Program Overview
A health-equity-focused path into nursing — Elon’s 16-month ABSN is built around community-based population health, reduction of health disparities, and health informatics, with intensive simulation, local and global service learning, and automatic merit scholarship consideration for every admitted student.
Elon University’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) is an intensive, 16-month post-baccalaureate program that includes 67 credit hours and 540 clinical hours, beginning each fall and finishing the following December. Launched in fall 2021, it prepares nurses committed to local and global health equity who think broadly, critically, and creatively to optimize client-centered care.
The progressive curriculum emphasizes community-based population health, reduction of health disparities, and health informatics, paired with intensive simulation experiences (high-fidelity manikins and standardized patients), community-driven health-related service learning with local or global partners, and a strong focus on professionalism, communication, and evidence-based practice.
Graduates are prepared to sit for the NCLEX-RN.
Accreditation
The Elon University Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing program holds initial accreditation from the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA), achieved in February 2025. The program is approved by the North Carolina Board of Nursing, and Elon University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN.
ABSN Admission Summary
Elon’s ABSN enrolls one cohort each fall and uses holistic evaluation of application files on a rolling basis through NursingCAS, reviewing completed applications in the order received through the deadline or until the cohort reaches capacity.
Academic Requirements
- Earned bachelor’s degree in any field
- 18-24 hours of prerequisite coursework completed before admission
- A grade of C or higher in each prerequisite (each at least 3 credit hours)
- Prerequisites completed at a regionally accredited U.S. institution within 10 years of enrollment (community college and online coursework accepted)
- Official TEAS scores from within the last two years (sent using code ElonUBSN)
Prerequisite Courses
- Human Anatomy (with lab) and Physiology (with lab), or A&P I and A&P II
- Microbiology
- Basic Statistics
- Human Growth and Development or Developmental Psychology
- Nutrition (biology-based, focused on nutrition, metabolism, and digestion)
Holistic Review & Timeline
- Holistic evaluation considers undergraduate GPA, TEAS scores, healthcare experience, letters of recommendation, service, leadership, motivation, maturity, and interpersonal skills
- Applications open August 24 for the following fall cohort; final deadline May 15
- Decisions are released throughout the cycle; admitted students confirm their seat with a $300 enrollment deposit
Curriculum
The 67-credit-hour curriculum covers foundational nursing subjects such as pharmacology, adult health, mental health, community health, and reproductive health, with 540 clinical hours embedded across diverse healthcare settings. A distinctive “Healthcare Relationships” thread on disparity, diversity, equity, and inclusion runs through the program, reflecting Elon’s health-equity mission.
Fall I
NRS 2100 – Foundations of Nursing
Introduces key nursing principles, including patient-centered care, policy, teamwork, and evidence-based practice. Students apply foundational skills to provide safe, effective care across the lifespan.
NRS 2200 – Assessment of Health and Wellness for Nursing Practice
Focuses on essential health assessments and interventions to promote wellness in adult patients. Students gain hands-on experience in performing comprehensive and focused assessments.
NRS 2300 – Principles of Physiology and Pathophysiology for Nursing Practice
Covers physiological changes and clinical symptoms of altered health. Students learn how various health conditions impact major body systems.
NRS 2400 – Pharmacology for Nursing Practice
Provides an overview of pharmacology, focusing on safe medication administration and individualized care considerations, reinforcing the role of responsibility in medication management.
Winter
NRS 2000 – Healthcare Relationships I: Disparity, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Explores relationship-centered healthcare through service learning in diverse community settings. Emphasizes health equity, resilience, and provider self-care in local community engagements.
Spring
NRS 3100 – Nursing Management of Adults
Examines comprehensive nursing care for adult patients, integrating concepts like infection, coping, and patient safety. Builds on foundational pathophysiology and effective care management.
NRS 3200 – Family-Centered Nursing Care for Infants, Children, and Adolescents
Focuses on family-centered care across pediatric settings, covering developmental, cultural, and health needs of children within the family context.
NRS 3300 – Gerontological Nursing
Addresses nursing care tailored to elderly patients, emphasizing aging processes, medication impacts, and holistic care for mental and physical well-being.
NRS 3400 – Multiple Perspectives in Mental Health
Covers mental health care principles, including therapeutic communication and patient advocacy, preparing students to manage and support clients’ mental health.
NRS 4000 – Preparatory Seminar: Healthcare Relationships II
Prepares students for advanced exploration of equity in healthcare, focusing on analyzing policies and proposing solutions to improve inclusivity in care delivery.
Summer I and II
NRS 4100 – Evidence-Based Nursing Practice
Equips students with skills in evidence-based research, engaging them in projects that contribute to nursing’s scholarly foundation through critical analysis and application.
NRS 4200 – Population and Community Health
Combines public health and nursing theory to promote health within communities, exploring the impact of social, political, and environmental factors on population health.
NRS 4300 – Healthcare Relationships II: Disparity, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Provides immersive, hands-on experience in diverse healthcare settings, focusing on health equity and community-based service, with options for local and international placements.
Fall II
NRS 4400 – Reproductive Health
Focuses on reproductive and family health, addressing issues such as sexuality, maternity care, and support for families experiencing loss or complex health needs.
NRS 4500 – Nursing Management of Adults II: Complex Health Conditions
Covers advanced nursing care for adults in critical health conditions, emphasizing clinical decision-making, safety, and effective care management in complex cases.
NRS 4600 – Essential Conversations at the End of Life
Prepares students for compassionate communication and end-of-life care, focusing on ethics, patient-family support, and emotional resilience in difficult conversations.
NRS 4800 – Pathways to Practice
Capstone course that integrates nursing theory and leadership, including NCLEX-RN preparation, and strategies for transitioning into professional practice.
More detail is available on the Elon ABSN curriculum page.
Clinical Training
The program includes 540 clinical hours across diverse healthcare settings, delivered through first-rate clinical instruction at area hospitals and clinics. Intensive simulation experiences use high-fidelity manikins and standardized patients with embedded formative and summative evaluation, and community-driven, health-related service learning is completed in collaboration with a local or global community partner.
The Department of Nursing, housed in the School of Health Sciences, provides interprofessional education, state-of-the-art simulation facilities, and strong community partnerships for clinical placements and future employment.
Tuition
Elon charges semester-based tuition for the ABSN, billed over four cycles during the 16-month program.
For 2026-2027, tuition is approximately $19,012 per semester — roughly $76,048 in program tuition across four semesters — plus required fees (including a health fee of about $690).
A frequently cited total estimated cost of attendance of about $108,743 includes tuition, fees, required items, and living expenses, so it is higher than tuition alone. All admitted students are automatically considered for renewable, merit-based scholarships (no separate application required), and second-degree students may be eligible to borrow federal student loans.
Confirm current figures via the official tuition and financial aid page.