University of Louisville

The University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky is a public institution founded in 1798. It is the first public university owned by a city in the US and one of the first west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is heavily invested in medical research, becoming the first to successfully complete a self-contained artificial heart transplant surgery and a successful hand transplantation. U of L also manages a university hospital. The university is also known for its athletics programs. The university’s men’s basketball team has appeared in the Final Four of the NCAA Division I Championship three times since 2005.

The University of Louisville School of Nursing provides several different nursing programs, including traditional BSN, accelerated BSN, RN to BSN, MSN, BSN to PhD, and PhD programs. All programs are currently accredited by the CCNE. The traditional BSN is a four-year program for incoming freshmen. Students practice their nursing skills at the Patient Simulation and Standardized Patient Centers. Clinical experience is offered through the university’s hospital and local facilities. The RN to BSN program is offered entirely online, giving registered nurses with an associate degree a convenient way to earn their BSN. It is a flexible 8-week course with no campus visits required.

Updated on: 26 Oct, 2025

Program Length & Format

15 months
Program structure: four semesters of upper-division nursing coursework after completion of prerequisites
Credit hours: 60 program major hours; minimum 22 hours for professional/prerequisite curriculum
Format: hybrid; lecture coursework offered online; clinical and lab experiences in person at admitted location
Campus locations: Louisville, Kentucky and Owensboro, Kentucky

Admission Requirements

Required: bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution prior to beginning upper-division nursing coursework
Minimum for lower-division admission: cumulative college GPA 2.4
Recommended for program/major consideration: cumulative undergraduate GPA 2.8 and program (prerequisite) GPA 3.0
Applicants must have at least two natural science prerequisites completed with a final letter grade of C or higher (no C-) by the application deadline
Applicants with two or more NURS course failures (C- or below) or dismissal from another nursing program are ineligible unless petition approved
Valid certified criminal background check required at time of application

Prerequisites

Chemistry for Health Professionals (CHEM 105) or higher; Introduction to CHEM not accepted; minimum grade C required
Human Anatomy & Physiology I and II with labs; minimum grade C required
Microbiology with lab; minimum grade C required
Life Span Developmental Psychology or Human Development and Learning
One statistics course from approved list (Elementary Statistics, Introduction to Social Statistics, Quantitative Methods in Public Health, Foundations of Quantitative Statistics)
Minimum total hours for prerequisites: 22
Science courses must be completed within 10 years of program start or require exemption request and documentation of continued use

Deadlines

Priority application timeframe: August 15 – November 15
Applications in verified status accepted on space-available basis through January 10

Application

Submit NursingCAS application and select program
Official transcripts for all colleges attended
For international coursework, submit transcript evaluation via WES or ECE
Required NursingCAS written responses:
- Goal statement: 500 words or less
- Leadership experience: 250 words or less
- Community engagement: 250 words or less
- Healthcare experience/exposure: 250 words or less
Proof of completion of at least two natural science prerequisites with grade C or higher on official transcript in CAS required at application deadline
Certified criminal background check must be completed per instructions on NursingCAS; screening may require Social Security number

Selection Process

Admission process uses holistic review considering professional goals, academic records, and grade point averages
Admission is selective and contingent on successful completion of all prerequisites prior to program start
Accepted applicants receive a letter of agreement stating anticipated start date and conditions for holding admission

Clinical & Simulation Lab

Clinical experiences begin in the first semester
Total clinical hours: over 500 hours across program coursework
Clinical settings include acute care and community-based sites
Use of Patient Simulation Centers for simulation learning
Clinical and lab hours completed in person at the campus/location where student is admitted

Credit Transfer

Professional/prerequisite courses may transfer if determined equivalent to listed courses
Transfer credit and transfer GPA determined by Office of Transfer Articulation
Science courses taken more than 10 years prior are evaluated individually; exemptions may be requested with documentation of continued use

International Students

Applicants with international college coursework must submit a transcript evaluation via WES or ECE
Certified criminal background check required; screening process may require Social Security number

Contacts

Office of Student Services phone: 502-852-5825
Office of Student Services address: 555 S Floyd Street, Unit 3019, Louisville, KY 40202
Office hours: Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.