Last Updated: September 30, 2026
Program Overview
NAU’s 12-month second-degree BSN combines study at Phoenix’s North Valley campus with clinical coursework at sites throughout Arizona.
The Maria and Steve Sanghi College of Nursing offers an intensive, year-round Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing for students with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree. The nursing sequence spans three consecutive semesters, including summer, and includes online/blended coursework alongside in-person learning.
NAU currently lists North Valley for accelerated-program admissions, with fall, spring, and summer entry. Its nursing education emphasizes service to rural, Indigenous, and underserved communities. Students should plan for a full-time schedule and travel beyond the Phoenix area.
Admissions Requirements
Apply to NAU and submit a separate College of Nursing application. The accelerated pathway requires:
- A non-nursing bachelor’s degree from a regionally or CHEA-accredited institution, completed before the program begins.
- A minimum 3.0 GPA in prerequisite coursework.
- Unofficial transcripts from every college or university attended.
- No more than five prerequisite courses in progress when applying; complete them before starting.
- The proctored HESI A2 during the applicable admission cycle.
NAU describes ABSN enrollment as first-come, first-served and encourages early HESI completion. Its 2.0 university graduation GPA is a separate requirement, not the nursing admission threshold.
HESI A2
Submit the nursing application before arranging the exam. Eligible applicants receive registration instructions for ProctorU. NAU allows one attempt per application cycle and does not accept scores from previous cycles or other institutions.
The exam covers anatomy and physiology, grammar, reading comprehension, vocabulary/general knowledge, and mathematics. Learning-style and personality sections are also required but do not affect selection. See NAU’s nursing application instructions for the current process.
Application and Exam Windows
NAU publishes these windows for North Valley accelerated admissions:
| Entry term | Nursing application | HESI A2 |
|---|---|---|
Fall | June 1–July 8 | June 5–July 13 |
Spring | October 7–November 18 | October 11–November 22 |
Summer | February 10–March 24 | February 14–March 28 |
Check the application calendar for your intended intake before scheduling coursework or testing.
Prerequisites
The accelerated-program catalog lists 27 preprofessional credits:
| Subject | NAU courses | Credits |
|---|---|---|
Anatomy and physiology, with labs | BIO 201/201L and BIO 202/202L | 8 |
Microbiology, with lab | BIO 205/205L | 4 |
General pathology | BIO 320 | 3 |
Psychology and human development | PSY 101 and PSY 240 | 6 |
Human nutrition | NTS 135 or an advisor-approved course | 3 |
Statistics | STA 270 or PSY 230 | 3 |
For the accelerated pathway, the catalog lists BIO 320 — General Pathology. NAU’s separate general BSN plan lists BIO 320 or NUR 370; applicants who have taken NUR 370 should have a nursing advisor confirm whether it satisfies their accelerated-program requirements.
Preparatory Biology and Chemistry
The 27-credit subtotal above covers the accelerated major’s listed prerequisites. Additional preparation may be needed before taking those courses: NAU lists BIO 181 as a prerequisite for BIO 201 and BIO 205. BIO 205 also recommends CHM 130 or CHM 151; that chemistry recommendation is not a required item in the accelerated program’s 27-credit list.
NAU’s separate general BSN plan includes BIO 181 or CHM 130 with CHM 130L. Do not assume that chemistry option replaces BIO 181 for every accelerated applicant. Have a nursing advisor evaluate prior coursework and course-entry requirements; any additional preparatory courses can add time and cost beyond the listed 27 credits.
Because applicants already hold a bachelor’s degree, the accelerated catalog exempts them from NAU’s 35-credit liberal studies requirement. University residency rules still require at least 30 NAU credits, including 18 upper-division credits; transfer credit, credit-by-exam, and retro-credit do not satisfy that residency requirement.
Curriculum
The program comprises 52 nursing credits, following 27 prerequisite credits—79 credits across those two components. The prerequisites are not an additional 27 credits taken within the 12-month nursing sequence.
Courses progress from foundational skills to adult and family care, community health, and leadership. The following groups summarize the curriculum rather than assign courses to particular semesters.
Foundations, Assessment, and Professional Practice
- NUR 331 — Applied Pharmacology: medication actions, safe administration, and nursing responsibilities.
- NUR 336 — Foundations of Nursing and NUR 351 — Nursing as a Discipline and Profession: nursing practice, communication, ethics, and professional responsibilities.
