Memorial Sloan Kettering. NYU Langone. NewYork-Presbyterian × Two. Mount Sinai. Five World-Class Partners.
No other ABSN in New York names Memorial Sloan Kettering, NYU Langone Health, and two NewYork-Presbyterian campuses simultaneously as clinical partners.
University of Mount Saint Vincent’s Saint Joseph’s School of Nursing places students inside this constellation of institutions — five of the most recognized names in American healthcare — while also maintaining a named partnership with Saint Joseph’s Medical Center in Yonkers, where hybrid classes are available.
The Vincentian tradition behind the school’s 100+ year history in nursing education translates into a curriculum that explicitly integrates human dignity and compassionate care alongside clinical rigor.
Three start dates per year (January, May, September), no standardized test score requirement, four campus locations across New York City (Riverdale, Long Island City, Brooklyn, Yonkers), and a 3.0 GPA threshold make this program accessible to motivated career changers without sacrificing the clinical prestige of its hospital network.
ABSN Admission Summary
Admission is holistic — GPA is reviewed alongside the essay, letter of recommendation, and transcript evaluation. Extraordinary circumstances may be considered for applicants who fall slightly below the 3.0 GPA minimum. No standardized test scores are required.
Academic requirements:
- Prior bachelor’s degree (BA or BS) in any field from an approved institution
- Minimum 3.0 average overall undergraduate GPA
- B or better in all science prerequisite courses — must have been completed within the past 5 years
- C or better in non-science prerequisite courses
- All prerequisites completed before beginning the ABSN program
Reasons for non-admittance include:
- Missing application deadline
- Incomplete application
- GPA below 3.0 minimum
- Prerequisites not complete before program start
- Prior nursing program failure or dismissal without disclosure — applicants from prior nursing programs must disclose and submit a letter of good standing from the prior institution
Six required prerequisite courses:
Sciences — B or higher; within 5 years; lab required for each:
- General Chemistry (with lab)
- Anatomy and Physiology I (with lab)
- Anatomy and Physiology II (with lab)
- Microbiology (with lab)
- Psychology Across the Lifespan (with lab)
Non-science prerequisites — C or higher:
- English at the college level (college writing course)
- Mathematics at the college level (statistics or calculus)
Online prerequisites are reviewed on a case-by-case basis — contact your admission counselor before registering for any online prerequisite course to confirm eligibility. Prerequisites taken more than 5 years ago must be retaken.
Application materials:
- Complete the online application through UMSV’s online portal
- Submit one letter of recommendation
- Submit an essay on why you wish to pursue a career in nursing — submitted through the online application portal
- Submit transcripts from all colleges and universities attended — unofficial PDF copies accepted for initial review; official transcripts required for financial aid release and continued enrollment; send official transcripts to: Office of Admission, University of Mount Saint Vincent, 6301 Riverdale Avenue, Riverdale, NY 10471
- No standardized test scores required for domestic applicants
International and non-native English speaker requirements:
- Transcripts must be evaluated by WES or Globe Language Services
- Non-native English speakers must complete an interview with Saint Joseph’s School of Nursing faculty (Skype or in-person)
- TOEFL minimum: 80 | IELTS minimum: 6.5
Post-admission requirements (upon acceptance):
- Completed immunization form
- Consent for criminal background check
- Proof of CPR certification — American Heart Association BLS for Healthcare Providers or American Red Cross CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and Healthcare Providers
- Proof of First Aid Certification — American Heart Association or American Red Cross
- Health insurance documentation (or UMSV’s health insurance plan is billed automatically)
Interview: Not required for domestic applicants; required for non-native English speakers via Skype or in-person with School of Nursing faculty.
Curriculum
Sixty-one nursing credits are distributed across four consecutive semesters. Clinical lab components (designated with a “C” suffix) accompany every major clinical specialty course across all four semesters. The program’s largest single course — NURS 455 Senior Seminar (6 credits) in Semester 4 — serves as the capstone clinical transition to professional practice. A nursing elective in Semester 3 allows students to pursue a specialty area of interest.
Prerequisite Overview
Seven prerequisite courses — five sciences with labs (B or higher, within 5 years) and two non-sciences (C or higher). Online prerequisites reviewed case-by-case. See the admission summary for the full list.
Semester 1 (15 cr.) — entry semester:
NURS 208 – Pathophysiology (3 cr.) Examines disease mechanisms and their impact on normal body function across the lifespan — cellular, systemic, and organ-level disease processes providing the scientific foundation for all subsequent clinical specialty courses.
