Since 1992, Loyola University Chicago’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program has fast-tracked hundreds of second degree students into a nursing career. Given a surge in qualified applicants over the past few years, we recently boosted capacity for our popular ABSN program by giving students the option to complete their theory courses online.
To support our new online learning option, we’ve added a second ABSN program location in Downers Grove, Illinois. Whether you choose our Maywood or Downers Grove location, you’ll experience the same rigorous, full-time ABSN curriculum—the only difference being how you complete the non-clinical nursing courses.
Maywood ABSN students learn the fundamentals of nursing face-to-face in a traditional classroom setting, while Downers Grove students complete these same courses online. Students at both locations complete skills labs, nursing simulations, and clinical rotations in person.
Online vs. Onsite Learning
Whether you prefer to complete your nursing courses online or face-to-face, our Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program teaches you vital skills under the direction of accomplished scholars and clinicians. While there are distinct differences between online and face-to-face course delivery, we make sure students at both locations feel connected and inspired by one another.
As an ABSN student, you must be fully committed to your education to be able to keep pace with the rigors of learning within a compressed timeframe. Meeting face-to-face with faculty imposes a sense of accountability and academic responsibility that can get lost with the flexibility of online learning. Therefore, online learners need to have the willpower to stick to a daily study routine.
If you decide online learning works best for your schedule, just know you won’t be flying solo. Our online instructors are highly accessible and hold scheduled office hours. You also have access to an online learning specialist who can assist you with technical questions involving the online learning platform.
Should you prefer the face-to-face classroom experience, you’ll find our Health Sciences Campus is always buzzing with new health care initiatives. Home to the Loyola University Health System, Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, Stritch School of Medicine, and several research institutes, the campus fosters interprofessional collaboration to yield the best possible patient outcomes.
Online Option |
Onsite Option | |
| Program Length | Four, full-time semesters (16 months) | Four, full-time semesters (16 months) |
| Program Starts | January or August | January or August |
| Core Courses | Attend class anytime, anywhere via our intuitive online learning platform | Attend scheduled classes with faculty at our Maywood campus |
| Skills Practice | Hands-on labs and simulations at our Downers Grove location | Hands-on labs and simulations at our Maywood campus |
| Clinical Placements | Various Chicagoland health care facilities | Various Chicagoland health care facilities |
| Faculty Interaction | Scheduled office hours, online chat or email | Face-to-face in real time |
| Tuition | $52,820 | $52,820 |
Nursing Skills Development
Whether you’re enrolled in the online-based or on-campus ABSN program, you’ll participate in a series of hands-on nursing skills and simulations labs in Downers Grove or Maywood, respectively. During these supervised labs, you’ll be expected to take your coursework knowledge and convert it into psychomotor skills.
These labs develop your individual and team-based nursing competencies in a setting where it’s OK to make and correct clinical errors. Replicating the hospital environment, these labs have everything you’d find in an advanced health care setting. They also feature patient simulators and task trainers that allow you to safely hone your skills.
Nursing skills labs teach the fundamentals of patient care across the lifespan. Under instructor guidance, you can expect to practice core nursing competencies, such as:
- Physical assessment
- Intravenous therapy
- Nasogastric tube insertion
- Tracheotomy care
- Wound care
Nursing simulation labs help develop your critical thinking and problem-solving skills within the broad context of clinical practice. During these labs, you’ll participate in a variety of realistic patient care scenarios involving simulation manikins or standardized patients (real people).
Real-world Clinical Experience
As a Loyola ABSN student, you’ll gain real-world experience at some of the best health care facilities in the Chicagoland area. Some of our clinical partners include Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, and Loyola University Health System, to name a few.
Know that you’ll participate in valuable experiences in a variety of settings, such as:
- Hospitals
- Long-term Care Facilities
- School-based Health Centers
- Mental Health Facilities
Jesuit Curriculum
By combining faith and reason with academic rigor, we graduate competent, ethical, and compassionate nurse leaders who serve with a commitment to social justice and the greater good. Our Jesuit education philosophy focuses on the whole student (mind, body, and spirit) to promote the care of oneself, others, and the community.
Enrollment Schedule
As long as you meet the admission requirements, you can apply for an ABSN program start date in January or August at either location. We review applications for each term on a rolling basis, so you don’t have to wait long for an admission decision.
If you want to accelerate your nursing career at Loyola University Chicago, now would be time to contact us about our Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in Maywood or Downers Grove.