Sacred Heart University
Second Degree Accelerated BSN · Fairfield, CT · school's own site (opens the school's website in a new tab)
ActiveIn personlast verified Oct 2026
Prerequisites
The courses Sacred Heart says you need before you start, as published on its own pages. Credits, labs, and minimum grades are shown where the school states them.
- 01Anatomy & Physiology IHuman Anatomy/Physiology I Lecture & LabCannot be taken fully online. Must be taken within the past 5 years.
source · sacredheart.edu
“Human Anatomy/Physiology I Lecture & Lab* | 4 |”
credits4labrequiredmin gradeB- - 02Anatomy & Physiology IIHuman Anatomy/Physiology II Lecture & LabCannot be taken fully online. Must be taken within the past 5 years.
source · sacredheart.edu
“Human Anatomy/Physiology II Lecture & Lab* | 4 |”
credits4labrequiredmin gradeB- - 03General ChemistryGeneral Chemistry with LabCannot be taken fully online. Must be taken within the past 5 years.
source · sacredheart.edu
“General Chemistry with Lab* | 4 |”
credits4labrequiredmin gradeB- - 04MicrobiologyIntroduction to Microbiology with LabCannot be taken fully online. Must be taken within the past 5 years.
source · sacredheart.edu
“Introduction to Microbiology with Lab* | 4 |”
credits4labrequiredmin gradeB- - 05College AlgebraCollege Level MathAny college-level math course; algebra is not specifically required. Treated as a math prerequisite, so the 5-year limit and B- minimum apply.
source · sacredheart.edu
“College Level Math | 3 |”
credits3labnomin gradeB- - 06StatisticsStatisticsTreated as a math prerequisite, so the 5-year limit and B- minimum apply.
source · sacredheart.edu
“Statistics | 3 |”
credits3labnomin gradeB- - 07General PsychologyIntroduction to Psychology or Abnormal PsychologyAbnormal Psychology is accepted as an alternative.
source · sacredheart.edu
“Introduction to Psychology or Abnormal Psychology | 3 |”
credits3labno - 08Lifespan / Human Growth & DevelopmentLifespan Development or Child DevelopmentChild Development is accepted as an alternative.
source · sacredheart.edu
“Lifespan Development or Child Development | 3 |”
credits3labno - 09SociologySociology or AnthropologyAnthropology is accepted as an alternative.
source · sacredheart.edu
“Sociology or Anthropology | 3 |”
credits3labno - 10EthicsEthics (any discipline)
source · sacredheart.edu
“Ethics (any discipline) | 3 |”
credits3labno
Minimum prerequisite grade
B- in science and math prerequisites
No minimum grade is stated for the non-science prerequisites (psychology, development, sociology, ethics).
source · sacredheart.edu
“All prerequisite science and math courses must be taken within the past five years with a grade of B- or better.”
Outstanding prerequisites
Up to two prerequisites may be outstanding at application; all must be completed before classes begin
The FAQ says: 'All prerequisites must be completed satisfactorily before classes begin.'
source · sacredheart.edu
“Note that no more than two prerequisites can be outstanding at the time of application”
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
Do prerequisites expire?
Course recency
Science and math prerequisites within the past 5 years
No reference date is given for the five years.
source · sacredheart.edu
“All prerequisite science and math courses must be taken within the past five years with a grade of B- or better.”
Attempt limits Not published. Confirm with the school.
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
GPA and grades
Minimum cumulative GPA for admission
3.0 undergraduate cumulative
Also stated as 'Maintenance of a 3.0 or better undergraduate, cumulative GPA'.
source · sacredheart.edu
“Overall GPA of 3.0 or better”
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 Not published. Confirm with the school.
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
Where can courses be taken?
Online science courses
Anatomy & Physiology I and II, General Chemistry and Microbiology (each with lab) cannot be taken fully online
source · sacredheart.edu
“*Cannot be taken fully online.”
Community college courses
Regionally accredited 2- or 4-year institutions recommended
source · sacredheart.edu
“It is recommended that all prerequisites be taken at a regionally accredited 2- or 4-year institution.”
Pass/fail Not published. Confirm with the school.
Credit by exam Not published. Confirm with the school.
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
Application deadlines and start dates
Upcoming cycles Sacred Heart publishes. A date without a year on the school's page is noted rather than guessed.
Summer 2027 startRolling admissionstarts Jun 1, 2027The program page lists 'December 15—Priority application' and 'February 1—Final application (or until cohort is full)' without years, so the priority date is left blank. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis after the deadline until the cohort is full. The start date comes from the admitted-students page: 'Classes begin on the Tuesday after Memorial Day each year (Tuesday, June 1, 2027)'. The program page instead says 'from May until August of the following year', and the plan of study shows Summer I running May–June. All prerequisites must be completed before classes begin.
source · sacredheart.edu
“Deadline: February 1, 2027”
Summer 2026 startDeadline not publishedThe FAQ page appears stale because it refers to the summer 2026 cycle. It says only that the application opens 'after June 1, 2025', which is not an exact opening date, so the field is left blank.
source · sacredheart.edu
“The application to the summer 2026 term will open after June 1, 2025.”
