Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN)

The accelerated BSN program’s objective is to offer individuals with non-nursing baccalaureate or higher degrees the opportunity to complete a nursing program in less time than a traditional baccalaureate program.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) defines accelerated BSN programs as those that can be completed in 12 to 18 months. The UT College of Nursing program is a 12-month accelerated program, not an abbreviated program. For those individuals who have the right balance of intellectual ability, time management skills, emotional fortitude, and personal and financial support, an accelerated BSN program can be the ideal entry into practice.

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APPLICATION INFORMATION

Students applying to the Accelerated BSN program must:

Apply to the College of Nursing through NursingCAS for the Accelerated BSN program. NursingCAS is a centralized application service for nursing programs. The application will open in August for entry into the Summer ABSN program. The deadline to submit applications for the Summer 2024 cohort through NursingCAS is December 1st, 2023. Applications must be in the “Verified” status in NursingCAS by the application deadline. Applicants who fail to submit their application by the deadline will be ineligible for consideration.
Request Transcripts from all previous institutions. Applicants still enrolled should send their current institutions’ transcripts to NursingCAS as early as possible. If you are taking courses in the fall you must also submit a second updated transcript to NursingCAS once fall grades have been posted. If you will be enrolled in courses during spring, you must include a copy of your planned enrolled courses (course name, credit hours, and college/university); include in the document upload section.
Submit high school transcript if you completed your required one (1) year/unit US history at that time.
Complete UT application:
- Transfer Application (if you have never attended UT). Select Accelerated BSN for your first major choice.
- Readmit Application (previous UT student).

ADMISSIONS

Admissions Process

Admission to the Accelerated BSN program of the College of Nursing at the University of Tennessee is highly competitive and is based on the following criteria:

Cumulative GPA for courses completed (overall)
Cumulative GPA for required prerequisite courses
Science GPA for required prerequisite courses.
Availability of space

Admissions Decisions

Applicants will be notified in writing (mail and email communication) of admissions decisions. Decisions are sent out in February.

Admission to the program will be contingent upon:

Admission to UT
Successful complete of any remaining prerequisites (with a “C” grade or higher)
Submission of updated transcript
Health requirements, drug screening, and background check

PROGRAM FEATURES

The accelerated BSN program consists of 47 credit hours over 12 months.
Direct transfer of previous baccalaureate degree credits
Minimum prerequisite course requirements
Excellent clinical experiences at major hospitals, community clinics, health departments, schools, and other health care facilities in the region
Highly qualified faculty who are experienced teachers, researchers, and leaders in nursing and health care
Technology-enhanced classrooms and accredited simulation laboratory facilities
Outstanding preparation for the NCLEX, the national licensing exam for RNs—UT College of Nursing graduates consistently exceed both the state and national pass rates

PREREQUISITE REQUIREMENTS

All prerequisites must be completed, in progress, or planned at the time of application.
Prerequisites must be completed before the program starts in the summer.
It is not possible to complete any prerequisites concurrently with the upper-level nursing science courses.
The program will allow one outstanding lab science course to be taken in the spring semester before the program begins. Applicants with two or more sciences to be completed in spring will be ineligible for the program. Applicants taking a lab science course in fall must send updated official transcripts, and update the transcript entry in NursingCAS.
All prerequisite coursework can be completed at any accredited institution. Student with questions about acceptable institutions should contact the UT Office of the Registrar.
There is no time limit on prerequisite course completion date. However, if you have science prerequisites that date back more than seven years, it may be beneficial to repeat these courses for preparation for the accelerated curriculum.
Contact the College of Nursing Student Services Office if you have questions regarding course equivalency. Use the transfer equivalency tables to find equivalent courses at other colleges/universities.

Human Anatomy	4 Semester hours with lab
Human Physiology	4 Semester hours with lab
Microbiology	Minimum 3 Semester hours with lab
Statistics	3 Semester hours
Human Development or Developmental Psychology	3 Semester hours