Program Overview
The state flagship’s intensive, concept-based path into nursing — a 12-month, May-to-May cohort at a top public research university, with all clinical placements arranged for you across Wisconsin, a 96% NCLEX pass rate, 99% placement, and flat resident tuition that extends Minnesota reciprocity.
The University of Wisconsin–Madison offers a 12-month Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) for individuals who already hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree. The program runs from May to May across summer, fall, winter, and spring terms and consists of at least 49 nursing credits.
It follows the same innovative concept-based curriculum as the traditional BSN, built on five core concepts — professional nursing leadership; person, family, community, and systems-centered care; health and illness; health care context and systems; and scholarship for evidence-based practice.
The pace is intense: students complete roughly one credit per week, equating to at least 50 hours of in-class, clinical, and out-of-class work weekly, and it is not possible to work while enrolled.
Licensure & Outcomes
The ABSN program reports a 96% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate and a 99% employment or graduate-school placement rate within six months of graduation. Graduates are prepared to enter diverse nursing roles and help address Wisconsin’s nursing shortage.
Accreditation
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at the University of Wisconsin–Madison is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and approved by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS). Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN.
Admissions & Acceptance
Admission is highly competitive, with 64 seats per cohort and applications accepted once a year (window open July 15 to September 15, for a May start; decisions in December).
Candidates must hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree with a cumulative and prerequisite GPA of at least 2.75 — though admitted students are typically stronger (a recent cohort averaged a 3.39 cumulative and 3.46 prerequisite GPA).
The faculty admissions committee conducts a holistic review of each applicant through three components:
- an online application,
- a group interview,
- and an in-person writing exercise, each evaluated by two faculty members
Factors considered include academic preparation and performance, leadership, extracurricular activities and service, healthcare experience and professional goals, diversity in experience and background, and the quality of essays, interview, and writing exercise.
Applying to the ABSN disqualifies a candidate from also applying to the traditional BSN in the same calendar year, and a separate UW–Madison second-degree application is required.
Prerequisites
Seven prerequisite courses are required, each with a grade of C or better and a combined GPA of at least 2.75:
- Chemistry (4/5 credits, including lab)
- Microbiology (3 credits)
- Anatomy (3 credits)
- Physiology (5 credits, including lab)
- Psychology (3 credits)
- Sociology (3 credits)
- Human Growth & Development (3 credits)
The first four (science) prerequisites must be completed by the application deadline and within seven years of the program start date; the rest must be complete before the program begins. Anatomy and physiology may be satisfied by separate single semesters or by A&P I and II. University-wide General Education Requirements (Communications Part A, Quantitative Reasoning Parts A and B, and Ethnic Studies) must also be met, with at least two completed by the application deadline.
Curriculum
Coursework is delivered on campus in a full-time, cohort-based format with intensive clinical and simulation experiences. The ABSN includes at least 49 nursing credits spanning health promotion, pharmacology, pediatric care, informatics, complex nursing practice, and leadership.
N313 – Foundations of Nursing Practice
This course introduces essential concepts for delivering person-centered, evidence-based care. Students begin applying the nursing process and develop foundational clinical judgment and assessment skills. It supports active learning and complements experiential practice in N316.
N314 – Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Across the Lifespan
Students explore the nurse’s role in promoting health and preventing disease across age groups. The course focuses on applying the nursing process to areas like health education, self-management, and social determinants of health. Emphasis is placed on person-centered care and psychological well-being.
N316 – Foundations of Nursing Practice: Experiential Learning
This hands-on course builds psychomotor and assessment skills in simulated and real clinical settings. Students apply concepts to promote wellness and respond to health problems. Clinical judgment is developed through lab simulations and direct client care experiences.
N317 – Pharmacology Essentials for Nursing Practice
Covers core pharmacological principles including drug actions, interactions, and effects. Students connect major drug classes to health conditions and nursing interventions. Emphasis is on supporting patient health through medication management across the lifespan.
N318 – Pathophysiology Essentials for Nursing Practice
Examines altered physiological processes related to illness and disease. Topics include etiology, pathogenesis, and clinical outcomes across organ systems. Students link symptoms, diagnostics, and therapies to strengthen clinical reasoning.
N323 – Health and Illness Concepts with Individuals and Families
Focuses on health and illness in the context of individual and family care. Concepts such as oxygenation, protection, and mobility are taught through real-world examples. The course helps students understand how to support diverse health needs.
