Last Updated: October 1, 2026
Program Overview
A 15-month, low-residency ABSN combining online nursing theory with concentrated clinical weekends in Northwest Alabama, plus an optional Student Nurse Apprenticeship with employer-funded support for selected students.
The University of North Alabama’s Florence Helen Nethery Duncan BSN—Accelerated Option is a 15-month, four-semester pathway for graduates of non-nursing bachelor’s programs. The Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions uses a low-residency format with online theory and in-person skills, simulation and clinical experiences.
In-person requirements generally meet two weekends per month, Friday through Sunday with an occasional Thursday, at designated Northwest Alabama sites. The program starts during May intercession and requires full-time preparation between these sessions.
Eligible students may apply for the Student Nurse Apprenticeship Program, which combines paid clinical hours, mentoring and employer support for tuition, books and supplies. UNA describes job placement through a two-year work agreement with a sponsoring hospital; participation is subject to selection and partner availability.
The college has provided nursing education since 1973.
Accreditation and Outcomes
The baccalaureate nursing program is CCNE-accredited and approved by the Alabama Board of Nursing. UNA participates in NC-SARA for distance education; required clinical experiences remain in person.
Graduates prepare for the NCLEX-RN. The Alabama Board of Nursing’s 2025 report lists a 96.90% BSN first-time pass rate for UNA, without a separate accelerated-cohort rate.
Admission Requirements
Admission is competitive, with a cumulative index based on an admission assessment exam, GPA, and completed UNA coursework. Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in any discipline other than nursing from a regionally accredited institution
- Admission to the University of North Alabama and a formal application to ACONHP
- Minimum 3.0 GPA in either the first degree or the completed prerequisites
- Grade of C or above in all required prerequisites
- Availability to attend clinical at designated Northwest Alabama times and locations
- Criminal background check, negative drug screen, and good standing with student conduct
Applicants previously enrolled in nursing must supply a letter confirming eligibility to return without stipulation. Applicants who cannot return to their prior nursing program are not eligible.
- Prerequisite courses have no time limit.
- Applications open February 1 and close March 1.
- Decisions are issued by April 1 for the May intercession start.
An admission assessment contributes to the competitive admission index. The program supplies the required exam and testing instructions during admissions.
General Education Prerequisites (34 credits)
- CH 101: Introductory Inorganic Chemistry & Lab (4)
- ED 299: Growth and Development (3)
- PY 201 Introduction to Psychology or SO 221 Introductory Sociology (3)
- BI 241 & BI 242: Human Anatomy and Physiology I & II (8)
- BI 302 Clinical Microbiology or BI 307 Microbiology (4)
- MA 147: Elementary Statistics (3)
- CNH 342: Nutrition (3)
- NU 203W/203WR: Nursing Concepts (3)
- NU 238/238R: Pathophysiology for the Professional Nurse (3)
Curriculum
UNA’s 60-credit accelerated nursing sequence combines primarily online classroom study with face-to-face laboratory and clinical requirements in Northwest Alabama. Assessment, foundations and population health come first; adult health and specialty nursing then prepare students for leadership and the senior practicum.
The 2026–27 accelerated curriculum confirms four term loads of 15, 15, 18 and 12 credits. These are the same 60 credits used in the tuition estimate. The prerequisite component, including preparatory nursing concepts and pathophysiology, is separate from the courses below.
