Accelerated BSN

Who is eligible for admission into the program?

This program is designed specifically for students with a previous non-nursing baccalaureate or higher degree. A minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA is required to apply. All applicants must have three of the four science prerequisites complete by the application deadline. All prerequisites, including the four science courses must be completed by the program start date for those admitted.

Do you require the GRE, HESI, TEAS or any other admissions/pre-nursing exam with my application?

No. Standardized exams will not be reviewed in your application.

Do you require a supplemental application in addition to the NursingCAS application?

No. All applications will be fully submitted through NursingCAS only. No supplemental applications or additional fees are necessary.

Do I need to send transcripts directly to Regis University or only to NursingCAS?

As part of the application process, you should submit all official transcripts directly to NursingCAS. Transcripts sent directly to Regis University will not be considered in the application process.

Are there any requirements as to who should complete the letters of recommendation and how many are needed?

Two electronic letters of recommendation must be submitted directly to NursingCAS on the standard NursingCAS form. Paper references are not accepted. These recommendations must be submitted by professional or academic references. Arrange for NursingCAS to receive all of your references by the application deadline date. Personal references will not be accepted.

Information sessions are offered frequently. All on-campus information sessions are hosted in Peter Claver Hall, and online sessions are hosted through Zoom technology. RSVP today!

What does the typical schedule for an Accelerated BSN student look like?

The Accelerated BSN schedule includes three semesters. Each semester is split into three five-week sessions. You will be in class or clinical Monday - Friday, typically from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Although, your schedule can vary and clinical rotations and lab time can go into the evening or even be scheduled on the weekend. It's imperative that you are flexible and ready for a new schedule every five weeks.

How competitive is admission into the program? How many applications do you receive and how many do you accept?

We generally receive 250-350 applications for each term. We accept 54 students in the May start term and 102 students in the January start term. The final admissions decision is made by the Loretto Heights School of Nursing and is based on a number of factors including cumulative GPA, science GPA, current resume, two recommendation forms, personal statement and previous health care and/or volunteer experience.

Do you have a waiting list?

We do not offer a waiting list at Regis University. Each BSN program has a competitive admission process where students are selected based on academic performance, recommendations and their personal statement. The top candidates are selected for admission to each program, and a small group of competitive alternates are also selected. If you are an alternate, or denied acceptance, you will have to reapply to be considered for the next start term. We then suggest contacting your admissions counselor to discuss how to improve your application for your next review.

How many clinical hours will be completed in the course of this program?

You will complete over 750 hours of clinical education during the program. The final 180 hours will be spent shadowing a clinical preceptor at a selected site. Generally, clinical preceptor-to-student ratios will be 1:5. The clinical preceptor-to-student ratio for the last 180 hours can vary from 1:1 to 1:3.

Where are clinical rotations completed?

Clinical rotations are completed at a variety of hospitals and health care facilities in the Denver metro area. We use facilities as far north as Longmont United Hospital and Boulder Community Hospital and as far south as Sky Ridge Medical Center and Parker Adventist Hospital.

Does Regis offer financial aid to Accelerated BSN students?

Yes. Most Accelerated BSN students are taking financial aid in some form for their tuition/fees. Primarily, you will be offered “loans” as opposed to grants when seeking a second bachelor’s degree. You will be connected with your financial aid counselor upon acceptance to begin this process.

Do you prefer a specific major within my previous bachelor's degree?

No. Although health care experience is helpful to you as a nursing student, and we give credit for it in the application process – if you have a non-health care degree from a regionally accredited school and you complete your prerequisites prior to your start date – you are equally as eligible as any other applicant.

Can I work while attending the Accelerated BSN program?

The Accelerated BSN program is a full-time, intense and challenging campus-based program. Even though we try to keep class and clinical hours between Monday and Friday, some of your clinical rotations will occasionally be held in the evenings and/or on the weekends. You are strongly discouraged from trying to maintain a job while enrolled in the program.

Are students required to have laptops for the program?

Yes. All campus-based nursing students are required to bring a laptop to class.

Minimum System Requirements

Students will be required to take exams via Examplify. Students must have a mobile device that meets the following minimum requirements found at ExamSoft.