NURS 220 – Health Assessment (4 cr.) + NURS 220C – Health Assessment Lab (0 cr.) Develops comprehensive physical, psychological, social, and cultural assessment skills across the lifespan. Health Assessment Lab provides hands-on supervised practice of assessment techniques — the foundational clinical toolset applied in every subsequent clinical rotation.
NURS 230 – Fundamentals of Nursing Practice (6 cr.) + NURS 230C – Fundamentals of Nursing Practice Clinical (0 cr.) The highest-credit course in Semester 1 and the program’s primary foundational nursing course — introduces core nursing concepts, skills, and the nurse-patient relationship. Clinical component begins real patient care from the first semester. Covers essential nursing skills including head-to-toe assessment, wound care, IV placement, medication administration, and nasogastric intubation.
NURS 332 – Health Promotion (2 cr.) Covers principles of health promotion and disease prevention across the lifespan — social determinants of health, community-based health strategies, and the nurse’s role in promoting wellness at individual and population levels.
Semester 2 (15 cr.):
NURS 110 – Professional Nursing Issues (2 cr.) Examines contemporary issues shaping professional nursing practice — scope of practice, legal and ethical frameworks, professional identity, and the evolving role of the nurse in complex healthcare systems.
NURS 210 – Pharmacology (3 cr.) Drug classifications, mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, adverse effects, and safe medication administration across the lifespan — the pharmacological foundation applied throughout all subsequent clinical specialty courses.
NURS 327 – Adult Health Nursing (8 cr.) + NURS 327C – Adult Health Nursing Clinical (0 cr.) The highest-credit clinical course in the program — comprehensive nursing care of adult patients with acute and chronic medical-surgical conditions across the health-illness continuum. Clinical component provides extensive supervised adult health patient care at UMSV’s named partner institutions.
NURS 341 – Care of the Aging Adult (2 cr.) Nursing care of older adults — geriatric assessment, chronic disease management, functional independence, and the unique physiological and psychosocial needs of the aging population across care settings.
Semester 3 (14 cr.):
NURS 323 – Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice (3 cr.) Research processes, evidence appraisal, and evidence-based practice application — develops skills to evaluate research quality, integrate findings into clinical decision-making, and support quality improvement in nursing care.
NURS XXX – Nursing Elective — choice of NURS 330, 370, or 471 (3 cr.) Student-selected nursing elective allowing exploration of a specialty area of interest — three elective options provide focused content in areas aligned with individual career goals.
NURS 451 – Nursing Care of the Childbearing Family (4 cr.) + NURS 451C – Clinical (0 cr.) Perinatal nursing across the reproductive continuum — antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum care for childbearing families; newborn health and family-centered maternity nursing. Clinical component in obstetric settings at UMSV’s partner institutions.
NURS 453 – Nursing Care of the Childrearing Family (4 cr.) + NURS 453C – Clinical (0 cr.) Pediatric nursing across developmental stages from infancy through adolescence — family-centered care, developmental health promotion, and nursing management of pediatric conditions. Clinical in pediatric settings.
Semester 4 (17 cr.) — capstone semester:
NURS 334 – Behavioral Health in Nursing (4 cr.) + NURS 334C – Clinical (0 cr.) Nursing care for patients with mental and behavioral health conditions — therapeutic communication, evidence-based psychiatric nursing interventions, and collaborative care with behavioral health teams. Clinical in mental health settings.
NURS 410 – Leadership and Management (3 cr.) Nursing leadership theory, management principles, quality improvement, delegation, and interprofessional collaboration — prepares graduates for leadership roles in complex healthcare organizations from day one of professional practice.
NURS 455 – Senior Seminar (6 cr.) + NURS 455C – Senior Seminar Practicum (0 cr.) The program’s capstone course and highest-credit final semester course — integrates all prior nursing knowledge into a comprehensive transition-to-practice experience. Clinical practicum develops near-independent nursing practice under expert preceptor guidance in advanced settings. Prepares graduates for NCLEX-RN and professional nursing entry.
NURS 456 – Nursing Care of the Community (4 cr.) + NURS 456C – Clinical (0 cr.) Population health nursing, public health frameworks, social determinants of health, and community-based care — students apply nursing process to diverse communities in community settings. Clinical component in community and public health settings across New York City.
