Nashville’s Healthcare Hub — Hybrid Delivery, 100% Job Placement
Lipscomb University places its nursing students in the healthcare capital of the United States. Nashville’s concentration of hospitals, health systems, and specialty facilities functions as an extended campus — clinical rotations happen minutes from the university rather than requiring extended travel across a region.
The ABSN delivers 62 nursing credit hours in 16 months through a hybrid format that keeps classroom time manageable: 2–4 lab days per semester and roughly one clinical day per week, with lecture content completed online.
Every Lipscomb nursing graduate reported working in a healthcare career at the 12-month post-graduation mark.
For career changers who need flexibility without sacrificing clinical depth, this structure is built around that balance.
ABSN Admission Summary
Admission is selective with a single annual entry point — Fall only — and a hard April 1 deadline with no exceptions. The science prerequisite threshold of B or higher sets a higher academic bar than many competing programs that accept a C in science courses.
Academic requirements:
- Completed bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited institution with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
- B average or higher in all three prerequisite science courses — this is higher than most programs in this review, which accept C
- C or higher in required non-science prerequisite courses
- 10-year expiration applies to all science courses — older science coursework must be retaken
Prerequisite coursework:
Required science (B or higher in each):
- Introductory Microbiology (BY 2424, 4 cr.)
- Anatomy & Physiology I (BY 2434, 4 cr.)
- Anatomy & Physiology II (BY 2444, 4 cr.)
Required non-science (C or higher):
- Any Social Science course (3 cr.)
- College Algebra or higher-level math course (3 cr.)
Recommended but not required:
- Chemistry, Medical Terminology, Statistics, Nutrition
Application process:
- Apply through the Lipscomb University ABSN application portal — no separate university application required for ABSN applicants
- Submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
- List all prerequisite coursework completed or currently in progress
- Submit by March 15 for priority review; April 1 is the absolute final deadline
Post-acceptance requirements (all must be complete before program begins):
- Health history with documentation of appropriate immunizations
- Drug screen and background check completed annually through a third-party facility — clinical sites may require additional screening
- AHA BLS/CPR certification (Healthcare Provider level)
- No associate’s degree pathway exists — a completed bachelor’s degree is strictly required
Curriculum
Sixty-two nursing credit hours are distributed across four consecutive semesters in a hybrid delivery model — lecture content delivered online, lab and clinical experiences completed in person. The sequence runs Fall-Spring-Summer-Fall, with clinical rotations beginning in the second term of the first semester.
Prerequisite Overview
All five prerequisite courses (three science, two non-science) must be completed or clearly in progress at the time of application. Science courses have a 10-year expiration. See the admission summary above for the full prerequisite list.
Four-semester nursing sequence (62 credit hours):
Fall — Semester 1
NURA 2103 – Pathophysiology Concepts of Disease (3 cr.) Explores common diseases in nursing practice, applying critical thinking and scientific knowledge to analyze clinical implications and patient outcomes.
NURA 3013 – Health Assessment (3 cr.) Introduces skills for conducting comprehensive patient assessments, including interviewing techniques and systematic physical examinations across the lifespan.
NURA 3033 – Pharmacology for Nursing (3 cr.) Covers drug classifications, mechanisms of action, interactions, and nursing responsibilities in medication administration and patient safety.
NURA 3045 – Foundations of Professional Nursing (5 cr.) Introduces essential nursing concepts, theories, and foundational skills required for professional nursing practice. Includes lab and clinical components.
Spring — Semester 2
BI 3213 – Faith and Culture (3 cr.)
NURA 3024 – Mental Health Nursing (4 cr.) Focuses on mental health and illness, using research-based theories and the nursing process to provide holistic psychiatric care. Includes clinical experience.
NURA 3056 – Comprehensive Adult Health Nursing I (6 cr.) Examines nursing care for adults with acute and chronic health conditions, integrating evidence-based practice and clinical reasoning skills.
NURA 3063 – Evidence-Based Practice and Theory (3 cr.) Explores the role of nursing research, critical thinking, and theoretical models in evidence-based clinical decision-making.
Summer — Semester 3
NURA 3074 – Family Nursing: Infant to Adolescent (4 cr.) Focuses on nursing care for infants, children, and adolescents, emphasizing developmental milestones, health promotion, and disease prevention. Includes clinical practice.