- NUR 344 — Foundations Studio, NUR 346 — Nursing Health Assessment, and NUR 357L — Foundations of Nursing Clinical: skills practice, health histories, physical assessment, and introductory patient care.
Adult Health and Mental Health
- NUR 358 — Communication and Mental Health Nursing and NUR 358L — Communication and Mental Health Nursing Clinical: therapeutic communication and mental health care.
- NUR 359 — Concepts of Gerontology and Palliative Nursing Care: care of older adults, people approaching the end of life, and caregivers.
- NUR 361 — Adult Health Nursing Studio, NUR 380 — Adult Health Nursing Theory, and NUR 380L — Adult Health Nursing Practicum: advanced skills and care of adults with acute or chronic illness.
Families, Communities, and Evidence-Based Care
- NUR 453 — Nursing Care of Child-bearing Child-rearing Families and NUR 453L — Nursing Care of Women, Children and Families Practicum: maternal, infant, and child health, with simulation and patient-care experience.
- NUR 441 — Public Health and Community Nursing and NUR 441L — Public Health and Community Nursing Practicum: community assessment, prevention, and population health.
- NUR 340 — Research Applications to Nursing and Healthcare and NUR 424 — Nursing Informatics and Health Care Policy: research evaluation, information technology, and policy.
Leadership and Transition to Practice
- NUR 454 — Preceptorship: connects clinical learning with professional practice.
- NUR 450C — Nursing Leadership: connects clinical learning with leadership and fulfills the senior capstone requirement.
The 2026–27 accelerated BSN catalog links to individual course descriptions and requirements.
Clinical Experience and Attendance
Studio courses develop nursing skills, while clinical courses provide patient-care experience. Learning includes adult health, mental health, family care, public health, and a preceptorship. Simulation supports preparation for practice; it should not be confused with direct patient-care hours.
Clinical travel is a substantial planning consideration. NAU requires travel to sites throughout Arizona, with students paying their own transportation and lodging costs. Assignments may involve several weeks of attendance at statewide sites for three to five days per week.
NAU expects students to work no more than 16 hours weekly during the program and to avoid employment commitments for at least eight hours before classes or clinicals. The schedule requires advance planning for work, caregiving, transportation, and temporary accommodation.
Tuition and Costs
NAU’s published 2026–27 annual planning estimate is $12,000 in undergraduate tuition for Statewide and Online students. This is an academic-year planning figure, not total tuition for the three-semester, year-round ABSN. Summer tuition and applicable fees are additional. NAU determines bills by semester, campus, degree, residency classification, and enrolled credits.
The university’s 2026–27 tuition planning table separately lists $540 in mandatory fees and a $752 college-fee allowance for Statewide and Online students. These are general planning figures; college fees depend on the program. NAU’s fee policy also applies college fees during summer for specified 12-month nursing programs.
Use the semester tuition and fee calculator for the applicable campus, degree, and credit load in each term, including summer. A budget for the full ABSN must account for all three terms, any prerequisite study still needed, and nursing-related charges; the annual estimate alone does not do so. Tuition and fees may change during enrollment.
Budget separately for books, course materials, supplies, living expenses, and travel and lodging for clinical assignments. North Valley is a statewide campus, so Flagstaff resident, WUE, and nonresident estimates should not be substituted for its applicable charges.
Accreditation and NCLEX-RN
NAU’s baccalaureate nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The accelerated pathway prepares graduates to take the NCLEX-RN; passing the exam and meeting applicable licensure requirements are necessary to become a registered nurse.
For calendar year 2025, the Arizona Board of Nursing reported 81.42% first-time NCLEX-RN passage for NAU’s BS program: 276 of 339 candidates passed. This is the Board’s NAU BS reporting group, not a separately identified North Valley ABSN cohort. See the Board’s 2025 report, PDF page 37.
Other NAU Nursing Pathways
NAU also offers traditional and compressed BSN pathways, Associate-to-BSN and Concurrent Enrollment Program options, and an online RN-to-BSN for licensed nurses. The compressed pathway typically takes 16 months and is distinct from this 12-month second-degree program.
Graduate options include advanced-practice master’s tracks and post-master’s certificates in family and psychiatric mental health nursing. NAU’s graduate program directory currently states that the DNP is not accepting applications.