Program Overview
The Second Degree Accelerated B.S.N. at Seton Hall University is a 14-month, 62-credit cohort program for students who already hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree. The curriculum runs across four consecutive semesters and follows a structured sequence.
The program reports a 97.4% NCLEX pass rate (2024).
Students complete clinical experiences across acute care, long-term care, ambulatory settings, hospice, and community agencies. Learning includes simulation, skills labs, and hands-on clinical practice.
Classes are offered in Freehold, N.J. (Fall and Spring starts) and in Nutley, N.J. at the Interprofessional Health Sciences Campus (Spring start only). Faculty include doctoral-prepared educators, and 90% of full-time faculty hold doctoral degrees.
ABSN Admission Summary
This program builds on a prior bachelor’s degree and compresses nursing education into an intensive 14-month format. Admission is competitive and requires strong academic performance.
Admission requirements include:
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution (or WES evaluation for international degrees)
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Official transcripts from all institutions attended
- Personal statement (500 words or fewer)
- Two letters of recommendation
- Resume (recommended but not required)
- TOEFL (if applicable) with minimum total score of 84 and required section scores
Applications are submitted through NursingCAS.
Deadlines:
- Spring 2026 (Freehold and Nutley): November 30, 2025
- Fall 2026 (Freehold only): May 1, 2026
Before clinical placement, accepted students must complete immunization records, background check, liability insurance, OSHA requirements, and CPR (BLS for Healthcare Professionals).
Prerequisite Courses
All prerequisites must be completed before admission. Science prerequisites must be taken within the last five years and require a grade of C+ or higher. Non-science prerequisites require a grade of C or higher.
Required prerequisites:
- Human Anatomy & Physiology I and II with labs (8 credits)
- Organic Chemistry with lab (4 credits)
- Microbiology with lab (4 credits)
- Nutrition (2 credits)
- Statistics (3 credits)
- Developmental Psychology (3 credits)
- Ethics (3 credits)
Curriculum
The 62-credit program includes coursework in nursing fundamentals, pathophysiology, pharmacology, health assessment, and specialized care for pediatric, geriatric, and maternal populations.
Fall/Semester 1
NUTH 1101 Professional Nursing Practice Foundations
Covers essential nursing principles, professional standards, and roles within modern healthcare settings, emphasizing foundational skills and knowledge for nursing practice.
NUTH 2003 Pathophysiology
Focuses on the physiological changes and disease processes affecting individuals across the lifespan, integrating concepts from anatomy, physiology, and chemistry.
NUTC 2011 Health Assessment
Teaches comprehensive health assessment skills, focusing on data collection, analysis, and critical thinking to identify health deviations and document findings accurately.
NUTH 3010 Pharmacology
Explores medication management and the nurse’s role in administering drugs, emphasizing safety, critical thinking, and understanding drug classifications and their effects.
NUTC 3113 Adult Nursing I
Introduces nursing care for clients with chronic conditions, using clinical experiences to develop skills in health promotion, disease prevention, and patient-centered interventions.
NUTC 2102 Nursing Therapeutics Recitation and Lab
Provides hands-on practice for therapeutic nursing skills, focusing on patient safety, assessment, and care interventions in simulated settings.
Spring/Semester 2
NUTH 1003 Sociocultural Determinants of Health and Healthcare
Examines the influence of social and cultural factors on health outcomes and healthcare delivery, emphasizing culturally competent nursing practice.
NUTH 3003 Research in Nursing
Introduces the research process in nursing, focusing on interpreting, evaluating, and applying research to evidence-based practice.
NUTH 3102 Gerontological Nursing
Focuses on the care of older adults, exploring aging-related changes, common health issues, and strategies for health promotion and restorative care.
NUTC 3815 Dimensions of Psychosocial Nursing
Covers the nursing care of clients with psychosocial conditions, integrating theories on person, culture, and health in clinical practice settings.
NUTC 3214 Adult Nursing II
Builds on prior coursework, focusing on advanced care techniques for adults with complex health conditions.
Summer/Semester 3
NUTC 3814 Maternal Newborn Nursing
Focuses on the care of childbearing families, covering normal and complex patterns in maternal, fetal, and newborn health, with clinical experiences in various settings.
NUTC 3816 Child and Family Nursing
Explores pediatric nursing within the family context, focusing on care for children from infancy through adolescence in diverse clinical settings.
NUTC 3917 Acute Adult Nursing
Covers nursing care for clients with acute conditions, emphasizing critical thinking and clinical skills to manage and improve patient health outcomes.
Fall/Semester 4
NUTC 4019 Synthesis Practicum and Seminar
Capstone clinical course for transitioning nursing students to professional practice, focusing on care management, delegation, and outcome evaluation in acute care settings.
NUTH 4001 Leadership, Management, and Trends in Nursing
Explores leadership and management skills essential for nursing, including current trends, professional development, and decision-making strategies in healthcare.
NUTC 4118 Community Health Perspectives
Applies community and public health principles, focusing on health promotion, risk prevention, and partnerships with community organizations.
NUTH 2002 Legal Aspects of Nursing
Reviews legal responsibilities and rights in nursing, emphasizing practical applications of legal concepts to ensure patient safety and nurse protection.
More information about the curriculum here.
Students gain practical experience through clinical rotations in hospitals, community health settings, and simulation labs, emphasizing evidence-based care and critical thinking.
Clinical Experience
Clinical education occurs throughout the program. Students rotate through hospitals, nursing homes, hospice settings, and community-based agencies. Simulation and skills labs reinforce clinical preparation.
Clinical placement sites are assigned, and students must meet compliance standards before beginning clinical coursework.
Tuition and Estimated Cost
Estimated tuition uses the published undergraduate flat rate of $26,075 per semester. Over four semesters, estimated tuition equals:
$26,075 × 4 = $104,300
Standard full-time university fees per semester total approximately:
- University Fee: $615
- Mobile Computing Fee: $335
- Technology Fee: $495
Total standard fees per semester: $1,445
Four semesters of fees: $5,780
Estimated total tuition + standard fees: $110,080–$112,800 (excluding housing, books, and personal expenses).
See the official tuition page for more details:
https://www.shu.edu/bursar/tuition-and-fees.html
Accreditation
The baccalaureate nursing program at Seton Hall University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The pre-licensure program also holds approval from the New Jersey Board of Nursing.
Accreditation confirms that the program meets national standards for professional nursing education and licensure preparation.