Salem State University
Accelerated Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) · Salem, MA · school's own site (opens the school's website in a new tab)
Activelast verified Oct 2026
Prerequisites
The courses Salem State 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 IAnatomy and Physiology I
source · salemstate.edu
“Anatomy and Physiology I (with a lab)”
labrequiredmin gradeB- - 02Anatomy & Physiology IIAnatomy and Physiology II
source · salemstate.edu
“Anatomy and Physiology II (with a lab)”
labrequiredmin gradeB- - 03MicrobiologyMicrobiology
source · salemstate.edu
“Microbiology (with lab)”
labrequiredmin gradeB- - 04General ChemistryChemistryThe type of chemistry is not specified.
source · salemstate.edu
“Chemistry (with lab)”
labrequiredmin gradeB- - 05StatisticsStatistics
source · salemstate.edu
“Statistics”
labnomin gradeB- - 06General PsychologyPsychology 101Not listed in the 2019 policy PDF; it appears on the current pages.
source · salemstate.edu
“Psychology 101”
labnomin gradeB- - 07Lifespan / Human Growth & DevelopmentDevelopmental Psychology (childhood through adulthood)All prerequisites total 22-25 credits.
source · salemstate.edu
“Prerequisite coursework | 22-25 credits | Anatomy and Physiology I and II, Microbiology, Chemistry, Statistics, Psychology 101, and Developmental Psychology (childhood through adulthood). |”
labnomin gradeB-
Minimum prerequisite grade
B-
source · salemstate.edu
“Completion of the following prerequisite courses with a minimum grade of B-: Anatomy and Physiology I and II (with a lab), Microbiology (with lab), Chemistry (with lab), Statistics, Psychology 101, and Developmental Psychology.”
Prerequisites in progress
Up to two prerequisites may be in progress at the application deadline; all must be complete before enrollment
If courses are in progress at application, official proof of enrollment must be submitted.
source · salemstate.edu
“An applicant may be enrolled in up to two prerequisite courses at the time of the application deadline. Applicants must have all prerequisites completed prior to enrollment.”
Graduate-level prerequisite courses
Must be checked for equivalency by admissions
source · salemstate.edu
“If using a graduate-level course for an ABSN prerequisite, please email admissions@salemstate.edu with the course information to ensure it is equivalent.”
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Do prerequisites expire?
Course age limit Not published. Confirm with the school.
Attempt limits Not published. Confirm with the school.
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GPA and grades
Minimum GPA for admission
3.0
The pre-2019 policy quoted in the 2019 policy PDF listed a suggested GPA of 3.5; it was replaced by a 3.0 minimum.
source · salemstate.edu
“A completed bachelor's degree from a U. S. college or university with a minimum GPA of 3.0.”
Science GPA Not published. Confirm with the school.
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Is there an entrance exam?
Entrance exam Not published. Confirm with the school.
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Where can courses be taken?
Online labs Not published. Confirm with the school.
Pass/fail Not published. Confirm with the school.
AP credit Not published. Confirm with the school. Our two readings of the page disagreed (“AP credit not accepted for prerequisites” vs “AP credit cannot satisfy ABSN prerequisites.”), so we are not publishing a value yet.
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
Application deadlines and start dates
Upcoming cycles Salem State publishes. A date without a year on the school's page is noted rather than guessed.
May (Summer) start – Early ActionDue November 15 each yearnext Nov 15, 2026Listed under the Summer column; the program begins in May (no day or year printed). Decisions released in late December. The Undergraduate Admissions Deadlines page also lists 'Accelerated BSN, Early Action: November 15' under Transfer Application Priority Deadlines, Summer Semester; that page's footer reads © 2019, so it may be older, but the date agrees.
source · salemstate.edu
“Accelerated BSN, Early Action (must have a U.S. BA/BS or MassTransfer Block completed) Review of ABSN students will happen in two rounds. Decisions will be released in late December. | | November 15 | |”
May (Summer) start – Regular DecisionDeadline not publishedDecisions released in late February. The Undergraduate Admissions Deadlines page lists 'Accelerated BSN, Regular Decision: January 15' as a priority deadline. The program starts in May; no year is printed.
source · salemstate.edu
“Accelerated BSN (must have a U.S. BA/BS or MassTransfer Block completed) Review of ABSN students will happen in two rounds. Decisions will be released in late February. | | January 15 | |”
Application route
Salem State undergraduate admissions application (not NursingCAS)
source · salemstate.edu
“Complete the undergraduate admissions application now.”
