Program Overview
The program that invented the model — Saint Louis University’s Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing created the nation’s first accelerated BSN in 1971, and today runs a top-ranked, 12-month ABSN with a 97% first-time NCLEX pass rate, holistic admissions, and a low student-to-faculty clinical ratio.
Saint Louis University offers an Accelerated B.S.N. (A.B.S.N.) for students who already hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, delivered in an intensive three-semester structure that finishes in about 12 months. The major includes 53 credits with practice lab and clinical work, and the program mirrors the traditional four-year BSN while emphasizing early clinical integration and frequent faculty support.
SLU’s Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing created the accelerated B.S.N. program in 1971 — the first program of its kind in the United States — and remains a national leader in nursing education, with U.S. News ranking its four-year BSN in the top 7% of undergraduate nursing programs.
The school reports a 97% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate, uses a holistic admissions process, and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio in clinical courses.
A junior-entry pathway is available for current undergraduates with at least 71 transferable credits.
Accreditation & Outcomes
The baccalaureate, master’s, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs at Saint Louis University’s Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
The school is fully approved by the Missouri State Board of Nursing.
Saint Louis University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The school reports a 97% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate, and graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN.
ABSN Admission Summary
The admission process uses a holistic review that blends academic metrics with applicant attributes and experiences. Space can fill early, so early submission can reduce delays.
Eligibility and GPA
- Non-nursing applicants: completed baccalaureate or higher degree from a regionally accredited U.S. school (or international equivalent)
- Minimum GPA: 3.00 on a 4.0 scale in previous college work
- Holistic review applies when GPA is below 3.00 (community service, life experience, leadership, and related factors)
Junior-entry eligibility
- Current undergraduates with at least 71 transferable credits may be eligible
- Graduation minimum: 130 credits total for the A.B.S.N. degree path
Program entry limits
- Applicants with dismissal from prior nursing programs or unsuccessful completion in courses like pharmacology or pathophysiology can be ineligible
Application process (NursingCAS)
- Submit the application and fee in NursingCAS and select Saint Louis University
- Send all official transcripts to NursingCAS
- Upload a 1-2 page personal statement and one letter of recommendation (résumé/CV optional)
Review timing: Application review starts in August and continues weekly until the cohort fills; no fixed deadline is published.
Prerequisite Courses
Prerequisites must be completed before the program starts, with a minimum grade of C or higher.
- Chemistry (3 credits)
- Human Anatomy (3 credits)
- Human Physiology (3 credits)
- Microbiology (3 credits)
- Inferential and Descriptive Statistics (3 credits)
- Theology or Religion (3 credits)
- Philosophy (3 credits)
- Human Growth and Development / Developmental Psychology (3 credits)
- Social Behavioral Science (3 credits)
- English Composition II (3 credits)
- Oral Communication (3 credits)
- Fine Arts (3 credits)
- Any History, Literature, Politics, Geography, Philosophy, Religion, or Art (3 credits)
Human Anatomy and Human Physiology can substitute for A&P I and A&P II, but the plan requires one format or the other, not a mix.
Curriculum
The curriculum mirrors the traditional four-year BSN, emphasizing early integration of clinical experiences. Students take courses in adult health, pharmacology, leadership, mental health, maternal and child nursing, public health, and complex care.
NURS 2500 Clinical Concepts in Nursing Practice
Introduces foundational nursing concepts including ethics, legal issues, cultural awareness, and therapeutic communication. Emphasizes reflective practice, interprofessional collaboration, and patient safety using the nursing process.
NURS 2515 Health Promotion Across the Lifespan
Explores the nurse’s role in promoting wellness through nutrition, exercise, and stress management across the lifespan. Includes a practicum focused on developing long-term patient and family relationships.
NURS 2520 Foundations for Nursing Care
Covers evidence-based interventions, patient safety, and quality care using clinical judgment and therapeutic communication. Includes hands-on experience in simulated and real clinical settings.
NURS 3200 Health Assessment
Focuses on comprehensive physical and psychosocial assessments across the lifespan. Students practice systematic assessment techniques in lab environments.
NURS 3330 Pharmacotherapeutics for Nursing Care
Examines drug classifications, mechanisms, and nursing responsibilities in medication administration. Emphasizes safe, legal, and ethical pharmacologic care across clinical situations.
NURS 3360 Pathophysiology
Explores physiological changes related to illness across body systems. Emphasizes the impact of disease on physical and psychological function across the lifespan.
NURS 2705 Interprofessional Issues in Evidence Based Care
Enhances students’ ability to apply nursing research to clinical practice. Focuses on evaluating healthcare quality, cost, access, and evidence-based decision-making in interprofessional settings.
NURS 3375 Essentials Of Therapeutic Nutrition: A Nursing Approach
Covers nutritional interventions for various health conditions with a focus on age, culture, and fluid-electrolyte balance. Emphasizes prevention and management of nutritional disturbances.
NURS 3435 Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing
Addresses mental health care across the lifespan using therapeutic communication and the nursing process. Students work with individuals and groups in psychiatric settings.
NURS 3445 Public Health Nursing
Introduces principles of public health and community-based nursing care. Emphasizes prevention, education, and ethical practice in diverse population settings.
NURS 3565 Adult/Older Adult Health I
Focuses on acute health issues in adult and older adult populations. Emphasizes person-centered, evidence-based care in interprofessional environments.
NURS 3575 Adult/Older Adult Health II
Builds on prior coursework to address chronic conditions in adult and elderly patients. Promotes safe, effective, and culturally competent care strategies.
NURS 4105 Leadership and Management
Develops leadership skills in clinical settings, focusing on delegation, motivation, and process improvement. Highlights teamwork, technology, and cost-effective care delivery.
NURS 3485 Maternal/Neonatal Nursing
Covers nursing care during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Emphasizes family-centered, evidence-based care for mothers and newborns.
NURS 3495 Child Health Nursing
Examines growth, development, and nursing interventions for pediatric populations. Focuses on delivering holistic, family-centered care.
NURS 4305 Complex Care Theory
Prepares students to manage acute and chronic complex conditions using evidence-based interventions. Highlights ethical decision-making and palliative care.
NURS 4355 Complex Care Practicum
Provides a precepted clinical experience with complex patients in acute settings. Focuses on care coordination, clinical judgment, and interprofessional collaboration.
NURS 4405 Synthesis of Nursing Concepts
Prepares students for the NCLEX-RN with review of key content and testing strategies. Includes practice exams aligned with NCLEX standards.
More detail is available in the SLU accelerated nursing catalog.
Clinicals and Skills Training
The plan includes practice lab and clinical work across the 53-credit sequence, with clinical placements across a wide variety of settings through the Valentine School of Nursing’s many St. Louis-area clinical partners. The School of Nursing highlights state-of-the-art classrooms and clinical labs, hands-on instruction, and a low student-to-faculty ratio in all clinical courses.
Tuition
Saint Louis University lists the accelerated nursing tuition rate at $1,060 per credit.
For the 53-credit A.B.S.N. major, estimated tuition is approximately $56,180 (SLU’s own published estimate references 49 credits at $1,060, or about $51,940). Additional charges can apply, and this estimate reflects tuition only.
Because the exact billable credit count and rate can change, confirm current figures via the official tuition page.