Last Updated: October 1, 2026
Program Overview
UAH’s 12-month, three-semester ABSN combines paid apprenticeship clinical hours, individual nurse mentoring and employer-funded Last Dollar tuition support for selected students.
The University of Alabama in Huntsville offers the Accelerated BSN Academic Practice Partnership (ABSN-APP) for students with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree. The full-time nursing sequence runs three consecutive semesters—spring, summer and fall—over approximately 12 months.
The Student Nurse Apprentice model combines nursing education with paid clinical experience, individual mentoring and employer-supported tuition. UAH describes cohorts of about 20 students; selection and practice-partner requirements apply.
Admission Requirements
Students must first be admitted to UAH, then apply to the College of Nursing. Admission to the ABSN-APP is selective and competitive, with a final interview before the ABSN Admission Committee. Requirements:
- Earned bachelor’s degree or higher in a non-nursing field
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on all prior coursework
- Minimum grade of C in all nursing prerequisite courses
- Competitive ATI TEAS exam score
- All official transcripts and demonstrated prerequisite completion
The ATI TEAS must be taken in person; remotely proctored tests are not accepted. Review the official ABSN admission requirements before scheduling an exam.
Application Timing and Enrollment Requirements
- Applications open March 1 and close August 1 in the year before the spring start.
- Accepted students complete a drug screen, background check and health/immunization documentation; the practice partner may handle immunization requirements.
- Proof of health insurance is required before upper-division nursing courses.
- Science prerequisites do not have a firm expiration date, but UAH recommends completion within the past five years.
Prerequisite Courses (18 credit hours)
- BYS 215: Anatomy & Physiology I with lab (4)
- BYS 216: Anatomy & Physiology II with lab (4)
- BYS 214: Infection & Immunity (Microbiology) with lab (4)
- NUR 220: Health Promotions for Nursing Majors (3) — UAH-specific course
- Statistics (3) — choose PY 300, MSC 287, or SOC 303 (no lab required)
Curriculum
UAH’s accelerated nursing sequence comprises 61 upper-division credits across spring, summer and fall, with classroom learning, simulation and supervised clinical practice. Assessment and foundations lead into medical-surgical, community and behavioral health nursing, followed by complex care, maternal/pediatric nursing and leadership.
The official ABSN plan of study confirms the semester assignments below and 810 clinical hours. The 61-credit sequence is also the basis of the tuition estimate; the 126-credit degree total includes prior general education and prerequisite work. Transfer evaluation determines any remaining coursework outside the nursing sequence.
Required Courses and Credits
Spring — 21 Credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NUA 315 — Concepts in Nursing | 3 | Professional nursing concepts and their application to patient care. |
NUA 320 — Gerontological Nursing | 3 | Nursing care and health needs of older adults. |
NUA 325 — Pathophysiology/Pharmacology I | 4 | Disease processes and the medications used in nursing care. |
NUA 335 — Health Assessment | 5 | Assessment of patient health and development of nursing assessment skills. |
NUA 345 — Foundations in Nursing | 6 | Foundational nursing knowledge and patient-care skills. |
Summer — 21 Credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NUA 351 — Evidence-Based Practice | 3 | Use of evidence to inform nursing practice. |
NUA 355 — Pathophysiology/Pharmacology II | 4 | Continued study of disease processes and medication therapy. |
NUA 365 — Community/Behavioral Health | 4 | Nursing care in community and behavioral health contexts. |
NUA 375 — Medical-Surgical Nursing | 8 | Nursing care for patients with medical and surgical health needs. |
NUR elective — Special Topics | 2 | A selected nursing topic; the plan places this requirement in Summer 1 or Summer 2. |
Fall — 19 Credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NUA 460 — Complex Care Nursing | 5 | Nursing care for patients with complex health needs. |
NUA 470 — Maternal/Pediatric Nursing | 4 | Nursing care of maternal and pediatric populations. |
NUA 475 — Leadership in Nursing | 8 | Leadership responsibilities in professional nursing practice. |
NUA 485 — Integrated Concepts | 2 | Integration of concepts developed throughout the nursing sequence. |
Total: 61 upper-division credits. The two-credit Special Topics elective is part of this required total, although the topic may vary. It is separate from any general electives still needed after transfer review.
The program integrates clinical learning with nursing coursework and provides one-on-one mentoring by a practicing nurse through its academic-practice partnership. UAH’s current fee schedule identifies gerontology, health assessment, foundations, medical-surgical, complex-care and maternal/pediatric courses as using the Simulation & Learning Innovation Center.
Clinical Training and the Apprenticeship Model
Students complete 810 clinical hours, supported by one-on-one mentoring from a practicing nurse and the Simulation & Learning Innovation Center. Experiences cover medical-surgical nursing, community and behavioral health, complex care, maternal/pediatric nursing and leadership.
- Selected apprentices earn pay for clinical hours.
- Practice-partner employers provide a Last Dollar tuition scholarship.
- UAH advertises job placement after successful program completion and passing the NCLEX-RN.
- The intensive course and clinical schedule makes additional outside employment difficult; students are advised not to take outside work.
Confirm the scholarship coverage, employment terms and obligations in the employer agreement. Tuition support does not establish that every living expense or fee is covered, or that employment begins immediately after graduation.
Tuition and Costs
Estimated Alabama-resident tuition is $19,816 for the 61-credit nursing sequence, plus approximately $5,368 in infrastructure and College of Nursing instructional fees at current published rates, before applicable course-specific fees. These amounts are before financial aid or apprenticeship support. This is our calculation using UAH’s 2026–27 campus tuition schedule, not a university-quoted total program price.
- Spring, 21 credits: $5,511 for 12–18 credits + 3 × $469 = $6,918.
- Summer, 21 credits: $5,511 + 3 × $469 = $6,918.
- Fall, 19 credits: $5,511 + $469 = $5,980.
- Estimated tuition: $6,918 + $6,918 + $5,980 = $19,816.
At the nonresident base of $13,076 and $1,102 per overload credit, the same sequence yields an estimated $46,942. Both estimates hold current rates constant; actual charges may change with future rates, enrollment or transfer requirements.
- Infrastructure fee: $42 per credit; College of Nursing instructional fee: $46 per credit.
- NUA 485 course fee: $330; designated SLIC courses add $8 per credit.
- Prerequisites, general electives taken outside the sequence, books, compliance expenses, transportation and living costs are excluded from the tuition estimate.
The employer’s Last Dollar scholarship may reduce the student’s tuition obligation. The signed employer agreement determines covered charges, coordination with other aid, work obligations and any repayment conditions.
Accreditation and Outcomes
UAH’s BSN is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and its nursing program is approved by the Alabama Board of Nursing. The university is institutionally accredited by SACSCOC.
Graduates prepare for the NCLEX-RN and may later pursue MSN, DNP or PhD study. The Alabama Board of Nursing’s 2025 report lists a 98.92% BSN first-time NCLEX pass rate for UAH; this is school-level reporting, not a separately reported ABSN cohort rate.