Accelerated BSN Programs in Alabama

Program Length & Format

• 5 semesters
• Clinical training location: Birmingham, Alabama
• Clinical training hours: over 900 hours

Admission Requirements

• Minimum baccalaureate degree in a field other than nursing from an accredited institution at time degree awarded
• Admission to Samford University; apply as an Undergraduate Transfer
• Minimum cumulative GPA: 2.75 on a 4.0 scale
• Minimum science GPA: 2.3 on a 4.0 scale in required courses (anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry)
• Science courses must have been completed within the last seven years
• No more than one required science course may have been repeated; each repeated course may be repeated only once
• No ACT or SAT scores required

Entrance Exams

• ATI Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) required: minimum overall score 72% and minimum proficiency 58.7% in all four areas
• ATI TEAS may be taken a maximum of three times per calendar year

Prerequisites

• Required science courses: anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry
• Required science courses must meet the program's recency and repetition rules (completed within seven years; no more than one repeat)

Deadlines

• Application deadline: June 1 (Fall admission only)

Application

• Two-step application: apply to Samford University first, then complete Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing application via link sent after Samford application
• Submit nursing application and any related materials as instructed after receiving the School of Nursing application link

Selection Process

• Admission to Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing is competitive; meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission

Clinical & Simulation Lab

• Clinical education includes over 900 hours of clinical experience in a variety of health care settings in Birmingham
• Program includes an accredited experiential learning and simulation center

Credit Transfer

• To receive credit for Samford Biol 217 (Human Anatomy-Allied Health Sci) and Biol 218 (Human Physiology-Allied Health Sci), Anatomy and Physiology I and II courses must be completed
• Online science labs are not accepted for required science courses

International Students

• TOEFL requirement for international applicants or U.S. citizens who learned English as a second language: minimum 550 (paper), 213 (computer) or 80 (internet)

Program Length & Format

• Professional Component: 22 courses, 62 credit hours
• Total degree when entering with prior baccalaureate: 88 credit hours (26 credit hours general education + 62 professional)
• Program schedule: accelerated format not tied to university academic calendar; professional component can be completed in a minimum of 3 semesters and typically over 5 semesters
• Cohort start months: January (Spring cohort) and July (Fall cohort); Spring cohorts begin first week of January, Fall cohorts begin mid-July

Admission Requirements

• Prior non-nursing baccalaureate degree required with degree posted on official transcript
• All prerequisite coursework must be completed prior to admission to the professional component
• Minimum prerequisite GPA 2.90
• Minimum grade of C required in all prerequisite courses
• Applicants must be in good academic standing at all previously attended institutions

Prerequisites

• Total prerequisite credits: 26
• Required courses (examples): Life Science w/lab (BLY 101 & 101L or higher), Microbiology w/lab (BLY 213 & 214 or BMD 210 & 210L), Human Anatomy & Physiology I and II w/labs (BMD 251, BMD 252), Chemistry w/lab (CH 101 & 101L or higher), Introduction to Psychology (PSY 120), one Statistics course (ST 305 / ST 210 / BUS 245 / PSY 220)
• All prerequisites must be completed before applying the professional component

Deadlines

• Spring admission application deadline: July 15
• Fall admission application deadline: March 15
• Attendance on first day of classes for cohort is required to begin the Accelerated BSN professional component

Application

• Application fee: $50 non-refundable
• Application components: University application, College of Nursing application
• Transcripts: submission of official transcripts to the University; submission of unofficial transcripts to College of Nursing via email for prerequisite review
• Pre-registration contingencies: completion of acceptance packet, negative drug screen, acceptable background check, and completion of Medical Documents Manager health requirements (all health requirements to be completed no later than one month prior to first day of professional component)

Selection Process

• Applicants reviewed by College of Nursing Admissions Committee and the Dean; enrollment to professional component is limited and selection is made by the committee and Dean
• Students must be in good standing with all prior academic institutions
• Students dismissed from prior nursing programs may only be considered for the Traditional BSN and must compete with other applicants
• Conditional offers require completion of health, background, and drug-screen clearances before initial registration

Clinical & Simulation Lab

• Clinical schedule: clinical rotations may include weekdays and weekends (Saturday and Sunday); students may be required to complete more than 20 clinical hours per week during clinical courses
• Clinical practicum course: NU 460 Practicum (6 credit hours)
• Simulation facilities (Baldwin County Campus): three computerized human patient simulators specified as child, adult male (iStan), and pregnant female
• Clinical skills courses: examples include Clinical Nursing Skills, Foundations Professional Nursing Clinical, Psych/Mental Health Nursing Clinical, Community Health Nursing Clinical, and specialty clinical courses listed in professional component

Credit Transfer

• Upper-division nursing courses taken at another institution will not transfer or apply toward the 62 credit hours required for the professional component at USA
• Transfer credit articulation is completed by the Office of Admissions at time of acceptance
• An unofficial transfer equivalency tool is available for initial assessment of transferable credits

Contacts

• USA College of Nursing main phone: (251) 445-9400; fax: (251) 445-9416
• College address: 5721 USA Dr. N., Room 3083, Mobile, AL 36688-0002
• Accelerated BSN Professional Component Academic Advisor: Kayla Young (email listed on College of Nursing pages)