$25,000. Fifteen Months. Rural Healthcare Focus Built In.
Tennessee Tech puts its ABSN’s total cost of attendance at roughly $25,000 — an estimate that includes in-state tuition, fees, and incidental expenses like textbooks and scrubs. That number is lower than nearly every program in this review, including other Tennessee public universities, and it’s published directly by the institution rather than requiring tuition math.
The 15-month program starts each May through a Maymester launch and runs four consecutive semesters — including two summers — graduating students the following August.
Tennessee Tech’s nursing program is built around a specific mission: meeting the health needs of rural and semi-rural communities, which shapes both the clinical emphasis and the patient populations students work with throughout the program.
Enrollment is limited, admission is competitive, and applications close in October each year.
ABSN Admission Summary
Admission is competitive with a single annual cohort and a firm October application deadline. The selection process evaluates the whole academic record — not just GPA alone — with particular attention to science course performance and HESI A2 scores. No minimum GPA threshold is published, which means the competitive bar is determined by the applicant pool each cycle.
Eligibility requirements:
- Completed bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution — must be in hand before applying
- All science prerequisites completed within the past 10 years with a grade of C or better
- HESI A2 admission exam score required — specific minimum not published; competitive scores strengthen the application
- American History coursework required if not completed in the previous degree — must be done before starting BSN courses
Science prerequisite coursework — all must be complete before enrollment:
- Chemistry (CHEM 1010 Introductory Chemistry, or CHEM 1110 General Chemistry I, or CHEM 1210 Chemistry for Life Sciences)
- Human Anatomy & Physiology I with lab (BIOL 2010)
- Human Anatomy & Physiology II with lab (BIOL 2020)
- Health Science Microbiology (BIOL 3230)
Additional general education requirements that may apply depending on prior degree:
- English Composition I & II (ENGL 1010 / 1020)
- American History I & II (HIST 2010 / 2020) — required if not in prior degree
- Introduction to Psychology (PSY 1030)
- Nutrition (HEC 2020)
- Statistics (MATH 1530)
- Literature elective (6 cr. humanities/fine arts)
- Communication (COMM 2025 or PC 2500)
- Social/Behavioral Science elective (3 cr.)
General education courses are waived for prior degree holders — but science prerequisites and American History are not waived and must be verified regardless of prior coursework.
Application process:
- Apply to Tennessee Tech University as an undergraduate Nursing student through tntech.edu/admissions
- Complete the separate ABSN application at tntech.edu/nursing — available August through October each year
- Submit official transcripts demonstrating prior degree completion and science prerequisite grades
- Submit HESI A2 scores
Financial aid note: Financial aid awards for nursing and second-degree students post earlier than most applicants realize — TTU recommends applying for aid by December of the year prior to the intended May start.
Curriculum
Sixty-three nursing credit hours are distributed across four consecutive semesters — Maymester start, Fall, Spring, and a second Maymester/Summer — with each semester subdivided into intercession, first-term, second-term, and full-term course slots. This granular scheduling allows more courses to run simultaneously without semester-long overlap, keeping the timeline tight.
Prerequisite Overview
All science prerequisites must be completed with C or better, within 10 years, before the program begins. American History must also be complete if not included in the prior degree. See the admission summary above for the full list.
Four-semester nursing sequence (63 credit hours):
Summer 1 — Maymester + Two Terms (16 cr.)
NURS 4010 – Gerontological Nursing for the ABSN Student (2 cr.) — Maymester Examines physical and psychosocial factors affecting nursing care for older adults. Focuses on assessing and addressing the unique health challenges of aging populations.
NURS 3260/3261 – Health Assessment/Promotion + Lab (3 cr.) — First Term Introduces comprehensive health assessment through history-taking and physical examination, emphasizing critical thinking in collecting patient data. Lab provides hands-on experience integrating theoretical knowledge with practical psychomotor skills.
NURS 3270/3271 – Fundamentals of Nursing + Lab (3 cr.) — First Term Covers foundational nursing concepts, principles, and skills using the nursing process as a framework for clinical decision-making. Lab develops basic clinical skills and enhances critical thinking in hands-on settings.
NURS 3320/3321 – Community Health Nursing for the ABSN Student + Clinical (6 cr.) — Second Term Explores the nursing needs of individuals, families, and communities, focusing on health promotion, disease prevention, and population-based care. Clinical component provides hands-on experience organizing and delivering care in diverse community-based settings.
NURS 3345 – Pathophysiological Processes I for the ABSN Student (2 cr.) — Full Term Explores disease processes and physiological disruptions in human health, emphasizing pathophysiological principles as a foundation for nursing interventions.
Fall (15 cr.)
NURS 3310/3311 – Mental Health Nursing for the ABSN Student + Clinical (5 cr.) Focuses on psychiatric nursing care, mental illness, and stress responses, emphasizing therapeutic communication and the nursing process. Clinical component applies critical thinking in inpatient, outpatient, and community mental health settings.
NURS 3340/3341 – Medical/Surgical Nursing I for the ABSN Student + Clinical (7 cr.) Introduces nursing care for patients with acute and chronic medical conditions, covering nursing theories, pathophysiology, and psychosocial aspects of care. Clinical component provides practical training emphasizing ethical, legal, and collaborative responsibilities in acute care settings.
NURS 3245 – Pharmacology in Nursing I for the ABSN Student (3 cr.) Introduces drug classifications, mechanisms of action, and medication management. Covers test-taking strategies and experiential learning activities.
