Program Overview
Affordable, fast, and built for advancement — Cedar Crest’s 15-month ABSN charges one of the lowest nursing tuition rates in the Lehigh Valley, pairs a 100% NCLEX pass rate with 819 clinical hours, and embeds graduate credits that let students transition seamlessly into an MSN.
Cedar Crest College offers an Accelerated BSN (ABSN) for adult undergraduates in Allentown, Pennsylvania, designed for individuals who already hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree (or will by May). The 54-credit prelicensure program runs full-time over 15 months with scheduled breaks, starting each Summer Term in May, and is delivered on campus with selected online components (including online didactic content for health assessment paired with an in-person lab).
While Cedar Crest is a historically women’s college, the ABSN is open to both female and male students.
Recent published outcomes show 100% NCLEX-RN pass rates for the ABSN option, and the curriculum embeds graduate-level credits at no additional per-credit cost for a seamless transition into Cedar Crest’s Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs.
Accreditation & Outcomes
The baccalaureate nursing program at Cedar Crest College is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) with continuing accreditation status, and is approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing. Cedar Crest College is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
The college’s graduate nursing programs (MSN, DNP, and post-graduate APRN certificate) are additionally accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), supporting progression planning for students who continue into advanced study.
Recent cohorts have achieved 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates, and graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN.
ABSN Admission Summary
Cedar Crest’s 15-month ABSN fits applicants who hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree and want a fast, campus-based nursing program in the Lehigh Valley.
Admission Requirements
- Non-nursing bachelor’s degree (completed or expected by May)
- 3.0 overall GPA
- Interview with nursing program faculty
- TEAS waived for the ABSN track
- Generous transfer credit policy (among the most generous in the Lehigh Valley), with transfer counseling for prior coursework
Prerequisite Courses
A completed set of nine prerequisites is required for ABSN admission:
- Anatomy and Physiology I
- Anatomy and Physiology II
- Clinical Microbiology
- Concepts in Chemistry
- Principles of Human Nutrition
- Probability and Statistics
- Introduction to Psychology
- Life-Span Development
- Introduction to Sociology
Curriculum
The ABSN is a 54-credit nursing major sequence within a 120-credit BSN degree framework. Course delivery includes campus instruction and selected online elements.
The curriculum embeds three graduate-level credits at no additional per-credit cost (with the option to complete six more), allowing students to transition seamlessly into Cedar Crest’s MSN programs (Nurse Educator, Nurse Administrator, and Nurse Practitioner tracks).
NUR 409 Health Promotion I (3 credits)
This course introduces the role of the professional nurse in promoting individual health. Students develop essential nursing theories and psychomotor skills needed for safe and effective nursing practice.
NUR 411 Health Assessment (3 credits)
Students learn to perform comprehensive health assessments, including physical, psychosocial, spiritual, and cultural evaluations. The course covers history-taking techniques and physical assessment skills such as inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation.
NUR 413 Mental Health Promotion (4 credits)
This course focuses on mental health nursing, emphasizing care for individuals with psychiatric conditions in acute care settings. Students explore psychosocial and neurobiochemical theories to provide culturally competent mental health interventions.
NUR 414 Pharmacology (3 credits)
Students learn about pharmacological agents, drug classifications, and the nursing process in medication administration. The course covers dosage calculations, medication safety, and patient education in therapeutic drug use.
NUR 421 Health Promotion II (5 credits)
This course examines health and wellness strategies for aging adults. Students explore risk factors for illness and injury in older populations and learn interventions for physical, psychological, and spiritual health promotion.
MSN 512 Research for Evidence-Based Nursing Practice (3 credits, Online)
This course prepares students to critically evaluate research for evidence-based nursing practice. Topics include research methods, ethical considerations, data analysis, and application of scientific findings in clinical settings.
NUR 426 Concepts in Professional Nursing (3 credits, Online)
Students explore current issues and trends in nursing, including healthcare policies, nursing education, professional organizations, and ethical considerations. The course also examines cultural and spiritual influences on nursing practice.
NUR 429 Family Health Promotion (5 credits)
This course focuses on nursing care for childbearing and childrearing families. Students learn to apply the nursing process in providing family-centered care across diverse populations.
NUR 431 Health Promotion III (5 credits)
Students apply nursing processes and evidence-based research to promote health for acutely ill and injured adults. Topics include perioperative care, fluid and electrolyte imbalances, altered tissue perfusion, and neurological impairments.
NUR 436 Population Focused Health (4 credits)
This course examines community and public health nursing, emphasizing disease prevention and health promotion for diverse populations. Students explore epidemiological theories and their applications in healthcare.
NUR 435 Leadership in Nursing (5 credits, Capstone)
Students develop leadership and management skills essential for professional nursing practice. The course emphasizes ethical decision-making, healthcare management, and leadership roles in diverse healthcare settings.
NUR 441 Complex Health Problems (5 credits)
This course addresses nursing care for patients with complex medical conditions, including trauma, burns, neurological, cardiac, oncologic, and immune disorders. Students develop strategies for managing high-risk patient populations.
NUR 442 Independent Practicum (4 credits)
The final clinical course provides students with hands-on experience in diverse healthcare settings under faculty supervision. Students work with nurse preceptors to enhance clinical decision-making, professional practice, and NCLEX-RN preparation.
MSN 514 Informatics and Technology in Nursing (3 credits, Online — optional elective)
This course explores the role of informatics in nursing practice, leadership, and education. Students learn how technology supports evidence-based decision-making and improves healthcare delivery.
MSN 520 Vulnerable Populations: Nursing Perspectives (3 credits, Online — optional elective)
Students analyze health disparities in the U.S. and global healthcare systems. The course examines social, cultural, economic, and political factors influencing healthcare access and outcomes.
More detail is available in the Cedar Crest nursing catalog.
Clinicals and Labs
Cedar Crest reports 819 total clinical/laboratory hours across varied patient care settings, including 105 hours of Independent Practicum completed one-on-one with a nurse preceptor. Simulation learning is integrated using high-fidelity simulators and standardized patients, and nursing students have free, unsupervised access to the simulation center to practice skills.
Clinical clearance requirements are managed through CastleBranch and include background checks, drug and alcohol screening, CPR (BLS with AED for healthcare providers), health documentation, and related compliance items.
Tuition
Cedar Crest reduced its nursing tuition beginning in Fall 2024, making it among the lowest in the Lehigh Valley. The ABSN bills at the nursing per-credit rate of $495 per credit, so the 54-credit program totals approximately $26,730 in tuition (full-time ABSN tuition is billed at about $12,375 per semester).
This covers tuition only and excludes housing, meals, books, and program fees (such as clinical nursing fees, ATI testing fees, and a $500 ABSN deposit).
Confirm current figures via the official adult education tuition and fees page.
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