Last Updated: October 1, 2026
Program Overview
A one-year, in-person second-degree BSN with spring and fall starts, classes in Lone Tree and Aurora, and clinical learning across Colorado.
CU Anschutz’s University of Colorado Accelerated Nursing (UCAN) pathway combines 66 nursing credits across three consecutive semesters. Most classes meet at the Legacy Campus in Lone Tree, with additional sessions at CU Anschutz in Aurora.
Students progress together through classroom instruction, skills practice, simulation and clinical placements. The full-time pace makes employment difficult; healthcare experience is required before admission.
Accreditation
The BSN is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and the University of Colorado is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Graduates are prepared to sit for the NCLEX-RN.
Admissions
- Degree: Non-nursing bachelor’s from a regionally accredited institution (required)
- GPA: 3.0 minimum prerequisite GPA; 3.0 overall GPA recommended
- Experience: Healthcare experience is required. Paid or volunteer experience can qualify; direct patient care is preferred. CU encourages at least 500 hours but does not set a minimum number of hours.
- Application: NursingCAS application, three references (online form), official transcripts, a 500-word personal statement, and an interview by invitation
- Exams: TEAS and HESI are not required
- English proficiency (if applicable): TOEFL/IELTS per CU Nursing standards
After admission, students complete a background check, drug screen (including marijuana), immunizations, CPR certification, health insurance and other clinical clearances. The Fall 2027 application opened September 1, 2026, with a January 15, 2027 priority deadline; Spring 2027 had a June 15, 2026 priority deadline. See the UCAN admission requirements for application and interview details.
Prerequisite Courses
Complete all five prerequisites with a grade of C or better, within 10 years (no Pass/Fail except the Spring 2020 exception). AP/IB/CLEP may satisfy select courses per CU policies; international or study-abroad credits require approved evaluations.
- Human Anatomy (or Anatomy & Physiology I)
- Human Physiology (or Anatomy & Physiology II)
- Microbiology
- Statistics
- General Chemistry
Curriculum
The 2026–27 catalog’s UCAN sequence totals 66 nursing credits: 22.9 in the first term, 18 in the second and 25.1 in the third. The tables follow its spring-start sequence; the catalog says fall entrants complete the same courses in a similar sequence.
Required Courses and Credits
Spring (22.9 credits)
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NURS 3023 — Patient-Centered Health Assessment | 2.5 | Builds knowledge, skills, and attitudes for patient-centered assessments with skills and simulation lab practice using case-based learning. |
NURS 3034 — Foundations of Nursing Practice | 3.6 | Links theory and evidence-based practice to form generalist nursing foundations, emphasizing critical thinking, clinical judgment, and communication. |
NURS 3140 — Pathophysiology for Nurses | 3 | Covers core pathophysiologic concepts across major organ systems, including genetics, environment, cellular adaptation, immunity, and exemplar diseases. |
NURS 3150 — Pharmacology for Nurses | 3 | Introduces safe medication practices using a body-systems and drug-family approach; integrates prior foundational coursework. |
NURS 3267 — Health Promotion | 2 | Explores determinants of health, disparities, and prevention levels; applies theories and evidence-based strategies across the lifespan. |
NURS 3617 — Medical-Surgical Nursing Practice I | 6.8 | Applies pathophysiology, pharmacology, and assessment to care in varied settings; simulation supports quality and safety skill development. |
NURS 3667 — Nursing Care of the Older Adult | 2 | Addresses care of diverse older adults, including polypharmacy, chronic conditions, physiologic changes, and culturally informed approaches. |
Summer (18 credits)
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NURS 3337 — Nursing Care of Childbearing Families | 5 | Integrates family-centered, evidence-based maternity care with emphasis on health promotion, development, transitions, and safety. |
NURS 3447 — Nursing Care of Children and Families | 5 | Prepares care for pediatric patients and families using evidence-based, family-centered principles across acute and community contexts. |
NURS 3567 — Mental Health Nursing Practice across the Lifespan | 5 | Provides person-centered mental health nursing for individuals and groups, focusing on mood, cognition, and behavioral alterations. |
NURS 3080 — Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice | 3 | Critically evaluates research and clinical expertise to determine optimal, professionally written evidence-based patient care. |
Fall (25.1 credits)
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NURS 4080 — Professional Nursing: Transition into the Role | 4 | Examines history, theory, standards, and ethical-legal parameters; prepares for transition to independent and collaborative professional practice. |
NURS 4617 — Nursing Care of the Adult Patient with Complex Care Needs | 6.7 | Applies theory and evidence to comprehensive care of complex adult patients in acute settings. |
NURS 4917 — Immersion in Clinical Nursing | 8.4 | Full clinical immersion synthesizing prior learning to develop independent, cost-effective, evidence-based decision making and leadership. |
NURS 4877 — Population-Based Nursing – RN | 6 | Focuses on RN practice in health promotion, disease prevention, and care transitions using theories, social determinants, and practicum experiences. |
The UCAN catalog plan separates 40.65 didactic credits from 25.35 clinical credits. Its conversion of one clinical credit to 30 face-to-face hours yields approximately 760.5 hours; that is a credit-based calculation, not a separate guarantee of bedside hours.
Clinicals & Simulation
Students practice assessment, communication and clinical judgment through simulation before and alongside patient care. Clinical settings include UCHealth, Children’s Hospital Colorado and CU’s nurse-led clinics; placement at a particular facility is not guaranteed.
CU’s clinical placement guidance says it arranges placements for Denver-metro students, with assignments possible anywhere in Colorado. Students outside the metro area should review the school’s approved-site process with the placement team. Travel, rural assignments and overnight shifts may be required.
The college lists 15,000 square feet of simulation space at Anschutz and 2,500 at Legacy, with manikins, standardized patients and virtual-reality practice. The simulation program holds INACSL Healthcare Simulation Standards Endorsement for 2024–27. Students may also apply for international clinical opportunities, including work with underserved communities.
Tuition
Estimated tuition for all 66 nursing credits is $33,198 for eligible Colorado residents after the College Opportunity Fund (COF) stipend, using the 2026–27 rate of $503 per credit. This is tuition only; prerequisite courses, fees and living expenses are additional.
- Colorado resident before COF: $619 × 66 = $40,854.
- Eligible WUE student: $928 × 66 = $61,248.
- Nonresident: $1,086 × 66 = $71,676.
The current College of Nursing billing schedule lists a $5.11-per-credit undergraduate program fee ($337.26 for 66 credits), $64 academic support and $8 transit fees per term, a $20 fall activity fee and a $140 one-time matriculation charge. Across three terms, those listed charges total approximately $713.26 in addition to tuition.
Budget separately for approximately $2,000 in books and supplies, clinical clearance costs and any applicable online/hybrid course fees ($100/$50 per course). The annual health/dental plan is $7,756 and may be waived with comparable coverage. COF requires eligibility and authorization each term; estimates spanning later academic years may increase when rates change.
Related Programs
Beyond the UCAN accelerated pathway, CU offers a Traditional BSN (24 months) and an Integrated Nursing Pathway (community college partnership). The RN-to-BSN and RN-to-BSN Early Decision programs are currently paused.