NURA 3084 – Family Nursing: Women’s Health (4 cr.) Covers nursing care for women across the lifespan, including reproductive health, pregnancy, and postpartum care. Includes clinical experience.
NURA 4033 – Nursing Leadership and Management (3 cr.) Examines leadership principles in nursing practice, healthcare management, and strategies for effective patient care coordination. Includes clinical application.
NURA 4054 – Community Health Nursing (4 cr.) Explores public health nursing principles, emphasizing disease prevention, health promotion, and care for diverse populations in community settings.
Fall — Semester 4
NURA 4016 – Comprehensive Adult Health Nursing II (6 cr.) Prepares students to care for adults with complex and chronic conditions, emphasizing clinical judgment and holistic nursing interventions.
NURA 4026 – Advanced Medical Surgical Nursing (6 cr.) Provides training in critical care nursing, focusing on complex therapeutic interventions for patients in acute care settings. Includes clinical experience.
NURA 4042 – Nursing Capstone (2 cr.) Designed for final-semester nursing students, prepares them for professional practice and transition into the workforce.
NURA 4183 – Virtue, Flourishing, & Vocation in Nursing (3 cr.) Integrates Christian ethics with nursing practice, addressing compassionate care, legal responsibilities, and professional values in patient interactions.
Clinical experiences take place at leading healthcare facilities in Nashville, offering real-world patient care training.
More curriculum details available in the course catalog: Lipscomb ABSN Catalog
Clinicals
Clinical rotations begin during the second term of the first semester — Spring — meaning students have one full Fall semester of foundational coursework before their first patient care placement.
The hybrid format concentrates in-person requirements into lab days and clinical shifts rather than requiring daily campus attendance.
- Clinical start: Term 2 (Spring semester) — after Fall foundational coursework is complete
- In-person schedule: 2–4 lab days per semester + approximately 1 clinical day per week
- Geographic requirement: Students do not need to live in Middle Tennessee, but must plan for travel to lab and clinical sites — drive time and logistics are explicitly flagged as student responsibilities
- Nashville clinical network: The city’s density of healthcare facilities — major medical centers, specialty hospitals, and community clinics — functions as a direct extension of the classroom; specific named partners not published in available materials; contact the nursing department for current affiliates
- Simulation Lab: State-of-the-art high-fidelity patient simulation laboratory on the Lipscomb campus provides a “practice before you practice” environment; virtual tour available through the program website
- Specialties covered: Pathophysiology, health assessment, pharmacology, mental health, adult health I and II, advanced medical-surgical, women’s health, infant-to-adolescent family nursing, community health, and leadership
- Drug screening: Annual drug screens required through a third-party facility throughout enrollment; clinical sites may require additional unannounced screening at student expense
- Employment outcomes: 100% of Lipscomb nursing graduates reported working in healthcare careers at 12 months post-graduation (2018 and 2019 data)
Tuition
Estimated total program cost: ~$69,738
Lipscomb prices the ABSN at $899 per nursing credit hour plus a flat $3,500 per semester program fee across all four semesters.
| Component | Detail | Cost |
|---|---|---|
Nursing tuition | 62 cr. × $899 | $55,738 |
Program fees | $3,500 × 4 semesters | $14,000 |
Total | ~$69,738 |
Lipscomb does not offer institutional scholarships for second-degree programs. Federal student loans may be available but are typically more limited than for first-degree students — FAFSA completion is the starting point. Contact financialaid@lipscomb.edu for current federal loan eligibility specifics.
At ~$69,738, Lipscomb is priced between mid-range and premium private programs in the Southeast — less expensive than Emory’s DABSN (~$82,000+) and JU ($72,000), comparable to PLU (~$75,450), and significantly more than public Tennessee programs (ETSU ~$27,485, LMU ~$53,580 nursing tuition). The Nashville location, hybrid format, and 100% employment record are the primary value justifications at this price point.
See the official tuition page for more details: Lipscomb University Tuition & Financial Aid
Accreditation
The baccalaureate nursing program at Lipscomb University is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), with a current decision of Continuing Accreditation. The program holds full approval from the Tennessee Board of Nursing.
Graduates meet educational requirements for RN licensure in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and all U.S. territories.
Other Programs in Tennessee
Compare all Tennessee ABSN Programs