Nursing (Accelerated BSN)

To be considered for admission to the Accelerated Bachelor of Science (BSN) Track the following factors are required. Applications not meeting these criteria will not be reviewed:

1. Bachelor’s degree with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA in all undergraduate work.
2. Successful completion of the following of all prerequisites.

* All prerequisites must be completed with a solid C or higher. Courses with a C- or lower do not meet the prerequisite criteria.   

* We require a cumulative Science GPA of a 3.0 or higher for the following courses: Anatomy & Physiology with lab (1 and 2), Microbiology with lab, Chemistry with lab, College Algebra (or higher) and Statistics. 

* Nursing curriculum from other nursing programs are nontransferable. New students will be required to take all nursing curriculum within the Accelerated BSN track.

Admission Decision Criteria

This is a limited-access program and we receive many more qualified applications than available spaces. Admission decisions are based on the following:

1. Cumulative undergraduate GPA.
2. Pre-requisite science GPA
3. Personal interview

All prerequisites must be completed with a solid C or better.

General Education Requirements (Must be successfully completed at the time of application to the Nursing Program)

Prerequisite Science GPA: 3.0 or higher     

Prerequisites that are repeated will be averaged

• Human Growth Development- must cover the development of an individual from birth to death in one course
• Special topics nutrition courses will not satisfy this requirement
  • PET3361 Nutrition in Health and Exercise will not count toward Nutrition
• Must have an introductory sociology course
• We only accept credits for regionally accredited institutions
• We do not accept courses taken through Portage Learning to satisfy the required prerequisites. Courses taken directly with Geneva College as a degree-seeking student are accepted.

If you like to verify your courses, please visit the sites below. Please note that all courses have not been articulated in the database. 

Transferring Credits

FAU Transfer Equivalency Service

Accelerated BSN Track Accepted Prerequisites from other colleges

Prerequisite and Bachelor Degree Deadline

If you have courses or bachelor's degrees that are projected to be completed in summer, please ensure that your transcripts show that your courses/degree are in progress for summer.

**Don’t submit final transcripts until your degree is confirmed or spring courses are displayed on transcripts**

Accelerated BSN Application Process

STEP 1: Complete the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing application via Nursing CAS:

1. The first step to applying to the Accelerated BSN program is through Nursing CAS, not FAU. Applications that are sent to FAU (during the Nursing CAS application period) will not be reviewed. Applicants can only apply during an open application period.
2. To create a Nursing CAS account visit:  http://nursingcas.org
3. Once the Nursing CAS account is created, applicants must choose the correct program and track: (BSN, Accelerated). Make sure you are applying and selecting the desired campus that you would like to attend (Boca or Davie Campus).
   ** Please note students are not allowed to attend courses on other campuses. You will have to attend course on the campus that you are admitted in. You will not be able to change campuses unless there is space available and has been approved by Admission, Progression and Retention Subcommittee (APR).
4. Applicants must submit all official transcripts from each university attended to Nursing CAS:
   • PO Box 9201 Watertown, MA 02471
5. Ensure all sections on the application checklist have been successfully completed.
   • NOTE:  applicants cannot edit their Nursing CAS application after it has been submitted.
6. Allow 4-6 weeks for Nursing CAS to verify your application from the time of submission.
   • Applications not verified by the application deadline will not be reviewed.
7. During the application process, official transcripts should only be sent to Nursing CAS, not FAU.  Once an applicant is admitted, they will be prompted to send their official transcripts to the FAU admissions office.

STEP 2:  Verified” NursingCAS application.

1. The college will review all verified applications after the deadline.
2. Students who meet all minimum admission requirements at that time will be invited to participate in a live virtual interview.
3. All eligible applicants will be contacted to schedule an interview. Selected applicants are invited to interview 4 – 6 weeks after the application cycle closes.
4. Students who do not reach the “verified” status in NursingCAS by the deadline will not have the opportunity to interview or be considered eligible for the current cycle.

STEP 3:  Selected applicants are invited to interview 4 – 6 weeks after the application cycle closes. 

