Accelerated BSN Admission
Admission to ABSN Program
To be eligible for the accelerated BSN program, students must complete a bachelor’s degree in a discipline other than nursing. The previous degree must be conferred by the application deadline for the cohort the student is applying for. The following pre-requisite coursework must be completed with a C or better prior to starting in the School of Nursing: 6 hours of communication and writing (i.e. composition 1 and 2, public speaking), Statistics, Psychology, Chemistry with lab, Human Anatomy/A&P1 with lab, Human Physiology/A&P2 with lab and Microbiology with lab.
Students desiring admission to the nursing major must complete the BSN Application online. Students must first be admitted to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga as a post baccalaureate degree-seeking student to apply to the nursing program. Transcripts for transfer applicants must be evaluated by the UTC Admissions office to be considered for nursing admission. Students who have not been admitted to UTC or students that have not had their coursework transcribed by the nursing admission deadline will not be considered for admission.
Nursing Application deadlnes for the ABSN program:
- Fall (August) - Apply by March 15
- Spring (January) - Apply by September 15
- Summer (May) - Apply by January 15
Requirements for Admission
Completion of a bachelor’s degree in another discipline conferred by:
• Fall (August) admission – Degree conferred by May 31
• Spring (January) admission – Degree conferred by September 15
• Summer (May) admission – Degree conferred by January 31
Completion of the following prerequisite courses with no grade lower than a C and a minimum pre-requisite GPA of 2.75:
• Human Anatomy or A&P 1 with a lab
• Human Physiology or A&P 2 with a lab
• Microbiology with a lab
• Chemistry with a lab
• Writing and Communication (6 hours)
• Introduction/General Psychology
• Statistics
Only two of the pre-requisite courses listed above may be in progress at the time of application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to make sure all pre-requisite coursework is listed on their MocsDegree Evaluation. Any outstanding coursework should be noted on the student’s application. Pre-requisite coursework GPA of 2.75 (calculated on English Composition I and II, Statistics, Chemistry with a Lab, Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology, and Psychology).
3.0 GPA in last 30 hours of coursework in previous Bachelor's degree (if you do not meet this criteria, please speak with the ABSN advisor regarding a waiver).
Submit both UTC Admissions and ABSN Nursing applications by the deadline (see steps to apply)
Resume (see template)
Professional or work experience
Campus or community activities
Academic and other honors received
Volunteer activities or work experience in a health care environment
Essay (see essay instructions)
The essay will be based on 3 specific areas for discussion and should be no longer than 3 double-spaced pages typed (8½” x 11), not handwritten. As you are constructing your essay think about attributes you think would be important to a nurse. Those attributes can include, but are not limited to, cultural humility, self-awareness, inter-personal skills, perseverance & grit, caring & compassion, leadership, flexibility, intellectual curiosity, stress management and communication skills.
Notification of Admission Status
Notification of admission status will be sent by email to the address on the nursing application approximately 4-6 weeks after the application deadline. Candidates who are accepted for admission to the nursing program must complete the following for final acceptance:
1. Any in progress pre-requisite coursework -- Students admitted with pre-requisite courses in progress must forfeit their position in the nursing program if a grade of less than a C is earned, or a pre-requisite course is not completed.
2. ATI Launch Readiness program certificate of completion
3. Criminal background check -- An admission offer can be rescinded based on the results of the criminal background check and/or unprofessional behavior.
4. Health requirements -- Students must meet specific physical examination and immunization requirements as specified by state law and by the rules and regulations set forth by the various clinical agencies. All students must have health insurance and must participate in the school’s liability insurance program. Specific information concerning these requirements will be provided to the students at appropriate times by the nursing faculty.
Transfer Students
Students who have completed a bachelor’s degree in another field and have started a nursing program at another school would not be eligible to transfer into the ABSN track. Students in this situation would be eligible for the traditional BSN track. Please refer to the Traditional BSN Transfer Course Policy in the SON Student Handbook.
UTC does not accept transfer credit from the online courses for college credit from schools like Sophia.org, Study.com or StraighterLine. Questions regarding whether courses are accepted by UTC can be verified on the UTC Transfer Equivalency page.