Concordia University, St. Paul ABSN Programs

A Lutheran university founded in 1893, Concordia University, St. Paul has since held a high standard across all areas of a liberal arts education. Concordia University, St. Paul offers their 16- month Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Portland, Oregon. Through the accelerated nursing program, students can earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree and be ready to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN®). The ABSN program at CSP helps students earn their degrees sooner by offering three start dates each year — in January, May, and September.

ABSN Program Details

At CSP, the 16-month ABSN program consists of 61 total nursing credit hours divided into four semesters. Students learn through a hybrid online format, with the curriculum divided into online classes, nursing labs, and clinical experiences.

Online Nursing Classes

Online classes in CSP’s accelerated nursing program allow students to learn in a place that works best for them. Nursing students benefit from incorporating self-directed online learning into a structured program alongside peers and attentive instructors.

Skills Labs and Simulation

During nursing labs, students meet in the well-equipped lab setting alongside a small group of students and their clinical instructor. Skills labs help students gain dexterity with a variety of nursing tasks, such as placing IV catheters, inserting nasogastric tubes, and drawing blood.

Then in simulation at CSP, students practice mock health care scenarios with manikins, providing a safe space to learn how to manage complex, high-pressure situations.

Clinical Learning

The final piece of the accelerated nursing education at CSP includes clinical learning experiences in various modalities. CSP’s clinical experiences take place locally, either in St. Paul, Minnesota, or Portland, Oregon.

ABSN Admissions Requirements

If you have at least 54 non-nursing college credits or a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, you may be eligible to apply to the ABSN program at Concordia. To apply, students should also meet the following admissions requirements:

• Have completed 54 non-nursing college credits before enrolling in the nursing program.
• Provide official transcripts verifying you hold 54 college credits or an associate or non-nursing bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and have completed the required prerequisite courses.
• Hold a cumulative college GPA of 3.00.
• Hold a 3.0 GPA of combined science prerequisites (microbiology, human anatomy and physiology I and II, and chemistry for health sciences).
• Clear a criminal background check prior to admission to the nursing cohort.
• Complete the ATI Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) exam with a minimum score of 65% within a year prior to your application to the program (only two attempts allowed per year).
• Complete prerequisites with the required letter grade (C or higher), within the time limit, and meet the prerequisite course repetition policy.
• Demonstrate English language proficiency (applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency via examination if English is not their native language).

Accreditations

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Concordia University, St. Paul is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

The university accreditation ensures the quality and integrity of the baccalaureate program and allows CSP Global ABSN nursing graduates to apply for careers in the federal government — including military and Veteran’s Administration positions — and offers a smoother path to graduate nursing programs.

State Approval

The Accelerated BSN in Portland is approved by the Oregon State Board of Nursing, located at 17938 SW Upper Boones Ferry Road, Portland, OR 97224, 971-673-0685.

This school is a business unit of a corporation and is authorized by the State of Oregon to offer and confer the academic degrees and certificates described herein, following a determination that state academic standards will be satisfied under OAR 583-030. Inquiries concerning the standards or school compliance may be directed to the Office of Degree Authorization, 255 Capitol St. NE, Salem, Oregon 97310.

Concordia University is approved by the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission to conduct practice experiences in the state of Washington for the accelerated BSN program.

The Accelerated BSN program in St. Paul is approved by the Minnesota Board of Nursing, located at 1210 Northland Drive, Suite 120, Mendota Heights, MN 55120, 612-317-3000.

Concordia University St. Paul is approved by the Washington State Board of Nursing for ABSN students to be eligible to seek licensure as a registered nurse technician in Washington State.