One of the most affordable accelerated BSNs in the Kansas City area, delivered in a flexible hybrid format — mostly online coursework plus two on-campus residencies and in-person clinicals — with an unusually open entry path that welcomes applicants who don’t yet hold a bachelor’s degree.
The University of Saint Mary’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) lets students with prior college credit or a bachelor’s degree complete a full BSN in just 12 months, condensing two years of traditional coursework into four back-to-back terms that begin in the Summer II term (early July) and conclude the following summer.
The program is hybrid:
- coursework is delivered primarily online (with synchronous virtual instruction in 7-to-8-week terms)
- complemented by two on-campus residencies at the Leavenworth campus and in-person clinical rotations at healthcare facilities throughout the Kansas City region
It’s one of the most affordable accelerated BSN offerings in the Kansas City area, and the Leavenworth campus sits about 30 minutes from Kansas City and its top-tier hospital clinical sites.
Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, USM frames its long-standing nursing program around its founding mission and values.
Outcomes & Recognition
USM reports a 97% first-time NCLEX pass rate (2023) and is recognized by U.S. News & World Report among its Best Colleges BSN programs. Graduates leave prepared for bedside care or leadership roles, going on to work in critical care, community health, and informatics, as well as graduate programs such as Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.
Accreditation & Approval
The baccalaureate and master’s nursing programs at the University of Saint Mary are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and the pre-licensure baccalaureate program is approved by the Kansas State Board of Nursing (KSBN). Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN. Nursing faculty are Quality Matters-certified for remote and hybrid teaching, supporting the quality of the program’s online instruction.
Admissions & Prerequisites
USM offers a flexible entry path: applicants with a prior bachelor’s degree and those with significant prior college credit (but no degree) are both eligible, and special consideration is given to LPNs, EMTs, and Paramedics.
For students with a prior bachelor’s degree:
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (probational admission considered at 2.8)
- Minimum 3.0 on science prerequisites; prerequisite coursework completed
- ATI TEAS score of 70 or higher
For students with no bachelor’s but prior college credit or an associate’s:
- Minimum GPA of 3.0
- ATI TEAS score of 70 or higher
- All general education courses (64 credits) complete before starting
- Special consideration for LPNs, EMTs, and Paramedics
Science prerequisites (grade C or better): Chemistry with lab, Microbiology with lab, Anatomy & Physiology I & II with labs, Nutrition, and Statistics. Conditional admission may be granted once in-progress coursework is verified via official transcripts; USM accepts many prerequisite courses from other accredited institutions (syllabi may be submitted for transfer evaluation), and one “C” in a support course may be accepted pending faculty review.
Curriculum
The accelerated BSN requires 57 nursing credit hours (60 total credits), with the same curriculum requirements as the traditional two-year BSN delivered in an accelerated one-year format.
NUAT 101 Drug Calculation in Nursing
This course equips students with the precision and critical-thinking skills needed for safe medication administration, covering ratio and proportion, formula and fractional equations, and dimensional analysis. Interactive case studies, animations, practice problems, and self-assessments reinforce best practices in drug calculation and administration accuracy.
NUAT 305 Foundations of Nursing and Health Promotion
Students explore the nurse’s role in healthcare systems, ethical and legal considerations, and health promotion theories. Lab sessions allow hands-on practice of basic nursing skills while the nursing process framework builds clinical judgment.
NUAT 322 Health Assessment
Emphasizing critical thinking, this course teaches systematic, holistic health histories and physical exams across the adult lifespan. Laboratory sessions enable students to distinguish normal from abnormal findings by assessing physical, developmental, psychosocial, cultural, and spiritual dimensions.
NUAT 325 Maternal Child Health
Through a family-centered lens, students learn to care for childbearing women, newborns, infants, and children, focusing on normal and high-risk pregnancies and pediatric growth patterns. Clinical placements give hands-on experience applying theoretical concepts and ensuring safe patient care.
