Last Updated: October 5, 2026
Program Overview
Kennesaw State’s face-to-face ABSN follows four consecutive full-time semesters, including summer, and culminates in a seven-credit nursing leadership practicum.
The Wellstar School of Nursing’s second-degree pathway is based in Kennesaw and admits fall and spring cohorts. Its 57-credit nursing curriculum combines campus learning, simulation and assigned clinical experiences in metro Atlanta and surrounding areas.
Program Format and Attendance
Full-time study: The ABSN runs four consecutive semesters with no part-time option. Required nursing coursework continues through summer.
Clinical attendance: Assignments can occur seven days a week, including nights and weekends. Students provide transportation and cannot change random clinical assignments to suit personal preferences.
Work commitments: The posted nursing handbook strongly discourages employment during the accelerated program, including part-time work. Plan for required campus, lab, simulation and clinical attendance.
Admissions Requirements
Prior degree: Earn a non-nursing bachelor’s degree before the program begins. A pending degree may be considered during application, but admission is canceled if the degree is not awarded by the start date; students do not automatically move into the traditional pathway.
GPA: Have at least 3.0 at the nursing deadline. KSU uses the transfer GPA for applicants with fewer than 18 KSU credits and the KSU cumulative GPA for those with 18 or more KSU credits.
- Be admitted to KSU as a degree-seeking undergraduate before the separate nursing application.
- Complete at least seven of the 11 prerequisites by the nursing deadline, including five math/science prerequisites.
- Complete all 11 with C or better before starting the program.
- Take the ATI TEAS within five years before the deadline and send the score to KSU.
TEAS Recommendation
A TEAS score of 78 or higher is strongly recommended for consideration. The exam is required, and KSU reviews the highest timely score within the five-year window; applicants may retake it with at least 14 days between attempts.
Application Process and Final Deadlines
- Fall entry in August: January 31 final deadline; applications open August 15.
- Spring entry in January: August 10 final deadline; applications open February 1.
Effective with the fall 2026 application cycle, nursing applications use Student Apps. University admission and nursing admission are separate; transfer students should apply to KSU and send transcripts at least three months before the nursing deadline so verified credit appears in DegreeWorks.
The nursing application has no fee; undergraduate university admission has a separate application fee. Nursing becomes the declared major after nursing acceptance. A nursing-concentration pathway in Human Services, Integrated Health Science or Public Health is an optional way to track preparation; other majors can also be used.
Prior nursing study: Applicants previously dismissed from a nursing program must email Nursing Admissions a letter explaining the dismissal for committee review; eligibility is not automatic. Nursing transfer credits are rarely awarded; any considered course must come from an accredited nursing program, carry B or better, be within two years and receive program approval.
Admission is competitive and considers completed prerequisites, course grades, GPA and TEAS performance. Review the current ABSN application instructions for the entering cycle.
Prerequisites
The 11 prerequisite courses cover the following areas. Labs accompany the listed sciences, and transferred or exam credit must be verified by the registrar and entered in DegreeWorks by the application deadline.
- Communication in Writing — two courses
- Mathematics and Quantitative Skills — one course
- Natural Sciences — one complete two-course sequence with labs: CHEM 1151/1152, CHEM 1211/1212, PHYS 1111/1112 or BIOL 1107/1108
- Social Sciences — one course
- PSYC 1101 — Introduction to General Psychology
- STAT 1401 — Elementary Statistics
- BIOL 2251 with lab — Anatomy and Physiology I
- BIOL 2252 with lab — Anatomy and Physiology II
- BIOL 2260 with lab — Microbiology
Science age: Sciences more than ten years old at the nursing deadline are not accepted. An available, approved KSU prior-learning assessment may provide a limited exception; work experience or certifications do not replace the age requirement.
Repeated courses: The first two graded attempts are considered for Statistics and BIOL/CHEM/PHYS prerequisites. A third attempt may be considered when at least five years separate it from the first attempt.
Curriculum
The 57-credit nursing curriculum combines 12 named courses totaling 54 credits with a required three-credit nursing elective. Foundational assessment, pathophysiology and pharmacology lead into adult and specialty care, community practice, evidence-based decisions and the final leadership practicum.
