Program Overview
The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing offers an Accelerated Second Degree BSN for students who already earned a bachelor’s degree in arts or science. The program can be completed in three consecutive semesters over 12 months.
Coursework is delivered in a structured online format, while clinical learning takes place with preceptor-based instruction and faculty oversight. Students may complete clinical experiences in Abilene, Amarillo, Austin, Dallas, Lubbock, Permian Basin, or San Antonio. This regional model gives students access to supervised practice closer to their assigned community site.
The program requires 61 nursing credit hours, which build on 55 lower-division prerequisite credits, for a total of 116 credits.
TTUHSC School of Nursing also holds notable recognition as an NLN Center of Excellence in Nursing Education.
ABSN Admission Summary
The TTUHSC Second Degree BSN uses a holistic admissions process. The school reviews academic record, science performance, readiness for nursing, work history, and non-academic strengths rather than relying on one factor alone.
Admission Requirements
- Prior BA or BS degree from an accredited college or university
- Minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA
- Minimum 2.5 science GPA
- Preference for applicants with 3.0 or higher overall and in science coursework
- Completion of 55 semester credit hours of prerequisite and core coursework
- At least 40 prerequisite credits completed at the time of application
- At least 3 of the 5 science prerequisites completed by the application deadline
- All prerequisites completed with a grade of C or better before the first day of class
- Completion of a medical terminology course before the program begins
- Completion of CNA training before the first day of class
- BLS for Healthcare Providers certification through the American Heart Association or American Red Cross before the first day of class
- Applicants must be 18 years of age or older by the application deadline
- Interview required, along with a written or recorded essay component for selected applicants
- One-page resume required
- Criminal background clearance required before matriculation
- BON Blue Card or Outcomes Letter with No Stipulations required for matriculation
- International students with F1 or F2 status are not eligible for this online program
Application Process and Deadline
Students apply for spring admission only. The application opens on May 1 and closes on July 15. All materials must be complete by the deadline. The school states that applicants have the same chance of review whether they apply early or later within the open period.
Offers are typically made about eight weeks after the deadline. Accepted students must submit a $175 nonrefundable placement guarantee/orientation fee to secure their seat.
Transfer Credit
TTUHSC reviews official transcripts from all previously attended institutions. Equivalent non-nursing coursework may count if it meets program standards. A maximum of 15 credits by examination may be used for prerequisites. Pass/fail grades are not accepted for degree requirements, except in limited military-related cases noted by the school.
Curriculum
The curriculum includes foundational courses such as Health Promotion, Mental Health Nursing, and Pharmacological Concepts, as well as hands-on experiential learning. These courses are delivered through a mix of online and in-person formats, ensuring flexibility and real-world training.
Semester 1
NURS 3213 – Evidence-Based Nursing Concepts
Introduces evidence-based practice and basic research process principles with emphasis on generating, synthesizing, translating, applying, and disseminating nursing knowledge to improve health and transform healthcare. Provides foundational understanding of research utilization in nursing practice with 2 credit hours and no prerequisites.
NURS 3327 – Health Promotion Concepts
Introduces health promotion and maintenance concepts across the lifespan to establish holistic, individualized, developmentally appropriate person-centered care. Focuses on physiologic changes, maintaining functional capacity, and healthcare access with respect for diversity, differences, preferences, values, needs, resources, and health determinants. Emphasizes foundational concepts for quality of life improvement through wellness assessment, advocacy, and education for risk reduction and disease prevention with 3 credit hours.
NURS 3415 – Pharmacological Concepts
Introduces pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacogenetics principles in promoting, maintaining, and restoring wellness. Emphasizes drug classification knowledge required for nursing practice with legal, ethical, cultural, and lifespan implications exploration. Focuses on safe medication administration, dosage calculation, client monitoring, and education with knowledge applied in NURS 3610 Experiential Learning I with 4 credit hours.
NURS 3555 – Fundamental Nursing Concepts
Introduces nursing foundations as systems-based practice for providing safe, quality, equitable care to diverse populations. Explores evidence-based practice, health assessment skills, communication, and select nursing skills using standards of nursing care and professional nursing role introduction. Introduces clinical reasoning as foundational basis for patient-centered care recognizing patient uniqueness and commonalities. Knowledge applied in NURS 3610 Experiential Learning I with 5 credit hours.
NURS 4323 – Child Health Nursing Concepts
Emphasizes child health concepts for safe delivery of evidence-based nursing care with focus on growth and development, health promotion, health alterations, nursing role, and interprofessional team coordination. Knowledge applied and evaluated in NURS 4615 Experiential Learning III with 3 credit hours.
NURS 3610 – Experiential Learning I
Introduces application of foundational knowledge, skills, and values central to evidence-based professional nursing. Integrates knowledge from foundational concepts, health promotion, and pharmacology for evidence-based person-centered care delivery. Includes select nursing skills, health assessment, medication administration, and professional nursing care standards. Applied in simulation and clinical settings for nursing skill competency mastery with various simulation fidelity levels and formative/summative examinations with 6 credit hours.
Semester 2
NURS 3328 – Mental Health Nursing Concepts
Emphasizes mental health concepts including altered states and pathological processes associated with mental health disorders. Focuses on person-centered care approaches to promote optimal mental health for patients, families, and important others experiencing varying mental health states using evidence-based standards. Knowledge applied in NURS 4715 Experiential Learning II with 3 credit hours.
