You are eligible for this option if you already have earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university. After completing this intensive 12 month plan, you are eligible to take the national licensing exam for registered nurses (NLCEX-RN).
This program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
This program is designed for students who have already completed a bachelor's degree. The program has been developed to provide an intensive, year-round accelerated program of learning.
The high-tech world of health care will always be driven by the human heart. If a gifted nurse has helped you, you know that one person truly can make a difference. What you may not know is that nurses outnumber all other health care practitioners. And the demand grows.
Our programs provide the tools you need for a successful nursing career. You can advance in dozens of directions. Our hands-on curriculum covers health maintenance, disease prevention, primary care assessment, and evidence-based research. We emphasize rural and urban health care needs in the culturally diverse Southwest.
Note: If you want to major in Nursing, you must apply and be accepted to the School of Nursing program in addition to being admitted to the university.
To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally includes a major, the liberal studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.
The full policy can be viewed here.
In addition to University Requirements:
Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 30 |
| Highest Mathematics Required | STA 270 |
| Additional Admission Requirements | Required |
| Fieldwork Experience/Internship | Required |
| Some online/blended coursework | Required |
| Progression Plan Link | Not Available |
Purpose Statement
The philosophy of the School of Nursing at Northern Arizona University is based on an ethic of caring that embraces students, faculty and staff, and the university community and the global community within which we live and work. We also believe that caring is a conscious, intentional discipline that is part of nursing’s unique body of knowledge and is practiced in interdisciplinary contexts. Caring includes the creation and nurturing of an environment that recognizes that students, staff and faculty have unique ways of viewing the world. This philosophy promotes excellence for nursing education and practice in an environment of constant change and emerging healthcare trends.
The faculty believes the transition to the role of competent professional nurse is a major developmental achievement. We believe that nursing is an art and science that is an integral component of health care. Applying the discipline of nursing to practice depends on a foundation of natural and human sciences, humanities and arts, the application of research, and the diverse backgrounds of learners. Societal influences in the evolving healthcare system challenge all involved in nursing education.
Education is a dynamic, life-long collaborative process by which an individual pursues life goals, broadens human potential, develops thinking and clarifies values. The faculty believes that learning is the intentional acquisition, application, and integration of knowledge, skills and attitudes. Learning is shaped by the environment and developmental level of the learner, and is ultimately the responsibility of the learner. Faculty plan, guide, and facilitate learning while supporting the learning needs of a diverse community of students. We believe that learning-centered experiences with rigorous expectations and actively-engaged students result in higher-level thinkers and graduates prepared for real world practice. We value incorporating rural and global healthcare into a variety of educational experiences. Thus education not only expands the thinking of the learner, but increases opportunities for application.
The faculty has developed a philosophy that values diverse persons, environment, health, and nursing, and their inter-relatedness. The following meta-paradigm concepts guide the implementation of the organizing framework for the curriculum.
If you have already completed a bachelor's degree and want to make a career change to nursing, consider our Bachelor of Science in Nursing Accelerated Program. The program is an intensive, year-round accelerated program of learning on the Flagstaff campus only. To be eligible for this option, you must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university, and have met our pre-professional prerequisite courses. This rigorous program is designed to be completed over 12 months, and courses are sequential and must be completed as listed in program materials. We admit 30 students per year to the program.
Student Learning Outcomes
Outcomes align with Standards from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
This major requires 79 units and for students to complete a Bachelor’s degree prior to taking this program.
Nursing Common Course Requirements (52 units)
Take the following 52 units of sequenced nursing coursework in 12 months:
Additional coursework is required if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.
You may take these remaining courses from any of the academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. You may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren't used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.
We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you.
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.