Last Updated: October 1, 2026
Program Overview
A Jesuit, clinically focused accelerated BSN that builds in three graduate-level nursing courses — giving students a head start on a future MSN while completing the degree in just 12 months.
Regis University’s Accelerated BSN lets second-degree students earn a BSN in 12 months through an on-campus, Monday–Friday schedule, with cohorts starting in January and May. The curriculum includes three graduate-level courses that can support later graduate study; applicability to a future degree depends on that program’s policies.
Students complete 750+ clinical hours across the Denver metro with a 180-hour precepted capstone.
The Loretto Heights School of Nursing integrates clinical preparation, simulation and Jesuit values into the degree.
The program is full-time and fast-paced, blending classroom, skills lab, simulation, and diverse clinical rotations, and it does not require the GRE, HESI, or TEAS.
Accreditation
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs at Regis University’s Loretto Heights School of Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Regis University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN.
Admissions
Admission is competitive — Regis receives 250-350 applications per term and admits 54 students for the May start and 102 for the January start, with no waitlist (competitive alternates are selected). Requirements:
- Previously earned non-nursing bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution
- GPA: The program admissions FAQ lists a 2.75 minimum cumulative GPA. The 2026–27 catalog’s accelerated-admission section lists 3.0 cumulative and 3.0 prerequisite science GPAs. Applicants near either threshold should obtain confirmation of the standard for their entering cohort before applying.
- At least three of the four science prerequisites completed by the application deadline; all prerequisites completed before the program starts
- C− or better in all prerequisite courses
- No GRE, HESI, or TEAS required
- TOEFL if English is not the first language (a prior U.S. degree exempts)
Applications are submitted entirely through NursingCAS (no supplemental application) with official transcripts, a resume, an essay, and two professional or academic recommendations. After acceptance: background check, drug screen, immunizations, AHA BLS certification, and the ability to meet Colorado Nurse Practice Act standards. Full-time employment is strongly discouraged given the schedule. Application timelines: opens Feb 15, deadline June 15 for the January start; opens Aug 25, deadline Dec 1 for the May start.
Prerequisite Courses
The current accelerated catalog and transfer guide list these foundations, normally satisfied through accepted prior study:
- Microbiology with lab: 4 credits.
- Human anatomy with lab: 4 credits.
- Human physiology with lab: 4 credits.
- Chemistry for health-related sciences with lab: 4 credits.
- Statistics: 3 credits; nutrition: 3 credits.
- Religious studies: 3 credits, plus accepted credits from the previous bachelor’s degree.
At least three of the four sciences must be finished by the application deadline; all remaining prerequisites must be complete before enrollment. The program FAQ accepts combined anatomy/physiology sequences with labs and describes a C− prerequisite minimum, while the catalog has stricter grade wording. The FAQ also discusses a health care ethics course and a Regis ethics module for outside equivalents; request an individual transcript evaluation to establish what remains for your cohort.
Regis accepts qualifying online science courses from accredited colleges, but excludes Sofia Learning, Straighterline and Portage. Its current transfer guidance says sciences must be within 10 years; another FAQ recommends seven years and describes case-by-case consideration. Have older coursework evaluated before enrolling in replacements.
Curriculum
The accelerated curriculum requires 64 Regis nursing credits and progresses from assessment, pathophysiology and pharmacology into specialty nursing and a clinical capstone. The 120-credit degree also incorporates accepted prior coursework; students do not retake all 120 credits.