Spring (15 cr.)
NURS 3440/3441 – Medical/Surgical Nursing II for the ABSN Student + Clinical (7 cr.) Continues the study of medical-surgical nursing care, focusing on complex patient conditions, advanced nursing interventions, and patient-centered care. Clinical component reinforces nursing skills, ethical considerations, and interprofessional collaboration.
NURS 4260 – Women’s Health, Perinatal Care and Nursing Care of Children (5 cr.) Covers nursing care for women, newborns, and children, integrating knowledge of growth, development, family dynamics, and cultural influences.
NURS 4345 – Pathological Processes and Pharmacological Concepts II (3 cr.) Examines disease processes and pharmacological interventions, focusing on physiological adaptations, medication effects, and disease prevention.
Summer 2 — Maymester + Two Terms + Full Term (17 cr.)
NURS 4201 – Women’s Health & Perinatal Nursing for the ABSN Student: Clinical (2 cr.) — Maymester Provides clinical experience in perinatal and maternal nursing care, emphasizing the nursing process in supporting women and families.
NURS 4300 – Research in Health Care (3 cr.) — Maymester
NURS 4550 – Critical Care Nursing (2 cr.) — First Term Introduces nursing care for critically ill patients, covering advanced therapeutic interventions, ethical considerations, and communication in high-acuity settings.
NURS 4750 – Leadership and Management for the ABSN Student (3 cr.) — Second Term Introduces leadership and management concepts in nursing and prepares students for transition into professional nursing roles.
NURS 4460 – Preparation for Licensure (1 cr.) — Full Term Prepares students for success on the NCLEX-RN exam, covering test-taking strategies and key nursing concepts.
NURS 4600 – Lifespan Clinical Immersion (6 cr.) — Full Term Provides immersive clinical experience across pediatric, adult, and geriatric populations, focusing on complex patient care, leadership, and professional development.
The Lifespan Clinical Immersion (NURS 4600, 6 cr.) runs the full length of the second summer term — the program’s largest and most intensive single clinical course, serving as the capstone clinical experience before graduation. Preparation for Licensure (NURS 4460) runs concurrently, keeping NCLEX readiness integrated into the final weeks of the program rather than treating it as a post-graduation activity.
More curriculum details available in the course catalog: Tennessee Tech ABSN Catalog
Clinicals
Clinical practice begins in the first summer with Community Health Nursing’s clinical component (3 credits in the second summer term) and escalates steadily — reaching its peak with the 6-credit Lifespan Clinical Immersion in the final summer. TTU’s rural healthcare mission directly shapes clinical placement emphasis — students gain exposure to the patient populations and practice settings characteristic of rural and semi-rural Tennessee communities.
- Clinical start: Summer 1, Second Term — Community Health Nursing clinical runs within the first few weeks of the program
- Clinical progression: Community health → mental health → medical-surgical I and II → women’s/perinatal → critical care → leadership → Lifespan Clinical Immersion capstone
- Capstone clinical (NURS 4600): 6-credit Lifespan Clinical Immersion runs the full final summer term — the heaviest single clinical block in the program and the culminating real-world experience before graduation
- Specialties covered: Gerontology, community health, mental health, medical-surgical I and II, women’s health and perinatal care, pediatrics, critical care, and leadership
- Rural healthcare emphasis: TTU explicitly frames its nursing curriculum around the health needs of rural and semi-rural communities — clinical placements and case exposure reflect this focus throughout the program
- Clinical partners: Specific named facilities not published in available materials — contact the Whitson-Hester School of Nursing at 931-372-3203 or tntech.edu/nursing for current clinical affiliate information
Tuition
Estimated total program cost: ~$25,000
Tennessee Tech publishes its own total cost-of-attendance estimate for the ABSN — $25,000 for in-state students including tuition, fees, and incidental expenses such as textbooks and scrubs. This is one of the rare programs that provides a transparent, program-specific all-in estimate rather than requiring prospective students to calculate it themselves.
| Component | Est. Cost |
|---|---|
In-state tuition + fees (per semester) | ~$5,963 full-time |
× 4 semesters (approx.) | ~$23,852 |
Textbooks, scrubs, incidentals | Included in TTU’s $25K estimate |
TTU’s published all-in estimate | ~$25,000 |
Tennessee Tech uses a flat-rate tuition model — students pay for up to 12 credit hours per semester, and any hours beyond 12 are free. This benefits ABSN students whose semesters exceed 12 credits (Fall and Spring both carry 15 credits; Summer 2 carries 17 credits) — the excess credits above 12 are not billed, which is a meaningful cost advantage for credit-heavy terms.
At ~$25,000 total, Tennessee Tech is the lowest-cost second-degree BSN program in this review — less than half of most comparable programs and roughly $2,500 less than even ETSU (~$27,485). Financial aid is available and recommended; TTU emphasizes that FAFSA should be completed by December for the following May start, as second-degree student financial aid awards post earlier than many applicants expect.
See the official tuition page for more details: Tennessee Tech Paying for College
Accreditation
Accreditation status for the Whitson-Hester School of Nursing’s BSN program is not explicitly stated in available materials — prospective students should confirm CCNE or ACEN status directly with the school at nursing@tntech.edu or 931-372-3203. Tennessee Tech is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Graduates are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN, though the school notes it cannot guarantee licensure eligibility outside Tennessee — applicants planning to practice in another state should verify requirements with that state’s Board of Nursing before enrolling.