Accelerated BSN Admission

Minimum requirements for admission consideration:

• A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution
• A 3.0 cumulative GPA
• Completion of all prerequisite courses (listed below) with a grade of C or better prior to enrolling at MSMU
• Interview: Qualified candidates will be interviewed in person after the application deadline; this is required for final application review. Returning applicants will interview again, if qualified.

Visit the university course catalog for more information about each required course. 

• Because of our program’s accelerated format, we highly encourage applicants unfamiliar with nursing terminology to take medical terminology classes before starting.
• *Science courses must be completed within five years prior to starting at MSMU.
• **LACE (Liberal Arts Core Education) courses are the general education prerequisites for ABSN. These courses are not specific to Mount Saint Mary’s University; rather, the acronym honors the history of the Mount's founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. In the 1600s, the Sisters taught widowed women in France to make lace, helping them gain financial independence after wars left them destitute. This tradition of empowerment through education continued when the nuns came to the U.S. and established MSMU.
  
  • Community: A 3-unit course which critically analyzes the studies of American communities. Some common course titles taken may include:
    • American Politics & Government 
    • Introduction to Ethnic Studies 
    • U.S. History 
  • Global Awareness and Understanding: A 3-unit course which evaluates historical and/or current global contexts. Some common course titles taken may include:
    • Introduction to Global Studies
    • Survey of Arts of Africa, Ocean and Ancient America
    • Western Civilization
  • Women & Gender: A 3-unit course which critically evaluates the role of women and gender in society. Some common course titles taken may include:
    • Introduction to Women’s Studies
    • Great Women in Humanities
    • Psychology of Gender
  • Note: Introduction to Sociology/Cultural Anthropology will double dip and fulfill Community or Global Awareness.
• Applicants may apply with up to two prerequisites in progress, but only one can be a science course (chemistry, human anatomy, human physiology and microbiology).
• Prerequisite courses can only be retaken if the grade is C- or below, and a course may be repeated only once. Failing any two prerequisite courses (C- or below) will result in non-admission.
• Prerequisites taken on a C/NC or P/NP basis may not be applied toward prerequisite requirements unless a student can show they received a letter grade of a C or better.
• No entrance exam is required.

• Complete application
  • Select Start New Application. Then, Create Application. Under Application Category select Nursing Transfer. Then, select ABSN as your Nursing Transfer Anticipated Major.
• Official transcript(s) from all previously attended institutions
  • All previously attended institutions must send official transcripts directly to MSMU. Unofficial transcripts are not accepted. Transcripts submitted for an informal transcript evaluation are not added to application materials.
  • International students must request a comprehensive course-by-course transcript evaluation to be sent. Visit www.naces.org/members for more information.
• Proof of enrollment for any current and upcoming prerequisite courses
  • Note that these in progress courses must be completed prior to enrolling at Mount Saint Mary's University and an updated final transcript must be sent.
  • Proof of enrollment for an upcoming course is an education plan from the respective institution stating that the course is planned and the term/year it is available. If currently registered, submit a PDF document showing the class as "enrolled."
• Advanced Placement (AP) scores (if applicable)
  • Applicants must request that The College Board send an official score report directly to MSMU. A score of 4 or more is required to receive credit, with the exception of psychology, which is credited with a score of 3 or more.
• Two references (academic or professional; official letterhead required)
  • MSMU contacts recommenders from the contact information listed in the application. However, recommenders may also send their letters directly to nursingdoc@msmu.edu as a PDF document.
• Personal essay
  • Submit 2-3 typewritten and double-spaced pages addressing the following:
    • What do you know about MSMU and the ABSN program?
    • What personal qualities and life experiences have prepared you for a successful career in nursing?
    • How do you handle stress, especially when you have multiple tasks to complete in a short period of time?

Mailing address for official application materials: 
ATTN: Office of Admission 
10 Chester Place 
Los Angeles, CA 90007 
Fax Number: 213.477.2569

Official electronic documents can be submitted/ordered to nursingdoc@msmu.edu. 
For questions and additional information, contact nursingadmission@msmu.edu.

• Complete application
  • Select Start New Application. Then, Create Application. Under Application Category select Nursing Transfer. Then, select ABSN as your Nursing Transfer Anticipated Major.
• Official transcript(s) from all previously attended institutions
  • All previously attended institutions must send official transcripts directly to MSMU. Unofficial transcripts are not accepted. Transcripts submitted for an informal transcript evaluation are not added to application materials.
• Updated personal essay
  • submit one double-spaced page explaining what has changed since you last applied to the program and how those changes have prepared you as a nursing student.

Students may not apply to more than one of our nursing programs within the same start term.

Mailing address for official application materials: 
ATTN: Office of Admission 
10 Chester Place 
Los Angeles, CA 90007 
Fax Number: 213.477.2569 

Official electronic documents can be submitted/ordered to nursingdoc@msmu.edu. 
For questions and additional information, contact nursingadmission@msmu.edu.

Due to the large number of applications for this program, admission is highly selective. Applicants may be placed on a waitlist.

• If the department selects an applicant for the waitlist, it will only be for the current term.
• Waitlisted applicants will be notified when the program is no longer taking applicants from the waitlist. Applicants who don’t get accepted may apply again for an upcoming term.
• Previously waitlisted applicants will not be offered priority consideration for future terms.