For Windows:

• Operating System: 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 10.
• Alternate versions of Windows 10, such as Windows RT and Windows 10 S, are NOT supported at this time.
  • If you are using a Microsoft Surface device, please read this article for important instructions on Windows 10 “S mode” versus the standard Windows 10. S mode is not compatible with Examplify.
• Only genuine versions of Windows Operating Systems are supported.
• The English (United States) Language Pack must be installed.
• ExamSoft does not support tablet devices other than Surface Pro, as detailed above.
• CPU Processor: 2.0 GHz Intel i3 processor or equivalent
• RAM: 4GB or higher
• Hard drive: highest recommended for the operating system or 1GB of available space.
• For onsite support, and in order to back up the answer files to a USB drive, a working USB port is required (newer devices may require an adaptor).
• For technical troubleshooting, account passwords including BitLocker keys, may be required.
• Internet connection for download, registration, exam download and upload.
• Examplify cannot be run within virtualized environments or environments that require persistent network (local or otherwise) connections during secure exams. This includes, but is not limited to, VMWare, Parallels, Citrix workspace, virtual disks, streamed images, etc.
• Screen resolution should be at least 1024 x 768.
• Administrator-level account permissions (view instructions).

The upcoming Windows 10 Version 20H2 update expected in October 2020 has not been certified as compatible for use with Examplify for Windows. Please do not upgrade to this version until it has been approved by ExamSoft.

For instructions on how to check your computer’s specifications, view the tutorial.

The following requirements apply for exams with ExamID or ExamMonitor enabled:

• Examplify version 2.4 or greater
• Hard drive: 2GB or higher available space
• RAM: 8GB or higher recommended; 4GB required
• Webcam (no virtual cameras or phones as cameras)
• Microphone (no headphones, no virtual mics)
• Internet: 2.5 Mbps upload speed

Please note:

• You may not use any virtual camera software with ExamID or ExamMonitor.
• The versions of Windows 10 utilized in testing are 1903, 1909, and 2004.

For Mac:

• MacOS Catalina (version 10.15) is only compatible with Examplify version 2.0.6 or higher (Released on 10/14/19 or later)
• Supported operating systems: OS X 10.13 (High Sierra), OS X 10.14 (Mojave), Mac OS Catalina (10.15). Only genuine versions of Mac operating systems are supported.
• CPU: Intel processor.
• RAM: 4GB or higher.
• Hard Drive: 1GB or higher available space.
• For onsite support, and in order to back up the answer files to a USB drive, a working USB port is required (Newer devices may require an adaptor).
• For technical troubleshooting, account passwords including device passwords may be required.
• Server version of Mac OS X is not supported.
• This software cannot be used on virtual operating systems such as Microsoft’s Virtual Machine, Parallels, VMware, VMware Fusion or any other virtual environments.
• Internet connection for download, registration, exam download and upload.
• Administrator-level account permissions (view instructions).
• Examplify cannot operate within virtualized environments or environments that require persistent network (local or otherwise) connections during secure exams. This includes, but is not limited to, VMWare, Parallels, Citrix workspace, virtual disks, streamed images, etc.

The upcoming Apple macOS 11 (Big Sur) expected in October 2020 has not been certified as compatible for use with Examplify for Mac. Please do not upgrade to this version until it has been approved by ExamSoft.

For instructions on how to check your computer’s specifications, view the tutorial.

The following requirements apply for exams with ExamID or ExamMonitor enabled:

• Examplify version 2.4 or greater
• Hard drive: 2GB or higher available space
• RAM: 8GB or higher recommended; 4GB required
• Webcam (no virtual cameras or phones as cameras)
• Microphone (no headphones, no virtual mics)
• Internet: 2Mpbs upload speed

Please note:

You may not use any virtual camera software with ExamID or ExamMonitor.

Do my prerequisites have to be complete when I apply?
Three of the four science prerequisites must be completed by the application deadline. The science prerequisites include: Human Anatomy (or Human Anatomy & Physiology I), Human Physiology (or Human Anatomy & Physiology II), Microbiology and Chemistry. All science prerequisites must include a lab component. Any remaining prerequisites should be planned or in progress at the time of application, and must be completed prior to starting the program. Students that are admitted with outstanding prerequisite course work are admitted conditionally and must successfully complete all outstanding prerequisites prior to matriculation to meet the conditions of acceptance.

Do all prerequisites need to be completed by the time the program starts?
Yes. All prerequisites must be completed by the time the program starts.

