Last Updated: October 3, 2026
Program Overview
FGCU’s summer-entry accelerated BSN combines four consecutive semesters of campus nursing study with clinical learning across a five-county Southwest Florida region.
The Florida Gulf Coast University ABSN pathway serves applicants who already hold, or are completing, a bachelor’s degree. The full-time sequence runs summer, fall, spring and the following summer in Fort Myers.
The university recommends avoiding employment during the program. Successful students may devote about 60 hours per week to classes, laboratories and study, with mandatory travel to assigned clinical sites.
Accreditation
FGCU’s baccalaureate nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Graduates must still satisfy Florida licensure requirements and pass the NCLEX-RN to become registered nurses.
Admissions Requirements
- Admission to FGCU and a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 across attempted coursework.
- A completed bachelor’s degree before the accelerated cohort starts; applicants finishing the degree may receive conditional admission.
- Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II, including their laboratories, completed before submitting the nursing application.
- A BSN supplemental application through NursingCAS, with transcripts from all institutions and a plan for any remaining prerequisites.
- First-attempt ATI TEAS results, with all required component scores, submitted with the application and official scores sent to FGCU.
University admission and nursing admission are separate steps. FGCU advises allowing 8–12 weeks for university admission processing; minimum eligibility does not guarantee a nursing seat.
Prerequisites
Required prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. Applicants should complete the required pre-nursing preparation before starting the BSN; transfer equivalents require university evaluation.
- Human Anatomy and Physiology I with lab: 4 credits.
- Human Anatomy and Physiology II with lab: 4 credits.
- Microbiology with lab: 4 credits.
- General Biology with lab: 4 credits; the catalog allows designated chemistry or physics alternatives.
- Developmental Psychology: 3 credits.
- General Psychology: 3 credits.
- Nutrition: 3 credits.
- Statistical Methods: 3 credits.
A&P I and II must be finished when applying. Other remaining requirements need a written completion plan and final transcripts before entry.
Start Term and Application Deadline
The accelerated pathway admits students for summer only. For summer 2027, the published NursingCAS application window is September 1–October 14, 2026; October 14 is the final deadline.
Complete the separate FGCU admission process and TEAS testing early enough to meet that deadline. Follow the official supplemental application guide for transcripts, score submission and remaining-course documentation.
Curriculum
The accelerated plan contains 58 nursing credits, progressing from assessment and foundational practice through adult and specialty nursing to population health and a senior practicum. The 2026–27 BSN guidebook places an additional three-credit University Colloquium in the final summer, bringing its displayed sequence to 61 credits.
The current degree catalog permits an approved sustainability course to satisfy that university requirement. Ask an advisor how previously completed work applies; the nursing sequence below does not imply retaking approved transfer coursework.
Required Courses and Credits
First Summer — 15 Nursing Credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NUR 3065C — Health Assessment | 3 | Assess health across the lifespan using a systematic examination and critical thinking. |
NUR 3125 — Pathophysiology in Nursing | 3 | Study major disease processes and the physiological responses of body systems. |
NUR 3145 — Pharmacology for Nursing | 3 | Examine medication classes and alternative therapies in relation to body systems. |
NUR 3825 — Introduction to Professional Nursing | 2 | Explore nursing history and development of the professional role. |
NUR 3829C — Foundations of Nursing Practice | 4 | Develop basic nursing care skills and the responsibilities of professional practice. |
Fall — 15 Nursing Credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NUR 3226 — Adult Health Nursing I | 3 | Plan nursing care for adults with changes in health and functioning. |
NUR 3226L — Adult Health I Clinical | 4 | Apply safe nursing care to acute, chronic and life-threatening adult conditions. |
NUR 3286 — Gerontological Nursing | 3 | Examine the needs of older adults and their families. |
NUR 3286L — Gerontological Nursing Clinical | 1 | Apply older-adult and end-of-life care principles in practice. |