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 and fees (2026-2027 undergraduate)
In-state $13,089.60; out-of-state $20,719.20 (undergraduate tuition and fees)
These are general undergraduate rates. The program page points to this page, but no ABSN-specific cost is shown.
source · salemstate.edu
“Undergraduate: In-State | $13,089.60 | $16,183.00 | $29,272.60 |”
Financial aid
Federal Direct Loans only; no federal or state grants
The ABSN is not a graduate-level program.
source · salemstate.edu
“Students enrolled in a second bachelor's degree program can receive Federal Direct Loans only. Federal and state grants are not available.”
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 in any field (U.S.); non-U.S. graduates must also complete the MassTransfer Block
There is no restriction on the subject matter of the prior degree.
source · salemstate.edu
“A completed bachelor's degree from a U. S. college or university with a minimum GPA of 3.0. For students with a degree from outside the U. S., please see below*.”
Personal statement
Strongly suggested for applicants not eligible for readmission to a previous nursing program
source · salemstate.edu
“Students who are not eligible for readmission into their previous program will have this considered within their admissions review. A personal statement or recommendations are strongly suggested.”
Recommendations
Strongly suggested for applicants not eligible for readmission to a previous nursing program
source · salemstate.edu
“Students who are not eligible for readmission into their previous program will have this considered within their admissions review. A personal statement or recommendations are strongly suggested.”
- Official transcripts from all colleges attended.
source · salemstate.edu
“Submission of official transcripts from all college(s) attended.”
- Massachusetts DPH immunization requirements for health science students, due at enrollment.
source · salemstate.edu
“All applicants to the nursing program must provide evidence of adherence to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Immunization Requirements for Health Science students upon enrollment at Salem State University.”
Interview Not published. Confirm with the school.
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
Courses and clinicals during the day, evenings and/or weekends
The pages do not say whether any coursework is online. Clinicals are held at healthcare settings across the North Shore and the Boston area.
source · salemstate.edu
“Courses and clinical sites will be offered during the day, evenings and/or weekends.”
Start term
May (Summer)
source · salemstate.edu
“Salem State’s rigorous, 15-month, full-time cohort program begins in May and concludes in August of the following year.”
Credits
120 total: 22-25 prerequisite credits, 42-45 from the prior degree, 53 ABSN credits
source · salemstate.edu
“120 credits are needed to complete the Accelerated Second Degree BSN program.”
Credit breakdown
120 total: 22-25 prerequisite credits, 42-45 credits from the prior degree, 53 ABSN credits
source · salemstate.edu
“120 credits are needed to complete the Accelerated Second Degree BSN program.”
Working during the program
Students are encouraged not to work
source · salemstate.edu
“Because of the accelerated nature of this program, students are encouraged not to work while completing their ABSN degree.”
Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error
Sources
Every page we read for Salem State, 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 Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) | Salem State Universitytier 1 · program page · checked Oct 23, 2026
- Accelerated Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) Apply | Salem State Universitytier 1 · program page · checked Oct 23, 2026
- Admissions and Aidtier 1 · how to apply · checked Oct 23, 2026
- Tuition and Feestier 1 · how to apply · checked Oct 23, 2026
- Financial Aidtier 1 · tuition · checked Oct 23, 2026
- Salem State University Policies - Table of Contents | Salem State Public Recordstier 3 · policy · checked Oct 23, 2026
- Salem State Universitytier 3 · catalog · checked Oct 23, 2026
- https://records.salemstate.edu/sites/default/files/policies/Admission%20and%20Transfer%20Policy%20SON.pdftier 1 · pdf · checked Oct 23, 2026
- Undergraduate Admissions Deadlines | Salem State Universitytier 1 · how to apply · checked Oct 23, 2026
- Nursing Admission Deadlines | Salem State Universitytier 1 · how to apply · checked Oct 23, 2026
Open questions we're still checking
- Is any ABSN coursework delivered online? The pages do not say.
- Is there an application fee or an ABSN-specific tuition figure?
- Does the science course recency limit (seven years, in the pre-2019 policy) still apply? The current pages do not mention it.
- Which type of chemistry satisfies the Chemistry (with lab) prerequisite?
- The pages do not say whether ABSN coursework is delivered in person or online.
- The pages do not state per-course credit minimums or which chemistry course is required (only 22-25 total prerequisite credits).
- The pages give no ABSN-specific tuition; it is unclear whether the general undergraduate rate applies.
- The general deadlines page labels the November 15 and January 15 ABSN dates as priority deadlines; the nursing deadlines page presents them as deadlines.
- The former seven-year science course limit (in the 2019 policy PDF) does not appear on current pages; the current policy is unconfirmed.
- Two readings of the page disagreed on credit_by_exam: AP credit not accepted for prerequisites | AP credit cannot satisfy ABSN prerequisites..
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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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