This post provides concrete information on the accelerated nursing programs in North Carolina for those who want to switch from their current careers to a nursing profession all in the space of a few months.
Accelerated programs are innovative academic programs that hasten students’ study and allow them to progress through their degree in a short period of time. Accelerated programs often lead to a bachelor’s or master’s degree and there are certain prerequisites you must meet in order to be considered for admission into that program.
Typically, a bachelor’s degree takes 3-4 years to complete but for an accelerated program it can be completed in as little as 12-18 months depending on the discipline and school. There are accelerated programs for fields like business administration, nursing, computer science, finance, etc. they aren’t much.
Here, we are only discussing the accelerated nursing programs in North Carolina, a US state with some prestigious universities. There are about 10 universities and colleges in North Carolina that offer the accelerated nursing program and each of them comes with its5 specific entry requirements, duration of the program, study option, and cost.
The similarities between all the accelerated nursing programs in North Carolina is that candidates for the program must have completed and earned a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field and also, graduates are prepared to take the nursing licensure exam which will make them become qualified nurses and practice in clinics, hospital, and other healthcare facilities.
The accelerated nursing program is designed for people who have completed a bachelor’s degree in another field and want to switch careers and enter the nursing field for reasons best known to them. So, instead of spending 4-5 years pursuing a BSN, you can just enroll in the accelerated nursing program and become a professional nurse in less than 2 years.
Before applying to the program, you need to understand how challenging, rigorous, and expensive the program is. You will devote a whole lot of time to clinical practice and coursework. We have only discussed the accelerated nursing programs in North Carolina but interested persons from other US states and other parts of the world can also apply for the program.
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Accelerated Nursing Programs in North Carolina
Listed directly below are the accelerated nursing programs in North Carolina, each of the schools have been discussed further below indicating the duration of the program, admission requirements, and program cost. This way you get to know how the program operates and which one is suitable for you. Without further ado let’s get into it.
- The University of North Carolina Accelerated Nursing Program
- North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Accelerated Nursing Program
- East Carolina University (ECU) Accelerated Nursing Program
- North Carolina Central University Accelerated Nursing Program
- Northeastern University – Charlotte Accelerated Nursing Program
- Western Carolina University Accelerated Nursing Program
- Duke University Accelerated Nursing Program
- Gardner-Webb University Accelerated Nursing Program
- Medical University of South Carolina Accelerated Nursing Program
- Queens University of Charlotte Accelerated Nursing Program
- The University of North Carolina – Pembroke Accelerated Nursing Program
1. The University of North Carolina Accelerated Nursing Program
On our first list of accelerated nursing programs in North Carolina is the University of North Carolina. The university houses a nursing division known as the Chapel Hill School of Nursing that offers nursing programs at the undergraduate level and clinical experience. The school also offers an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) to students who already have a bachelor’s degree in another field.
The ABSN program consists of four semesters of rigorous clinical activity and coursework to prepare you for the nursing licensure exam. Applicants of the ABSN program must have a minimum CGPA of 3.0 on a scale of 4.0, complete prerequisite courses, be free of communicable and infectious diseases, and show a document of physical fitness.
The total cost of the program for in-state is $25,039 and out-of-state students pay a total of $66,961 and both costs cover tuition fees, books and supplies, and insurance and safety.
2. North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Accelerated Nursing Program
This agric. and tech university in North Carolina actually has a division dedicated to healthcare studies. It is the John R. and Kathy R. Hairston College of Health and Human Sciences which is established to offer nursing and other medical programs at undergraduate and graduate study levels.
The college also offers one of the best accelerated nursing programs in North Carolina. The accelerated program leads to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing which is completed in just 12 months of full-time, rigorous, and intensive study. Coursework is held from Monday through Friday and also includes nights and weekends.
Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in another field from an accredited university or college with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, complete prerequisite courses with a grade C or higher, TEAS test results, and writing samples. When you get admitted into the program, you will be required to immunize, take a negative drug screen, and a negative background check.
3. East Carolina University (ECU) Accelerated Nursing Program
East Carolina University is a prestigious university in North Carolina and through its College of Nursing offers one of the best accelerated nursing programs in North Carolina. The college also offers a traditional undergraduate degree in nursing, a master of science in nursing with 8 concentrations, and a Ph.D. program in nursing.
If you already have a bachelor’s degree and want to become a professional nurse in no less than 12 months, the Accelerated Second Degree BSN (ABSN) is your best option. Your bachelor’s degree must be from an accredited higher institution and have a minimum CGPA of 3.0 or higher on a scale of 4.0.
Additionally, prior to enrolling in the ABSN program, you must complete the prerequisite courses with a minimum grade of B- or above. Applicants must also take the HESI Admission Assessment (A 2) and score at least 75 on each of the 5 subsections as part of the admission requirement into the program. The cost of the program is from $25 to $40 per credit hour.