NUAT 330 Pathophysiology/Pharmacology I
This course examines altered physiological processes and introduces pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments, emphasizing homeostatic changes in specific body systems. Students study clinical manifestations and interventions for common disease states.
NUAT 331 Pathophysiology/Pharmacology II
Building on the first course, students delve into complex physiological alterations and advanced treatment modalities. Emphasis remains on understanding clinical signs, treatment rationales, and pharmacological management of multi-system disorders.
NUAT 340 Medical Surgical Nursing I
Focusing on adult clients, this course covers medical and surgical care for selected body system alterations, integrating teamwork, evidence-based practice, and patient-centered care. Clinical experiences reinforce safe, fundamental nursing interventions across varied healthcare settings.
NUAT 412 Research and Evidence Based Nursing
Students learn to appraise and synthesize current scientific evidence to inform clinical decisions, balancing client preferences and resource availability. The course hones skills in clinical reasoning and applying evidence to real-world nursing questions.
NUAT 433 Aging and End of Life Care
This course addresses palliative and end-of-life principles, highlighting interdisciplinary collaboration, advocacy, ethics, and symptom management. Students explore holistic approaches—physical, psychological, cultural, and spiritual—to support patients and families.
NUAT 441 Medical Surgical Nursing II
Students manage care for adults with common and complex medical-surgical conditions, reinforcing client-centered care, collaboration, and safety. Didactic, clinical, and simulation components (3 didactic, 1.5 clinical, 0.5 simulation credit hours) solidify advanced nursing skills.
NUAT 465 Behavioral Health Nursing
Covering lifespan psychiatric care, this course integrates crisis intervention, therapeutic communication, and coping strategies for clients with mental and behavioral disorders. Clinical placements in mental health settings allow application of theory to practice (2 didactic, 1 clinical credit hours).
NUAT 497 Population Health
Focusing on community and public health nursing, students learn to conduct community assessments, risk appraisals, and implement health promotion strategies. Didactic and clinical components (2 didactic, 1 clinical credit hours) emphasize improving population outcomes.
NUAT 541 Leadership and Management of Care
Students explore nursing leadership and management theories, then practice these skills in clinical experiences across diverse nursing roles. Emphasis is placed on decision-making, delegation, and team coordination.
NUAT 542 Medical Surgical Nursing III
This advanced course presents care for clients with complex, multi-system health alterations, emphasizing prioritization, clinical judgment, and legal-ethical practice. Clinical experiences deepen skills in teamwork, safety, and informatics while managing multiple patient needs.
NUAT 585 Senior Capstone in Nursing
In this immersion course, students transition from student to professional nurse by managing a full client caseload within an interprofessional team. Didactic sessions include live NCLEX review and critical analysis of healthcare issues affecting nursing practice.
More detail is available in the USM accelerated nursing curriculum.
Clinical Experience
Students complete 714 hours of combined clinical and laboratory training, gaining hands-on experience caring for patients in real healthcare environments. Clinical rotations occur at healthcare facilities throughout the Kansas City region (the Leavenworth campus is about 30 minutes from Kansas City), while high-fidelity simulation labs and the two on-campus residencies build skills before and alongside live rotations.
Clinical hours may include nights, weekends, and 12-hour shifts depending on hospital assignments.
Tuition & Financial Aid
USM’s Accelerated BSN is one of the most affordable accelerated BSN programs in the Kansas City area. At $640 per credit hour, the 57-nursing-credit ABSN costs approximately $36,480 in tuition.
Mandatory program fees total $1,060 per semester, plus a $182 general fee each term and a one-time $200 graduation fee; student health insurance (about $2,092 annually) is separate and can typically be waived with comparable coverage.
Scholarships — including the $4,000 Brisley Award and multiple endowed nursing scholarships — help reduce net cost, with over 95% of students receiving financial aid (average awards of $19,000-$23,000).
Confirm current figures via the official cost and aid page.
Related Programs
USM also offers a traditional two-year BSN, an RN-to-BSN, and graduate nursing programs (MSN and DNP), including Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner tracks.