Program Overview
A flexible, faith-centered post-bacc path — Bethel University delivers its Post-Baccalaureate BSN in a blended format (over half online plus St. Paul skills intensives), with a choice of a 15-month summer cohort or a 20-month fall cohort and a whole-person, Christian approach to care.
Bethel University offers a Post-Baccalaureate Nursing (B.S.N.) program for students who already hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree. The accelerated format finishes in about 15 months (summer cohort) or about 20 months (fall cohort). Bethel delivers the program in a blended model: students complete more than half of the coursework online and attend required in-person sessions in St. Paul, Minnesota.
A cohort model keeps the same group together through the sequence.
Bethel emphasizes a faith-based approach and nursing ethics content that supports whole-person care, and graduates qualify to apply for the NCLEX-RN.
Accreditation
The baccalaureate nursing program at Bethel University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and approved by the Minnesota Board of Nursing. Bethel University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN.
ABSN Admission Summary
Bethel’s post-bacc BSN admissions process weighs GPA, science readiness, and fit for nursing practice through an essay and interview. Applicants can target a summer or fall start, and completing most prerequisites before the deadline improves competitiveness.
Application deadlines
- Summer cohort: Oct 1 (early consideration) and Jan 15 (regular consideration)
- Fall cohort: Jan 15 (early consideration) and May 15 (regular consideration)
- After deadlines: applications reviewed on a space-available basis
Minimum admission requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field from an accredited institution
- 2.85 cumulative degree GPA
- 3.0 cumulative prerequisite GPA
- C or better in all prerequisite courses
- Official transcripts, admission essay, and an interview
Prerequisite courses
- Lab sciences: Anatomy (lab), Physiology (lab), General Chemistry (lab), Microbiology (lab)
- Other: Nutrition and Lifespan/Developmental Psychology
- Timing: at least 4 of 6 prerequisites complete by the deadline; all complete by program start
Post-acceptance requirements
- $250 nonrefundable deposit within 14 days of acceptance (applied to first-term tuition)
- Physical exam, immunizations, CNA/NA-R completion, BLS certification, health insurance, background check with fingerprinting, and personal transportation for clinical travel
- Transfer options exist for statistics and some pathophysiology alignment, but many nursing courses must be taken at Bethel
Curriculum
The 51-credit curriculum centers on holistic patient care, ethics, leadership, and evidence-based practice.
Examining Crucial Questions (CORE330H)
Overview of the Christian biblical narrative, emphasizing scripture, history, experience, and reason in forming ethical and social convictions. Analyzes theological concepts through the Wesleyan Quadrilateral applied to real-life issues.
Practicum I: Fundamentals of Nursing Practice (NURS305)
Introduction to holistic care across health states, utilizing foundational clinical judgment to implement the nursing process.
Practicum II: Adult Nursing (NURS306)
Holistic care for adults in various health states, emphasizing clinical judgment, liberal arts, and communication in acute care. Includes culturally sensitive and evidence-based approaches with a Christian perspective.
Practicum III: Mental Health Nursing (NURS307)
Care for individuals with mental health needs, focusing on clinical judgment and communication skills in mental health settings, integrating evidence-based, culturally sensitive care.
Skills I: Health Assessment & Fundamentals of Nursing Practice (NURS310)
Development of foundational nursing skills for health promotion and illness management within the nursing process framework. Lab course.
Skills II: Adult Nursing (NURS311)
Skills for adult and older adult care, focusing on health promotion and illness management within the nursing process. Lab course.
Pathophysiology (NURS325)
Study of physiological changes in health and disease, exploring lifespan-based responses in diverse populations from a nursing perspective.
Pharmacology for Nursing (NURS326)
Foundations of pharmacotherapy, with a patient-centered approach across diverse populations and lifespans.
Mental Health Nursing (NURS331)
Nursing care for adults with mental health issues within family and community contexts, addressing ethical, legal, and evidence-based considerations.
Adult Nursing I (NURS350)
Care for adults with acute and chronic health issues, integrating theoretical frameworks and evidence-based practices for holistic care.
Adult Nursing II (NURS351)
Continuation of Adult Nursing I, focusing on care for adults with acute and chronic health conditions. Applies holistic care and theoretical frameworks.
Nursing Ethics (NURS405)
Pediatric Nursing (NURS433)
Nursing care for pediatric patients and families, with a focus on holistic, evidence-based approaches.
Maternity Nursing (NURS437)
Care for maternity patients and families, integrating theoretical and evidence-based approaches.
Practicum IV: Pediatric Nursing (NURS438)
Pediatric patient and family care in clinical settings, applying clinical judgment and communication skills with a Christian worldview.
Practicum V: Maternity Nursing (NURS439)
Holistic care for maternity patients, emphasizing clinical judgment, professional communication, and evidence-based care.
Population-Based Nursing (NURS440)
Population-focused nursing with emphasis on underserved communities and epidemiology.
Practicum VI: Population-Based Nursing (NURS446)
Nursing care for diverse populations, integrating public health skills in clinical settings. 2 credits. Corequisite: NURS440.
Practicum VII: Capstone (NURS447)
Comprehensive care for patients with complex needs, synthesizing clinical judgment, leadership, and evidence-based care.
Leadership Development (NURS450)
Preparation for professional nursing roles through leadership, clinical judgment, and evidence integration.
Skills III: Nursing Synthesis (NURS460)
Transition to professional nursing, emphasizing critical thinking, leadership, and evidence-based management in complex care. Lab course.
Introduction to Statistics (PSYC335)
Fundamentals of statistics, including descriptive, inferential, and non-parametric analysis, with practical applications.
More detail is available in the Bethel post-baccalaureate nursing catalog.
Clinicals
Bethel builds clinical training into seven practicum courses plus on-campus skills intensives, with students completing over 500 clinical hours in approved agencies across the Twin Cities area.
- Clinical sites: hospital units, transitional care units, and community or population settings
- Patient exposure: maternal/newborn, pediatrics, adults, and older adults
- Skills intensives: seven intensives in the St. Paul nursing skills and simulation lab, each lasting two to three days
- Simulation and on-campus clinical experiences support practicum learning
Tuition
Bethel’s post-bacc BSN tuition typically falls between about $43,707 and $57,120 for the 50-51 credit major, depending on which published per-credit rate applies to your cohort and billing category:
- “At a glance” rate ($857/credit): 51 × $857 = ~$43,707
- Tuition-page post-baccalaureate rate ($1,120/credit): 51 × $1,120 = ~$57,120
- Deposit: $250 after acceptance (applies to tuition)
- Books/supplies: ~$50 per credit (~$2,500 for 50 credits), before clinical expenses and course fees
Confirm the rate for your cohort via the official tuition page.