Nursing, B.S. (Accelerated)

Saint Louis University’s accelerated B.S.N. option, or 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.

SLU created the accelerated B.S.N. program in 1971, which was the first and only program of its kind in the United States. The School of Nursing developed the program to meet the growing demands of students pursuing nursing after completing their undergraduate studies. The program 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. This program is in-person, hands-on and high-touch on the campus of Saint Louis University in St. Louis. Course requirements total 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.

Apply here to be considered for SLU's A.B.S.N. cohort: NursingCAS and select "Saint Louis University."

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 accelerated bachelor of science in nursing program (A.B.S.N.) 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 School of Nursing expects its graduates to be successfully hired after graduation or accepted into graduate programs.

Admission Requirements

The 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.

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 do 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. Contact slunurse@slu.edu for an unofficial transcript review.

A.B.S.N. 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)
• Philosophy (3 credits)
• Human Growth and Development/Developmental Psychology (3 credits)
• Social Behavioral Science (3 credits)
• English Composition II (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; however, 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 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 junior-entry A.B.S.N. option, email slunurse@slu.edu.

Junior Entry ABSN Prerequisites

• Written Composition II* (3 credits)
• Literature* (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)
• General Psychology* (3 credits)
• History (3 credits)
• Fine Arts* (3 credits)

* Courses that must fulfill the University Common Core. 

**Human Anatomy and Human Physiology can be substituted for Anatomy & Physiology I and Anatomy & Physiology II; however, 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
  Submit the application form and pay the associated fee through NursingCAS. Select Saint Louis University. Note that current SLU junior-entry applicants petitioning to transfer into the A.B.S.N. program should not submit a transfer application.  
• Step 2: Transcripts
  Please submit your official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended directly to NursingCAS. They will provide details when the application is initiated. If you have completed college credits outside of the United States, you must submit:
  • The official evaluated transcript from an accredited credential evaluation service (WES or ECE)
  • The official foreign transcript
• Step 3: Personal Statement
  Attach your personal statement in the NursingCAS application. The statement should outline your goals for your nursing career. The statement should be one-to-two pages and double-spaced.
• Step 4: Letters of Recommendation
  Attach one letter of recommendation in the NursingCAS application.
• Step 5: Resume/Curriculum Vitae (optional)
  Attach your CV/résumé within the NursingCAS application.

Review Process

The application review process begins in August, and applications are reviewed weekly until the program is full. Decisions for junior-entry students begin in early January after the application has been completed, transcripts have been verified and the associated CAS fee has been paid. 

Your official transcripts will be reviewed when every item above has been received. Notification of your eligibility for consideration for admission to the accelerated B.S.N. program will be sent to you from the dean of 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.

Tuition

Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:

Net Price Calculator

Information on Tuition and Fees

Miscellaneous Fees

Information on Summer Tuition

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Scholarships are available for A.B.S.N. students. Consult with your admissions counselor for more information about amounts and eligibility. 

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. For more information visit federal student loan limits. Federal loan consideration requires a completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). View information on federal and private loans.View a preferred private student loan lender list.

School of Nursing Scholarships

We award all A.B.S.N. students a scholarship; the amount is dependent upon funds available for the given academic year. Students will be notified of the award three to four weeks before the fall terms begins and this scholarship will be evenly split between the fall and spring semesters. Review our scholarship application process to submit your application for consideration.

Accreditation

The Saint Louis University Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing is fully approved by the Missouri State Board of Nursing.

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree program in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program and post-graduate advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) certificate program at Saint Louis University's Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 665 K Street N.W., Suite 750, Washington, D.C., 20001. The commission's phone number is 202-887-6791.

Licensure Disclosure

For information about whether this program meets any state board of nursing's educational requirements for eligibility to take a state licensure exam, please see our Professional Licensure Disclosure page.

1. Knowledge for Nursing Practice: Integrates an understanding of nursing’s distinct and shared disciplinary perspectives and applies theoretical and empirical knowledge from the humanities and natural, social, behavioral and nursing sciences to form the basis for clinical judgment and innovation in nursing practice.

2. Person-centered Care: Engages in nursing care through the relational lens, which fosters caring relationships, mutuality, active participation, and individual empowerment in the delivery and communication of compassionate person-centered nursing care through cura personalis.

3. Population Health: Collaborates with diverse stakeholders for the advancement of effective partnerships, health policy and improvement of equitable population health outcomes related to the social determinants of health.

4. Scholarship for Nursing Discipline: Applies, translates and implements best evidence and client values into clinical decision-making.

5. Quality and Safety: Enhances quality of care while minimizing risk of harm to clients and providers through system effectiveness and individual performance.

6. Interprofessional Partnerships: Collaborates across professions with care team members, clients, clients, families, communities and other stakeholders to optimize care, enhance the healthcare experience and strengthen outcomes.

7. Systems-Based Practice: Effectively and proactively coordinates resources to provide safe, quality and equitable care to diverse populations within complex healthcare systems to address social and structural determinants of health.

8. Informatics and Healthcare Technologies: Utilizes information processes and technologies to manage and improve the delivery of safe, high-quality, and efficient healthcare services.

9. Professionalism: Cultivates a sustainable professional nursing identity, accountability, perspective, collaborative disposition and ethical principles that reflect nursing’s characteristics and values.

10. Personal, Professional and Leadership Development: Participates in activities and self-reflection through Ignatian pedagogy that foster personal health, resilience and well-being while supporting the acquisition of nursing expertise, lifelong learning and the leadership continuum.

It is anticipated that, for all ABSN students (particularly those entering the ABSN having already completed a bachelor's degree), the vast majority of Nursing Foundation and Elective requirements will be satisfied via transfer credit. The 120 total credits represented below is a University- and accreditor-established minimum; depending on an individual student's transfer credit, that total could be higher.

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.

Nursing Foundation

For students with a previous bachelor's

Students who enter the ABSN program having already completed a bachelor’s degree either need to take the following “Nursing Foundation” courses as part of the ABSN program or demonstrate they have completed equivalent courses at a previous institution (via transfer credit).

For students entering with junior standing

Students who enter the ABSN program not having already completed a bachelor’s degree either need to take the following “Nursing Foundation” courses as part of the ABSN program or demonstrate they have completed equivalent courses at a previous institution (via transfer credit).

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 A.B.S.N. program begins in the summer term. Courses are offered only once per year.

Apply for Admission

For additional admission questions, please contact the School of Nursing's recruitment and enrollment staff:

Undergraduate Inquiries
314-977-8995 
slunurse@slu.edu 

Graduate Inquiries
314-977-8995
slunurse@slu.edu