Program Overview
Affordable in-state public value at Virginia’s largest public research university — George Mason’s 12-month accelerated BSN runs about $23,600 for in-state students, with 496 clinical hours across the Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia healthcare market and a low 1:8 faculty-to-student ratio in clinical settings.
George Mason University’s Accelerated Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is an intensive, 12-month, full-time pre-licensure program for individuals who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field. It admits students annually in the fall and combines rigorous academic coursework with extensive clinical practice.
As Virginia’s largest public research university, Mason pairs affordable in-state tuition with clinical access across the National Capital Area and a 1:8 faculty-to-student ratio in clinical settings, and the program has produced registered nurses for more than 40 years.
Accreditation
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), master’s, and DNP programs at George Mason University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and the pre-licensure programs are approved by the Virginia Board of Nursing (VA-BON).
George Mason 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.
Admission
Admission is highly competitive, with limited spaces each year to ensure quality clinical placements and personalized instruction. Applicants must hold a non-nursing baccalaureate degree (completed by the end of the spring semester before fall admission) and meet:
- Minimum 2.85 cumulative GPA in the first bachelor’s degree
- Minimum 3.0 GPA in the designated nursing prerequisite courses
- Completion of all nursing prerequisites
- Background check (per the Virginia Board of Nursing), health clearance, required immunizations, and CPR certification
Applicants submit both a George Mason University undergraduate application and the BSN departmental application; acceptance to the nursing program is contingent on admission to the university.
Curriculum
The curriculum spans multiple areas of nursing — including foundational and advanced nursing care, pathophysiology, pharmacology, health assessment, community and public health, research, and leadership — sequenced across fall, spring, and summer semesters.
Fall Semester
- NURS 305 – Application of Basic Nursing Techniques
- NURS 309 – Introduction to Basic Nursing Care
- NURS 310 – Application of Basic Nursing Care
- NURS 334 – Nursing as a Health Profession and Discipline
- NURS 419 – Pathophysiological Basis for Nursing Care of Individuals and Small Groups
- NURS 425 – Comprehensive Health Assessment
Spring Semester
- NURS 319 – Pathophysiological Basis for Nursing Care
- NURS 343 – Pharmacology
- NURS 350 – Application of Nursing Care
- NURS 351 – Application of Intermediate Technologies
- NURS 436 – Leadership and Management
- NURS 440 – Community Health
Summer Semester
- NURS 427 – Advanced Technologies for the Accelerated Pathway
- NURS 428 – Community Health Clinical for the Accelerated Pathway
- NURS 429 – Preceptorship for the Accelerated Pathway
- NURS 453 – Research in Nursing
- NURS 465 – Examination and Integration
More detail is available on the GMU accelerated second-degree BSN page.
Clinical Experience
Students engage in didactic instruction, skills acquisition, and simulation, accumulating a total of 496 clinical hours across diverse settings such as hospitals, community health centers, and schools throughout the National Capital Area, including Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia.
Clinical courses are integrated throughout all semesters, offering hands-on experience in critical care, obstetrics, pediatrics, psychiatric care, and more.
Facilities & Faculty
Mason’s ABSN program is supported by state-of-the-art facilities, including advanced simulation labs and the first interdisciplinary Virtual Reality and Simulation Lab in Virginia, which provide realistic, high-fidelity training. The university’s strong focus on faculty practice and research is evident in projects spanning forensic nursing, public health workforce development, and health equity.
Tuition
Tuition for the Accelerated Second Degree BSN is approximately $23,600 for in-state students and around $65,000 for out-of-state students for the entire program. These figures are tuition only and do not include books, mandatory fees, or other expenses.
Confirm current figures via the official program page.
Outcomes & Highlights
- Virginia’s largest public research university
- 1:8 faculty-to-student ratio in clinical settings
- High retention and low attrition rates
- BSN program offered for more than 40 years
- One of the largest BSN programs in Virginia
- One of the most diverse public universities in the country (U.S. News & World Report)
- Ranked #93 nationally and #70 among public institutions (U.S. News & World Report)
- More than 7,000 nursing alumni working as RNs nationwide