Program Overview
A graduate-school head start built into a fast BSN — 8 graduate-level credit hours that can apply to UofL’s MSN core — paired with clinicals that begin in the very first semester and a choice of two campuses (Louisville or Owensboro).
The University of Louisville School of Nursing offers a Second-Degree Accelerated BSN that can be finished in about 15 months across four semesters, for students who already hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree. The hybrid format combines online lectures with in-person labs and clinicals at either the Louisville campus or the Owensboro extension, and students begin clinical experiences in the first semester, completing 500+ clinical hours across varied settings.
A distinctive feature: the program includes 8 graduate-level credit hours that may later be applied to UofL’s MSN core if a graduate enters the MSN program — a built-in head start toward an advanced degree.
Students also train in high-fidelity simulation labs within a Clinical Simulation Center accredited by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare.
Accreditation
The bachelor of science in nursing, master of science in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and post-graduate certificate programs at the University of Louisville are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) — reaccredited in 2021, with the next review in 2031 — and the BSN program is approved by the Kentucky Board of Nursing.
The University of Louisville is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), and the School of Nursing’s Clinical Simulation Center is accredited by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH).
Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN.
Admission Summary
This ABSN fits students who already hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree and want a fast, structured path to RN licensure with early clinical exposure.
Deadlines and application window:
- Priority consideration: August 15 – November 15 (via NursingCAS)
- Space-available consideration: NursingCAS applications in verified status accepted through January 10
Core eligibility and GPA expectations:
- Bachelor’s degree required (may be in progress, but must be complete before the upper division starts)
- Lower-division prerequisite entry: 2.4 minimum cumulative GPA (if completing prerequisites at UofL)
- Upper-division ABSN consideration (recommended): 2.8 cumulative undergraduate GPA across all colleges attended, and a 3.0 nursing-program GPA based on required prerequisites
Prerequisite and screening rules:
- All prerequisites must be completed before starting the upper-division nursing sequence
- At least two natural science prerequisites completed with a C or higher by the application deadline
- Science courses older than 10 years may require documentation of continued use of the knowledge
- Apply through NursingCAS with official transcripts; submit a certified criminal background check
- Answer short written prompts (goals, leadership, community engagement, healthcare exposure)
- International transcript evaluation (WES or ECE) and English proficiency documentation if applicable
Prerequisite Courses
- Chemistry for Health Professionals (or higher-level chemistry; intro chemistry not accepted)
- Anatomy and Physiology I with lab
- Anatomy and Physiology II with lab
- Microbiology with lab
- Lifespan Developmental Psychology
- Statistics
Curriculum
The ABSN uses a block schedule of eight consecutive blocks and totals about 54-55 nursing credits, including several graduate-level (600-level) courses that can later count toward the MSN core. Coursework spans health promotion, assessment, adult nursing, pharmacology, research, pediatrics, maternity, psychiatric-mental health, community health, leadership, synthesis, and practice readiness, with face-to-face clinical and lab work throughout.
NURS 314 – Population Health Nursing
Introduces population health principles through community-based settings. Students engage in holistic assessments and interventions to promote well-being.
NURS 315 – Foundations for Professional Nursing Practice
Covers foundational nursing principles, including legal and ethical frameworks, and practical skills through lab-based training.
NURS 316 – Health Assessment
Focuses on conducting comprehensive physical exams and client interviews using systematic techniques.
NURS 317 – Wellness Across the Lifespan
Explores health and wellness across various life stages, emphasizing nutrition and clinical applications for diverse populations.
NURS 371 – Mental Health Nursing
Prepares students for mental health care across the lifespan with hands-on inpatient and outpatient clinical experiences.
NURS 372 – Nursing Care of the Older Adult
Examines nursing care tailored to the aging population, focusing on health promotion, chronic conditions, and polypharmacy management.
NURS 373 – Nursing Management of Adult Clients I
Explores managing chronic health conditions, covering immune, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and endocrine systems.
NURS 374 – Nursing Management of Adult Clients II
Focuses on chronic conditions affecting oncology, sensory, hematology, genitourinary, and neurological systems.
NURS 607 – Foundational Concepts of Evidence-Based Practice
Introduces evidence-based practice models, research methods, and critical evaluation of clinical literature (graduate-level credit).
NURS 435 – Maternal-Newborn Nursing
Covers nursing care for childbearing families, from preconception through postpartum, emphasizing health promotion and disease management.
NURS 436 – Pediatric Nursing
Addresses acute and chronic health concerns in children, integrating health promotion, disease prevention, and pharmacology.
NURS 437 – Nursing Management of Adult Clients III
Focuses on acute conditions in adults, including respiratory, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal systems, with an introduction to perioperative care.
NURS 438 – Nursing Management of Adult Clients IV
Covers acute health issues related to oncology, sensory, hematology, genitourinary, and neurological systems.
NURS 643 – Quality & Safety
Explores frameworks and strategies for healthcare quality and patient safety, emphasizing effective decision-making in practice (graduate-level credit).
NURS 445 – Complex Health Nursing
Focuses on managing complex health conditions and synthesizing prior knowledge in collaborative, interdisciplinary settings.
NURS 446 – Role Transition
Supports transitioning from student to professional nurse, emphasizing clinical judgment and career planning.
NURS 657 – Health Promotion & Disease Prevention in Culturally Diverse & Vulnerable Populations
Analyzes social factors affecting health in underserved populations, with a focus on inequity and community resources (graduate-level credit).
More detail is available in the UofL ABSN curriculum page.
Clinical Experience
UofL starts clinical education early and keeps it active throughout: students complete 500+ clinical hours across diverse settings, with clinicals beginning in the first semester. In-person clinical and lab work occurs at the location where the student is admitted (Louisville or Owensboro), supported by high-fidelity simulation labs in the SSH-accredited Clinical Simulation Center for skill practice and clinical decision-making.
Tuition
As a public university, UofL charges by credit hour, so the total depends on residency. The nursing sequence totals about 54-55 credits; using UofL’s resident undergraduate rate (about $559 per credit hour), tuition for Kentucky residents is roughly $33,540 for the nursing sequence.
Non-residents pay a higher per-credit rate, and the estimate covers tuition only (not housing, meals, or living expenses).
Because some courses are graduate-level and rates change annually, confirm current figures via the official tuition and fees page.
Related Programs
UofL’s School of Nursing also offers a traditional BSN, an RN-to-BSN, MSN tracks, post-graduate certificates, a Doctor of Nursing Practice, and a PhD in Nursing — and the ABSN’s graduate-level credits can give students a head start toward the MSN.