Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN)

The Accelerated BSN

The 18-month-long accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) is designed for students with a minimum of 58-60 credit hours of applicable college credit or an earned bachelor’s degree in another field. This concentrated program will prepare you to meet the healthcare needs of a diverse society. Classes will be offered asynchronously online with required days on campus. 

Labs will be held on CSU’s campus on weekday evenings, and clinical rotations will be in Charleston area hospitals on Friday, Saturday, and/or Sunday.

The BSN program at CSU, including both Traditional and Accelerated tracks, is a competitive-entry program and admission to the university does not guarantee admission to the nursing program.

Admissions Process

The following requirements must be met to be eligible to apply for the program:

Step 1: Apply to CSU

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Students must qualify for admission to Charleston Southern University.
Submit ALL official transcripts to the Admissions office for review. All applicants must be accepted to CSU with official transcripts before being considered for the Accelerated BSN. All awarded transfer credits are at the discretion of the CSU Registrar.
If prerequisite requirements are not complete at the time of application, students are encouraged to enroll early at CSU to satisfy the outstanding requirements.
It is preferred that all prerequisite courses are completed by the start of ABSN207 in Summer Term II. However, admitted ABSN students may complete one final prerequisite concurrently with ABSN207 at CSU. This final prerequisite cannot be a lab science course.

Students previously enrolled in a nursing program may be eligible for admission into the Charleston Southern University Nursing Program. To be considered, the student must submit a signed letter of eligibility from either the Dean or Director of the previous program stating their ability to return. This letter must be sent directly from the Dean or Director to Dr. Donna Timko.

Admission requirements are subject to change between application cycles.

Step 2: Submit application to the nursing

Once you have been accepted to CSU and your major is confirmed as Pre-ABSN, you must submit the separate ABSN program application. Admission to the university does not guarantee admission to the nursing program.

Your enrollment counselor and prenursing advisor will provide you with next steps, including application status updates, throughout the application process. Your application status will be available on MyCSU.

Application Deadlines:

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ABSN Application Opens:	August 1
ABSN Application Closes:	March 1

Accelerated BSN Eligibility

Prospective students who meet the following criteria are eligible to complete the ABSN application:

Admission to Charleston Southern University
Minimum 3.0 GPA on 4.0 scale in prenursing prerequisite courses.
Minimum 3.0 GPA on 4.0 scale in combined prenursing + liberal arts core prerequisite courses.
“C” or better in all prerequisite courses.
Completion of required Math and Science prerequisites within 5 years of the application date. If you hold an Associate or Bachelor of Science degree, Math and Science courses must have been completed within the last 10 years. The following courses are considered as math and science: Microbiology with lab, Anatomy & Physiology I with lab, Anatomy & Physiology II with lab, Chemistry with lab, Math, Statistics, Psychology, Nutrition, and Lifespan Development.
The Accelerated BSN track has a rolling admissions process, and the College of Nursing Admissions & Progressions Committee meets regularly to review applications. Official transcripts must be on file for consideration for any BSN program track.
Accepted students may choose to complete their CHST requirements either before starting the ABSN program or during the ABSN curriculum.