Where can I take my prerequisites?
Prerequisite classes may be completed at Regis University. You are eligible to apply and take up to 6 prerequisites through Regis! When you bundle two or more courses, you will get the tuition price of $1005 per course. Classes are offered in an adult learner-friendly format and can be taken during 8-week, 7 weeks, or 5-week periods. Upon being accepted as a prerequisite package deal student, you will be connected with someone who can help you enroll and choose prerequisite courses that are right for you.

Can I take prerequisites at a community college?
Prerequisite classes may be completed at any regionally accredited college or university, including community colleges. Loretto Heights School of Nursing (LHSON) at Regis University only accepts online science classes from accredited universities and colleges. We do not accept science classes from Sofia Learning, Straighterline and Portage. All required science classes must be taken within the last 10 years. View our transfer guide for all Colorado community colleges.

What is the time limit on prerequisites?
We recommend that prerequisites be taken within the last seven years; however, we will consider all courses regardless of the amount of time since completion. Because of the nature of the program, it is important that students have knowledge of all prerequisite subjects in order to build on that foundation.

Can online courses meet the prerequisite requirements?
Yes. We accept online courses for prerequisite requirements as long as they meet the following criteria: completed at a regionally accredited institution, meet the semester hour and grade requirements, and contain a lab component, if required.

What courses can I take for Religious Studies?
It is important that religious studies courses be taken from a religious studies or philosophy department. Courses taken from humanities, literature, anthropology or history departments, for example, will not be accepted. If your school does not have a religious studies department, you will want to take religious studies courses (such as comparative religions, philosophy of religion, world religions east and/or west) from your school's philosophy department. A general philosophy course such as Introduction to Philosophy does not fulfill the religious studies prerequisite requirement.

Where can I take Health Care Ethics?
Health Care Ethics is a required prerequisite that must be taken prior to your intended start date. Health Care Ethics is offered online at Regis University every eight weeks. All transfer courses for Health Care Ethics must be reviewed individually and approved by the Division of Health Services Education. Incoming students will have the opportunity to complete the Applied Ethics in Health Care (HCE 430) course from Regis University the term prior to starting the program. Once accepted or placed on the alternate list, we will notify you of the course offering and facilitate your registration. Students can look for an upper-division course equivalency outside of Regis University; however, we recommend that you receive confirmation that the course will fulfill the requirement before registering for it.

If a health care ethics course is completed at an institution other than Regis University, then the student must also complete an online module to fully complete our requirement. Designed by Regis University HCE 430 faculty, the module explores Jesuit and Catholic thought surrounding ethical considerations in healthcare.

Do you accept combined Anatomy and Physiology courses?
We will accept combined courses as long as the full series was completed and the courses included lectures and labs. All prerequisite courses must be completed with a C- or above.

Can I take ________ course for _______ course?
Students often want to determine if a particular course will substitute for one of the prerequisites. Typically, course substitutions are not accepted and students need to complete the courses as listed. However, if you would like to send a course description from the school catalog, and preferably a course syllabus, with a note regarding your rationale for substitution to healthcare@regis.edu, we will be glad to evaluate your request.

Do Advanced Placement (AP) courses taken in high school count toward prerequisite requirements?
Yes. See the AP exams we will accept, along with our minimum required passing score for credit. Please note: You must send official test scores to Regis University in order to receive transfer credit.

How do you calculate repeated course work into the GPA?
We will use the highest grades received for repeated prerequisite courses when we calculate your prerequisite science GPA. The cumulative GPA is calculated by NursingCAS and will include all completed course work, including course repeats. Regis University will remove courses from the NursingCAS cumulative GPA calculation if the course was completed at a nationally accredited institution. Regis University will add courses completed at an international institution from a provided international credential evaluation to the NursingCAS cumulative GPA calculation.

Do my credits transfer?

We highly recommend that you request an unofficial evaluation of your college credits. The evaluation can serve as a useful tool as you create a plan for completing your prerequisites and prepare for the admissions process. To request an evaluation, please send PDF copies of your unofficial transcripts to: unoffeval@regis.edu or fax them to: 303.964.5534. The DOB and SSN should be masked, and a transcript key is required for all transcripts. Please indicate you would like an unofficial evaluation and include your program of interest (Accelerated BSN) with your name, phone number, mailing address, and preferred email address. Your unofficial evaluation will be emailed to you within 7-10 business days. Please note that this evaluation is intended to help you plan your remaining prerequisites only. The grades reflected on this evaluation are not official and thus have no impact on your admissions decision.