Required Courses and Credits
Foundations and clinical reasoning (23 credits)
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NR 412 — Pathophysiology | 3 | Introduces altered physiologic processes from gene to organ system. Builds a systems view of disease to support early clinical reasoning. |
NR 413 — Pharmacology | 3 | Covers pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and major drug classes by body system. Stresses safe use, interactions, contraindications, and patient teaching across the lifespan. |
NR 414 — Health Assessment Across the Lifespan | 3 | Teaches history taking and physical exam skills with a holistic lens. Students collect, document, and interpret findings for safe, person-centered care. |
NR 416 — Foundations of Professional Nursing Practice | 4 | Introduces the nursing process, clinical judgment, core skills, and therapeutic communication. Simulation prepares students for safe entry into clinical settings and professional standards. |
NR 421 — Clinical Reasoning and Judgment | 3 | Uses problem-based cases to integrate pathophysiology, pharmacology, assessment, and ethics. Students analyze scenarios and prioritize evidence-based actions. |
NR 455 — Health Promotion, Disease Prevention, Policy & Nursing Practice | 3 | Applies health promotion planning from individual to population levels. Reviews policy, equity, and advocacy impacts on outcomes in the U.S. and globally. |
NR 462 — Intro to Managing Health Care: Adult/Older Adult | 4 | Begins clinical management of adults in long-term care, linking pathophysiology, pharmacology, and evidence. Emphasizes fundamentals, prioritization, and role development. |
Specialty practice and clinical capstone (32 credits)
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NR 463 — Comprehensive Health Care: Adult/Older Adult I | 5 | Advances use of the nursing process for adults with health alterations. Builds organization, priority setting, and comprehensive care in class, lab, and clinical. |
NR 464 — Complex Health Care Management: Adult/Older Adult II | 5 | Focuses on coordination and leadership for complex adult care. Strengthens clinical reasoning, interprofessional collaboration, and family-centered management. |
NR 465 — Childbearing Families & Reproductive Health | 5 | Covers evidence-based care from preconception through postpartum and newborn periods. Integrates physiologic, psychosocial, and ethical considerations in theory and clinical. |
NR 470 — Nursing Care of Children & Families | 4 | Delivers pediatric care across development stages with quality and safety frameworks. Includes health promotion, communication strategies, and policy influences on care. |
NR 472 — Community & Population-Focused Nursing | 4 | Applies public health, epidemiology, and environmental principles to community practice. Students conduct assessments, plan programs, teach, and serve vulnerable groups. |
NR 473 — Mental Health Nursing | 4 | Develops therapeutic communication and care for mental health conditions in acute and community settings. Emphasizes promotion, prevention, and standards-based practice across the lifespan. |
NR 483 — Clinical Capstone: Professional Nursing Practicum | 5 | Culminating precepted experience integrating leadership and direct patient care. Aligns with ANA Standards and AACN Essentials to support transition to practice. |
Graduate-level nursing courses (9 credits)
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NR 600A — Theoretical Frameworks, Leadership, and Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 | Examines nursing and related theories and their use in practice, research, education, and management. Links leadership and service learning to contemporary care for diverse populations. |
NR 602A — Advanced Applications of Research for Evidence-Based Practice | 3 | Compares quantitative and qualitative methods and ethics. Guides appraisal and translation of evidence for clinical improvement. |
NR 620A — Health Care Organizations/Systems Leadership | 3 | Analyzes delivery models, quality improvement, safety, and regulatory demands. Introduces informatics and performance data to drive better outcomes. |
NR 600A, NR 602A and NR 620A are the embedded graduate-level courses. The accelerated degree requirements list all 64 nursing credits; courses are grouped here by subject.
Clinical Training
Students complete 750+ hours in hospitals and health facilities across the Denver metro — from Longmont United and Boulder Community in the north to Sky Ridge Medical Center and Parker Adventist in the south. Most clinicals run weekdays (some evenings/weekends), typically with a 1:5 preceptor-to-student ratio. The final 180 hours are one-on-one or small-ratio (1:1 to 1:3) precepted experiences. Simulation augments clinical learning through high-fidelity manikins, skills labs, and interprofessional scenarios.
Tuition
Estimated tuition is $38,336: 64 nursing credits × $599 per credit, the program’s published rate for both 2026 and 2027. Prerequisite courses and other expenses are separate.
The 2026–27 ABSN/CHOICE fee schedule lists:
- Nursing lab fee: $300 charged twice, totaling $600.
- Clinical placement fee: $300.
- My Clinical Exchange: $39.50 annually; Complio/compliance: $38.99 annually.
- Background check and drug screen: $57; regulatory training: $20 plus tax.
- NursingCAS application: $70; BLS, vaccinations, physical examination and insurance: variable.
Those listed fixed amounts total $1,125.49 plus tax, assuming one annual cycle for the compliance services. They exclude health insurance, books, supplies, living costs and any renewal or make-up charges. Clinical/virtual-simulation make-ups are listed at $500 when needed, and skills/simulation lab make-ups at $150 per hour.
Financial aid for second-degree students is commonly loan-based. Actual charges depend on enrollment and fee changes; $38,336 is a tuition estimate, not an all-inclusive price.
Related Programs
Beyond the Accelerated BSN, Regis offers a Traditional BSN (on-campus), a CHOICE BSN (evening/weekend-friendly for working healthcare professionals), MSN options (Leadership, FNP, NNP, PMHNP), a DNP, post-graduate NP certificates, and other nursing certificates.