Required Courses and Credits
First Summer — 15 Credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NU 345R — Health and Physical Assessment Accelerated | 3 | Physical assessment across the lifespan through a clinical practicum and seminar. |
NU 341R — Foundations of Nursing Accelerated | 6 | Basic professional nursing care, assessment and nursing skills; at least 90 clinical hours. |
NU 342WR — Population Health Management Accelerated | 6 | Wellness, health behaviors and community resources for families, groups and communities; at least 90 clinical hours. |
Fall — 15 Credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NU 344R — Adult Health Nursing I Accelerated | 6 | Nursing care for common adult health problems and responses to illness; at least 90 clinical hours. |
NU 346R — Mental Health Nursing Accelerated | 6 | Therapeutic care of adults with common psychiatric conditions; at least 90 clinical hours. |
NU 348R — Pharmacology in Nursing Accelerated | 3 | Clinically relevant medication principles organized by body system. |
Spring — 18 Credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NU 447R — Adult Health Nursing II Accelerated | 6 | Continued application of the nursing process to adult health problems; at least 90 clinical hours. |
NU 449R — Maternity Nursing Accelerated | 6 | Nursing care during pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum recovery and the newborn period; at least 90 clinical hours. |
NU 451R — Leadership and Management in Nursing Accelerated | 6 | Concepts and clinical application of nursing leadership; at least 90 clinical hours. |
Final Summer — 12 Credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NU 440R — Pediatric Nursing Accelerated | 3 | Care of children and childrearing families across developmental stages; at least 45 clinical hours. |
NU 446WR — Foundations of EBP in Nursing Accelerated | 3 | The nursing research process and use of findings in evidence-based practice. |
NU 454R — Senior Practicum and Review Accelerated | 6 | Entry-to-practice concepts, NCLEX-RN preparation and practice in selected specialties; at least 90 clinical hours. |
Total: 60 nursing credits. The senior practicum combines a three-credit classroom component with clinical practice. The catalog’s clinical-hour figures are minimums for the individual courses, not a guarantee that students can limit their attendance to those hours.
Progression requires at least a C (75) in each professional nursing course and satisfactory clinical performance. Students complete nursing courses in sequence and must remain eligible to attend assigned clinical facilities. These are progression standards after admission, not the admissions GPA requirement.
Clinical Training
Clinical study covers adult health, mental health, maternity, pediatrics, population health, leadership and the senior practicum. Many listed courses include at least 90 clinical hours; pediatrics lists at least 45, and the senior practicum lists at least 90.
Students must be eligible to attend all assigned clinical facilities and available at the required Northwest Alabama times and locations. Two weekends per month describes the concentrated in-person schedule, not the entire study commitment.
Tuition and Aid
Estimated Alabama-resident tuition is $21,000 for the 60-credit nursing sequence, plus approximately $6,900 in required college instructional fees at current rates. This applies the rate effective fall 2026 of $5,250 per 12–18-credit semester to the published loads of 15, 15, 18 and 12 credits.
| Semester | Credits | Estimated tuition |
|---|---|---|
Summer 1 | 15 | $5,250 |
Fall | 15 | $5,250 |
Spring | 18 | $5,250 |
Summer 2 | 12 | $5,250 |
Total | 60 | $21,000 |
UNA’s banded-tuition policy explicitly includes summer. This is a current-rate estimate, not a school-published total or a guarantee of future rates; changes in enrollment or tuition can alter the amount.
At the published nonresident band of $10,500 per semester, the same sequence totals an estimated $42,000. The lower schedule also covers 100% online study, but this pathway requires in-person clinical activity; the resident estimate does not assume every nonresident qualifies for the online rate.
- College instructional fees: $115 per nursing credit, or $6,900 across 60 credits, separate from tuition.
- The posted schedule also lists $175 dining dollars for full-time undergraduate fall/spring terms and a $45 graduation application fee.
- Prerequisites, other course/program charges, supplies, books, health compliance, clinical transportation and living expenses are excluded.
Scholarships and Apprenticeship Support
The ABSN is eligible for the New Start Scholarship, which includes a waived application fee and a complimentary first course when enrolling in two or more courses, subject to eligibility. Additional nursing scholarships are available.
Selected apprentices receive paid clinical hours, mentoring and employer support for tuition, books and supplies. UNA describes a two-year employment agreement with the sponsoring hospital; eligibility, participating employers and individual contract terms should be reviewed before accepting support.
The current program contact for apprenticeship information is mphester@una.edu. Scholarship benefits are not deducted from the tuition estimate, and no guarantee of eliminating all debt or living costs is made.
Other Nursing Programs
Beyond the accelerated BSN, ACONHP offers a traditional BSN, an online RN-to-BSN, an RN-to-MSN bridge, an MSN, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and post-graduate APRN certificates, along with other health-professions degrees.