ACNU Graduates

Accelerated Nursing Track

Details

The 15-month accelerated nursing track is designed for those who have earned a baccalaureate or higher degree in a non-nursing field. The program focuses on a holistic approach to healthcare, offering an intentional integration of theory and practical application, guided by accomplished faculty who are passionate about teaching.

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About the Program

Students in the Accelerated Nursing (ACNU) track build on their previous degree(s) to achieve a second bachelor’s degree that would enable them to become a Registered Nurse. Applicants to the accelerated nursing track must have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university prior to their enrollment in the program.

Building on a long history of excellence in nursing education at Carroll College, this 15-MONTH INTENSIVE TRACK includes coursework and clinical experiences designed to make these graduates immediately employable and effective in one of the hottest career fields in the country.

May 2024 cohort timeline:

  • August 10, 2023 - Applications become available in NursingCAS
  • November 16, 2023 - Rolling Admission until Cohort Capacity is Reached
  • May 1, 2024 - First Tuition Payment Due
  • May 17, 2024 - Accelerated Nursing Orientation
  • May 20, 2024 - Classes Begin
  • August 2025 - Completion date for May 2024 cohort

Should prospective students wish to take college-level coursework elsewhere, specifically the theology and/or philosophy requirement (if applicable), Carroll College will need to receive an official college transcript in order to evaluate courses for transfer.

ACNU Graduates
Watch the 2023 ANCU Pinning Ceremony live on Friday, August 11 beginning at 3:00 p.m.
Accelerated Nursing Splash
Accelerated Nursing at Carroll College

Application Process

To apply to the Accelerated Nursing track, you must use the NursingCAS portal, the nursing profession’s online application service.

Admission Requirements

Students who do not fulfill all of the below admission requirements can contact admission@carroll.edu to learn about how they can complete prerequisites at Carroll College. Applicants to the accelerated nursing track must have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university prior to their enrollment in the program.

Those admitted to the accelerated nursing track must:

  1. Complete or be enrolled in the following prerequisites (or their equivalent) with a “C -” or better at the time of program enrollment. This coursework needs to be completed prior to the program start, with official transcripts on file with the Registrar's office.
    • Anatomy & Physiology I and II with labs
    • Essentials of Chemistry + lab
    • Organic & Biochemistry
    • Microbiology with lab
    • Intro to Sociology
    • Statistics
    • General Psychology
    • Developmental Psychology
    • Oral Communication
    • Written Communication
  2. May be completed upon application or taken concurrently with the accelerated nursing classes.

    • One theology class
    • One philosophy class

    Note: For the theology or philosophy classes, one must be an ethical reasoning course.

  3. Other requirements:
    • Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university
    • Have an overall college career Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a 4-point scale (This includes all attempted credits at an accredited college or university).

Final tuition and fees are located on our cost of attendance page. The accelerated nursing track is four semesters and students will be sent full tuition and fee information at the time of inquiry.

Financial aid administered by the Financial Aid Office is designed to assist students in paying for their expenses associated with earning a degree. Federal financial aid is available to assist in paying for tuition, fees, books, supplies, and student living expenses while enrolled. Students may qualify for federal work-study, and loans only. Post-baccalaureate students (2nd Bachelor’s Degree) are not eligible for any Carroll College gift aid or tuition benefits unless donor-designated.

A post-bacc student may be eligible for Federal Direct Stafford Loan limits based on their annual FAFSA results and aggregate loan limits ($7,500-12,500 annual limit). First-time Federal Direct Stafford Loan borrowers must complete a Federal Direct Stafford Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Entrance Counseling. Students may also be eligible for private student Loans which are loans available for students who need extra funding after receiving the annual maximum in Federal Direct Stafford Loans. These are credit-based loans and generally require a co-signer. For more information on some private loan options, you may view our FastChoice Comparison Tool. For information regarding aid at Carroll, view our Federal Loan Financial Aid webpage.

There are also several scholarship opportunities listed on the Carroll website: Scholarships: General - Carroll College. Look for ones that note "Accelerate Nursing eligible". We also have had numerous students successfully pursue a VA or HRSA Nurse Corps scholarship to cover the program expenses. You can find more information about these options at: About HPSP - Veterans Affairs Scholarship Program (intelliworxit.com) and Apply to the Nurse Corps Scholarship Program | Bureau of Health Workforce (hrsa.gov).

Housing Options  
Students for the accelerated nursing track must live in Helena due to the intense 15-month focus from May through the following August. Students in this track are eligible to live in the Carroll College apartments. Due to the accelerated track being over two summers, only the apartments are available. The Carroll College apartments are conveniently located on campus. Housing information will be sent to students at the time of admission.

Veterans: Yellow Ribbon  
Any student that is 100% eligible for the Post 9/11 GI-Bill, has remaining entitlement, and meets the admission requirements is eligible to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program. To learn more about the Yellow Ribbon Program, please contact Brandy Keely.

Apply to the Accelerated Nursing Track

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