Program Overview
Statewide access to an affordable, fast nursing degree — Montana State University delivers its 12-month ABSN at five campuses across Montana, supporting local clinical placements in communities statewide, with affordable resident tuition and a 90.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate.
Montana State University offers an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field. The program follows a lockstep cohort model and begins each August, with students moving together through fall, spring, and summer semesters before graduating the following August — allowing students to earn a second bachelor’s degree in nursing in about 12 months.
Delivered through the Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing, the ABSN is available at five Montana campus locations: Billings, Bozeman, Great Falls, Kalispell, and Missoula.
MSU reports a 90.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate for 2025 graduates, a strong outcome for students preparing to enter professional practice.
Accreditation
The baccalaureate nursing program at Montana State University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and approved by the Montana State Board of Nursing (MSU’s master’s and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs also hold CCNE accreditation).
Montana State University is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN.
ABSN Admission Summary
Montana State University’s ABSN is designed for second-degree students who want a fast path into registered nursing. Admission is competitive, and applicants must complete a NursingCAS application, submit compliance materials through Complio, and meet science and prerequisite standards before the cohort begins in August.
Admission Requirements
- Hold a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing before the program starts
- Earn a 3.0 GPA or higher in prerequisite courses
- Complete prerequisites with a grade of C- or better
- Finish all prerequisites within the last 15 years
- Have at least 3 of the 5 required natural science courses completed at application time
- Include Anatomy and Physiology I with lab among those completed science courses
- Complete a background check and urine drug screen through Complio before the deadline
- Use NursingCAS for the main application
Priority applications are due by January 5, and applicants in that group receive decisions on March 15. If seats remain open, the program accepts applications until July 15. Students not placed at their preferred campus may accept another placement, request a waitlist position, or reapply in the next cycle.
Prerequisite Overview
Before starting the ABSN, students must complete a substantial set of support courses covering science, math, writing, nutrition, psychology or sociology, lifespan development, statistics, and introductory nursing content. Most must be finished before the program starts, and several science courses must already be complete at the time of application.
Required Prerequisites
- BIOH 201 Anatomy and Physiology I with lab
- BIOH 211 Anatomy and Physiology II with lab
- BIOM 250/251 Microbiology for Health Sciences with lab
- CHMY 121/122 Introduction to General Chemistry with lab
- CHMY 123/124 Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry Principles with lab
- M 121Q College Algebra or M 140 College Math for Healthcare
- STAT 216Q Introduction to Statistics
- NUTR 221CS Human Nutrition
- HDFS 101IS Lifespan Development or PSYX 230 Developmental Psychology
- PSYX 100IS Introduction to Psychology or SOCI 101IS Introduction to Sociology
- NRSG 116 Introduction to Professional Nursing
- COMX 111US Public Speaking
- WRIT 201 College Writing II
Students who already hold a bachelor’s degree generally do not need WRIT 101, and public speaking may also be waived for some second-degree students based on prior coursework.
Curriculum
The ABSN curriculum includes 56 credit hours covering health assessment, pharmacology, medical-surgical nursing, pediatrics, mental health, and population health, with integrated clinical simulation and a professional internship.
NRSG 318 Accelerated Pathophysiology and Pharmacotherapeutics for Nurses
This course examines abnormal physiological processes in human body systems and the pharmacological strategies used to address them. It explores adaptive and pathological changes across the lifespan to inform safe, effective nursing interventions.
NRSG 323 Professional Development I: Professional and Ethical Nursing
Students explore the foundations of professional nursing, with emphasis on ethics, cultural sensitivity, and inclusive care. The course fosters understanding of evidence-based practice and development of a professional nurse identity.
NRSG 327 Foundations of Nursing Care
This course introduces essential nursing principles and skills used to deliver safe, quality care. Students apply assessment, clinical judgment, and communication strategies to plan and provide patient-centered care.
NRSG 328 Foundations of Nursing Lab
Students practice core nursing skills in a lab setting, using assessment data and the nursing process to support clinical judgment. Emphasis is placed on therapeutic communication and collaboration with patients and healthcare teams.
NRSG 329 Adult Health Assessment
This course teaches comprehensive health history and physical assessment techniques for adult patients. Students develop skills to professionally document and communicate findings through verbal, written, and electronic formats.
NRSG 333 Concepts in Health Promotion and Psychosocial Nursing
Students learn to assess and support the health of individuals, families, and communities using psychosocial concepts and health promotion strategies. The course focuses on vulnerable populations and lifespan-based care planning.
