Last Updated: October 1, 2026
Program Overview
Concordia University Irvine offers a 15-month ABSN with on-campus study in Irvine or hybrid study based in Rancho Cucamonga, with in-person clinical training in both formats.
The program spans four semesters and 59 units, combining nursing study with required theology and bioethics coursework. Students can enter in January, May or August. Concordia is a Christian university, and its curriculum includes spiritual care alongside professional nursing preparation.
The Irvine option meets at the Spectrum Campus. The Rancho Cucamonga hybrid option combines online coursework with required in-person activities; students must also travel to assigned clinical sites.
Accreditation
Concordia’s baccalaureate nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The university is institutionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.
Graduates are prepared for the NCLEX-RN. The curriculum also includes community-health preparation supporting eligibility to apply for California Public Health Nurse certification after licensure.
Admissions
Academic Requirements
The ABSN admits applicants with a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and eligible advanced-standing applicants with at least 65 prior units. First-degree applicants must also satisfy the applicable general-education requirements; having 65 units alone does not establish eligibility.
The current admissions catalog lists:
- 3.0 minimum cumulative GPA. For second-degree applicants, the catalog describes this as the bachelor’s degree plus coursework completed afterward.
- 3.0 minimum prerequisite GPA.
- A B− or better in each science prerequisite, with each science including a laboratory and at least four units.
- Science prerequisites completed within five years before the intended start date. No more than two of the four science prerequisites may be repeated, and each may be repeated only once.
- A C or better in other prerequisite courses.
- No more than three prerequisites in progress at the application deadline, with completion required before nursing classes begin.
Healthcare experience is recommended, not required, under the catalog’s admission criteria. The program recommends 100 hours of qualifying patient-care experience as preparation for a competitive application. Interviews are required and offered by invitation.
Prerequisites
Prerequisites are separate from the 59-unit post-admission curriculum:
- Chemistry with laboratory.
- Anatomy and physiology I and II with laboratories, or approved anatomy and physiology equivalents.
- Microbiology with laboratory.
- Human nutrition, statistics, general psychology and lifespan development.
- Oral and written communication.
- Sociology or cultural anthropology.
The required theology courses are part of the Concordia sequence below. They should not be added again when calculating the 59 billed units.
Application Materials and Deadlines
Submit an application and fee, official college transcripts, two recommendation letters, a signed background-check waiver and a prerequisite-completion plan. The statement of intent must address the assigned questions and be two to four double-spaced pages. Advanced-standing applicants also provide evidence of high-school completion.
The university currently lists these application deadlines by location:
| Entry term | Irvine | Rancho Cucamonga |
|---|---|---|
Spring 2027 | October 1, 2026 | November 15, 2026 |
Summer 2027 | March 1, 2027 | March 15, 2027 |
Fall 2027 | June 1, 2027 | July 9, 2027 |
When a listed deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, Concordia’s policy moves it to the next business day. The official ABSN page provides the current application calendar and forms.
Requirements Before Classes and Clinicals
Admitted students must provide an American Heart Association healthcare-provider CPR/BCLS card, malpractice insurance, health insurance and required health and immunization documentation. Background checks and drug screening are also required.
The catalog requires a current California driver’s license and automobile insurance for travel to clinical sites. Applicants should plan for the demands of full-time accelerated study and clinical travel.
Curriculum
Students move from foundations, assessment, pathophysiology and medication safety into adult medical-surgical and behavioral-health care. The third semester adds advanced adult care, maternal-newborn nursing and pediatrics; the final semester integrates community health, research, leadership and a senior clinical preceptorship.
The following is the 59-unit second-degree curriculum published for the Spectrum Campus. It includes the required bioethics and theology courses as well as nursing courses, and uses the same 59-unit total as the tuition estimate. Prerequisites and prior general education are separate.