More curriculum details available through UMSV admissions: 6301 Riverdale Avenue, Riverdale, NY 10471.
Clinicals
Clinical rotations begin in Semester 1 — NURS 230C (Fundamentals Clinical) places students in real patient care settings in the opening weeks — and run through all four semesters. Every major specialty course carries a corresponding clinical section (C designation) running simultaneously with theory.
Five named world-class clinical partners:
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center — one of the world’s premier cancer treatment and research institutions; oncology clinical exposure
- Mount Sinai Hospital — major academic medical center on the Upper East Side; broad clinical specialty access
- NYU Langone Health — one of the nation’s top-ranked health systems; multiple facilities across New York City
- NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center — academic medical center affiliated with Weill Cornell Medicine on the Upper East Side
- NewYork-Presbyterian Columbia University Irving Medical Center — academic medical center affiliated with Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons; Washington Heights
Saint Joseph’s Medical Center partnership (2023):
Named institutional partnership between UMSV and Saint Joseph’s Medical Center in Yonkers — students at the Yonkers location have clinical access to Saint Joseph’s and hybrid class options available at this site.
Clinical specialties covered across all four semesters:
- Adult health and medical-surgical nursing (NURS 327C — the most extensive single clinical course)
- Fundamentals and basic patient care (Semester 1)
- Obstetrics and childbearing family (NURS 451C)
- Pediatrics and childrearing family (NURS 453C)
- Behavioral/mental health (NURS 334C)
- Community and population health (NURS 456C)
- Senior Seminar Practicum capstone (NURS 455C)
Four campus locations:
- Riverdale (main campus) — 6301 Riverdale Avenue, Bronx/Riverdale neighborhood
- Long Island City / Queens — Queens campus location
- Brooklyn — Brooklyn campus location
- Yonkers — Saint Joseph’s Medical Center partnership site; hybrid classes available
Employment outcomes: 90%+ of baccalaureate nursing graduates launched into nursing careers within one year of graduation — a result of the named clinical network and New York City healthcare market proximity.
Skills and simulation labs: High-tech medical manikins capable of mimicking heartbeats, allergic reactions, and a range of physiological conditions; hospital-grade equipment in mock clinical settings; faculty-guided debriefing after every simulation; labs open to students for additional practice outside scheduled hours.
Tuition
Estimated total program cost: ~$75,100–$75,400 (4 terms)
UMSV charges a flat-rate per-term tuition for the ABSN program, applicable to cohorts starting in academic years 2024-2025 through 2026-2027.
| Component | Per Term | × 4 Terms | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
Full-time tuition | $16,900 | 4 | $67,600 |
Nursing Program Fee (eff. Summer 2025) | $1,125 | 4 | $4,500 |
Technology Fee (eff. Summer 2026) | $400 | 4 | $1,600 |
Academic Service Fee (eff. Summer 2026) | $350 | 4 | $1,400 |
Subtotal per term / total | $18,775 | 4 | $75,100 |
Graduation fee | 1 | $300 | |
Estimated program total | ~$75,400 |
Additional fees:
- Maintenance of Matriculation: $100/term if applicable
- Parking Permit: $140/term or $240/year
- Health Insurance: Rate TBD by carrier annually; waived with proof of existing coverage
- Housing (Riverdale campus): $1,250/month (excludes meals; new annual rental agreements effective June 1, 2025)
- Meal Plan: $310/term (effective Summer 2026)
Financial aid:
- Federal Aid: grants, loans, and work-study via FAFSA (FAFSA college code: 002703)
- New York State Aid: grants, loans, and HEOP for eligible students
- Yellow Ribbon Program: UMSV participates — U.S. military service members and veterans may receive tuition funding assistance through the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon provision
At approximately $75,400, UMSV is priced comparably to the upper range of NYC-area private ABSNs — slightly above D’Youville (~$72,000–$75,000) and comparable to Mount Sinai Phillips ($63,021 before fees). The five named Tier 1 clinical partners, 90%+ employment rate, and four NYC campus locations across multiple boroughs are the primary value differentiators at this price point.
See the official tuition page for program cost details .
Accreditation
The baccalaureate and master’s nursing programs at the University of Mount Saint Vincent are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
The ABSN programs in Riverdale and Queens are approved by the New York State Education Department (NYSED).
The University of Mount Saint Vincent is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE.
Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN licensure examination in any state; students pursuing licensure outside New York should confirm state-specific requirements with the applicable Board of Nursing.