NursingCAS
Yes for external applicants; current SHU students and alumni use an internal application
source · sacredheart.edu
“External applicants must apply via NursingCAS . Current SHU students or alumni should apply through SHu's internal application .”
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)
$820 per credit
This is the 2025-2026 rate. A non-refundable registration fee of $115 per semester also applies, and nursing courses carry course fees.
source · sacredheart.edu
“Second Degree Accelerated Nursing (ABSN) | $820/credit |”
Application fee
$60 (NursingCAS)
No fee is stated for the internal application used by current SHU students and alumni.
source · sacredheart.edu
“Applying via NursingCAS requires an application fee of $60”
Enrollment deposit
$500, non-refundable
source · sacredheart.edu
“Use the Applicant Portal button below to Complete Enrollment Response Form and Submit non-refundable $500 Enrollment Deposit to finalize your enrollment”
Financial aid
The program spans two aid years; a separate FAFSA and SDA Financial Aid Application are needed for each
Financial aid applications are not reviewed until you have been admitted.
source · sacredheart.edu
“This program bridges financial aid years.”
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
Other requirements
What the school asks for beyond courses and scores.
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree conferred by the start of classes
source · sacredheart.edu
“Successful completion of the baccalaureate degree (as verified by a final, official transcript with date of degree conferral by the start of classes)”
Recommendations
One letter from a recent professional or academic source
source · sacredheart.edu
“One letter of recommendation from a recent professional or academic source”
Unofficial transcripts
Accepted for initial review; official transcripts are due before classes begin
source · sacredheart.edu
“Applicants may submit an unofficial transcript to expedite review of the application while official transcript requests are in process.”
- Enrolled students must complete criminal background checks at their own expense and meet clinical site vaccination requirements.
source · sacredheart.edu
“Criminal background checks must be completed at the student's expense.”
Interview Not published. Confirm with the school.
Essay Not published. Confirm with the school. Our two readings of the page disagreed (“500-word essay on your reasons for pursuing the program” vs “500-word essay statement”), so we are not publishing a value yet.
CNA Not published. Confirm with the school.
Healthcare experience Not published. Confirm with the school.
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.
Format
On campus
Clinical placements are in communities near Sacred Heart University.
source · sacredheart.edu
“On Campus”
Start term
Summer only (Tuesday after Memorial Day)
The program page describes the program as running 'from May until August of the following year'.
source · sacredheart.edu
“Keep an eye out for information on orientation. Classes begin on the Tuesday after Memorial Day each year (Tuesday, June 1, 2027)”
Credit structure
120 total credits: 55 nursing, 3 CIT 202, 34 transfer prerequisite and 28 transfer elective credits
source · sacredheart.edu
“*Students must complete 55 required nursing course credits, 3 credits for CIT 202, 34 transfer prerequisite courses credits and 28 transfer elective courses credits to successfully complete the 120 required credit hours.”
NCLEX pass rate
100% (2025 class)
source · sacredheart.edu
“Sacred Heart's 2025 graduating class in the Second Degree Accelerated BSN program had a 100% pass rate.”
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
Sources
Every page we read for Sacred Heart, 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.
- Second Degree Accelerated BSN | Sacred Heart Universitytier 1 · program page · checked Oct 14, 2026
- Application Process & Admissions Requirements | Sacred Heart Universitytier 1 · how to apply · checked Oct 14, 2026
- Application FAQs | Sacred Heart Universitytier 1 · prereqs · checked Oct 14, 2026
- Admitted Second Degree Accelerated BSN Students | Sacred Heart Universitytier 1 · how to apply · checked Oct 14, 2026
- Part-Time, Associates & Accelerated Undergraduate Tuition & Fees 2025-2026 | Sacred Heart Universitytier 1 · tuition · checked Oct 14, 2026
- Privacy Statement | Sacred Heart Universitytier 3 · policy · checked Oct 14, 2026
- https://www.sacredheart.edu/media/shu-media/college-of-nursing/FPD_SDA_Student_Guide_AY2526_ADA.pdftier 1 · pdf · checked Oct 14, 2026PDF text truncated (87 pages)
- Program of Study | Sacred Heart Universitytier 1 · catalog · checked Oct 14, 2026
Open questions we're still checking
- The year of the December 15 priority deadline is not printed (it is presumably December 15, 2026 for the summer 2027 start).
- The opening date of the application for the summer 2027 cycle is not published; the FAQ still refers to the summer 2026 cycle.
- The start month is inconsistent: the program page says May, the plan of study shows Summer I running May–June, and the admitted-students page says Tuesday, June 1, 2027.
- The pages do not name the campus where the program is delivered.
- It is not stated whether a minimum grade or time limit applies to the non-science prerequisites (psychology, development, sociology, ethics).
- It is not stated whether an application fee applies to the internal application used by current SHU students and alumni.
- Which campus hosts the program is not stated (the university address is Fairfield, CT).
- The year of the December 15 priority deadline is not printed.
- The start month is inconsistent across pages: the program page says May, while the admitted-students page says Tuesday, June 1, 2027.
- It is unclear whether Statistics counts as a 'math' prerequisite for the B- minimum and 5-year limit.
- The credit system (semester or quarter) for prerequisite credits is not stated.
- Two readings of the page disagreed on essays: 500-word essay on your reasons for pursuing the program | 500-word essay statement.
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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