Mount Saint Mary's University
Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) · Los Angeles, CA · school's own site (opens the school's website in a new tab)
Activelast verified Oct 2026
Prerequisites
The courses Mount Saint Mary's says you need before you start, as published on its own pages. Credits, labs, and minimum grades are shown where the school states them.
- 01General ChemistryChemistry or PhysicsPhysics is accepted as an alternative. 4 quarter units. Counts as a science course with the 5-year limit.
source · web.archive.org
“Chemistry or Physics * | 3 Units | 4 Units”
credits3min gradeC - 02Anatomy (standalone)Human Anatomy w/lab6 quarter units. 5-year limit.
source · web.archive.org
“Human Anatomy w/lab* | 4 Units | 6 Units”
credits4labrequiredmin gradeC - 03Physiology (standalone)Human Physiology w/lab6 quarter units. 5-year limit.
source · web.archive.org
“Human Physiology w/lab * | 4 Units | 6 Units”
credits4labrequiredmin gradeC - 04MicrobiologyMicrobiology w/lab6 quarter units. 5-year limit.
source · web.archive.org
“Microbiology w/lab * | 4 Units | 6 Units”
credits4labrequiredmin gradeC - 05General PsychologyIntroduction to Psychology4 quarter units. AP Psychology is credited with a score of 3 or higher.
source · web.archive.org
“Introduction to Psychology | 3 Units | 4 Units”
credits3min gradeC - 06SociologyIntroduction to Sociology or Cultural AnthropologyCultural Anthropology is accepted as an alternative. 4 quarter units.
source · web.archive.org
“Introduction to Sociology or Cultural Anthropology | 3 Units | 4 Units”
credits3min gradeC - 07NutritionHuman Nutrition4 quarter units.
source · web.archive.org
“Human Nutrition | 3 Units | 4 Units”
credits3min gradeC - 08English CompositionEnglish 1A or ENG 1B · English 1A / ENG 1B4 quarter units.
source · web.archive.org
“English 1A or ENG 1B | 3 Units | 4 Units”
credits3min gradeC - 09OtherIntroduction to Communication (Public Speaking)2-3 semester units or 3-4 quarter units; the minimum is shown.
source · web.archive.org
“Introduction to Communication (Public Speaking) | 2-3 Units | 3-4 Units”
credits2min gradeC - 10Lifespan / Human Growth & DevelopmentLifespan/Human Development (From Birth to Death)4 quarter units.
source · web.archive.org
“Lifespan/Human Development (From Birth to Death) | 3 Units | 4 Units”
credits3min gradeC - 11OtherLACE Central Core – CommunityAn MSMU general education (Liberal Arts Core Education) requirement. 4 quarter units.
source · web.archive.org
“LACE Central Core – Community** | 3 Units | 4 Units”
credits3min gradeC - 12OtherLACE Central Core – Global Awareness and UnderstandingAn MSMU general education requirement. 4 quarter units.
source · web.archive.org
“LACE Central Core – Global Awareness and Understanding** | 3 Units | 4 Units”
credits3min gradeC - 13OtherLACE Central Core – Women and GenderAn MSMU general education requirement. 4 quarter units.
source · web.archive.org
“LACE Central Core – Women and Gender** | 3 Units | 4 Units”
credits3min gradeC
Minimum prerequisite grade
C or better
source · web.archive.org
“Completion of all prerequisite courses (listed below) with a grade of C or better prior to enrolling at MSMU”
Prerequisites in progress
Up to 2 in progress, at most 1 science
In-progress courses must be completed before enrolling, and proof of enrollment is required.
source · web.archive.org
“Applicants may apply with up to two prerequisites in progress, but only one can be a science course (chemistry, human anatomy, human physiology and microbiology).”
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
Do prerequisites expire?
Science course recency
Science courses within 5 years before starting at MSMU
The asterisked courses are Chemistry or Physics, Human Anatomy, Human Physiology and Microbiology.
source · web.archive.org
“*Science courses must be completed within five years prior to starting at MSMU.”
Repeat policy
A course may be repeated once, and only if the grade was C- or below. Two prerequisites at C- or below means non-admission.
source · web.archive.org
“Prerequisite courses can only be retaken if the grade is C- or below, and a course may be repeated only once. Failing any two prerequisite courses (C- or below) will result in non-admission.”
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
GPA and grades
Minimum cumulative GPA for admission
3.0
source · web.archive.org
“A 3.0 cumulative GPA”
Science GPA Not published. Confirm with the school.
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
Is there an entrance exam?
Entrance exam
None required
source · web.archive.org
“No entrance exam is required.”
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
Where can courses be taken?
Pass/fail courses
Not accepted unless a letter grade of C or better can be shown
source · web.archive.org
“Prerequisites taken on a C/NC or P/NP basis may not be applied toward prerequisite requirements unless a student can show they received a letter grade of a C or better.”
AP credit
AP score of 4 or higher (3 or higher for psychology)
An official College Board score report must be sent to MSMU. CLEP is not addressed.
source · web.archive.org
“A score of 4 or more is required to receive credit, with the exception of psychology, which is credited with a score of 3 or more.”
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
Application deadlines and start dates
Upcoming cycles Mount Saint Mary's publishes. A date without a year on the school's page is noted rather than guessed.
Fall 2026 startDue March 1 each yearnext Mar 1, 2027 · opens December 1Opens December 1 and deadline March 1 are printed without a year. The banner says 'The application for the Fall 2026 entry term is now open! The deadline to apply is March 1.' The year is implied but not printed. All checklist items are due by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on the deadline. In-progress prerequisites must be completed before enrolling.
source · web.archive.org
“Fall term: Application opens December 1. Application deadline is March 1 .”
