Accelerated BSN Program
The Accelerated BS in the Nursing program prepares students to take the National Council Licensing Examination (NCLEX) upon graduation and to become Registered Nurses. This option for earning the BSN is designed for second-degree students who hold a minimum of a BA or BS degree in any field and who have completed necessary prerequisite courses and admission requirements.
The program of study is intense, and nursing courses required for licensure are completed within four (4) semesters. This BSN option builds on previous learning and provides specific clinical education that prepares nursing professionals who can practice in a wide variety of settings. The BSN framework emphasizes the practice of professional nursing including assessment, promotion, maintenance, restoration, and evaluation of the health of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations. Nursing courses include classroom instruction and clinical laboratories in patient care settings.
Requirements for Admission to A-BSN pathway
An earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better.
All prerequisites course grades must be C or higher. All science prerequisites must have been completed within the past 7 years. Courses that have been taken at un upper division undergraduate level or that combine prerequisite content (e.g., single course of 5 semester units in anatomy and physiology course with lab) will be considered on a case by case basis as potentially meeting minimum requirements.
Earning a minimum grade of C in prerequisite courses.
A personal interview may be requested of all applicants.
Apply to CSUN and the A-BSN no later than December 1. When December 1 falls on a Saturday or Sunday the application deadline is the first Monday after December 1.
A-BSN application is a separate application procedure from admission to the University, and students are responsible to assure their applications are complete. No waiting list is maintained, and students must reapply each year for which they which to be considered.
Potential applicants are responsible to consult the CSUN Nursing website for up-to-date information on application deadlines & procedures.8. COMP 100 or equivalent or documented computer competency. (See nursing advisor.)
Requirements for the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Prerequisite Courses
Any of the following courses or their equivalents that were completed as part of the first degree program do not need to be repeated. Course equivalencies can be checked at www.assist.org or with the help of an advisor.
| BIO | 211/212 | Human Anatomy and Lab (2/1) |
| BIOL | 215/L | Introductory Microbiology and Lab (2/1) |
| BIOL | 281/282 | Human Physiology and Lab (3/1) |
| CHEM | 103 | General Chemistry and Lab (4) |
| MATH | 140 | Introductory Statistics (3) |
| PSY | 150 | Principles of Human Behavior (3) |
| PSY | 200 | Introduction to Lifespan Psychology (3) |
| SOC | 150 | Introductory Sociology (3) |
| HSCI | 488 | Epidemiology (3)* |
Required Courses for the BSN Program
| NURS | 302 | Basic Pathophysiology (3) |
| NURS | 307/L | Health Assessment and Clinical lab (2/1) |
| NURS | 315 | Pharmacology and Self Care Agency (2) |
| NURS | 318/L | Introduction to Professional Nursing and Clinical lab (3/4) |
| NURS | 319 | Effective Communications in Professional Nursing(2) |
| NURS | 321/L | Adult/Aged Medical Surgical Nursing and Clinical lab (4/8) |
| NURS | 321AL | Nursing Care of Older Adults Lab (1) |
| NURS | 310 | Nursing Research (3) |
| NURS | 430/L | Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing and Clinical lab (2/1) |
| NURS | 443/L | Nursing Care of Children and Clinical lab (2/1.5) |
| NURS | 444/L | Nursing Care of the Childbearing Family and Clinical lab (2/1.5) |
| NURS | 426 | Nursing Systems Issues and Ethics (3) |
| NURS | 427/L | Dynamics of Nursing Leadership and Clinical lab (3/2) |
| NURS | 428/L | Community Health Nursing and Clinical lab (3/2) |
| Total Units in the Major | 56 |
| GE Units fulfilled as part of original B.A./B.S. | 6 |
| Upper Division Writing Proficiency Exam (UDWPE) | |
| Total Units Required beyond Original B.A./B.S. | 62 |
Academic Policies
- Nursing courses from other programs may be considered non-equivalent and not be transferred into this program with the exception of NURS 307/L.
- Students are admitted as a cohort. Should progression through the curriculum be interrupted, students whose progress is interrupted will need to reapply to the program and will be considered on a space available basis. All nursing courses must be completed within 5 years after taking the first nursing course.
- A minimum grade of C is required in all prerequisite and nursing courses. A C- will require the student to repeat the course or concurrent theory/lab courses. All nursing courses may be repeated only once with a maximum of 15 repeated units. Students progressing on schedule through the program will be given priority space in classes, and students repeating courses will be considered only on a space available basis. The need to repeat some courses may interfere with the repeating student’s ability to complete the degree.
- Students must enroll and pass concurrently both theory and clinical laboratory components of each area of study that contains these components.
- Requirements for A-BSN are the same as above for RN-BSN as related to necessary health insurance, health examinations, immunizations, TB testing, titres, criminal background checks, drug screens, student liability insurance, CPR certification, fire safety cards or other requirements needed to maintain compliance with University and affiliating clinical agency requirements. Documentation is to be submitted to the designated person upon request and before the first patient care experience.
- Access to transportation is required for clinical courses off campus.
- Due to the clinical requirements imposed by external clinical partners, students must be prepared to attend clinical rotations in the community settings any day of the week including weekends and at various times of the day including evenings and nights. No reasonable student accommodation to clinical scheduling can be made given the cohort nature of the program and the external limitations placed upon the Department by hospitals and other clinical settings. Clinical rotations can change each academic semester or year given external assignments of times and days.
- The faculty reserves the right to make program modifications as necessary to meet current professional standards, Board of Registered Nursing requirements, and accreditation criteria.