ABSN Program Highlights
Earn your bachelor’s degree in two years with our accelerated nursing program.
You already have a bachelor’s degree, so we made it easy for you to get started in nursing with an accelerated BSN. Our accelerated nursing degree helps you build upon your existing education so that you can transition to a nursing career.
- Over the course of the accelerated BSN degree, you’ll gain a better understanding of what it takes to address individual and community health needs.
- In addition to the work you do in the classroom, you’ll also have clinical experiences through a community health practicum, a leadership practicum and a nursing capstone clinical.
- As a graduate, you’ll be prepared to obtain your nursing license and move into nursing roles within healthcare environments.
ABSN Curriculum
The accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing pre-licensure program is completed in 15 months for those students who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field. Our Accelerated BSN curriculum combines strong academic preparation with compassionate, hands-on clinical training. Students develop the competence, empathy, and excellence needed to deliver person-centered care and lead with compassion in diverse healthcare settings.
View Full CurriculumSample Courses
Fundamentals of Nursing for the BSN - Accelerated
Global Health
Nursing Synthesis for the BSN - Accelerated

Frequently Asked Questions
The Accelerated BSN degree is designed for students who already hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree and want to switch their career to healthcare. This pathway is ideal to leverage your prior college experience into a fast-track nursing education.
To qualify for Baker College’s ABSN, you must:
- Hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
- Complete all science prerequisites—Anatomy & Physiology I & II, Microbiology, General Chemistry, and HSC 1010—with a grade of B– (2.7) or higher in each course (Transfer credits are accepted within 5 years of completion.)
- Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 (though competitive applicants often have higher GPAs)
- Submit an online application along with official transcripts demonstrating your degree and prerequisite grades
- Complete required background checks, health clearances, and immunizations before starting clinical coursework
Meeting these criteria ensures you have the academic foundation and professional readiness to succeed in the intensive, 18-month Accelerated BSN program.
Once your prerequisites are satisfied, the ABSN degree consists of 62 credits of nursing coursework delivered in a full-time, cohort format.
You’ll complete classroom lectures, high-fidelity simulation labs, and clinical rotations over 18 consecutive months at our Muskegon or Royal Oak campus. This intensive schedule is structured to prepare you efficiently for the NCLEX-RN exam and to create a seamless transition into professional nursing practice.
The Accelerated BSN program is currently offered at our Muskegon and Royal Oak campuses. Both locations feature dedicated nursing suites equipped with high-fidelity simulation labs, allowing accelerated BSN students to practice key clinical skills in a realistic, controlled environment.
Whether you choose Muskegon or Royal Oak, you’ll benefit from strong clinical partnerships in the region, ensuring a diverse range of practicum settings during your ABSN program.Accelerated BSN degree students move through each semester alongside a tight-knit cohort, typically ranging from 20–30 peers. Cohorts are kept small to foster close collaboration with faculty and peers, and campus advisors at each site provide tailored support to help you stay on track. Nursing faculty mentors become familiar with your group’s strengths and challenges, providing personalized coaching and feedback.
The cohort model not only builds a built-in support network for study groups and peer mentoring but also mirrors real-world healthcare teams, preparing you for the collaborative nature of professional nursing practice.
While the total number of clinical hours in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing matches those of the Traditional BSN, they’re delivered on a much tighter timeline.
You’ll rotate through acute care, community health, maternal-child, and mental health settings in concentrated blocks—spending no more than two days in the clinical environment each week.
Although the scope and learning objectives mirror the four-year BSN program, ABSN cohorts complete these experiences in just 18 months, which means less downtime between rotations and more frequent transitions between specialties.
Baker College maintains the same network of partner hospitals, clinics, and community agencies for both pathways, ensuring you receive diverse, high-quality clinical instruction even within the Accelerated BSN format.
Baker College provides robust, tailored support to help students succeed in the Accelerated BSN program. From day one, you’ll be partnered with a dedicated advisor who guides you through course sequencing, clinical placement logistics, and licensure preparation.
Our Academic Resource Center offers specialized tutoring sessions and study workshops focused on anatomy, pharmacology, and critical care skills—key areas in the accelerated curriculum.
Additionally, Accelerated BSN cohorts have access to wellness services, and career-development resources to ensure you stay on track academically, emotionally, and professionally throughout the ABSN program.Yes, you can transfer applicable undergraduate coursework into the Accelerated BSN program—up to the program’s general education and prerequisite limits—provided they meet Baker’s transfer criteria. We will evaluate your previous credits in general education and science prerequisites to determine transferability. You can review the science specific course transfer requirements in the program handbook.
Any approved transfer hours count toward your 120-credit total, but all 62 nursing-specific credits still must be completed at Baker to meet accreditation and state board requirements.
Before your first day in the Accelerated BSN program, Baker provides you with a comprehensive “Boot Camp” packet packed with pre-course study guides, skills checklists, and detailed simulation-lab orientation materials so you know exactly what to expect and how to prepare.
You’ll also have access to online refresher modules in essential science topics—like anatomy and physiology—to ensure your foundational knowledge is solid. Prior to the start of your nursing classes, you’ll be invited to a virtual orientation session where you’ll meet your faculty, learn how to navigate Baker’s learning management system, and connect with your cohort peers.
Your dedicated advisor will also reach out to review your course schedule, confirm your clinical and lab dates, and answer any lingering questions about textbooks, uniforms, or immunization requirements. This structured onboarding process ensures you hit the ground running.
Application/Admission
Application and admission requirements can be found on the Professional Program Application page.
Program Outcomes & Performance
The mission of the accelerated nursing program at Baker College is to prepare graduates who are life-long learners with the core knowledge and skills needed to provide competent, holistic nursing care in a diverse and ever-changing health care environment.
Program Handbook
The handbook for this program is available in the latest edition of the Catalog/Student Handbook.
BSN Classes Available
This accelerated BSN degree is offered in-person on our campuses in Muskegon and Royal Oak.
On Campus Available
View campus locationsUnavailable on Baker Online
Core courses for this degree program are not offered through Baker Online.
For those interested, a selection of general education and prerequisite courses are available through Baker Online each semester.
Baker OnlineUnavailable on Online Live
Core courses for this degree program are not offered through Online Live.
For those interested, a selection of general education and prerequisite courses are available through Online Live each semester.
Online Live