at xtina.butler@slu.edu.

Jr. Entry ABSN Prerequisites 
 

• English Composition 2 (3 credits)
• Inferential and Descriptive Statistics (3 credits)
• Oral Communication (3 credits) 
• Microbiology (3 credits) 
• Ethics or Philosophy (3 credits)
• Human Anatomy (3 credits)*
• Human Physiology (3 credits) *
• Human Growth and Development Across the Lifespan (3 credits)
• Theology or Religion (3 credits)
• Chemistry with Lab (4 credits)
• Social Behavioral Science (3 credits)
• General Psychology (3 credits)
• History (3 credits)
• Fine Arts (3 credits)

*Human Anatomy and Human Physiology can be substituted for Anatomy & Physiology I and Anatomy & Physiology II, but you must take either-or, not a combination. 

Application Process

Applying for the accelerated B.S.N. 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.

We cannot accept students who have been dismissed from previous nursing programs or have non-successful completion in courses such as pharmacology and/or pathophysiology, regardless of the program.

Please follow the four steps below to apply:
 

Step 1 - Application
Complete the online transfer application.

Note: Current SLU junior entry applicants petitioning to transfer into the A.B.S.N. program should not submit a transfer application.  

Step 2 - Transcripts
Submit your official electronic transcripts from all colleges/universities/military joint services (ACE) attended to transfer@slu.edu.  Current or past Saint Louis University students may not need to request an official transcript. 

If you have completed college credits outside of the U.S., you must submit:

• The official evaluated transcript from an accredited credential evaluation service (WES or ECE)
• The official foreign transcript

Step 3 - Personal Statement
Please complete this Google form to submit your personal statement.

Step 4 - Letters of Recommendation
Please provide the following Google form to your references for completion.

Review Process

The application review process begins in October and applications are reviewed monthly until the program is full. Decisions for junior entry students begins in early January, once your unofficial fall transcript is on file with Christina Butler at xtina.butler@slu.edu.

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 Valentine 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 slunurse@slu.edu.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Students who previously earned a bachelors degree and are now seeking a second bachelors degree do not qualify for most Saint Louis University undergraduate scholarships and/or federal grants.

Financial Aid may be available in the form of federal and private student loans.  Federal loan eligibility is based on what was previously borrowed as an undergraduate student. More information on federal student loan limits is available here.  Federal loan consideration requires a completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  For information on federal and private loans, please click here. To view a preferred private student loan lender list, please click here.

Valentine School of Nursing Scholarships

We award all ABSN students a scholarship that typically ranges between $5,000-$7,000.  Students will be notified of the award 3-4 weeks before the program begins and this scholarship will be evenly split between the fall and spring semester.  Please review our scholarship application process to submit your application for consideration.  

1. Graduates will be able to relate to people as unique individuals possessing worth, dignity, and potential for self-actualization.
2. Graduates will be able to synthesize theoretical and empirical knowledge from the humanities and natural, social, behavioral, and nursing sciences to provide safe, effective nursing care.
3. Graduates will be able to establish relationships based on an understanding of self and others, and of interpersonal and group dynamics.
4. Graduates will be able to practice in a variety of settings with clients of all ages and diverse sociocultural backgrounds.
5. Graduates will be able to utilize critical thinking and problem-solving skills, in the application of the nursing process, to achieve optimal client adaptation.
6. Graduates will be able to assist clients, at any point on the health-illness continuum, to mobilize and use adaptive resources for promotion, maintenance and restoration of health.
7. Graduates will be able to collaborate with interprofessional colleagues, community representatives and consumers to enhance health care.
8. Graduates will be able to apply evidence-based knowledge as the basis for safe, effective nursing practice.
9. Graduates will be able to apply the professional code of ethics and professional standards to clinical practice.
10. Graduates will be able to demonstrate personal and professional responsibility, accountability and self-direction.
11. Graduates will be able to demonstrate leadership principles in professional and interprofessional practice.
12. Graduates will be able to demonstrate understanding of health care policy issues, trends and strategies as they influence accessibility, accountability and affordability in health care delivery.
13. Graduates will be able to utilize appropriate information and health care technologies to enhance the delivery of client care.

Continuation Standards

The Valentine School of Nursing requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50.

Prerequisite Requirements

Our detailed prerequisite requirement information is found under the Admission Requirements tab on the A.B.S.N. overview webpage.

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.

Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.  

Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.

This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester.  Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.

Program Notes

The ABSN program begins in the summer term. With the exception of NURS 2500 Clinical Concepts in Nursing Practice (3 cr), NURS 3200 Health Assessment (0,3 cr), NURS 3330 Pharmacotherapeutics for Nursing Care (3 cr), NURS 3360 Pathophysiology (4 cr), NURS 3435 Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing (0,4 cr) and NURS 3445 Public Health Nursing (0,4 cr), courses are offered only once per year.

Apply for Admission

For additional admission questions please contact:
Scott Ragsdale
Recruitment Specialist
SLU Valentine School of Nursing
314-977-8995
slunurse@slu.edu