Accelerated BSN · Virginia

Eastern Mennonite University

Accelerated Second Degree BSN Program · Harrisonburg, VA · school's own site

ActiveIn personlast verified Oct 2026
Next application deadline
January 15 each year
next: Jan 15, 2027 · May (summer) start — annual deadline
source · emu.edu
“The deadline to submit all application materials is January 15. Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for applications to be reviewed.”
https://emu.edu/nursing/second-degree/accelerated-2nd-degree · tier 1
Check your eligibility here
Free for your first 3 programs. We check every requirement on this page against your courses.
Program length
15 months
Format
In personIn-person classes with clinical rotations
Start
May (summer) only
Admission GPA
3.03.0 prerequisite GPA; no separate cumulative GPA minimum is stated for the ABSN
Entrance exam
Not published
Prereqs expire after
10 years

Prerequisites

The courses Eastern Mennonite says you need before you start, as published on its own pages. Credits, labs, and minimum grades are shown where the school states them.

  1. 01
    Anatomy & Physiology IAnatomy/physiology IMust be taken at the same institution as A&P II.
    source · emu.edu
    “Anatomy/physiology I and II (both must be taken at the same institution)”
    https://emu.edu/nursing/second-degree/accelerated-2nd-degree · tier 1
    min gradeC
  2. 02
    Anatomy & Physiology IIAnatomy/physiology IIMust be taken at the same institution as A&P I.
    source · emu.edu
    “Anatomy/physiology I and II (both must be taken at the same institution)”
    https://emu.edu/nursing/second-degree/accelerated-2nd-degree · tier 1
    min gradeC
  3. 03
    General ChemistryOne chemistry courseGeneral, inorganic, organic, or biochemistry are all accepted.
    source · emu.edu
    “One chemistry course (general, inorganic, organic, or biochemistry)”
    https://emu.edu/nursing/second-degree/accelerated-2nd-degree · tier 1
    min gradeC
  4. 04
    General PsychologyOne psychology courseDevelopmental (lifespan) psychology is preferred.
    source · emu.edu
    “One psychology course (developmental psychology across the life span preferred)”
    https://emu.edu/nursing/second-degree/accelerated-2nd-degree · tier 1
    min gradeC
  5. 05
    SociologyOne sociology course · SOCMust have an SOC prefix; other courses are accepted by approval only.
    source · emu.edu
    “One sociology course (must have an SOC prefix or course code, other courses by approval only, minimum 3 credit hours)”
    https://emu.edu/nursing/second-degree/accelerated-2nd-degree · tier 1
    credits3min gradeC
  6. 06
    MicrobiologyOne microbiology courseOnline labs are accepted.
    source · emu.edu
    “One microbiology course (must include a lab; online labs are accepted)”
    https://emu.edu/nursing/second-degree/accelerated-2nd-degree · tier 1
    labrequiredmin gradeC
  7. 07
    NutritionOne nutrition course
    source · emu.edu
    “One nutrition course (minimum 2 credit hours)”
    https://emu.edu/nursing/second-degree/accelerated-2nd-degree · tier 1
    credits2min gradeC
  8. 08
    StatisticsOne statistics course
    source · emu.edu
    “One statistics course”
    https://emu.edu/nursing/second-degree/accelerated-2nd-degree · tier 1
    min gradeC
Minimum prerequisite grade
C
source · emu.edu
“All prerequisite courses must be passed with a C or higher.”
https://emu.edu/nursing/second-degree/accelerated-2nd-degree · tier 1
Prerequisites in progress
At least 6 of 8 completed at application; all 8 completed before beginning the clinical nursing program
source · emu.edu
“at least 6 of the 8 prerequisite courses must be completed at the time of application”
https://emu.edu/nursing/second-degree/accelerated-2nd-degree · tier 1

Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error

Do prerequisites expire?

Prerequisite age limit
10 years
No reference date is stated.
source · emu.edu
“Prerequisite courses taken more than ten (10) years ago will not be accepted.”
https://emu.edu/nursing/second-degree/accelerated-2nd-degree · tier 1
Prerequisite attempt limits Not published. Confirm with the school.
emu.edu

Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error

GPA and grades

Minimum cumulative GPA for admission
3.0 prerequisite GPA; no separate cumulative GPA minimum is stated for the ABSN
The curriculum plan adds: 'A 3.0 prerequisite GPA must be maintained to enter the clinical nursing program.'
source · emu.edu
“3.0 prerequisite GPA or higher”
https://emu.edu/nursing/second-degree/accelerated-2nd-degree · tier 1
Science GPA Not published. Confirm with the school.
emu.edu

Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error

Is there an entrance exam?

Entrance exam Not published. Confirm with the school.
emu.edu

Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error

Where can courses be taken?

Online labs
Online labs are accepted for microbiology
Online lab policy for other courses is not stated.
source · emu.edu
“One microbiology course (must include a lab; online labs are accepted)”
https://emu.edu/nursing/second-degree/accelerated-2nd-degree · tier 1
Community college courses Not published. Confirm with the school.
emu.edu
Pass/fail courses Not published. Confirm with the school.
emu.edu
Credit by exam Not published. Confirm with the school.
emu.edu

Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error

Application deadlines and start dates

Upcoming cycles Eastern Mennonite publishes. A date without a year on the school's page is noted rather than guessed.