STEP 4: When the applicant receives a preliminary acceptance, the final step in the admission process is the level two federal background checks and fingerprinting. Explicit directions will be provided in the letter of preliminary acceptance.

• When the background check and fingerprinting are cleared, the Admission, Progression and Retention Sub-Committee will then offer the student full admission into the Accelerated Track. The cost of all components of these procedures including any repeat procedures if needed is the responsibility of the applicant/student.

*Civics is not a part of the BSN Accelerated Application. Applicants are encouraged to wait until they are accepted into the BSN program. Once accepted, students are able to take the Civics Literacy Test for free at the FAU testing center.

Important Dates

Fall Start

In order to be considered for the Fall cycle, all prerequisites should be completed by the end of the Spring semester. Additionally, all applicants must have earned a bachelor's degree by the end of Spring to be eligible for the Fall start.

The college will only allow two prerequisites in progress in the spring semester, and only one can be from the science prerequisites.

If you have courses or bachelor's degrees that are projected to be completed in spring, please ensure that your transcripts show that your courses/degree are in progress for Spring.

Spring Start

In order to be considered for the Spring cycle, all prerequisites should be completed by the end of the Summer semester. Additionally, all applicants must have earned a bachelor's degree by the end of Summer to be eligible for the Spring start.

The college will only allow two prerequisites in progress in the summer semester, and only one can be from the science prerequisites.

If you have courses or bachelor's degrees that are projected to be completed in Summer, please ensure that your transcripts show that your courses/degree are in progress for Summer.

For questions regarding the application process, please contact the college's Accelerated Academic Advisor, Javaris Hammond at nursing@health.fau.edu 

Pre-Licensure Accelerated BSN Curriculum Plan Attached

BSN Program: 60 credit hours

UPC Transfer Credit Policy

For students interested in the Accelerated Track, the minimum overall (cumulative) GPA must be 3.0 from your previous degree. A grade of ‘C’ must be earned in all prerequisites and required coursework for the BSN program.

Based on information given from the FAU Registrar’s office; if a student graduated from a Florida State college or community college then they do not have to complete the Civics requirement.

If a student did not graduate from a Florida state university or community college, then they must complete  only one  of the following:

1. Successfully passed AMH 2020
2. Successfully passed POS 2041
3. CLEP (test out) of the US Government
4. Take the Civics Literacy Exam

More information on this state rule can be found here:Civic Literacy Requirement

Only registered FAU students can take the Civics Literacy Test at the FAU Testing Center

a.  CLEP is available for non-FAU students at the FAU Testing Center

Tuition cost is per credit hour along with required fees. Tuition information can be found in the FAU University Catalog under  Tuition, Fees, and Refunds. 

 Accelerated Track Estimated Costs by Semester

  Accelerated Track Estimated Costs by Semester without books

 (Estimated costs do not include housing or cost of personal transportation to clinical sites)

There are scholarships available. Please click on Financial Aid & Student Scholarships.

Applicants can only apply to Nursing Cas during an open application period. If an applicant has all items completed, they can proceed to apply through Nursing CAS.

Depending upon the study, you will spend approximately 24 - 40 hours per week in classes and clinical nursing practice, which does not include study time. Study time is in addition to the 40 hours. We do not recommend working while in the BSN program for the Accelerated and Traditional tracks. For the Freshmen Direct Admission track, students may be able to work during the freshmen year; however, during sophomore, junior, and senior years after that we do not recommend working while in the BSN program. 

Our nursing practice sites are dependent on the location and may vary from year to year. In general, nursing practice courses are from 6:30 am to 7 pm and are at least 3 days per week and it is possible that there will be clinical nursing practice on weekends. 

A general rule of thumb for study time is for each credit hour, a student needs to study/complete assignments for three hours to earn a ‘C’. So, for courses that are classroom (didactic) for 12 credit hours, a student needs to study 36 hours per week to earn ‘C’s.

In addition to FAU, we accept prerequisites from state universities and community colleges.

FAU has dorms. If you are interested in living on campus, please get in touch with the FAU Department of Housing and Residential Education. 

Immunization information is at: http://www.fau.edu/shs/.