As a public university charging for only the 54-credit nursing core, UMass Boston delivers an accelerated BSN at a fraction of the private Boston-area programs — with a 92.68% first-time NCLEX pass rate.
UMass Boston’s Accelerated BSN offers a public-university price in a market dominated by expensive private programs: base tuition runs about $37,800 for the 54-credit nursing core, well below the Boston-area private options. The intensive 12-month program is built for students who already hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, using a concept-based model taught by instructors specially trained in online learning, paired with face-to-face simulation and live clinical experiences.
It’s selective — roughly 48 seats per cohort against 300-plus applicants, an acceptance rate around 15% — and outcomes are strong, with a 92.68% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate in 2024.
Coursework is delivered largely online, but students complete in-person clinicals and on-campus simulation, so enrollees must live within commuting distance of campus and area hospitals.
Curriculum
The 54-credit curriculum is organized into three levels across three semesters (18 credits each), blending concept-based theory, health assessment, evidence-based practice, and clinical skills, with competency checks and multi-modal simulation each semester. A mandatory NCLEX prep course follows Semester 3.
Semester 1 / Level One (18 credits)
NU 270 Introduction to the Concepts of Nursing (3 credits)
Introduces foundational nursing concepts, focusing on professional practice, including culture, health systems, wellness, quality improvement, and diversity.
NU 271 Principles of Pathophysiology and Pharmacology for the Nurse (3 credits)
Explores pathophysiology and foundational pharmacology in nursing, emphasizing essential skills and principles for safe care.
NU 273 Assessment and Health Promotion (6 credits)
Focuses on assessing health and promoting wellness for individuals, families, and communities, covering cognition, wellness, and essential nursing skills.
NU 272 Applying Nursing Process (6 credits)
Applies nursing concepts in lab and clinical settings, emphasizing assessment, safety, mobility, communication, and clinical decision-making.
Semester 2 / Level Two (18 credits)
NU 370 Healthcare Participant (3 credits)
Examines the healthcare participant’s role, from individuals to communities, within social and political care frameworks, focusing on wellness, leadership, and professional behaviors.
NU 371 Evidence-Based Nursing Practice (3 credits)
Prepares students to evaluate nursing research and integrate evidence into patient-centered care, with emphasis on health policy, accountability, and advocacy.
NU 372 Concepts of Health and Illness I (6 credits)
Covers health and illness concepts across the lifespan, focusing on perfusion, infection, immunity, and thermoregulation.
NU 373 Concepts of Health and Illness II (6 credits)
Addresses health and illness concepts related to fluid balance, oxygenation, stress management, and elimination across populations.
Semester 3 / Level Three (18 credits)
NU 470 Professional Nursing Concepts (3 credits)
Explores ethical, legal, and policy issues in nursing, with emphasis on ethical frameworks, decision-making, collaboration, and time management.
NU 471 Active and Engaged Nursing Practice (3 credits)
Develops leadership skills, focusing on communication, conflict resolution, and teamwork in complex healthcare systems, with attention to quality, safety, and integrative therapies.
NU 472 Concepts of Health and Illness III (6 credits)
Focuses on managing care across the lifespan, covering family dynamics, reproduction, intracranial regulation, and issues around sexuality and violence.
NU 473 Concepts of Health and Illness IV (6 credits)
Examines care management for patients dealing with regulation, mood, grief, and comfort, addressing diverse needs across the lifespan.
A mandatory NCLEX prep course is required upon completion of Semester 3. More detail is available in the Accelerated Nursing Curriculum Guide and course descriptions.
Clinical Training
Clinical placements run approximately one day per week (about 8-12 hours weekly each semester) in a wide variety of real clinical settings across Greater Boston and regional Massachusetts hospitals. Students also attend simulation training several times a semester on campus at UMass Boston’s Center for Clinical Education and Research (CCER). Because of the in-person requirements, students must live within commuting distance of the campus and area hospitals; out-of-state applicants must be willing to relocate. Given the intensity — over 50 hours of coursework is common each week — students are strongly discouraged from working.
Admissions
Admission is highly competitive: roughly 48 seats per cohort, about 300 applicants per cycle, and an acceptance rate around 15%. Applicants must hold a conferred bachelor’s degree (68 credits required from the prior degree) and attend a mandatory online Accelerated Nursing Information Session.
- Minimum cumulative baccalaureate GPA of 3.0 and prerequisite GPA of 3.3
- All seven prerequisites completed by the application deadline at a regionally accredited institution
- No GRE required
Prerequisite courses (these three within 10 years, C+ or higher):
- Anatomy and Physiology I with lab (4 credits)
- Anatomy and Physiology II with lab (4 credits)
- Microbiology with lab (4 credits)
These two require a C+ or higher with no time limit:
- Growth and Development through the Lifespan (3 credits)
- Nutrition (3 credits)
These two require a C or higher with no time limit:
- Statistics (3 credits)
- Social/Behavioral Science elective — Intro to Psychology or Intro to Sociology (3 credits)
Tuition
The ABSN is a Special Fee program whose cost covers tuition, fees, e-textbooks and resources, a laptop computer, NCLEX prep resources, and nursing supplies. Tuition is $700 per credit (2024-25), so the 54-credit program runs about $37,800 in base tuition. Special fees are additional:
- ABSN tech/book fee: ~$1,750 per semester
- Technology fee: ~$21 per credit per semester
- One-time new-student fee: $100 (first semester)
- Graduation fee: $200 (final semester)
- Student health insurance (~$3,241/year) — waivable with proof of comparable coverage
As a public university, UMass Boston’s pricing is among the most affordable Boston-area accelerated BSNs; all figures are subject to change. The Manning College of Nursing & Health Sciences offers scholarships, and all students are encouraged to apply for financial aid.
See the official tuition and fees page for current rates.
Accreditation and Outcomes
The baccalaureate nursing program at UMass Boston’s Manning College of Nursing & Health Sciences is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and maintains Full Approval status from the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing. The program is designed to meet RN licensure requirements in Massachusetts; applicants seeking licensure elsewhere should confirm with that state’s board. Graduates posted a 92.68% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate in 2024 and pursue roles from bedside nursing to clinical research coordination, nurse education, public health nursing, and hospital administration.