May (summer) start — annual deadline · Harrisonburg, VADue January 15 each yearnext Jan 15, 2027The deadline is printed without a year. The curriculum plan PDF repeats it: 'Application deadline for the ABSN program is January 15.' The program begins each May.
source · emu.edu
“The deadline to submit all application materials is January 15. Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for applications to be reviewed.”
https://emu.edu/nursing/second-degree/accelerated-2nd-degree · tier 1
Summer 2026 start · Harrisonburg, VADeadline not publishedRequired orientation is 2026-05-18. The page does not print the application deadline year for this cohort; it is presumably January 15 of the same year, but this is not stated.
source · emu.edu
“Summer 2026 Orientation (required) – May 18 Classes begin – May 19 Summer semester ends – August 7”
https://emu.edu/nursing/second-degree/accelerated-2nd-degree · tier 1
Application route
EMU undergraduate application (not NursingCAS)
source · emu.edu
“Undergraduate application”
https://emu.edu/nursing/second-degree/accelerated-2nd-degree · tier 1

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 Not published. Confirm with the school.
emu.edu
Application fee Not published. Confirm with the school.
emu.edu

Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error

Other requirements

What the school asks for beyond courses and scores.

Letters of reference
Two academic references (one from an advisor, one from a professor), only if the degree is not complete at application
source · emu.edu
“If a baccalaureate degree is not complete at the time of application, applicants must submit two letters of academic reference - one from an academic advisor and one from a professor - indicating readiness for an accelerated program and readiness to graduate before the start of the accelerated BSN program.”
https://emu.edu/nursing/second-degree/accelerated-2nd-degree · tier 1
Minimum age
18
source · emu.edu
“1. Being at least 18 years of age”
https://emu.edu/nursing/docs/Accelerated%202nd%20Degree%20BSN%20Curriculum%20Plan.pdf · tier 1
Laptop requirement
A Mac or PC no older than 4 years
source · emu.edu
“A newer laptop (Mac or PC) not older than 4 years is required.”
https://emu.edu/nursing/second-degree/accelerated-2nd-degree · tier 1
Bachelor's degree Not published. Confirm with the school. Our two readings of the page disagreed (“Required before the program starts; not required at the time of application” vs “Baccalaureate degree required, but it need not be complete at the time of application”), so we are not publishing a value yet.
emu.edu
Interview Not published. Confirm with the school.
emu.edu
Essays Not published. Confirm with the school.
emu.edu
CNA Not published. Confirm with the school.
emu.edu
Healthcare experience Not published. Confirm with the school.
emu.edu

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
In-person classes with clinical rotations
The page describes small summer classes and clinical rotations and does not mention online coursework.
source · emu.edu
“You may be expected to complete 12 hour and/or weekend clinical rotations.”
https://emu.edu/nursing/second-degree/accelerated-2nd-degree · tier 1
Start term
May (summer) only
source · emu.edu
“15-month program beginning in May and ending the following August”
https://emu.edu/nursing/second-degree/accelerated-2nd-degree · tier 1
NCLEX pass rate
>95%
source · emu.edu
“NCLEX pass rate for ABSN >95%”
https://emu.edu/nursing/second-degree/accelerated-2nd-degree · tier 1
Committee approval
Admission is subject to approval by the nursing admissions committee
source · emu.edu
“Admission to the clinical nursing progam is subject to approval by the nursing department's admissions committee.”
https://emu.edu/nursing/docs/Accelerated%202nd%20Degree%20BSN%20Curriculum%20Plan.pdf · tier 1

Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error

Sources

Every page we read for Eastern Mennonite, 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.

  1. Traditional 2nd Degree Program
    tier 1 · program page · checked Oct 15, 2026
  2. Accelerated 2nd Degree
    tier 1 · program page · checked Oct 15, 2026
  3. https://emu.edu/nursing/docs/Accelerated%202nd%20Degree%20BSN%20Curriculum%20Plan.pdf
    tier 1 · pdf · checked Oct 15, 2026
  4. EMU | Undergraduate Admissions
    tier 1 · how to apply · checked Oct 15, 2026
  5. Apply to EMU
    tier 1 · how to apply · checked Oct 15, 2026
  6. https://emu.edu/nursing/docs/EMU-Nursing-Student-Handbook-2023-2024.pdf
    tier 1 · pdf · checked Oct 15, 2026
    PDF text truncated (52 pages)
  7. Financial Aid
    tier 1 · tuition · checked Oct 15, 2026
  8. Privacy Policy
    tier 3 · policy · checked Oct 15, 2026
Open questions we're still checking
  • The year of the January 15 deadline is not printed; it is unclear whether it applies to the Summer 2026 or a later cohort.
  • No tuition figure or application fee is published for the ABSN.
  • A cumulative GPA minimum (2.8) appears only on the separate Traditional 2nd Degree page; the ABSN page lists only a 3.0 prerequisite GPA.
  • Credit system for the minimum credit hours is not specified, though EMU appears to use semester hours.
  • The January 15 deadline is printed without a year; it presumably applies to the May start that follows.
  • Tuition and the application fee for the ABSN are not published on the pages provided.
  • The ABSN page does not say whether students must first be admitted to the university (the Traditional 2nd Degree page says this) or whether there is a cumulative GPA minimum separate from the 3.0 prerequisite GPA.
  • Two readings of the page disagreed on degree_requirement: Required before the program starts; not required at the time of application | Baccalaureate degree required, but it need not be complete at the time of application.

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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