4. North Carolina Central University Accelerated Nursing Program
North Carolina Central University offers one of the top accelerated nursing programs in North Carolina and in the US as a whole. Completing this program will earn you a BSN and it takes just 14-15 months to graduate preparing you for the licensure exam to become a professional nurse.
Interested candidates are required to first of all apply to the university before applying to the accelerated BSN option. You must be physically fit and healthy, speak and write fluent English, have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 and above, at least GPA of 2.8 in math and science, and a minimum TEAS score of 70.
5. Northeastern University – Charlotte Accelerated Nursing Program
Northeastern University is a prestigious university with its main campus in Boston and a secondary campus in Charlotte. The Charlotte campus is a graduate school and is located in North Carolina. The institution offers an accelerated bachelor of science in nursing program to baccalaureate holders who want to pursue a nursing profession.
The ABSN at the Northeastern University – Charlotte is offered through the School of Nursing under the Bouve College of Health Science that offers a wide range of medical degree program at undergraduate and graduate levels. The accelerated nursing here takes 16 months to complete and prepares students for the nursing licensure exams to become qualified nurses.
The 16-month curriculum consists of online coursework, hands-on learning, and clinical rotations. The program is intense and rigorous and only full-time study option is available. Interested applicants are required to have a CGPA of 3.0 from their bachelor degree, a minimum grade of C or higher in the prerequisite courses, personal statement, 3 recommendation letters, a video essay, and meet al university technical standards.
The tuition for the program is $1,186 per credit hour.
6. Western Carolina University Accelerated Nursing Program
Western Carolina University offers one of the top accelerated nursing programs in North Carolina and in the US as a whole. As usual, the accelerated BSN here is also rigorous and intense and offered in four continuous semesters. However, instead of taking up all of your time like the others on this list, the program is designed to be flexible and allows you to work part-time and still study for your nursing degree.
Interested applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0 from an accredited institution in a non-nursing field. Take the TEAS and submit test scores during application. Complete the application and the prerequisite courses for admission consideration. The total cost of the program is $19,294.55 for in-state student and $28,084.55 for out-of-state students.
7. Duke University Accelerated Nursing Program
Duke University has a School of Nursing that offers one of the accelerated nursing programs in North Carolina. This accelerated nursing program leads to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and prepares you to become a licensed nurse upon graduation after taking the nursing licensure examination. The program is full-time, on-campus, and lasts for 16 months.
Applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree from another field aside from nursing with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a scale of 4.0. Meet the course prerequisite earning at least a C in the courses. Get all official transcripts from previous universities or colleges ready with your personal statement and three letters of recommendation and a $50 application fee to complete the admission application online.
The total cost of the program is $23,421 and scholarships are set in place to allow your offset tuition load. To see the application deadline, follow the link below.
8. Gardner-Webb University Accelerated Nursing Program
This is a private, non-profit private Christian university located in Boiling Spring, North Carolina and offers one of the best accelerated nursing programs in the state. Applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field from an accredited university or college with a GPA of 2.85 or higher. Complete the prerequisite courses, and take the background check and screening.
Graduates are eligible to take the nursing licensure exam to get their nursing qualification.
9. Medical University of South Carolina Accelerated Nursing Program
The Medical University of South Carolina offers a 16-month accelerated nursing program leading to a bachelor of science. The program is fully held on campus and consists of four semesters including one in the summer. There are two application deadlines annually so you may want to utilize the opportunity to the fullest and apply within one of the application dates.
The admission is competitive, accepting only 96 students out of 400 applicants. To be considered for admission, you need to meet the eligibility requirements. Volunteer experience, military experience, references, and a short 100-word essay are used for the admissions selection process.
10. Queens University of Charlotte Accelerated Nursing Program
The Presbyterian School of Nursing is the nursing division of Queens University of Charlotte, a prestigious university in North Carolina. The nursing school offers one of the fastest accelerated nursing programs in North Carolina. The accelerated BSN consists of three semesters and is completed in 12 months. Students in the accelerated program will complete 58 hours of nursing courses and 450 clinical hours to become professional nurses and become leaders in the healthcare field.
The admission requirements into the ABSN include completing a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher and a minimum grade of C in the prerequisite courses. The cost of the program is $832 per credit hour.
11. The University of North Carolina – Pembroke Accelerated Nursing Program
On our final list of top accelerated nursing programs in North Carolina is the University of North Carolina – Pembroke. The university houses a nursing division known as the McKenzie-Elliot School of Nursing which offers an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) Track.
You must have earned a non-nursing bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0 before you can consider applying for the ABSN track. TEAS scores are also required therefore you must take the test. You can find details on the application process and deadline in the link below.
This wraps up the top accelerated nursing programs in North Carolina and I hope they have been helpful. We have also published articles on accelerated nursing programs in other states in the United States which you can find in the recommendation below.
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