ABSN Program Requirements and Prerequisites
While you don’t need prior nursing training or health-care experience to take the accelerated path to nursing, we do require you to meet certain academic requirements before you can begin the admission process. Your program eligibility also hinges upon the successful completion of the ABSN prerequisites.
Academic Requirements
- A bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited institution
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Satisfactory completion of the ABSN prerequisites
- Satisfactory completion of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), if applicable
ABSN Prerequisites
While you can apply to our ABSN program with some prerequisites in progress, you must satisfy the course requirements before you can start nursing school.
| Science Courses | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Organic Chemistry or Chemistry for Health Professionals (must include lab) | 4 |
| Anatomy and Physiology I & II* (must include lab) | 8* |
| Microbiology** | 3** |
*You may take these separately as 4 credits of human anatomy and 4 credits of human physiology. Both courses must include labs.
**Some state licensing boards are requiring microbiology lab to be included in the pre-licensure program of study. Consider taking a microbiology with lab as a prerequisite if you anticipate working in states other than Illinois.
Prerequisite courses must be from regionally accredited institutions.
Science courses for Spring 2024 must be completed within 7 years.
| Non-Science Courses Fall 2024 | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Developmental Psychology or Lifespan Development (Complete within 5 years of entering the program) | 3 |
| College Writing Course | 3 |
| History or Literature | 3 |
| Philosophy | 3 |
| Theology or Religion | 3 |
| Statistics | 3 |
| Non-Science Courses Spring 2024 | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Developmental Psychology or Lifespan Development | 3 |
| General English | 3 |
| Advanced English | 3 |
| History | 3 |
| General Psychology | 3 |
| Statistics | 3 |
Prerequisite Requirements
- Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Earn a grade of “C” or better in each science course
- Earn a grade of “C-” or better in each non-science course
- Complete each science course within 5 years of entering the program
- Developmental Psychology or Lifespan Psychology needs to be taken within 5 years
- Prerequisite courses must be from regionally accredited institutions
Prerequisite Transfer Credits
Depending on your previous area of undergraduate study, you may have already satisfied many of the ABSN prerequisite requirements. We accept transfer credits from accredited institutions within and outside of the Chicago area. Please refer to our ABSN Transfer Guide or speak with an enrollment advisor to see if your credits are transferable.
TOEFL Requirement
If your undergraduate degree comes from a higher learning institution outside the United States, you must take the TOEFL and score within our English proficiency requirements. We also require a Catalog Match transcript evaluation for any coursework completed outside the United States.
Background Check
While not required for admission, you’ll also need to complete a criminal background check before you can begin the ABSN program. Please be aware that the results of your background check may impact our ability to place you in a clinical setting.
