Program Overview
Maine’s leading health professions university, where accelerated nursing students learn and train alongside students from other health disciplines from day one — an interprofessional immersion paired with a verified 98% first-time NCLEX pass rate.
The University of New England (UNE) offers a 12-month Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (A.B.S.N.) for students who already hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree. This full-time, campus-based program begins each May and runs three consecutive semesters totaling 53 credits of nursing coursework on UNE’s Portland, Maine campus, close to the city’s hospitals, health agencies, and community organizations.
As part of a globally recognized health sciences university, UNE’s defining strength is interprofessional education: students prepare for modern, team-based care by learning and working with students across a wide range of health professions from their very first class, through the Center to Advance Interprofessional Education and Practice (CAIEP) and a hospital-like Interprofessional Simulation and Innovation Center.
The program replaced UNE’s prior 16-month option with a more intensive, modernized curriculum, and its outcomes are strong — 98% of UNE nursing students passed the NCLEX on the first try in 2024 (compared with 82.21% nationally), with pass rates above the national average every year since 2013.
Accreditation and Outcomes
UNE’s Nursing Program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and approved by the Maine State Board of Nursing. The program reports a 98% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate in 2024 (vs. 82.21% nationally), consistently outperforming state and national averages and remaining above the national average every year since 2013. Graduates are prepared for immediate entry into a variety of clinical and community care roles.
Admissions and Acceptance
Admission is competitive and operates on a rolling basis: the application cycle opens September 15 and continues until April 15 or until the qualified class fills. Each cohort (up to 40 students) is admitted for the May summer-semester start and progresses together through the program.
- Bachelor’s degree in any non-nursing field from an accredited institution
- Minimum 3.0 GPA in the prior degree
- B− or higher in prerequisite math and science courses
- Apply through NursingCAS, including an essay and two references (no GRE required)
- Applicants with one or two prerequisites still in progress may apply for contingent admission
Once admitted, students complete required immunizations, American Heart Association BLS CPR, a criminal background check, and drug testing before clinical rotations begin. The Portland campus has no campus housing, and because clinical times vary (days, evenings, weekends, or nights), students should maintain personal transportation.
Prerequisite Courses
Eight prerequisites are required; all math and science prerequisites must be completed within the last 10 years (general education credits may transfer, but UNE does not accept nursing course transfers from other programs):
- Anatomy and Physiology I with lab
- Anatomy and Physiology II with lab
- Microbiology with lab
- Chemistry with lab or Nutrition
- Human Growth and Development / Lifespan
- Statistics
- Pathophysiology
- Ethics
Curriculum
The 53-credit curriculum spans adult health, mental health, pharmacology, pediatrics, maternal/child care, community health, and leadership, integrating clinical, lab, and simulation experiences throughout.
NSG 280 – Adult Health I / Clinical / Lab / SIM
Introduces foundational nursing concepts for promoting and maintaining adult health. Students apply the nursing process in labs, simulations, clinical, and community settings. Emphasis is placed on health promotion, disease prevention, and collaboration with interprofessional teams.
NSG 306 – Leading Evidence-Based Change
Prepares students to lead evidence-based practice using research, quality improvement, and leadership principles. Focuses on literature appraisal, intervention evaluation, and scholarly dissemination. Equips students to support health care improvement through informed change.
NSG 315 – Adult Health II / Clinical / Lab / SIM
Explores chronic health conditions in adult patients using reflective and holistic nursing approaches. Builds clinical reasoning through advanced simulations and hospital-based care. Students collaborate with interprofessional teams to deliver patient-centered care.
NSG 327 – Health Assessment
Covers comprehensive health assessment techniques across the lifespan. Emphasizes early detection, health promotion, and culturally sensitive care. Includes laboratory practice for applying clinical skills.
NSG 328 – Mental Health / Clinical / SIM
Examines mental health conditions and therapeutic communication techniques. Builds on prior knowledge to explore psychiatric diagnoses and nursing interventions. Simulated and clinical experiences develop therapeutic use of self and effective communication.
NSG 342 – Pharmacology
Focuses on drug therapy principles and the nurse’s responsibilities in medication management. Emphasizes clinical reasoning, safety, and legal and ethical considerations in pharmacologic care. Integrates pharmacotherapy within the nursing process.
NSG 405 – Transition to Professional Practice
Supports the shift from student to licensed professional nurse. Emphasizes licensure preparation, leadership, emotional intelligence, and career development. Promotes readiness for collaborative, real-world practice.
NSG 420 – Community / Public Health Nursing
Expands knowledge of population health with a focus on community-based care. Covers epidemiology, health policy, disparities, and risk assessment. Emphasizes culturally aware, preventative nursing practice.
NSG 424 – Maternal/Child Care / Clinical / Lab / SIM
Introduces nursing care for maternal and pediatric populations. Focuses on family-centered care, prevention, and health promotion. Simulation and clinical experiences support collaborative, evidence-based practice.
NSG 456 – Adult Health III / Clinical / Lab / SIM / Preceptorship
Advances care of adults with complex health conditions through clinical reasoning and evidence-based interventions. Includes a preceptorship that synthesizes professional nursing competencies. Promotes autonomy, collaboration, and safe patient care delivery.
More detail is available in the UNE academic catalog.
Learning Experience
Students learn by doing — practicing skills on classmates and high-fidelity patient simulators, then caring for people in clinical practice settings throughout Greater Portland. A minimum of 675 clinical hours is completed across varied settings. Interprofessional education is woven in from the first class through CAIEP and the Interprofessional Simulation and Innovation Center, and a Service Learning Program places students with vulnerable populations through partners such as Homeless Health Outreach, Partners for World Health, the Cumberland County Jail, the Southern Maine Area Agency on Aging, and the Maine Access Immigrant Network.
Academic and disability support is available through UNE’s Student Access Center and Student Academic Success Center.
Tuition
Estimated tuition for the program is $44,785 (53 credits × $845 per credit). The total cost of attendance may be closer to $47,000 after additional expenses such as books, supplies, and clinical requirements. Admitted students may qualify for a merit award and are encouraged to submit the FAFSA for additional aid.
Confirm current figures via the official undergraduate costs page.
Related Programs
The A.B.S.N. is offered only on UNE’s Portland, Maine campus (not online). UNE also offers a traditional B.S. in Nursing and a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Nurse Anesthesia, alongside graduate programs across the health professions, reflecting its comprehensive health care mission.