NUR 3535 — Mental Health Nursing | 3 | Study care for individuals and families experiencing mental health disorders. |
NUR 3535L — Mental Health Nursing Clinical | 1 | Provide supervised care to patients and families affected by mental health disorders. |
Spring — 16 Nursing Credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NUR 4227 — Adult Health Nursing II | 3 | Extend adult nursing care to more complex alterations in health. |
NUR 4227L — Adult Health Nursing II Clinical | 4 | Integrate safe care for adults with acute, chronic or life-threatening problems. |
NUR 3355 — Child Health Nursing | 2 | Study health promotion and nursing care for infants, children and families. |
NUR 3355L — Child Health Nursing Clinical | 1 | Practice pediatric illness care and family-centered health promotion. |
NUR 4455 — Reproductive Health Nursing | 2 | Explore reproductive health promotion and care for individuals and families. |
NUR 4455L — Reproductive Health Nursing Clinical | 1 | Apply reproductive and family health nursing principles in supervised practice. |
NUR 4167 — Research Utilization for Evidence-Based Practice | 3 | Evaluate qualitative and quantitative health research and use evidence to improve patient outcomes. |
Final Summer — 12 Nursing Credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NUR 3833 — Patient Care Management in Nursing | 3 | Apply patient-care management concepts supporting quality and safety. |
NUR 4636 — Community & Public Health Nursing | 3 | Study population health, epidemiology, disaster preparedness and environmental health. |
NUR 4636L — Community & Public Health Nursing Clinical | 2 | Apply community health principles while working with population groups. |
NUR 4948L — Senior Nursing Practicum | 4 | Plan, deliver and evaluate patient care in a culminating preceptor-guided experience. |
University Requirement
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
IDS 3920 or approved SCGR course — University Colloquium / Sustainability Requirement | 3 | The guidebook uses interdisciplinary ecological study, field experiences and projects; the current catalog allows an approved sustainability alternative. |
The current plan uses NUR 4167 for students entering from fall 2025 onward. Complete prerequisite and nursing courses with at least C, satisfy clinical and skills competencies, and meet university graduation requirements, including applicable civic literacy and service learning requirements.
Clinical Experience
Clinical assignments span a five-county region, and reliable transportation is required. Adult, older-adult, mental health, pediatric, reproductive and community placements lead to the four-credit precepted senior practicum.
The guidebook’s practice-credit conversion combines clinical, simulation and other laboratory participation. It should not be interpreted as a published direct-patient-care total.
- Complete the required background screening, drug testing, health documentation and clinical onboarding.
- Maintain American Heart Association BLS certification and professional liability coverage.
- Meet dosage-calculation, safe-medication and clinical competency standards throughout progression.
- Budget for annual compliance renewals and agency-specific onboarding requirements.
Tuition and Required Fees
At the 2026–27 undergraduate rates, Florida-resident tuition is $105.07 base tuition plus a $36.38 differential, or $141.45 per credit. Applying that rate to the guidebook’s 61-credit sequence gives $8,628.45 in tuition, assuming the three-credit university requirement is taken at FGCU.
- Resident standard per-credit fees add $3,811.89 across 61 credits, for $12,440.34 in tuition and standard fees combined.
- Nonresident tuition is $836.72 per credit, or $51,039.92 across 61 credits; tuition and standard per-credit fees combine to $56,970.95.
- The guidebook estimates a one-time ATI program fee of about $1,400 and an ATI Launch readiness fee of about $250.
- Listed course fees total about $529 across assessment, foundations, adult clinicals and the senior practicum.
- Equipment usage is about $267 each fall and spring semester, or $534 across this pathway.
- Initial clinical compliance screening is about $192.49, with renewals, tracking and agency onboarding charged separately.
- Books and electronic materials are estimated at $350–$1,450 per semester; uniforms, equipment, BLS, insurance and travel are additional.
These calculations exclude prerequisite study, living expenses and individual charges, and apply current rates to future terms. Approved transfer credit for the university requirement can lower billed credits; future rate changes can increase costs.