Required Courses and Credits
Semester 1: 15 units
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NTHL 101 — Foundations of Christian Theology | 3 | Christian beliefs and culturally appropriate spiritual care for diverse patients. |
NUSA 201 — Foundations of Nursing | 3 | Nursing process, clinical judgment, adult patient safety, evidence and ethical responsibilities. |
NUSA 202 — Health Assessment | 3 | Holistic physical assessment, recognition of abnormal findings and skills practice in an integrated lab. |
NUSA 205 — Pathophysiology | 2 | Body-system disruptions, signs and symptoms, and medical and nursing management. |
NUSA 207 — Pharmacotherapeutics | 2 | Medication administration, disease-specific therapies, adverse effects, contraindications and IV therapy. |
NUSA 294 — Nursing Skills Lab | 2 | Practice and refine safe bedside skills before applying them in clinical agencies. |
Semester 2: 16 units
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NPHI 467 — Bioethics and Healthcare Professions | 2 | Ethical issues in healthcare and research, moral reasoning and the nursing role on ethics committees. |
NUSA 203 — Adult Medical/Surgical Nursing Theory | 3 | Adult and older-adult medical-surgical care, pharmacology and prevention using Watson’s caring framework. |
NUSA 204 — Behavioral Health Nursing Theory | 2 | Mental-health promotion, psychiatric conditions and nursing and medical management. |
NUSA 206 — Wellness Care and Prevention | 2 | Assess health risks and support lifestyle change, prevention and holistic or integrative care. |
NUSA 292 — Adult Medical/Surgical Nursing Clinical | 4 | Assess, plan, deliver and evaluate supervised medical-surgical care for adults and older adults. |
NUSA 293 — Behavioral Health Nursing Clinical | 2 | Apply behavioral-health knowledge in acute and outpatient settings. |
NUSA 296 — Pharmacology Lab | 1 | Practice safe medication administration by multiple routes and peripheral IV insertion. |
Semester 3: 13 units
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NUSA 301 — Advanced Medical/Surgical Nursing Theory | 3 | Complex adult illness, treatment and advanced medical-surgical nursing decisions. |
NUSA 303 — Maternal/Newborn Nursing Theory | 2 | Prenatal, labor, postpartum and newborn care, including family health promotion. |
NUSA 307 — Pediatric Nursing Theory | 2 | Pediatric health and illness, development and family-centered nursing. |
NUSA 392 — Advanced Medical/Surgical Nursing Clinical | 2 | Apply advanced adult-health knowledge in acute, rehabilitation and outpatient care. |
NUSA 394 — Maternal/Newborn Nursing Clinical | 2 | Care for childbearing patients, newborns and families in clinical settings. |
NUSA 398 — Pediatric Nursing Clinical | 2 | Provide developmentally appropriate nursing care for infants, children and adolescents. |
Semester 4: 15 units
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NTHL 202 or THL 201 — History and Literature of the New Testament or Old Testament | 3 | Choose New Testament study or Old Testament study; complete one three-unit course. |
NUSA 400 — Advanced Senior Preceptorship Clinical | 3 | Refine clinical judgment, assessment, communication, leadership and patient education with a preceptor. |
NUSA 403 — Community Health Nursing Theory | 2 | Population-focused health promotion, disease prevention and community care planning. |
NUSA 405 — Research In Nursing | 2 | Critically appraise and synthesize research to support clinical decisions. |
NUSA 409 — Transitions to Practice | 1 | Integrate nursing concepts, legal responsibilities and clinical problem-solving before practice. |
NUSA 413 — Leadership/Management Theory | 2 | Leadership, delegation, conflict resolution, change management and professional accountability. |
NUSA 494 — Community Health Nursing Clinical | 2 | Apply population-health nursing with vulnerable groups; supports Public Health Nurse certificate eligibility. |
Clinical Integration and Final Preceptorship
Specialty theory courses are paired with their corresponding clinical courses. NUSA 400 is the final senior preceptorship, taken with NUSA 409; it develops clinical judgment, communication, leadership and patient education as students transition toward professional practice.
NUSA 405 is a separate research course, while NUSA 494 applies population-health nursing in community settings and supports Public Health Nurse certificate eligibility. Students complete one of the listed final-semester theology options, not both.
Clinical Training and Facilities
Concordia publishes 765 required clinical hours for both delivery formats. Clinical partners are located in and around Orange and Los Angeles counties, so students should plan for travel beyond their instructional campus.
Placements cover adult medical-surgical, behavioral-health, maternal-newborn, pediatric and community nursing. Skills laboratories and simulation support this patient-care preparation. The Irvine Spectrum Campus includes approximately 20,000 square feet of nursing space.
Tuition and Costs
Published tuition for summer 2026 and fall 2026/spring 2027 is $1,010 per unit. Applying that rate to 59 units gives $59,590 estimated tuition, the tuition-only figure in Quick Facts. Future increases may raise actual charges.
Required academic charges listed separately include:
| Charge | Published amount and billing basis |
|---|---|
Skills laboratory | $450 once |
Student service fee | $110 per semester; $440 across four semesters |
Software subscription | $202.24 once |
Health assessment | $150 once |
ATI | $1,629.72 before semester one and $1,629.72 at midterm of semester two; $3,259.44 combined |
These listed academic charges total $4,501.68, bringing estimated tuition plus those charges to $64,091.68. This is not an all-inclusive budget: application and graduation fees, clinical tracking, health compliance, books, uniforms, insurance, transportation, licensing and living expenses are additional. ATI rates increase each July 1.
The official tuition and fee schedule lists approximately $3,000 for books and $200 for uniforms. Financial aid may be available to eligible students.
Related Nursing Programs
Concordia also offers nursing pathways for other educational backgrounds and graduate nursing study. Applicants who already hold a nursing license should compare the relevant licensed-nurse pathway with this prelicensure ABSN.