Program Overview
One of the fastest paths into nursing, with flexible entry — Drexel’s Accelerated Career Entry (ACE) BSN runs just 11 months across four 10-week terms, offers both Fall and Spring starts, and posts a 96.63% NCLEX pass rate, all within Philadelphia’s major clinical market.
Drexel University offers the Nursing Accelerated Career Entry (ACE) BSN as a fast post-baccalaureate pathway for non-nursing college graduates. The 11-month option runs full-time across four consecutive 10-week terms, with most classes meeting on campus and limited online components; the schedule may include weekday evenings and Saturdays plus clinical days.
Delivered through Drexel’s well-established College of Nursing and Health Professions, the program reports a 96.63% NCLEX pass rate for the 2023-2024 academic year and offers two entry points each year (Fall and Spring), giving career changers a fast, flexible route into nursing in a city with extensive clinical training opportunities.
Accreditation & Outcomes
The baccalaureate and master’s nursing programs at Drexel University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and the program is approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing. Drexel University is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
The ACE program reports a 96.63% NCLEX-RN pass rate for the 2023-2024 academic year, and graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN.
ABSN Admission Summary
Drexel ACE targets applicants with a prior bachelor’s degree and strong recent academics, plus completed science prerequisites by firm deadlines.
- Degree requirement: Bachelor’s degree (completed before program start)
- GPA expectation: Most competitive applicants show 3.0+ overall, 3.0+ in the last 60 credits, and B-level prerequisite grades (especially science)
- Prerequisite policy: Prerequisites are not waived or substituted
- Prerequisite completion deadlines: August 1 (Fall start) or January 15 (Spring start), with no exceptions stated
- Application timing: Review starts about a year before the term; after priority deadlines, review moves to rolling until the class fills
- Compliance: A compliance process with clear background checks is required; some steps occur after enrollment confirmation
- International applicants: English testing rules apply when English is not the native language, with specific waiver pathways listed by the school
Application deadlines by term:
- Fall term: Oct 15 (Priority 1), Dec 1 (Priority 2), then rolling starting Dec 2
- Spring term: Apr 15 (Priority 1), Jun 1 (Priority 2), then rolling starting Jun 2
Prerequisites
The ACE program lists eight prerequisite courses in semester terms, with science recency rules.
- English Composition (3 credits)
- Developmental Psychology, lifespan (3 credits)
- Human Nutrition (3 credits)
- Statistics (3 credits)
- General Chemistry I with lab (4 credits)
- Microbiology with lab (4 credits)
- Anatomy and Physiology sequence with labs (see options below)
Anatomy and Physiology options (one sequence required):
- Anatomy I with lab and Physiology I with lab (4 credits each), or
- Anatomy & Physiology I with lab and Anatomy & Physiology II with lab (4 credits each)
Time limits: Anatomy, Physiology, and Microbiology must be within 5 years of enrollment; other prerequisites must be within 10 years of enrollment.
Curriculum
The 11-month plan uses four terms in a single continuous sequence. The published plan totals 84 quarter credits and includes didactic and clinical coursework.
NURS 120 Contemporary Health Care
Explores the role of nursing in healthcare, including historical influences, organizational structures, informatics, ethics, policy, and standards of practice.
NURS 221 Concepts of Pathophysiology in Nursing
Covers fundamental pathophysiological processes, genetic influences, and physiologic alterations affecting body systems, along with the body’s compensatory mechanisms.
NURS 225 Health Assessment for Nursing Practice
Teaches health assessment techniques, clinical decision-making, and patient-centered communication across the lifespan.
NURS 226 Fundamentals of Nursing Practice
Focuses on foundational nursing concepts, skills, and professional relationships within a clinical decision-making framework.
NURS 317 [WI] Genetics for Healthcare Professionals
Examines genetic concepts related to health and disease, including genetic engineering, ethical concerns, and clinical applications.
NURS 320 Health and Illness Concepts I
Covers nursing care for adults with health alterations, emphasizing evidence-based prevention, treatment, and long-term management.
NURS 322 Concepts of Mental Health Nursing
Develops competencies in mental health nursing, focusing on therapeutic relationships, brain-behavior connections, and stress-related disorders.
NURS 323 Nursing Pharmacology Concepts I
Introduces pharmacologic principles, drug classifications, and medication administration considerations for various body systems.
NURS 321 Health and Illness Concepts II
Expands on health and illness concepts with a focus on homeostasis, protection, and mobility-related conditions.
NURS 326 Reproductive Health Across the Lifespan
Addresses reproductive and newborn health, emphasizing social determinants, disease prevention, and clinical application in women’s health settings.
NURS 328 Pediatric Health Concepts
Explores pediatric nursing care, incorporating human development and family-centered approaches to managing pediatric health conditions.
NURS 329 Nursing Pharmacology Concepts II
Covers advanced pharmacological principles, drug therapies, and considerations for gastrointestinal, neurological, and immunological systems.
NURS 327 Population Health Concepts
Focuses on nursing’s role in community and population health, using epidemiology and social determinants of health to inform practice.
NURS 420 Health and Illness Concepts III
Addresses nursing care for patients with complex healthcare needs related to regulation, oxygenation, protection, and homeostasis.
NURS 421 Holistic Gerontological Nursing
Examines nursing care for older adults, emphasizing chronic conditions, palliative care, and health promotion.
NURS 422 Leadership Concepts in Nursing
Explores leadership and management principles in nursing, including advocacy, patient care coordination, and emerging nursing roles.
NURS 423 [WI] Research Basis of Nursing Practice
Introduces nursing research principles, evidence-based practice, and ethical considerations in healthcare studies.
NURS 495 Comprehensive Nursing Concepts
Provides a comprehensive review of nursing knowledge and clinical skills to prepare students for professional practice.
More detail is available in the Drexel ACE nursing catalog.
Clinicals and Skills Training
The ACE format requires clinical work and skills development alongside accelerated theory courses. Clinical days and lab experiences support core practice areas such as adult health, pediatrics, mental health, reproductive health, and population health. Drexel provides broad clinical affiliation access across the Philadelphia region and simulated healthcare scenarios through its College of Nursing and Health Professions. The intensive schedule may include evening and Saturday course activity.
Tuition
Estimated total tuition and required program fees are about $66,022:
- Tuition: $15,459 per term for the ACE 11-month day option — about $61,836 across four terms
- Program fees: $4,036 in the first term plus $50 in each future term — about $4,186 across four terms
This covers tuition and program fees (not housing, meals, or personal expenses). Confirm current figures via the official tuition page.