NURS 3335 – Perinatal Nursing Concepts
Emphasizes perinatal nursing concepts for safe delivery of evidence-based care to childbearing families throughout antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum, and newborn experiences. Knowledge applied and evaluated in clinical and simulation settings through NURS 4715 Experiential Learning II with 3 credit hours.
NURS 3338 – Community and Public Health Nursing Concepts
Emphasizes community and public health concepts essential for professional nursing practice including epidemiology, disease transmission, comprehensive risk factor assessment, health problems, program planning, intervention, environmental health, interprofessional collaboration, health promotion, and disease prevention. Emphasizes patient-centered care and ethics with knowledge applied in NURS 4715 Experiential Learning II with 3 credit hours.
NURS 4515 – Advanced Nursing Concepts
Emphasizes chronic care nursing concepts essential for professional nursing practice in various settings with special focus on aging, health promotion, disease prevention, genetics, and illness management concepts. Develops clinical judgment, reasoning, and select nursing skills in evidence-based chronic care context. Knowledge applied in NURS 4715 Experiential Learning II with 5 credit hours.
NURS 4715 – Experiential Learning II
Develops clinical judgment and reasoning through therapeutic nursing skill concept integration essential for professional nursing practice in various settings. Integrates knowledge from advanced concepts, community health, mental health, and perinatal nursing for evidence-based person-centered care delivery. Applied in simulation and clinical settings for nursing skill competency mastery with various simulation fidelity levels and formative/summative examinations with 7 credit hours.
Semester 3
NURS 4321 – Leadership Concepts in Nursing
Focuses on responding to and leading within complex healthcare systems with emphasis on nurse’s role as leader, manager, and interprofessional team member. Explores quality and process improvement, conflict resolution, care coordination, and related concepts and theories. Knowledge applied in NURS 4615 Experiential Learning III with 3 credit hours.
NURS 4325 – Synthesis of Conceptual Nursing Knowledge
Emphasizes integration and application of broad knowledge base to demonstrate clinical judgment with conceptual knowledge analysis to identify and address areas needing enhanced understanding. Emphasizes content mastery demonstration to promote successful student nurse transition into professional role with 3 credit hours.
NURS 4325 – Synthesis of Conceptual Nursing Knowledge
Emphasizes integration and application of broad knowledge base to demonstrate clinical judgment with conceptual knowledge analysis to identify and address areas needing enhanced understanding. Emphasizes content mastery demonstration to promote successful student nurse transition into professional role with 3 credit hours.
NURS 4530 – Complex Nursing Concepts
Emphasizes acute care nursing concepts essential for professional nursing practice in various settings with special focus on complex disease management including environmental factors, genetic risks, and preventive care using collaborative approach. Strengthens clinical judgment, reasoning, and select nursing skills in evidence-based acute care context. Knowledge applied in NURS 4615 Experiential Learning III with 5 credit hours.
NURS 4615 – Experiential Learning III
Strengthens clinical judgment and reasoning through complex decision-making application essential for professional nursing practice in various settings. Integrates knowledge from complex concepts, child health, and leadership nursing for evidence-based person-centered care delivery. Applied in simulation and clinical settings for nursing skill competency mastery with various simulation fidelity levels and formative/summative examinations with 6 credit hours.
More information about the curriculum here
Prerequisite Courses
Students must complete 55 semester credit hours of prerequisite and Texas core coursework before entering the first nursing course. All listed courses are considered admission prerequisites.
Prerequisite Summary
Applicants need a broad base in science, math, psychology, writing, history, government, and humanities before beginning the accelerated nursing curriculum. Science preparation is especially important because at least three of the five required science courses must be finished by the application deadline.
Required Prerequisites
- Pathophysiology
- Microbiology with lab
- Human Anatomy and Physiology I with lab
- Human Anatomy and Physiology II with lab
- Chemistry with lab
- General Psychology
- Life Span Human Development
- Statistics
- Science of Nutrition
- U.S. History to 1877
- U.S. History since 1877
- American Government Organization
- American Public Policy
- English Composition I
- English Composition II
- One Texas core approved Creative Arts course
- One Texas core approved Language, Philosophy, or Culture course
Clinicals and Learning Format
This ABSN is not a fully self-paced online nursing degree. Didactic content is delivered online, but the program includes required clinical instruction with faculty and clinical coach oversight. Clinical learning occurs in the student’s assigned Texas community site, which is central to the program model.
The degree plan includes three experiential learning clinical courses. These are:
- Experiential Learning I
- Experiential Learning II
- Experiential Learning III
Clinical training is required for graduation. Students must provide approved immunization and health records before registration. Drug screening may also be required by the clinical institution, and the student is responsible for those costs. Because clinical partners may impose additional rules, the school warns students that failure to meet partner requirements can prevent completion of graduation requirements.
Tuition and Estimated Cost
The total estimated tuition and mandatory fees for the 61-credit Second Degree BSN are approximately:
- Texas Resident: $23,044.86
- Non-Resident: $47,749.86
This estimate is based on the published School of Nursing accelerated tuition table for 2025–2026 and the 61-credit program structure of 20 credits, 20 credits, and 21 credits across three semesters. The estimate does not include student health insurance charges, which may be waived if the student already has qualifying coverage.
For students who do not waive school insurance, the published health insurance charges may add substantial extra cost each term. The school also notes that some students enrolled in distance learning may be charged under separate out-of-state online tuition rules depending on residency and location.
See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
TTUHSC School of Nursing states that its baccalaureate degree program in nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). This is the main programmatic nursing accreditor listed for the BSN.
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