Bachelor of Science in Nursing: Accelerated Option (ABSN)

Plan of Study | Admission Information | Prerequisite Requirements | Licensure Eligibility | Program Contacts

Acceleration BSN Option Overview

The Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) option at the UNC Charlotte School of Nursing is designed for students who already hold a degree in another discipline, providing a fast, affordable, and efficient path to becoming a Registered Nurse (RN). This program begins Fall 2025 and can be completed in just four semesters (Fall, Spring, Summer, Fall), preparing students to take the NCLEX-RN exam.

The ABSN option combines advanced learning strategies, including high-fidelity simulation in a state-of-the-art Learning Resource Center, with support from dedicated student success tutors throughout the program. This hands-on, immersive experience ensures that graduates are well-prepared to enter the nursing profession and make an immediate impact in healthcare settings.

Scholarships

Students enrolled in the ABSN program may be automatically eligible for a competitive scholarship.

Upcoming Informational Sessions

Please join us for informational sessions about the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Accelerated Option, offered by the UNC Charlotte School of Nursing, on the following dates:

For more information, please contact the following faculty members:

Susan Lynch, PhD, RN, CNE, Associate Director Undergraduate Programs, Clinical Associate Professor

Teresa Cronell, EdD, MSN, RN, CCRN, Undergraduate Program Coordinator, Lecturer 

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Admission Information for Admission to the Accelerated BSN Option:

1. The School of Nursing (SON) admits to the Accelerated BSN nursing program option in the Fall semester only. 
2. Students are admitted to the University as pre-nursing majors and then apply to the upper division when prerequisites are completed. 
3. Students applying for the Fall ABSN admission option should complete required prerequisite courses by the end of the Spring semester preceding their admission. 
4. Students must have a previous bachelor’s degree, Associate in Arts degree, or Associate in Science degree to be eligible for the ABSN Option.
5. According to University policy, the general education requirements are exempt for students with a previous bachelor’s degree or an associate degree from a North Carolina community college. For students with an associate degree from outside of North Carolina, courses must be evaluated to determine if general education requirements have been met.
6. For the prerequisite science courses and respective labs and for NURS 2100 and NURS 2200, all of which require a grade of B or above, Pre-Nursing students may repeat each course once to earn a B or above prior to applying to the ABSN option. If a student does not earn a B or above in those courses, then they will be ineligible for admission to the Nursing major and will need to change their major.
7. The SON admissions committee will evaluate applicants based on prerequisite grade point average (GPA) and essay questions. Optional criteria include 50 volunteer hours and those applicants who have earned 30 credit hours at UNC Charlotte at time of application. 
8. The volunteer hours form can be found online here. Volunteer hours should be completed in a human based health care environment or a community agency that serves persons in need such as homeless shelters, food banks, soup kitchens, meals on wheels, and American Red Cross.
9. Students admitted to the Upper-Division Pre-Licensure Nursing major must be certified as a Nurse Aide I (CNA I) and listed in the North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry prior to the enrollment date.

*Students must apply to, both, UNC Charlotte and the School of Nursing.

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Prerequisite Requirements

To be considered for admission to the Accelerated BSN option, students must meet the following criteria:

• Grade of C (2.0) or higher in:
• WRDS 1103 – Writing and Inquiry in Academic Contexts I and II
  or WRDS 1104 – Writing and Inquiry in Academic Contexts I and II with Studio
• MATH 1100 – College Algebra and Probability (3) or MATH 1101 – College Algebra with Workshop (4)
• STAT 1222 (or STAT 1220 or STAT 1221) (Introduction to Statistics)
• PSYC 1101 (General Psychology)
• Grade of B (3.0) or higher in:
  • CHEM 1203 and CHEM 1203L or CHEM 1251 and CHEM 1251L 
  • CHEM 1204 and CHEM 1204L or CHEM 1252 and CHEM 1252L 
  • BIOL 2273 and BIOL 2273L or EXER 2168 and EXER 2168L 
  • BIOL 2274 and BIOL 2274L or EXER 2169 and EXER 2169L 
  • BIOL 2259 and BIOL 2259L 
  • NURS 2100 (Nutrition courses taken outside of UNC Charlotte will be reviewed on an individual basis)
  • NURS 2200 (An equivalent growth and development and/or developmental psychology course may be substituted)

Students admitted to the Upper-Division Pre-Licensure Nursing major must be certified as a Nurse Aide I (CNA I) and listed in the North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry.

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Application Deadlines

*This program admits applicants once a year

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Licensure Eligibility

Graduates are eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) The program provides the student with a background in:

• Liberal arts, through the general education requirements of the University
• Sciences, through the required nursing pre-requisite courses
• Generalist nursing education

BSN graduates are prepared to function in a variety of care settings to include hospitals, clinics, public health, and home health agencies, hospice, and long-term care facilities.

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Program Contacts