Last Updated: October 1, 2026
Program Overview
Cal State Fullerton’s campus-based ABSN follows a five-semester cohort sequence, including a required summer, with clinical placements within 50 miles of campus.
The Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing at California State University, Fullerton is a full-time, two-year pathway for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree. A new cohort begins each fall, completing 62 nursing credits through face-to-face classes, laboratories and supervised clinical experiences.
Second-degree students are exempt from general education requirements, although nursing prerequisites and additional psychology and sociology or anthropology requirements still apply. Graduates earn a BSN and may apply to take the NCLEX-RN and meet California’s other RN licensure requirements.
Admissions and Prerequisites
Fall 2027 Admission Requirements
- Prior degree: A bachelor’s degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution, completed by the end of fall 2026.
- GPA: At least 3.25 in the most recent 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits of graded, transferable college coursework completed by the end of fall 2026. This is a last-60-credit requirement, not a cumulative GPA minimum.
- Residency: The pathway accepts California residents only; applicants also need a Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.
- Casper: The situational judgment test is required for fall 2027. Applicants must select a CSUF-approved test date and designate the School of Nursing as a recipient.
- Entrance tests and references: TEAS, HESI and recommendation letters are not required or accepted for this pathway.
Admission is competitive. The school reports approximately 600–800 applications annually, with about 200 meeting the minimum requirements; meeting those requirements does not ensure admission. See the official admission requirements for Casper registration and approved testing dates.
Prerequisite Coursework
For fall 2027 admission, prerequisites must be completed by the end of fall 2026. The four science subjects must have been completed during 2022–2026, with a grade of B or higher in each.
- Human Anatomy: at least 3 lecture credits and 1 lab credit.
- Human Physiology: at least 3 lecture credits and 1 lab credit.
- Microbiology: at least 3 lecture credits and 1 lab credit.
- Chemistry: at least 3 credits, plus the associated lab if required by the institution where the lecture was taken. Accepted options include general, inorganic, organic, integrated and allied-health chemistry.
- Statistics: at least 3 credits with a grade of C or higher.
Online prerequisites and labs are accepted, and CSUF does not limit prerequisite repeats. Integrated anatomy-and-physiology sequences must include both courses from the same institution. The chemistry-specific policy accepts an AP Chemistry score of 4 or 5; applicants using exam credit should check the course-specific prerequisite rules.
Introduction to Psychology and Introduction to Sociology or Cultural Anthropology are separate additional requirements. If not already satisfied, they must be completed with C or higher during the first nursing semester. Introductory psychology is required; developmental or lifespan psychology does not substitute. English composition, critical thinking and oral communication requirements are waived for second-degree nursing applicants.
Application and Prior Learning
For fall 2027, the application window is August 1–November 30, 2026, through Cal State Apply. Select Nursing—Accelerated BSN and arrange for official transcripts to reach the Office of Admissions by January 31, 2027. The application instructions explain the required submissions.
Prior equivalent coursework, approved challenge examinations and relevant military education may be evaluated for nursing credit under the school’s policies. Credit is subject to individual review rather than automatic exemption from the cohort sequence.
Curriculum
The sequence begins with assessment, professional nursing, integrated pathophysiology/pharmacology and foundational care. Adult and mental-health nursing follow, then reproductive and child health during summer; the final year develops population health, complex adult care, leadership and a clinical capstone.
The official curriculum totals 62 nursing credits: 18, 15, 8, 11 and 10 across the five semesters. Prerequisites and any outstanding additional course requirements are separate from this nursing-credit total.
Required Courses and Credits
First fall — 18 credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NURS 321 — Health Assessment for Professional Practice | 3 | History taking, physical examination, culturally responsive assessment and recognizing abnormal findings. |
NURS 321L — Health Assessment Laboratory | 1 | Supervised assessment practice with peers and volunteers; identifying health risks and applying prevention skills. |
NURS 322 — Concepts of Professional Nursing | 3 | Professional roles, nursing theory, communication, cultural influences and evidence-based care. |
NURS 323 — Integrated Pathophysiology and Pharmacology | 5 | Disease mechanisms and medication actions, movement through the body and therapeutic use across body systems. |
NURS 403 — Foundations of Nursing Practice | 3 | Beginning adult and older-adult care, safety, psychosocial needs and health promotion. |
NURS 403L — Foundations of Nursing Practice Laboratory | 3 | Basic nursing interventions, communication, safety and documentation in simulated and clinical settings. |
First spring — 15 credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NURS 310 — Nursing Research | 3 | Evaluating research methods and applying current evidence to nursing practice. |
NURS 324 — Cultural Concepts Across the Lifespan | 1 | Development and sociocultural influences on health, illness and use of healthcare. |
NURS 404 — Mental Health Nursing | 3 | Nursing care and therapeutic communication for people, families and groups affected by mental illness. |
NURS 404L — Mental Health Nursing Laboratory | 2 | Therapeutic use of self and planning and coordinating mental healthcare. |
