Program Overview
The Pacesetter Accelerated BSN at Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston is a fast-track program for students who already hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree. The program can be completed in 15 months over four full-time semesters.
Students complete 60 nursing credits and become eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN after graduation.
This track uses a blended format with on-campus instruction plus some online and hybrid courses.
Clinical training begins in the first semester, which helps students build hands-on skills early in the program.
Students complete 900 clinical hours in hospitals, outpatient clinics, and public health settings across the Greater Houston area, including sites in the Texas Medical Center.
ABSN Admission Summary
The Pacesetter Accelerated BSN is designed for applicants who have already completed substantial college coursework and want a fast path into registered nursing. Admission is competitive, and accepted students often present grades above the published minimums.
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or prior college study that supports completion of prerequisites
- Minimum 3.00 GPA in the required 60 hours of nursing prerequisites
- Minimum 3.00 GPA in required science prerequisites
- Completion of at least 48 prerequisite hours by the application deadline
- Those 48 hours must include 16 science hours in anatomy and physiology, microbiology, and chemistry
- Application must be submitted through NCAS
- Official transcripts from all post-secondary schools are required
- Foreign coursework requires official evaluation through ECE or WES
- International applicants may need TOEFL scores
- Applicants who completed prerequisites at other schools generally must submit HESI A2 or TEAS scores
- Students in the school’s direct-admit pre-nursing science pathway may qualify to apply without an entrance exam
Application Deadlines
- Spring 2026: Sept. 15, 2025
- Summer 2026: Jan. 15, 2026
- Fall 2026: March 30, 2026
- Spring 2027: Sept. 1, 2026
Other Admission Notes
- The program enrolls about 130 students each term
- Applicants must reside in Texas before the first day of class
- The school states it cannot sponsor F-1 visas for BSN students
- Denied applicants may reapply without penalty with a new application and fee
- Final admission decisions are made using a whole-application review rather than a fixed point system
Prerequisite Courses
Applicants must complete a broad liberal arts and science foundation before starting the nursing curriculum. The full prerequisite plan includes 60 credit hours, although students may apply once 48 hours are finished if the required science hours are included.
Prerequisite Summary
The most important prerequisite rule is the science requirement. Students must complete Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II, Microbiology, and General Chemistry, for a total of 16 science hours, before they can be considered for admission. All remaining prerequisite courses must be finished before classes begin if admission is offered.
Common Required Prerequisites
- American Government
- Texas Government
- U.S. History I and II
- Intro to Psychology
- Intro to Sociology
- Human Growth and Development across the lifespan
- Statistics
- Anatomy and Physiology I and II with labs
- Microbiology with lab
- General Chemistry with lab
- Nutrition
- English Composition I and II
- Philosophy, ethics, or humanities
- Visual and performing arts
- Electives
There are no time limits on prerequisites, which can help applicants returning to school after time in another field.
Curriculum
The program spans four semesters and requires 60 credit hours. Students engage in intensive clinical practice and theoretical learning, starting with nursing fundamentals and progressing to specialized areas such as community health and high-acuity care.
The curriculum integrates simulation labs to complement in-person clinical experiences.
1st Semester
NURS 3511 – Health Assessment Introduces concepts and skills required to evaluate client health status and document appropriate findings using holistic approach that integrates principles from physical and social sciences. Students learn to use physical examination findings and interview data to formulate nursing diagnoses that guide the nursing process. Uses variety of educational approaches including lecture, online interactions, and laboratory experiences to encourage critical thinking skills necessary for nursing practice with 3 credit hours.
NURS 3515 – Adult Health Care I Introduces major theories and concepts necessary to provide holistic nursing care to adults from diverse cultures with selected physiological disorders. Uses wellness-illness continuum as basis for critical thinking and nursing process in adult patient care. Addresses concepts of health, culture, environment, aging, nutrition, and professional nurse role in direct patient care and collaboration with healthcare providers with 3 credit hours.
NURS 3515B – Adult Health Care I-Clinical Clinical component introducing major theories and concepts for holistic nursing care to adults from diverse cultures with selected physiological disorders. Provides opportunity to master nursing technologies in variety of laboratory and clinical situations using wellness-illness continuum for critical thinking and nursing process application in adult patient care.
