
The ABSN program is an accelerated BSN program for individuals already holding a BS/BA in any field from an accredited college or university who wish to enter the nursing profession. The intensive program allows qualified individuals to complete the nursing coursework in 12 consecutive months. Upon successful program completion, students are eligible to register for the NCLEX licensure examination.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook (2018), employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 6% from 2022 to 2032 with an expected demand of more than 193,000 RNs nationally. With more than 500,000 seasoned RNs anticipated to retire by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the need for 1.1 million new RNs for expansion and replacement of retirees, and to avoid a nursing shortage. In Connecticut, nearly 46% of the full-time nursing workforce is over the age of 50, indicating a need for a significant number of new nurses to fill the anticipated retirements that will occur over the next decade. (Connecticut Center for Nursing Workforce, 2022).
The undergraduate nursing program(s) at SCSU are recognized as high quality program(s). Our NCLEX pass rates have been mostly between 90-100% over three decades, and employers readily hire and confirm the quality of our new graduates. Many curricular changes have been implemented during the last several years to improve the quality of our instruction and better prepare students for the realities of practice.
After reviewing the information below regarding how to apply, eligibility requirements, and prerequisites, you may email nursinginfo@southernct.edu if you still have questions.
The application for Summer 2025 is closed. The application for Winter 2025 is now open as of December 16, 2024, with a deadline of July 15, 2025. Please read the additional information below for detailed information about the requirements and application information.
To be considered for the Accelerated BSN Cohort, applicants must meet the following requirements:
SCSU does not have a limit on the number of credits that you may transfer into the university. The university currently does not have an expiration date on any of the below-required prerequisites. However, program Chairs review prerequisite courses within their discipline(s) and reserve the right to approve or deny a course based on their own program accreditation standards and requirements. It is not a requirement to take the required prerequisite courses at any specific college or university as long as they are equivalent courses. Please use the provided tools to verify course equivalencies.
Below is a list of the required prerequisite courses for the ABSN program, and their CT Community College equivalencies. Regardless of where the courses were completed, all must be completed with a grade of a C+ or higher. No grades of Pass/Fail will be accepted (except for Spring 2020) in lieu of a letter grade. Non-science prerequisites are acceptable as online courses, but science prerequisites require an in-person lab (no online labs will be accepted) and must be 4 credits. For science courses that have lecture and lab separated, both require a grade of C+ or higher. Official transcripts must be submitted to the Transfer Services Office. (Place an application during the designated application dates before you begin submitting documentation.)
Course | Title | Credits | CT State Equivalents |
---|---|---|---|
BIO 200 | Anatomy & Physiology I | 4 | BIO 2111 (Formerly BIO211) |
BIO 201 | Anatomy & Physiology II | 4 | BIO 2112 (Formerly BIO212) |
BIO 120 | Basic Microbiology | 4 | BIO 2350 (Formerly BIO235) |
CHE 120 | General Chemistry | 4 | CHEM 1210 (Formerly CHE121) |
PCH 200 | Introduction to Nutrition | 3 | NTRN 1001 or NTRN 1002 or NTRN 1003 or BIO1011 (Formerly NUT102, BIO111) |
MAT 107 | Elementary Statistics | 3 | MATH 1200 (Formerly MAT167) |
MAT 108 (or MAT112, MAT120, MAT122, MAT130, or MAT150 | Math for Natural Sciences (or MAT112, MAT120, MAT122, MAT130, or MAT150) | 3 | MAT 108 – No confirmed as equivalent at this time (Formerly accepted MAT 142, MAT172, MAT186 or MAT254 from Gateway Community College pre-merger) Equivalents to other listed MAT options – MATH 1600, MATH 1610, MATH 2600 |
PSY 100 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 | PSY 1011 (Formerly PSY111) |
PSY 219 | Lifespan Development | 3 | PSY 2001 (Formerly PSY201) |
If you attended and/or graduated from a regionally accredited institution within CT, you may see how your courses will transfer to Southern before applying. Use the TES Public View for Southern CT State University tool to identify your college or university, and appropriate course equivalencies in the country. If your school is listed, you will be able to search the courses you have taken and see the transfer course equivalency.
Nursing Curriculum and Credits | Summer Cohort | Winter Cohort |
NUR 340: Theoretical Foundations of Professional Nursing (3cr) | Summer | Spring |
NUR 341: Health Assessment (3cr) Lab Included | Summer | Spring |
NUR 342: Evidence-Based Nursing Interventions (3cr) Lab Included | Summer | Spring |
NUR 343: Integrated Pathophysiology and Pharmacology I (3cr) | Summer | Spring |
NUR 344: Gerontological Nursing (2cr) Clinical Included | Summer | Spring |
NUR 351: Nursing Research (2cr) | Fall | Winter |
NUR 352: Adult Health Nursing (5cr) Clinical Included | Fall | Summer A/B |
NUR 353: Integrated Pathophysiology and Pharmacology II (3cr) | Fall | Summer A/B |
NUR 354: Mental Health Nursing (3cr) Clinical Included | Fall | Summer A/B |
NUR 355: Nursing Interventions Lab (1cr) | Fall | Summer |
NUR 430: The Childbearing Family (3cr) Clinical Included | Winter | Summer A/B |
NUR 431: The Childrearing Family (3cr) Clinical Included | Spring | Summer A/B |
NUR 432: Adult Health II (5cr) Clinical Included | Spring | Fall |
NUR 442: Public Health Nursing (3cr) Clinical Included | Fall | Fall |
NUR 443: Nursing Capstone (5cr) Clinical Included | Spring | Fall |
NUR 444: Leadership, Management and Health Care Issues in Nursing (3cr) | Spring | Fall |
TWO NUR Electives (1cr each) | Spring | Fall |
If you are interested in both the traditional BSN and ABSN programs, you may be interested in comparing the two. For further information, please contact nursinginfo@southernct.edu.