Summer startDue November 1 each yearnext Nov 1, 2026 · opens August 1Opens August 1 and deadline November 1 are printed without a year, and no start year is given.
source · web.archive.org
“Summer term: Application opens August 1. Application deadline is November 1 .”
NursingCAS Not published. Confirm with the school.
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
Cost
Tuition and fees as the school publishes them. Living costs vary; the source link has the full table.
Tuition (2025-2026)
$25,236 per semester flat rate (12-18 units); $2,103 per unit above 18
Fees on top of tuition: Nursing Program Fee (Clinical) $527; Nursing Professional Fee $561; University Services Fee $752 per semester; health insurance varies by term. These are 2025-2026 figures.
source · web.archive.org
“Tuition (12-18 units) Flat Rate | $25,236/semester”
Application fee Not published. Confirm with the school.
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
Other requirements
What the school asks for beyond courses and scores.
Prior degree
Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution
source · web.archive.org
“A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution”
Interview
Required in-person interview for qualified candidates after the deadline
source · web.archive.org
“Interview: Qualified candidates will be interviewed in person after the application deadline; this is required for final application review. Returning applicants will interview again, if qualified.”
Personal essay
2-3 double-spaced pages on three prompts: knowledge of MSMU and the ABSN, preparing qualities and experiences, and handling stress
Returning applicants submit a one-page updated essay instead.
source · web.archive.org
“Submit 2-3 typewritten and double-spaced pages addressing the following:”
References
Two academic or professional references on official letterhead
source · web.archive.org
“Two references (academic or professional; official letterhead required)”
International transcripts
Course-by-course evaluation from a NACES member required
source · web.archive.org
“International students must request a comprehensive course-by-course transcript evaluation to be sent.”
- Official transcripts from all previously attended institutions, sent directly to MSMU.
source · web.archive.org
“All previously attended institutions must send official transcripts directly to MSMU. Unofficial transcripts are not accepted.”
- Proof of enrollment (education plan or 'enrolled' PDF) for in-progress or upcoming prerequisites; a final transcript must be sent after completion.
source · web.archive.org
“Proof of enrollment for any current and upcoming prerequisite courses”
CNA Not published. Confirm with the school.
Healthcare experience Not published. Confirm with the school.
Medical terminology Not published. Confirm with the school. Our two readings of the page disagreed (“Highly encouraged, not required” vs “Highly encouraged for applicants unfamiliar with nursing terminology”), so we are not publishing a value yet.
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
Good to know
What the school says about the program that is not a requirement: how it selects, how many it admits, what to expect.
Start terms
Summer and Fall
source · web.archive.org
“The admission to our Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program is open for fall and summer semesters and is based on the successful completion of prerequisite courses and other requirements.”
One nursing program per term
Applicants may not apply to more than one MSMU nursing program for the same start term
source · web.archive.org
“Students may not apply to more than one of our nursing programs within the same start term.”
Waitlist
The waitlist applies to the current term only; previously waitlisted applicants get no priority for future terms
source · web.archive.org
“If the department selects an applicant for the waitlist, it will only be for the current term.”
Format Not published. Confirm with the school.
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
Sources
Every page we read for Mount Saint Mary's, with when we last checked it. Tier 1 is the program's own pages; tier 2 the nursing school's general pages; tier 3 university-wide pages.
- Accelerated BSN Admission - MSMUtier 2 · program page · checked Oct 14, 2026Internet Archive capture of https://www.msmu.edu/admission--aid/nursing-admission/absn-admission/ from 2026-01-09; the live site blocks automated reading
- Apply Now - MSMUtier 2 · how to apply · checked Oct 14, 2026Internet Archive capture of https://www.msmu.edu/admission--aid/apply-now/ from 2026-09-03; the live site blocks automated reading
- Meet the Nursing Admission Team - MSMUtier 2 · how to apply · checked Oct 14, 2026Internet Archive capture of https://www.msmu.edu/admission--aid/nursing-admission/meet-the-nursing-admission-team/ from 2026-03-08; the live site blocks automated reading
- Admission & Aid - MSMUtier 2 · how to apply · checked Oct 14, 2026Internet Archive capture of https://www.msmu.edu/admission--aid/ from 2026-10-05; the live site blocks automated reading
Open questions we're still checking
- Application deadlines (March 1, November 1) and open dates are printed without years; Fall 2026 is named but the deadline year is not printed.
- The campus and delivery format of the ABSN are not stated.
- The application fee is not published.
- Online lab and community college policies are not addressed.
- The page does not say whether withdrawals count toward the repeat or failure limits.
- The application portal URL is not provided in the page text.
- Years for the Summer cycle (Aug 1 open / Nov 1 deadline) and Fall cycle (Dec 1 open / Mar 1 deadline) are not printed, apart from the 'Fall 2026 entry term' banner.
- Delivery format and campus are not stated for the ABSN. The mailing address (10 Chester Place) is the Doheny campus.
- The page does not say whether the chemistry/physics prerequisite requires a lab.
- Two readings of the page disagreed on other: Highly encouraged, not required | Highly encouraged for applicants unfamiliar with nursing terminology.
Something wrong here? Report an error
ABSNcheck summarizes requirements that schools publish on their own websites, with a link to each source and the date we last verified it. Schools change requirements, sometimes contradict themselves, and make individual decisions. Results show whether you meet published minimums; they are not an admission decision or a guarantee, and are not official advice from any school. Always confirm requirements with each program before you apply or enroll in a course.
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