Last Updated: October 7, 2026
Program Overview
Illinois State’s 15-month, campus-based ABSN starts in summer and combines clinical courses with high-fidelity simulation, virtual reality, leadership development and peer mentorship.
Illinois State University’s Mennonite College of Nursing offers an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing for students with a bachelor’s degree in another field. Students study full time in Normal from summer through the following summer; the college’s current downloadable ABSN plan contains 62 nursing credits.
The curriculum prepares graduates for the NCLEX-RN and the additional requirements for registered-nurse licensure. Applicants should plan for consecutive enrollment and an intensive schedule of nursing classes, skills practice and assigned clinical experiences.
Program Format and Attendance
Campus attendance: This is an on-campus program, with four consecutive terms: summer, fall, spring and summer. The nursing sequence is separate from the prerequisite courses completed before entry.
Clinical scheduling: The program describes two to three clinical days per week on average, including possible evenings and weekends. Placements can be within a 90-minute radius of Bloomington-Normal, and students pay their own transportation costs.
Accreditation
Illinois State’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Illinois State University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission; the university’s program accreditation listing identifies nursing’s accreditor.
Admissions Requirements
- Earn a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field from an accredited college or university before summer enrollment; the degree may be in progress when applying.
- Have a minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA. The admissions page reports a middle-50% GPA range of 3.23–3.67, which describes admitted-student competitiveness rather than a higher formal minimum.
- Complete all nine prerequisites with C or better before the program starts.
- At application, provide an official transcript showing C or better in Anatomy and Physiology I or Microbiology to qualify for review.
- Submit official academic transcripts for all non-ISU college coursework and any test scores requested by Admissions.
- Apply as a Second Bachelor’s Student and select “Nursing Accelerated Prelicensure.”
Selection: Admission depends on space and the applicant pool. The college considers completed courses and hours, prerequisite grades, cumulative GPA and healthcare experience. CNA certification is recommended and may strengthen an application, but is not required.
Application Dates
Summer 2027 applications: The current admissions page states that applications opened August 1, 2026, with admission-status notifications in December. It does not publish a fixed final closing date; the college may continue reviewing applications until its enrollment target is met, at its discretion.
Apply early and follow the accelerated admissions instructions for the entering cohort. Late review or an interview is not guaranteed simply because an application can still be submitted.
Prerequisites
These nine courses or approved equivalents must be completed with C or better before nursing classes. Anatomy and Physiology I or Microbiology must already appear on the application transcript with an eligible grade.
- Chemistry: CHE 110/112 or CHE 140
- Statistics: NUR 138; ECO/GEO/POL/PSY 138; MGT 100; or MAT 150
- Fundamentals of Psychology: PSY 110
- Lifespan Development Psychology: PSY 213
- Microbiology and Society: BSC 160
- Human Physiology and Anatomy I: BSC 181 or KNR 181/183
- Human Physiology and Anatomy II: BSC 182 or KNR 182/184
- Nutrition in the Life Span: FCS 102
- Medical Terminology: HSC 105
Transfer review: Use the college’s Illinois community-college articulation guides or Transferology for other institutions, then confirm equivalencies with nursing advising. Prior coursework must satisfy the specific prerequisite; a course transferring as elective credit does not automatically fulfill it.
Curriculum
The college’s downloadable ABSN plan lists 18 summer credits, 14 fall credits, 15 spring credits and 15 final-summer credits, totaling 62. Foundations and assessment lead into acute adult and family care, followed by pediatric, mental-health and public-health nursing and a final integration of complex care and leadership.
The tables follow that accelerated plan; course descriptions come from the university’s current Course Finder. Nursing credits shown here exclude prerequisite coursework and any additional requirements identified in an individual degree evaluation.