NURS 3517 – Pathophysiology Focuses on etiologic, symptomatologic, and pathologic aspects of selected human diseases across lifespan. Approaches concepts of health promotion, disease prevention, disease progression, and treatment from cellular and multi-system perspective. Analyzes influences of genetic, ethnic, cultural, and temporal variables on human disease to stimulate critical thinking and apply research-based pathophysiologic knowledge to nursing management.
NURS 3540 – Pharmacotherapeutics Focuses on pharmacological agent use in adult clients to prevent illness and maintain and restore wellness. Addresses relevant background information needed by nurses to develop therapeutic intervention plans and evaluate patient responses to drugs from holistic perspective for comprehensive medication management.
2nd Semester
NURS 3521 – Gerontologic Nursing Explores current issues and concepts related to aging including theories of aging and concepts of health, culture, spirituality, and environment. Facilitates understanding of older persons and their unique needs to provide holistic care and foster better quality of life with 2 credit hours.
NURS 3523 – Adult and Older Adult Health Care II Focuses on young, middle, and older adults experiencing array of physiological disorders with nursing process implementation in various healthcare settings emphasizing secondary and tertiary prevention. Emphasizes professional healthcare reflecting comprehensive, humanistic, altruistic, and interprofessional values while incorporating professional standards, critical thinking, priority setting, and holistic care application with 4 credit hours.
NURS 3523B – Adult and Older Adult Healthcare II – Clinical Clinical component focusing on young, middle, and older adults experiencing physiological disorders with nursing process implementation in healthcare settings. Emphasizes professional healthcare reflecting comprehensive, humanistic, altruistic, and interprofessional values while incorporating professional standards and critical thinking for holistic adult care with 2 credit hours.
NURS 3532 – Reproductive Health Care Offers opportunity to apply critical thinking and clinical judgments to childbearing family healthcare from holistic and humanistic perspective. Integrates theories of nursing, family, systems, role, development, and communications for childbearing families while applying nursing process, research, and ethical professional standards to normal and high-risk families in various settings with 4 credit hours.
NURS 3526 – Psychiatric & Mental Health Care Applies nursing process to care of individuals, families, and groups with psychiatric and mental health disorders emphasizing diversity of age, gender, race, culture, developmental level, education, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Examines mental health and illness throughout lifespan while addressing professional nurse role as collegial mental health team member with 4 credit hours.
NURS 3532L – Reproductive Health Care Skills and Simulation Focuses on practical application of theoretical content related to person-centered nursing management of women and neonates in simulated clinical setting. Emphasizes application of theoretical concepts, evidence-based practice, patient safety, teamwork, advanced technology, and professional nursing standards for diverse populations with 1 credit hour.
3rd Semester
NURS 3536 – Child and Adolescent Healthcare Develops critical thinking skills for child and family care in various healthcare settings including current literature, research, and practice pertinent to growth, development, psychosocial, cultural, and physical needs emphasizing health promotion, maintenance, and restoration. Explores nursing theories, developmental theories, coping, grief, and system theories for holistic, humanistic, and altruistic care with 4 credit hours.
NURS 3536L – Child and Adolescent Health Care Skills and Simulation Clinical simulation course offering opportunity to apply evidence-based practice, theory, nursing process, and critical thinking skills for quality patient-centered care to children and families in simulation laboratory. Incorporates professional standards, critical thinking, prioritizing patient care, and appropriate theories for holistic pediatric care with 1 credit hour.
NURS 4512W – Research Critique & Utilization Provides opportunity to acquire knowledge promoting development of nursing research consumer focusing on relationship of nursing science to nursing practice. Familiarizes students with scientific inquiry methods, research process components, and associated concepts for critically evaluating research findings and applying results to practice with 2 credit hours.
NURS 4521 – Community/Public Health Nursing Focuses on group, community, or population as unit of care emphasizing professional nursing and public health principles and methods for applying nursing process to populations. Focuses on identifying health determinants, prioritizing problems, prevention, and advocating for those benefiting from community/public health nursing services with 3 credit hours.
