Accelerated BSN (2nd Degree Track)

The Accelerated BSN at TLU

The ABSN track is available at our New Braunfels and Houston campuses. It combines classroom instruction, simulation training in our state-of-the-art facilities, research opportunities and extensive clinical experience. Students gain 945 hours of hands-on experience over the course of the track.

Course content covers at least 60 credits of nursing skills and knowledge. The ABSN curriculum is approved by the Texas Board of Nursing and leads to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).

After graduation, students who successfully complete the requirements from the Texas Board of Nursing and pass the National Licensure Council Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) can become eligible for Texas state licensure as an RN.

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Frequently Asked Questions

• What Is The Accelerated BSN?

  Through intensive study and hands-on experience, the Accelerated BSN prepares students who hold a bachelor’s degree in another field for lifelong service and leadership in the nursing profession. The ABSN track features small classes led by expert faculty with specialist expertise, plus 945 hours of hands-on training and clinical experience across a range of care settings and populations, including:

  • Medical-surgical acute care
  • Geriatrics
  • Surgery
  • Behavioral and mental health
  • Pediatrics
  • OB-GYN
  • Emergency room nursing
  • Intensive care (ICU)
  • Intermediate care (IMC)
  • Community health settings

  Graduates will have the competence and confidence to work with individuals, groups, communities and populations. They will also have an understanding of nursing research, management and leadership.

• Benefits
  • Designed for students who hold a bachelor’s in another field
  • Mentorship from expert nursing faculty
  • Clinical skills training in our advanced simulation facilities
  • Clinical experience at hospitals and health care facilities in the San Antonio area
  • Curriculum approved by the Texas Board of Nursing
  • Program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• How To Apply

  Complete the "Request ABSN Info" form on this page or call 830-642-1545 to learn more about the program. Your goal of helping others as a nurse is within reach.

• Admission Requirements

  The ABSN is designed for students who already hold a baccalaureate degree in another discipline. You must meet the following requirements and provide the following materials to apply:

  • Provide official transcripts from all institutions attended showing you earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution.
  • You must have earned an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or greater.
  • ATI TEAS composite score of 70 or higher (taken within the last year).
  • Provide one recommendation form. A letter of reference to accompany the form is strongly encouraged.
  • Completion of two short essay questions on the application.
  • Applicants must complete health requirements before enrolling in nursing courses.
  • Applicants must complete Texas Board of Nursing Mandatory Background Check and Drug Screening requirements.
  • You must have completed the following prerequisite courses with a GPA of 3.0 or better within the past seven years:
    • Human Anatomy and Physiology I/II
    • Microbiology
    • General Chemistry
    • Nutrition
    • Pathophysiology

  Plus, the completion of the following courses:

  • Statistics
  • Developmental Psychology
• Goals & Outcomes

  The ABSN track is designed to produce students with the knowledge and practical course experience necessary for professional nursing practice. Graduates will emerge from this program prepared to take the national licensing examination for professional registered nurses (NCLEX-RN) and to provide professional nursing care for patients across the lifespan and health-illness continuum in a variety of settings.

• ABSN Courses

  Semester 1 (14 credit hours)

  • NURS 330 Age-Span Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual Assessment (4 credit hours)
  • NURS 332 Fundamental Nursing Concepts and Practice (5 credit hours)
  • NURS 334 Evidence-Based Professional Nursing I (3 credit hours)
  • NURS 336 Health Care in 21st Century (2 credit hours)

  Semester 2 (17 credit hours)

  • NURS 340 Complex Nursing Concepts and Practice I (7 credit hours)
  • NURS 342 Behavioral Health Nursing (5 credit hours)
  • NURS 344 Nursing Research (3 credit hours)
  • NURS 479 Special Topics (2 credit hours)*
  • *Can be taken once, whenever available, before Semester 4.

  Semester 3 (15 credit hours)

  • NURS 430 Nursing of Childbearing Families (5 credit hours)
  • NURS 432 Complex Nursing Concepts and Practice II (7 credit hours)
  • NURS 434 Leadership and Management of Nursing Care (3 credit hours)

  Semester 4 (14 credit hours)

  • NURS 440 Community Health Nursing (5 credit hours)
  • NURS 442 Evidence-Based Professional Nursing II (3 credit hours)
  • NURS 443 Capstone - Nursing Leadership Practicum (6 credit hours)
• Academic Calendar

  View the ABSN Academic Calendar