NURS 405 — Management of Medical-Surgical Adult and Older Adult Clients | 3 | Assessment and nursing interventions for acute and chronic medical-surgical conditions. |
NURS 405L — Medical-Surgical Adult and Older Adult Clients Laboratory | 3 | Applying adult-care skills and coordinating care in simulated and clinical environments. |
Summer — 8 credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NURS 406 — Reproductive Health Nursing | 2 | Evidence-based care for women, newborns and families, incorporating communication and clinical standards. |
NURS 406L — Reproductive Health Nursing Laboratory | 2 | Applying the nursing process in reproductive, neonatal and family care. |
NURS 407 — Child Health Nursing | 2 | Developmentally appropriate care, advocacy and collaboration with children and families. |
NURS 407L — Child Health Nursing Laboratory | 2 | Pediatric and community experiences emphasizing prevention, risk reduction and health promotion. |
Second fall — 11 credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NURS 402 — Population Health Nursing | 3 | Community assessment, prevention and health promotion for diverse families and at-risk populations. |
NURS 402L — Population Health Nursing Clinical | 2 | Supervised public-health and community nursing with individuals, families and communities. |
NURS 411 — Management of the Adult with Complex Health Alterations | 3 | Advanced medical-surgical assessment, clinical reasoning and coordinated care for complex conditions. |
NURS 411L — Complex Adult Health Laboratory | 3 | Advanced medical-surgical and critical-care practice, with emphasis on organization, leadership and time management. |
Final spring — 10 credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NURS 410 — Leadership/Management in Professional Nursing | 3 | Leadership and organizational theory, accountability, teamwork and advocacy in healthcare agencies. |
NURS 410L — Leadership/Management Laboratory | 2 | Applying leadership and management principles in a clinical setting. |
NURS 412 — Nursing Capstone | 1 | Integrating theory and the nursing process to plan and evaluate care for individuals and patient groups. |
NURS 412L — Nursing Capstone Clinical | 4 | Supervised clinical immersion that brings together assessment, care delivery and evaluation skills. |
Clinical Training
CSUF’s ABSN FAQ lists 1,035 clinical/laboratory hours across nine nursing clinical courses. These include simulated and actual clinical experiences; the figure should not be read as 1,035 hours exclusively at the bedside.
- Foundations, medical-surgical adult care and complex adult care: 135 hours each.
- Mental health, reproductive health, child health, population health and leadership: 90 hours each.
- Final nursing capstone clinical: 180 hours.
Clinical sites are within a 50-mile radius of the Fullerton campus. Placements depend on faculty and hospital availability, may occur any day of the week and can involve 8–12-hour daytime or overnight shifts. Lecture classes generally meet in the morning or afternoon, so students need flexibility beyond a standard weekday classroom schedule.
The population-health clinical meets the educational requirement identified by CSUF for California Public Health Nurse certification; graduates must submit a separate application to the BRN. Clinical entry also involves health clearance, background checks, CPR and insurance requirements. The program FAQ explains scheduling, placement and clinical-hour expectations.
Facilities and Labs
The Nursing Simulation Center includes two adult medical-surgical rooms with hospital beds, monitors and simulated oxygen and suction. High-fidelity simulators support assessment and treatment scenarios, while live video allows observation from a debriefing room.
Students also use a ward-style skills lab, an outpatient-style examination room, conference/debriefing space and a nursing student library. These facilities support repeated practice before and alongside clinical placements.
Tuition and Costs
Estimated program tuition: $21,128, excluding campus fees and other expenses. This is a current-rate calculation for a California resident, not a guaranteed cohort price. CSUF specifically bills ABSN students at the graduate/post-baccalaureate rate even though they are earning a bachelor’s degree.
The calculation applies the published fall 2026/spring 2027 rate and the latest published summer rate to the verified five-semester sequence:
| Enrollment | Billing basis | Tuition estimate |
|---|---|---|
Four fall/spring semesters | 7 or more credits each; $4,274 per semester at 2026–27 rates | $17,096 |
One summer semester | 8 credits; $4,032 full-time state-support graduate/post-baccalaureate rate published for summer 2026 | $4,032 |
Program tuition | Four academic-year semesters plus one summer | $21,128 |
Campus-based fees are additional: four semesters at $838.58 plus summer at $298.92 produce a current-rate estimate of $3,653.24. Tuition plus these campus fees is approximately $24,781.24, before the separately listed $2 fall/spring Student Involvement and Representation Fee and other applicable charges.
The estimate excludes remaining prerequisites or additional coursework, books, uniforms, clinical supplies, health clearance, insurance, transportation, parking, licensure and living expenses. Nursing or course-specific charges may also apply. Actual costs can rise as future tuition and fee schedules change; this calculation holds the cited published rates constant rather than predicting future increases. See CSUF’s tuition and fee schedules for billing categories and individual charges.
Accreditation and Outcomes
CSUF’s baccalaureate nursing program is accredited by CCNE. Completing the program prepares graduates to pursue RN licensure; a nursing degree alone does not confer a license.
The California BRN reports a 94.87% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate among 78 CSUF testers for July 1, 2024–June 30, 2025. This is the school-level prelicensure result, not an ABSN-only outcome. The BRN pass-rate table identifies the reporting period and population.