Academics and Curriculum

The Accelerated Bachelor’s Program for Non-Nurses is an immersive one-year program which builds upon your previous bachelor’s degree to prepare you for a new career in nursing. To earn your degree in nursing:

• 79 credits will be transferred in from your previous baccalaureate degree
• you’ll complete 49 credits in generalist nursing courses over three semesters, which includes 90 laboratory hours and 700 hours of clinical training

For your clinical, you’ll complete small group clinical rotations in med-surg, obstetrics, pediatrics and psychiatry. Many students choose the ABPNN program so that they can be immersed in these different specialty areas. (At the basic nursing level, no one specializes in a specific area. It is by working on a certain unit as a nurse or by going on for the master's that you specialize in one area.)

Course content will prepare you to successfully pass the NCLEX-RN exam after graduation.

After passing the NCLEX-RN exam, many students pursue practical work experience before pursuing a master’s degree. If you work as an RN at our affiliated University hospital, the master's can be completed using tuition benefits while working full time.

Students who choose the three-year Accelerated Master’s Program for Non-Nurses need to know which nurse practitioner program they want to pursue and have significant health care experience in that area.

Our approach

The ABPNN program features a close-knit cohort of students with diverse backgrounds and talents, creating an incredible learning environment. Your 60+ peers in this program become a collaborative team. In our immersive clinical experiences, you’ll work closely with a team of eight students. You’ll also benefit from interdisciplinary classroom experiences with medical school students, who will become your future co-workers.

Our integrated approach to education, research, and practice allows you to work in real-world clinical nursing settings alongside experienced health professionals in a robust health care community. You’ll learn from faculty who actively practice and are experts in their fields.

The iROC Initiative places a strong emphasis on student learning by providing our students with the tools to critically think and improve clinical judgement. We use cutting-edge education technology, including iPads, video-conferencing, lecture capture, simulation, and other tools to facilitate learning.

Life in the ABPNN program

Each week, students have classes plus 16 to 24 hours of clinical. As a result, it is nearly impossible to work while completing the full-time program. (Working leaves little time to complete necessary background reading to pass the NCLEX-RN exam).

It is also helpful to have a car for the times you may be assigned to a hospital and have early or late shifts. Visit Residential Life to learn about on- and off- campus housing offerings.

ABPNN Curriculum

First Semester

Second Semester

Third Semester

Total: 49 credits (* courses subject to change)