Nursing, Accelerated Program (BSN)

This program was approved for students entering the university in the Summer 2026-Spring 2027 catalog year. For more information about catalog year, go to Catalog Year Information.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Accelerated Program

Unit: Nursing
Academic Plan Code(s): NURABSN, NURABSNUD, NURABSNOW, NURABSNUDW

Program Information

The Accelerated Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is a hybrid accelerated program that prepares students with a bachelor's degree in any area outside of  nursing to become entry-level professional nurses.  This program has two locations:  Louisville, Kentucky and Owensboro,  Kentucky.  Hybrid programs are a combination of online and in person instruction.  Course lectures will be offered online.  Clinical and lab experiences will be completed in person at the location in which you are admitted.

This program consists of four semesters of program  major requirements after the successful completion of all the professional/prerequisite course work.  Our BSN program also provides the necessary content to prepare for masters and doctoral degrees in nursing. Graduates of the BSN program will be prepared to take the National Council Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

Students will use innovative Patient Simulation Centers and conduct clinical in acute care and community-based settings.  

Specific coursework information can be found on the Degree Requirements tab.  Note: Students that complete the Accelerated BSN program will complete 8 hours of graduate level coursework during their program.  Following graduation, students may apply to the UofL MSN program and may be eligible to apply these 8 graduate credit hours towards their MSN core requirements.

General Education Requirements

The Accelerated Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing requires the completion of  the Professional Curriculum/Prerequisite courses in addition to the Program/Major Requirements.  Professional/Prerequisite Curriculum classes may be transferred in from the student's previously earned degree if the course(s) are determined equivalent to the courses listed below.  General Education requirements are met by the satisfactory completion of a bachelor's degree from a university accredited by an Department of Education-recognized agency prior to admissions into the program. 

College/School Requirements

Professional/Prerequisite Curriculum

Program/Major Requirements

¹

All NURS courses must be completed with a C or higher (no C-).

²

Course is eligible to count toward the MSN upon successful application and acceptance into the MSN program. The earned grade must be a B or higher to count towards the MSN.

Flight Plan

The Flight Plan outlined above is intended to demonstrate one possible path to completing the degree within four years.  Course selection and placement within the program may vary depending on course offerings and schedule, elective preferences, and other factors (study abroad, internship availability, etc.). Please consult your advisor for additional information about building a flight plan that works for you.

Degree Audit Report
Degree Audit reports illustrate how your completed courses fulfill the requirements of your academic plan, and which requirements are still outstanding. Degree audits also take transfer credits and test credits into account. "What-if" reports allow you to compare the courses you have completed in your current academic plan to the courses required in another academic plan.  Should you have questions about either report, please consult with your academic advisor.

To create these reports:

1. Log into your ULink account.
2. Click on the Academic Progress tile.
3. Select the appropriate report.
   1. To run a Degree Audit report, click on "View my Degree Audit."
   2. To create a What-if report, click on "What-if Advisement Report."

Click here to run a Degree Audit report or create a What-if report.

Professional Licensure Information

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs (Louisville or Owensboro) are broken into distinct academic plan codes for lower and upper division BSN degree requirements. Incoming students complete the lower division preparatory coursework prerequisite requirements in lower division and then apply for competitive selective admission to the Nursing upper division program.  Completion of the lower division program prerequisites does not guarantee admission to the upper division program.  The lower division portion of the program does not prepare students for licensure as a nurse.  The upper division program is considered a licensure program designed to meet educational requirements for licensure as a nurse.  Upon acceptance, enrollment in the upper division program’s academic plan code is considered the first term of enrollment in the licensure program under the Program Participation Agreement for Title IV federal financial aid eligible programs of the Higher Education Act (CFR § 668.14 (b)(32)).

Graduates from the UofL School of Nursing are prepared to apply for RN licensure upon graduation; however, educational preparation does not guarantee professional licensure. If you have questions regarding Kentucky RN licensure, please contact the Kentucky Board of Nursing (kbn.ky.gov/Pages/lpn-rn.aspx).  For RN licensure questions in other states, please contact the respective state board of nursing (ncsbn.org/contact-bon.htm).

More information about certification or licensure is available at the following website:  https://louisville.edu/oapa/licensure-information (you may search by school or by the name of the program then click on 'View Details' to display the information).

For programs with an online option, more information about certification or licensure is available here: 
https://online.louisville.edu/resources/compliance/license.