Required Courses and Credits
Foundations and Professional Practice
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NURS 3209 — Holistic Nursing | 6 | Professional nursing foundations, lifespan self-care and holistic care through laboratory and clinical learning. |
NURS 3304 — Clinical Pathophysiology for Nurses | 3 | Physiological manifestations of disease and their application to nursing decisions and care. |
NURS 3309 — Health Assessment | 3 | Interviewing and physical assessment, recognizing normal findings and common health deviations. |
NURS 3302 — Professionalism and Ethics in Nursing | 3 | Professional roles, ethical and legal foundations, communication and collaborative decision-making. |
NURS 3303 — Clinical Pharmacology for Nurses | 3 | Medication principles, safe administration and evidence-based pharmacologic nursing decisions. |
Adult, Family and Population Care
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NURS 3313 — Adult Health Nursing | 6 | Holistic nursing care of adults in acute settings, with health maintenance, promotion and restoration. |
NURS 3314 — Mental Health Nursing | 4 | Assessment and evidence-based nursing intervention for mental health needs across the lifespan. |
NURS 3318 — Parent-Child Nursing | 6 | Nursing care of childbearing adults, newborns, children and adolescents. |
NURS 4414 — Complex Health Nursing | 4 | Care of individuals and families with complex and high-acuity health needs. |
NURS 4412 — Community Health Nursing | 6 | Population-based care, prevention and public health for families and communities. |
Evidence and Transition to Practice
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NURS 4402 — Nursing Research for Evidence-based Practice | 3 | Finding, evaluating and applying research evidence to clinical nursing decisions. |
Required nursing elective — Required Nursing Elective | 3 | Choose an approved nursing elective; the subject and course code depend on the available option. |
NURS 4419 — Nursing Leadership Practicum: Transition to Practice | 7 | Integration of nursing knowledge, quality and safety, collaboration and entry-level leadership through clinical and precepted experience. |
Fall and spring cohorts use different four-semester plans while completing the same curriculum. The nursing elective is required, but its topic is a choice among approved options; follow the cohort’s assigned research/elective timing and course prerequisites.
Degree credits: The full BSN requires 120 credits, including transferred general education and other degree requirements. The 57-credit nursing major is separate from transfer-dependent free-elective or additional graduation requirements.
Progression: Earn C or better in each nursing course. Only one nursing course may be repeated; a grade below C in two nursing courses results in dismissal.
Consult the posted nursing student handbook and approved entering-cohort plan for clinical rules and course sequencing. The seven-credit practicum integrates professional leadership with clinical and precepted experiences.
Clinical Experience
KSU assigns placements at multiple agencies around metro Atlanta and surrounding areas. Laboratory, simulation and clinical learning include acute, specialty and community care, with the final practicum supporting transition into professional nursing.
Site assignments: Clinical placements are random, may include nights/weekends and cannot be changed for personal preferences. Students arrange transportation and should work through the school rather than contacting clinical affiliates to negotiate placements.
Clearance: Complete background and drug screening through the school’s designated provider, required immunizations and TB documentation, and BLS certification. Each facility’s credentialing rules apply; successful clinical completion is required for progression.
Orientation and insurance: Follow the acceptance packet’s instructions for nursing orientation before classes begin. Nursing students must show health-insurance coverage; the university’s mandatory insurance charge requires an approved waiver or payment/enrollment in its plan.
Tuition and Costs
Estimated resident tuition: $10,752 for the standard fall-entry 57-credit nursing plan at 2026–27 rates. With the 15-credit tuition cap, its 15/16/13/13 term loads bill 56 credits at $192 per credit.
The spring-entry 15/15/14/13 plan bills 57 credits, producing $10,944 resident tuition. At the nonresident rate of $722 per credit, the corresponding estimates are $40,432 fall entry and $41,154 spring entry.
- Mandatory student fees: $594 per term, or $2,376 across four terms at current rates.
- Required health insurance adds cost unless the university approves a waiver.
- Budget for uniforms, nursing supplies, required testing/software, clinical credentialing, background/drug checks, health clearance, BLS, books and transportation.
- Graduation and licensing expenses are separate from program tuition.
Fall 2026 section listings for NURS 3209, 3313, 3314, 3318 and 4412 show $55 clinical fees each, totaling $275 across these five required courses. Listed malpractice/testing charges add $34.50 across those entries, for $309.50 in these course-specific charges; this is not a complete nursing-fee total.
These estimates use the published plan and current 2026–27 undergraduate tuition schedule. Elective/research placement, additional degree coursework, residency and future rate changes can change actual charges; prerequisite tuition and living expenses are separate.
Accreditation
Kennesaw State’s baccalaureate nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Graduates prepare for the NCLEX-RN and must meet the applicable state board’s requirements to obtain RN licensure.
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