Program Overview
Three distinct cohort formats — a fast daytime track plus evening & weekend cohorts built so students can keep working — make Kent State unusually flexible for second-degree students across Northeast Ohio.
Kent State University’s Accelerated Second Degree BSN stands out for how many ways there are to fit it into a working life. The Daytime cohort completes the degree in as few as 15 months across four semesters, while two Evening & Weekend cohorts — one based in Akron, one in Cleveland — run five semesters with Monday/Wednesday evening classes and weekend clinicals, designed so students can keep working part-time.
The program is for students who already hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, is delivered in person at the Kent campus, and places students in clinicals at major Northeast Ohio health systems, including Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, Cleveland Clinic Akron General, and Akron Children’s.
Outcomes are strong: a 92% average NCLEX-RN pass rate and 99% job placement within six months of graduation.
Note the program cannot be completed online, and clinicals must be done in Northeast Ohio.
Cohort Options
- Daytime Cohort: four-semester sequence; classes generally 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and clinicals 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m., any day Monday-Friday (occasionally weekends). Admits Fall, Spring, and Summer.
- Akron Evening & Weekend Cohort: five-semester sequence; classes Monday/Wednesday evenings (5-9 p.m.) at Kent, clinicals mainly Saturdays/Sundays, primarily at Cleveland Clinic Akron General. Admits every-other-fall (even years); next offered Fall 2026.
- Cleveland Evening & Weekend Cohort: five-semester sequence; same evening/weekend structure, with clinicals in the Cleveland area via University Hospitals and Cleveland Clinic. Admits every-other-fall (odd years); next offered Fall 2027.
Admissions
Admission is competitive, and meeting the minimums does not guarantee a seat — Kent State receives 60-120 applications per round and admits roughly 50% of eligible candidates. Admission to the Accelerated Second Degree concentration requires:
- A completed bachelor’s degree with a minimum 2.750 overall GPA
- A minimum 2.750 science GPA, with a minimum C grade in all science and math courses
- All college-level core and nursing prerequisite courses completed
Applicants who have failed out of another nursing program are not eligible. Students first apply to Kent State as a post-undergraduate student, then submit the ABSN-specific application to the Professional Nursing Sequence during the relevant window.
Prerequisite Courses
The following must be complete (with the Kent State equivalents shown) before entering the accelerated nursing sequence:
BSCI 21010: Anatomy and Physiology I
Covers human anatomy and physiological chemistry, emphasizing homeostatic mechanisms in the integumentary, skeletal, nervous, muscular, and sensory systems. Designed for health science students, not biology majors.
BSCI 21020: Anatomy and Physiology II
Continues the study of human anatomy and physiology, focusing on the endocrine, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems.
BSCI 20021 / 30171: Microbiology
Introduces microbiology and immunology, including pathogenic microorganisms, viruses, and their impact on human health.
BSCI 30050 / 30156: Human Genetics
Explores genetic principles and their application to human health and nursing care.
CHEM 10050 / 10055 / 10060: Chemistry
Introduces essential chemistry concepts — atomic structure, chemical bonding, and reactions — with options ranging from fundamentals to general chemistry for science majors.
NURS 20950: Human Growth and Development for Health Professionals
Examines human development across the lifespan, exploring psychological and physiological changes and how to assess human needs and behaviors in healthcare settings.
NUTR 23511: Science of Human Nutrition
Explores the role of nutrition in human health, covering macronutrients, micronutrients, metabolism, and dietary guidelines, with emphasis on disease prevention and health promotion.
PSYC 11762: General Psychology
Introduces the scientific study of human behavior, emotions, perception, cognition, personality, and mental disorders.
SOC 12050 / 22778: Sociology
Examines social interaction, institutions, and contemporary social problems through a sociological lens.
Statistics and UC 10001 Flashes 101 (waived for transfers with 30+ credits) complete the prerequisite set.
Curriculum
The Accelerated Second Degree concentration totals 120 credits, with the nursing sequence built around three clinical courses per term. Following the prerequisite coursework, the accelerated nursing sequence runs:
Semester One
NURS 20025: Pharmacology and Alterations in Physiological Functioning I (3 cr)
Introduces foundational pharmacology and pathophysiology, connecting drug therapies to physiological functioning and building the base for safe medication management in nursing care.
NURS 20035: Accelerated Clinical Calculations (2 cr)
Focuses on essential mathematical and reasoning skills for safe medication administration. Covers unit conversions, dosage calculations, and medication terminology critical for clinical nursing care.
