About Accelerated Nursing Schools

Accelerated nursing schools offer bachelor's degrees or master's degrees in nursing that require a person to attend for a shorter length of time. Schools with accelerated Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) or accelerated Master's of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs are recommended for individuals who have already earned a bachelor's or master's degree in another field and wish to become a nurse.

General Information

An accelerated nursing school has programs for bachelor’s degrees lasting from 11 to 18 months. The typical length of this degree program lasts four years, meaning that you can earn a bachelor's degree in nearly have the time. Accelerated master's degree programs require three years of study.

Length of Programs

Both types of programs require a student attend classes with shorter breaks, longer hours and throughout the summer. The more intense schedule permits students to earn credits in a shorter amount of time. While traditional courses vary in length from a nine-week period to an 18-week course, accelerated programs last almost half of that length of time, depending upon the school.

Requirements

Due to the nature of the degree, certain prerequisites are deemed necessary to enter into the program, such as students must have previously taken specific classes like anatomy and physiology, microbiology and chemistry. In addition, students must have passed their previous degree with a minimum grade point average (GPA) that varies based on the school. Throughout the course of the accelerated nursing program, students must uphold a particular GPA to remain in the program. Usually, the minimum GPA for both the previous degree and the current degree program is 2.5 or higher.