Last Updated: October 9, 2026
Program Overview
IU’s 16-month accelerated BSN offers a full-time, in-person route to nursing at Fort Wayne and Indianapolis, with four semesters and a precepted final clinical experience.
Indiana University’s Accelerated Second Degree BSN is for applicants who already hold a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field. The 64-credit nursing curriculum runs over four semesters, including summer, with a concept-based approach that connects classroom learning, simulation and patient care.
The pathway is offered at IU Fort Wayne and IU Indianapolis. Both campuses follow the accelerated curriculum, while clinical partners and some costs differ. Completing the BSN prepares graduates to seek RN licensure through the NCLEX-RN and the applicable board’s requirements.
Program Format and Attendance
This is a full-time, in-person program; IU does not offer a part-time or online version of this accelerated pathway. The pace combines classes, laboratory and simulation work, clinical placements and independent study throughout the 16 months.
Plan transportation and scheduling around the selected campus and its clinical sites. Applicants should discuss other commitments with an advisor before accepting a place because the accelerated schedule leaves limited flexibility.
Accreditation
IU’s baccalaureate nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The university’s nursing degree and supervised clinical experiences prepare students for entry-level practice; licensure remains subject to examination and board requirements.
Admissions Requirements
- Hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, with at least 120 college credits and a 2.7 cumulative GPA.
- Earn a 3.0 GPA in the prerequisite coursework evaluated for admission, with C or better in required courses.
- Apply to the selected IU campus and arrange an advisor’s prerequisite review and planning sheet.
- Complete the separate accelerated nursing application during the appropriate window.
Admission is competitive and ranked using prerequisite GPA. The current accelerated-program FAQ says TEAS and HESI exams are not required. An advisor determines how prior credits apply; meeting minimum GPA requirements does not guarantee admission.
Application Timing and Starts
- Fall entry, beginning in August: application window January 15–June 15; final application deadline June 15.
- Spring entry, beginning in January: application window July 15–November 15; final application deadline November 15.
The application instructions explain the campus admission and nursing application steps. Allow time for transcript evaluation and advisor review. Prerequisite-completion timing is separate from the final application deadline; confirm outstanding coursework with the selected campus.
Prerequisites
IU evaluates approximately 50 prerequisite credits across science, writing, social sciences and general education. Anatomy, physiology and microbiology require the specified in-person laboratory work, and science and statistics courses must meet the seven-year recency rule.
- Anatomy — 5 credits; physiology — 5 credits; microbiology — 3–4 credits.
- Upper-level statistics — 3 credits.
- English composition — 3 credits; psychology — 3 credits; sociology — 3 credits.
- Life/physical science or mathematics electives — 6 credits.
- Communication — 3 credits; cultural understanding — 3 credits; arts and humanities — 3 credits.
- Open electives — 9–10 credits, as needed to reach the evaluated prerequisite total.
The required subject categories do not mean every applicant must take 50 new credits. The advisor reviews prior coursework for approved equivalents and identifies remaining requirements; seek approval before registering for replacement courses.
Curriculum
The official accelerated curriculum lists four semesters totaling 17, 16, 17 and 14 credits. Nursing concepts become progressively more complex, with evidence-based practice, leadership and ethics integrated alongside clinical care.
Semester One — 17 Credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NURS B237 — Promoting Healthy Populations for Second Degree | 3 | Health promotion, prevention and the needs of individuals and populations. |
NURS B245 — Comprehensive Health Assessment Practicum | 2 | Hands-on assessment skills and interpretation of patient findings. |
NURS B247 — Comprehensive Health Assessment for Second Degree | 3 | Health histories and physical, psychosocial and lifespan assessment concepts. |
NURS B260 — Fundamentals of Nursing Practice | 5 | Foundational nursing care, patient safety and application of the nursing process. |
NURS B261 — Pathophysiology and Pharmacology for Nursing Practice | 4 | Disease mechanisms and medication principles used in nursing care. |
Semester Two — 16 Credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NURS B253 — Professionalism in Collaborative Practice | 3 | Professional roles, communication and collaborative health-care practice. |
NURS B334 — Transitional Care of Families and Populations | 5 | Care of childbearing families and populations undergoing health transitions. |
NURS H356 — Clinical Nursing Care 1: Biophysical Processes | 5 | Assessment and nursing interventions for altered physical health processes. |
NURS R375 — Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice | 3 | Research appraisal and use of evidence to support clinical decisions. |
Semester Three — 17 Credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NURS H360 — Clinical Nursing Care 2: Interactive Processes | 5 | Mental health, communication and interpersonal processes in nursing care. |
NURS H371 — Clinical Nursing Care 3: Adaptive Processes | 5 | Holistic nursing responses to acute and chronic health changes. |
NURS L330 — Leadership in Healthcare Delivery and Policy | 4 | Leadership, health-care systems and policy affecting nursing practice. |
NURS S474 — Applied Health-Care Ethics | 3 | Ethical reasoning and decisions in clinical and organizational settings. |
Semester Four — 14 Credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NURS B445 — Managing Health and Illness Across Care Environments | 3 | Care coordination and management across settings and transitions. |
NURS H476 — Clinical Nursing Care 4: Complex Processes | 5 | Clinical judgment and care for patients with complex health needs. |
NURS S483 — Clinical Nursing Practice | 3 | Precepted clinical immersion integrating knowledge and professional skills. |
NURS S489 — Second Degree Synthesis for Professional Nursing Practice | 3 | Integration of accelerated learning and preparation for professional nursing practice. |
Clinical Experience and Role Transition
IU’s FAQ describes approximately 637.5 clinical clock hours across the accelerated program. Simulation supports preparation for patient care, while the final semester includes a precepted clinical experience that helps students integrate assessment, judgment, communication and professional responsibilities.
Fort Wayne placements draw on partners such as Parkview and Lutheran Health Network. Indianapolis partners include IU Health, Eskenazi Health, the VA and Community Health Network. These examples describe the campus networks; students are assigned placements rather than guaranteed a particular hospital or specialty.
Tuition and Costs
IU’s approved 2025–27 tuition schedule lists Indiana-resident annual base tuition of $9,517.92 at both campuses. This annual figure covers the standard fall/spring schedule and is not the total price of the accelerated program.
For an illustrative tuition-only budget, three standard full-time semesters at $4,758.96 plus 16–17 summer credits at $317.26 produce approximately $19,353–$19,670. The summer credit rate comes from IU’s calculator for resident Fort Wayne nursing students in summer 2025; its available estimate is dated, so confirm the applicable summer rate and campus bill before relying on this calculation. This is an estimate, not a cohort quote, and future academic-year rates may change.
The nursing school’s current FAQ gives broader program-cost estimates of approximately $35,000 for Indiana residents, $45,000 for eligible Indiana Partner students and $85,000 for nonresidents. These figures include costs beyond base tuition and should not be compared directly with another school’s tuition-only figure.
- Nursing program fees and university mandatory fees are additional to base tuition.
- NCLEX preparation, clinical compliance, background checks, health records and required supplies add costs.
- Campus-specific charges, prerequisite courses, travel and living expenses can change the individual budget.
Request a written estimate from the selected campus, including residency classification and all four terms. The nursing cost guidance and university calculator can help separate tuition, program fees and other expenses.
Outcomes
IU prepares accelerated graduates for the NCLEX-RN through clinical practice, synthesis and examination preparation. Compare published outcomes for the relevant campus and reporting year; institution-wide or combined-campus results do not establish a pass rate for a specific accelerated cohort.
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