NURS 20040: Fundamentals of Nursing (8 cr)
Establishes core nursing knowledge and psychomotor skills, integrating the nursing process, patient safety, communication, and foundational patient-care competencies through lab and clinical practice.
NURS 30050: Basic Nursing Informatics (2 cr)
Introduces nursing informatics as a tool for clinical practice, research, and communication, exploring the role of technology in improving healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.
Semester Two
NURS 30025: Pharmacology and Alterations in Physiological Functioning II (3 cr)
Builds on pharmacology and pathophysiology principles, emphasizing disease processes, medication management, patient education, and nursing interventions for safe drug administration.
NURS 30035: Nursing of Adults Across the Lifespan (9 cr)
Covers health promotion, disease prevention, and rehabilitation in adult nursing care, with clinical experiences in acute, chronic, and rehabilitation settings and a focus on culturally competent care.
NURS 30071: Health Care Policy for the B.S.N. Nurse (or NURS 40089: International Health Care Policies) (2-3 cr)
Examines U.S. healthcare policy — historical developments, networks, consumer needs, economics, and funding models; the international alternative analyzes global healthcare delivery systems.
NURS 40026: Professional and Evidence-Based Practice for the Accelerated BSN (3 cr)
Develops professional nursing identity and evidence-based practice skills, teaching students to appraise and apply research to improve patient care (writing-intensive).
First Summer Term
NURS 30010: Parent and Newborn Nursing (4 cr)
Prepares students to provide holistic nursing care to childbearing individuals, families, and newborns, covering pre-conception, pregnancy, postpartum, and neonatal care while integrating evidence-based practice and social determinants of health.
NURS 30020: Health Care of Children (4 cr)
Focuses on comprehensive nursing care for children and families, incorporating developmental theories and evidence-based pediatric care practices.
NURS 40020: Community Health Nursing (4 cr)
Covers community health concepts with an emphasis on health promotion, disease prevention, and epidemiology, with attention to vulnerable populations and social determinants of health.
NURS 40036: Senior Competency Laboratory (2 cr)
Develops advanced patient-care skills for complex healthcare settings, refining hands-on competencies in a controlled lab environment.
Semester Three
NURS 40010: Nursing of the Critically Ill (4 cr)
Prepares students for critical care nursing, emphasizing person-centered, culturally sensitive care in intensive settings, interprofessional collaboration, and advanced nursing interventions.
NURS 40030: Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing (4 cr)
Focuses on therapeutic relationships and interventions for individuals and families experiencing mental health challenges, covering psychiatric nursing skills, theory, and culturally sensitive care.
NURS 40045: Integration of Leadership and Management in Nursing (6 cr)
Prepares students for leadership roles, including team leadership, delegation, and collaboration with clinical preceptors in real-world healthcare environments.
NURS 45060: NCLEX Review Preparation (or NURS 45075: NCLEX Success) (2-3 cr)
Consolidates content and test-taking strategies to prepare graduates for the NCLEX-RN examination.
More curriculum detail is available in the Kent State course catalog.
Clinical Experience
Clinical rotations take place at major hospitals and healthcare facilities throughout Northeast Ohio, with locations varying by cohort. Daytime students rotate through facilities concentrated in Summit (Akron) and Cuyahoga (Cleveland) counties, and may also have clinicals in Mahoning (Youngstown), Stark (Alliance), Trumbull (Warren), or Portage (Ravenna) counties.
The Akron evening/weekend cohort trains primarily at Cleveland Clinic Akron General (with pediatrics at Akron Children’s), while the Cleveland cohort partners with University Hospitals and Cleveland Clinic.
Hands-on learning is supported by Kent State’s state-of-the-art simulation laboratories.
Tuition
Estimated program tuition is about $36,343. As a public university, Kent State’s cost depends on residency and the specific cohort/term schedule, so confirm the current figure directly.
See the official tuition page for current rates and the College of Nursing financial aid resources.
Accreditation and Outcomes
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at Kent State University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The program prepares students to sit for the NCLEX-RN and is designed to meet licensure requirements in Ohio; applicants seeking licensure elsewhere should review their state’s requirements.
Graduates achieve a 92% average NCLEX-RN pass rate and 99% job placement within six months.
Additional Programs
Beyond the ABSN, Kent State offers a traditional BSN, an LPN/Allied Health-to-BSN bridge, an RN-to-BSN online program, an MSN (including an MSN-MBA dual degree), post-master’s certificates, a DNP, and a PhD in Nursing.