NURS 4521B – Community/Public Health Nursing-Clinical Students and faculty collaborate with professional community partners to promote health and prevent disease in populations. Integrates professional nursing and public health principles for applying nursing process to individuals, groups, and populations while assessing at-risk populations and analyzing community health problems with 3 credit hours.
NURS 4528 – Management of Patients in High Acuity Settings Focuses on theoretical content and clinical application for nursing management of patients in high acuity care areas in compassionate holistic manner. Incorporates theoretical applications and research findings in nutrition, prevention, rehabilitation, and socio-cultural aspects with precepted clinical practicum emphasizing advanced technology and professional nursing standards with 3 credit hours.
NURS 4528L – Management of Patients in High Acuity Settings Skills and Simulation Focuses on theoretical content and clinical application for patient-centered nursing management in high acuity care areas with compassionate holistic approach. Provides precepted clinical practicum emphasizing evidence-based practice, quality improvement, advanced technology, and professional nursing standards for culturally diverse populations with 1 credit hour.
4th Semester
NURS 3532B – Reproductive Health Care – Clinical Clinical component offering opportunity to apply critical thinking and clinical judgments to childbearing family healthcare from holistic and humanistic perspective. Integrates theories and applies systematic approach, evidence-based practice, and ethical professional standards while developing psychomotor skills for women and neonate care with 1 credit hour.
NURS 3536B – Child and Adolescent Healthcare-Clinical Clinical component offering opportunity to apply evidence-based practice, theory, nursing process, and critical thinking skills for quality patient-centered care to children and families. Incorporates professional standards, critical thinking, prioritizing patient care, and appropriate theories for holistic pediatric care in generalized and specialized settings with 1 credit hour.
NURS 4527W – Professional Practice & Leadership Explores selected leadership and management theories and concepts in healthcare delivery with issues relevant to nursing practice and education for professional nursing role adjustment. Addresses professional nursing issues including scope of practice, legal and ethical responsibilities, substance abuse/mental health, career development, and workplace issues with 3 credit hours.
NURS 4528B – Management of Patients in High Acuity Settings-Clinical Clinical component focusing on theoretical content and clinical application for patient-centered nursing management in high acuity care areas with compassionate holistic approach. Provides precepted clinical practicum emphasizing evidence-based practice, quality improvement, advanced technology, and professional nursing standards for diverse populations with 3 credit hours.
NURS 4529L – Transition to Professional Nursing: Clinical Simulation Utilizes clinical simulation and innovative technology to foster experiential growth and development of essential professional nursing skills for quality nursing care. Focuses on core competencies through systematic approach applying nursing process in simulated clinical environment to promote educational knowledge application with 1 credit hour.
NURS 4530W – Critical Synthesis Application Provides opportunity to apply test-taking and reasoning skills to adults, children, and families while integrating concepts from pathophysiology, pharmacology, health assessment, nursing research, and clinical experiences using NCLEX review references, online resources, discussion, problem-based learning, and case studies with 1 credit hour.
More information about the curriculum here.
Clinicals and Hands-On Training
Clinical education is a major strength of this program. Students complete 900 hours of clinical experience, and those hours begin in the first semester rather than waiting until later in the program.
Clinical placements take place in world-renowned hospitals and institutions in the Texas Medical Center as well as community settings across Houston. Students also rotate through outpatient clinics and public health sites, which broadens exposure beyond hospital care.
The school also includes skills labs and simulation experiences to reinforce classroom instruction. This mix of hospital-based clinicals, community training, and simulation helps students practice assessment, decision-making, and patient care in a wide range of settings.
Tuition
The estimated resident tuition for the 60-credit Pacesetter BSN is about $17,460, based on the published 2026–2027 undergraduate resident tuition schedule and the program’s 14, 17, 17, and 12 credit semester plan.
That figure reflects tuition only and does not include fees, books, housing, transportation, or other living expenses.
This estimate was calculated as follows:
- 14 credits = $4,074
- 17 credits = $4,947
- 17 credits = $4,947
- 12 credits = $3,492
Estimated total resident tuition: $17,460
The school describes its tuition as among the lowest in Texas, and some students may qualify for aid that covers tuition and required fees through the Future Nurses Fund.
See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Texas Board of Nursing and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
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