N324 – Meeting the Psychosocial Health Needs of Individuals, Families, and Communities
Students explore stress, mood, cognition, and behavior across care settings. The course emphasizes understanding individual and group psychosocial needs within social and genetic contexts. Skills in collaboration and communication are developed for holistic care.
N326 – Health and Illness Concepts with Individuals and Families: Experiential Learning
Provides experiential training to apply nursing concepts in clinical care. Students enhance clinical judgment, communication, and professionalism in simulated and live settings. The focus is on delivering evidence-based, patient-centered care.
N431 – Pediatric Nursing
Prepares students to care for children and families using evidence-based approaches. Focus areas include health promotion, illness prevention, and developmental considerations. Students apply clinical judgment to manage pediatric health conditions.
N433 – Nursing Care for the Older Adult
Students learn to assess and manage complex health needs in older adults. The course covers healthy versus unhealthy aging, social factors, and ethical decision-making. Emphasis is placed on delivering safe, person-centered geriatric care.
N438 – Nursing & Health Informatics
Introduces technology used in diagnosing and treating patient health conditions. Students learn to evaluate clinical information systems and address informatics challenges. Ethical and legal aspects of data use in nursing practice are also examined.
N447 – Scholarship for Evidence-Based Practice
Develops the ability to assess and apply clinical research to nursing practice. Students learn to evaluate evidence quality and contribute to care improvement initiatives. The course highlights collaboration in implementing evidence-based solutions.
N315 – Professionalism in Nursing Practice
Covers core professional values and behaviors essential for nursing. Students study the impact of social, cultural, and systemic factors on care. Interdisciplinary knowledge supports the development of a nursing identity grounded in ethics and competency.
N436 – Health and Illness Concepts with Individuals, Families, and Communities: Experiential Learning
Focuses on applying nursing concepts in community and family-centered care. Students provide direct patient care under supervision while integrating previous coursework. Learning takes place in both clinical and simulation environments.
N430 – Perinatal Health
Examines nursing care during the reproductive cycle from preconception to postpartum. Emphasis is on promoting health and managing risks for mothers and newborns. The course integrates pathophysiology, clinical judgment, and evidence-based practices.
N432 – Population Health Nursing
Explores nursing roles in improving health outcomes at the population level. Students study advocacy, assessment, and community partnerships in various settings. The course prepares students to address public health issues globally and locally.
N443 – Advanced Concepts in Complex Nursing Practice
Covers care for individuals with complex health conditions affecting behavior, cognition, and mobility. Students learn to manage transitions of care and support recovery. Team-based care models and interprofessional collaboration are emphasized.
N445 – Transformative Nursing Capstone
Integrates core nursing concepts through reflective and applied learning. Students synthesize knowledge from across the program and prepare for professional transition. Faculty and clinical mentors guide students in refining clinical reasoning and leadership.
N446 – Advanced Concepts in Complex Nursing Practice: Experiential Learning
Students deliver complex care to diverse populations in two practice settings. The course emphasizes integrating theory into action and collaborating with care teams. Clinical preceptors and faculty support advanced application of nursing skills.
N448 – Leadership in the Profession of Nursing
Expands knowledge of leadership principles, ethics, and systems-level thinking. Topics include quality improvement, care coordination, and technology in healthcare. Students explore how nurses influence outcomes and lead within health organizations.
More detail is available in the UW–Madison Accelerated BSN program plan and the course guide.
Clinical Training
Clinical experience is core to the curriculum, with students spending more than 100 hours per semester in real-world care settings — clinics, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation centers, school districts, and more — across partner hospitals and health systems statewide. All clinical placements are arranged by the School of Nursing through its academic partnerships across Wisconsin, exposing students to a wide range of practice areas and patient populations.
The school does its best to honor requests to complete clinicals near a student’s home community when the site meets course requirements and a qualified preceptor is available.
Tuition
Tuition is a flat rate of $45,000 for Wisconsin residents (including reciprocity for Minnesota residents) or $60,000 for nonresidents. Some financial aid is available, though federal and state aid is limited for second degrees. Students can apply previously earned credits from their first degree toward general education requirements, while science prerequisites must be completed within seven years.
Confirm current figures via the official costs and aid page.
Additional Programs
UW–Madison also offers a traditional BSN and graduate-level nursing programs. All ABSN instruction is in-person, with no online option available for the accelerated pathway.
Review Additional In State ABSN Programs
View our comparison of all Accelerated BSN Programs in Wisconsin