NRSG 334 Nursing Practice for Health Promotion
This lab course provides hands-on experience in health assessment and promotion activities. Students engage with individuals and communities to plan interventions aimed at preventing disease and supporting wellness.
NRSG 400 Nursing Simulation
Students apply clinical knowledge and nursing theory in a simulated environment. The course enhances clinical decision-making through scenario-based learning aligned with scheduled patient populations.
NRSG 324R Professional Development II: Evidence Based Practice
Students build competencies in evidence-based practice by learning to evaluate research and design outcomes-focused clinical plans. The course includes development of a scholarly nursing project grounded in theory and data.
NRSG 358 Nursing Concepts in Reproductive Health and Pediatric Care
This course covers health promotion, illness prevention, and management strategies for pediatric and reproductive health. Students learn to plan care for children, families, and individuals seeking reproductive services in diverse settings.
NRSG 359 Nursing Practice in Reproductive Health and Pediatric Care
Students apply theoretical knowledge in clinical environments, gaining experience in reproductive and pediatric care. The course emphasizes diversity and health promotion in varied healthcare settings.
NRSG 452 Health Policy & Economics
This course explores how economics, public policy, and politics impact nursing and healthcare delivery at all levels. Students are encouraged to engage in advocacy and policy initiatives that influence healthcare systems.
NRSG 460 Nursing Concepts in Acute and Chronic Care
Students learn to plan collaborative, patient-centered care for adults experiencing chronic illness, aging, and complex acute conditions. The course emphasizes safe, evidence-based strategies across the lifespan.
NRSG 461 Nursing Practice for Acute and Chronic Care
This clinical course applies acute and chronic care concepts in real-world settings. Students manage high-quality nursing care for patients with serious illness or injury and work collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams.
NRSG 406 Professional Development V: Care Management and Informatics in Healthcare Systems
Students examine care coordination, quality improvement, and use of health IT in modern healthcare systems. Topics include telehealth, transitional planning, and the nurse’s role in improving patient outcomes.
NRSG 412 Professional Development IV: Nursing Leadership and Transition to Practice
This course focuses on leadership development, team dynamics, conflict resolution, and self-care. Students prepare for the transition into professional nursing practice and explore strategies to support well-being and resilience.
NRSG 426 Nursing Concepts in Population Health
The course introduces public health concepts and tools to promote community health. Students learn to design nursing interventions using epidemiology and population-based assessments for special and diverse populations.
NRSG 427 Nursing Practice in Population Health
This clinical course allows students to apply population health principles in community-based settings. Emphasis is on using epidemiological tools and focused nursing processes to address the needs of diverse groups.
NRSG 431 Nursing Concepts in Psychiatric/Mental Health
Students gain foundational knowledge in the care of individuals with psychiatric and mental health disorders. The course addresses social, cultural, and environmental influences on mental well-being.
NRSG 432 Nursing Practice in Psychiatric/Mental Health
This clinical course focuses on care for individuals with acute and chronic mental illness. Students apply therapeutic communication and community-based strategies in mental health nursing practice.
NRSG 488 NCLEX Preparation
Students develop a customized study plan based on diagnostic test results to prepare for the NCLEX-RN exam. The course supports review of core nursing content and introduces strategies for Next-Gen NCLEX success.
NRSG 498 Professional Internship
In this final clinical experience, students work under supervision to deliver safe, high-quality nursing care. The internship emphasizes independence, leadership, and integration of nursing competencies in professional settings.
More detail is available in the Montana State ABSN catalog.
Clinicals and Learning Environment
Clinical training is a major part of the program, and MSU built the ABSN around campus-based cohorts to support local placement opportunities. Students are assigned to one of five campuses, which helps distribute clinical learning across Montana communities. The college is also expanding its physical footprint with new nursing buildings at all five locations, planned to include classrooms, simulation laboratories, and study areas that support hands-on training and team-based learning.
As part of the application and compliance process, students complete a background check and drug screen through Complio to support clinical eligibility before nursing coursework begins.
Tuition
The estimated resident tuition and fees for the 56-credit ABSN are about $28,806, based on current resident totals for 19 fall credits, 21 spring credits, and 16 summer credits. The estimated non-resident tuition and fees are about $57,467 using the current non-resident fee table for the same credit loads.
These estimates focus on tuition and mandatory fees and do not include housing, food, or other living costs. Because the university lists ABSN costs by term and credit load, actual totals can change if tuition or fees are updated by the Montana Board of Regents.
Confirm current figures via the official tuition page.