Required Courses and Credits
First Summer – 18 Credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NUR 224 – Contemporary Professional Nursing | 1 | Introduces the social, legal, ethical, and political foundations of professional nursing. Students examine how these forces shape modern nursing practice. |
NUR 225 – Health Assessment of the Adult | 4 | Develops holistic assessment skills for adult clients, with attention to normal aging changes. Students practice health history taking, physical examination, and documentation. |
NUR 222 – Psychomotor Skills for Nursing | 3 | Builds competence in patient-centered nursing skills through guided practice. Emphasis is placed on safety, accuracy, and skill performance. |
NUR 239 – Pathophysiology and Pharmacotherapeutics I | 3 | Introduces mechanisms of disease and basic drug actions. Students connect physiologic changes to therapeutic medication use. |
NUR 237 – Cultural and Spiritual Dimensions in Health Care | 1 | Explores cultural, spiritual, and belief systems that influence health behaviors. Students learn culturally responsive and respectful nursing care. |
NUR 229 – Adult Nursing I | 6 | Focuses on nursing care for adults with common chronic health conditions. Lecture and clinical experiences support application of the nursing process in varied settings. |
Fall – 14 Credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NUR 231 – Adult Nursing II | 7 | Applies nursing care concepts for adults with acute health problems. Students strengthen clinical judgment in acute care environments. |
NUR 339 – Pathophysiology and Pharmacotherapeutics II | 3 | Expands on disease processes and medication effects across body systems. Students integrate advanced pathophysiology with pharmacologic management. |
NUR 316 – Maternal Infant Nursing | 4 | Covers nursing care for women, infants, and families during pregnancy and early childrearing. Students study normal processes, common complications, and infant health. |
Spring – 15 Credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NUR 317 – Nursing Care of Children | 4 | Focuses on nursing care of children and families from infancy through adolescence. Emphasis is placed on growth, development, and common pediatric health issues. |
NUR 329 – Public Health Nursing | 4 | Applies population-based nursing concepts to community settings. Students focus on health promotion, disease prevention, and care of aggregate populations. |
NUR 314 – Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing | 4 | Examines mental health care across the lifespan. Students apply therapeutic communication and evidence-based interventions for individuals and families experiencing mental health challenges. |
NUR 336 – Research and Theory for Evidence-Based Practice | 3 | Develops skills to locate, evaluate, and apply evidence to nursing care. Emphasis is placed on improving patient outcomes through evidence-based decisions. |
Final Summer – 15 Credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NUR 325 – Adult Nursing III | 7 | Addresses complex and high-acuity adult health conditions. Students integrate advanced clinical judgment in emergent and restorative care settings. |
NUR 327 – Leadership Dimensions of Nursing | 5 | Explores leadership and management roles in nursing practice. Students develop skills in delegation, coordination, and professional decision-making. |
NUR 326 – Gerontological Nursing | 2 | Focuses on nursing care of older adults across care settings. Students examine aging-related health needs, chronic illness, and end-of-life considerations. |
NUR 390 – Student Success Senior Seminar | 1 | Prepares students for NCLEX-RN success and transition to practice. Emphasis is placed on readiness assessment, remediation, and licensure planning. |
Clinical Experience and Simulation
Assigned placements: Eight courses include clinical components. The program places students within a 90-minute radius of Bloomington-Normal and does not accommodate individual clinical preferences; students arrange and fund travel, with carpooling an option.
Skills and simulation: The Normal Nursing Simulation Laboratory supports assessment and patient-care practice using advanced simulation technology and virtual reality. The college’s facilities page reports a 2024 expansion with additional space for clinical education, collaboration and student support.
Clearance before entry: Students must complete drug testing, a criminal background check, a physical examination and required immunizations before nursing coursework. Students who are not compliant cannot participate in clinical experiences or begin the nursing program.
Progression and NCLEX Preparation
Students must maintain a 2.00 cumulative GPA, earn C or better in nursing courses and remain enrolled consecutively. Grades below C in two nursing courses, or twice in the same course, result in dismissal; readmission after dismissal or an enrollment interruption is selective.
The college’s Success Plan uses mastery examinations throughout the nursing program. NUR 390 assesses NCLEX-RN readiness, directs remediation and covers the licensure-exam application process. Course Finder lists additional competency-exam scheduling requirements beginning January 2027; students should follow the applicable course syllabi.
Tuition and Costs
Estimated Illinois-resident tuition: $30,110.30. This applies the published 2026–27 nursing tuition rate of $485.65 per credit to the 62 credits in the current ABSN plan. It is a tuition-only current-rate estimate, not a guaranteed price for the Summer 2027 cohort.
Mandatory fees: At the published $119.21 per-credit rate, 62 credits add approximately $7,391.02 in mandatory student fees. Estimated resident tuition plus these fees is $37,501.32, before nursing assessment charges and other expenses.
Nonresident tuition: At $971.29 per nursing credit, the same sequence is approximately $60,219.98 in tuition, or $67,611 including the same mandatory-fee estimate. Residency and any approved tuition arrangements affect actual charges.
- The accelerated program’s 2026 cost sheet lists $1,182 in ATI assessment charges billed over four semesters.
- The same sheet estimates books at $1,000–$2,200, uniforms and required accessories at $550, and initial background/drug/CANTS screening and health-record costs at $132.
- Health insurance, CPR certification, physical examinations, vaccines and any required screening or licensure expenses are additional. Individual compliance costs vary.
- Budget separately for housing, meals, personal expenses and travel to clinical sites. Prerequisites or additional courses add costs.
Use the 2026–27 undergraduate nursing rates and the program’s additional-cost sheet to build a budget. The latter uses Summer 2026 tuition and fees, while the estimate above uses the newer 2026–27 rate; future rates and actual cohort billing may differ. Explore MCN scholarships and applicable federal aid through the university.
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