Second Degree BSN
Pursuing a second degree in nursing can be a life-changing decision towards a rewarding career. By leveraging knowledge and experience from your first degree, our program is a unique opportunity to build upon your existing skillset and experiences. We provide you with a strong clinical foundation beginning in your first week of study. These hands-on learning opportunities take place in our many clinical sites and state-of-the-art Learning and Simulation Center.
By the end of the program, you will be prepared to become a Registered Nurse (RN). Our most recent class scored a 96.43% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-RN licensure exam.
Attend a virtual information session to learn more about the Second Degree BSN program and your next steps to enrollment.
Have questions? Check our FAQs for quick answers about admissions and program details.
Applications for Fall 2026 open Aug 1.
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Program Information
Earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in 12 or 16 months through our accelerated Second Degree BSN program. This onsite nursing program is for those who already have a non-nursing bachelor's degree.
Program Type
Major
Degree
Bachelor's
School
Academic Department
Undergraduate Programs (Nursing)
Duration
12 or 16 months
Required Credit Hours
67
Modality
In-Person
We will help you prepare to be successful on the NCLEX-RN exam, which you are eligible
to take after graduation for licensure as a registered nurse (RN). Our graduates who
tested in the Q4 2025 cycle achieved a 96.43% NCLEX-RN Exam first-time pass rate.
I was drawn to Duquesne because I did my undergrad degree (early childhood education)
here and loved my experience and all of my professors. When I began my teaching career,
I felt extremely supported and prepared and was confident I would feel the same after
finishing the nursing program.
I chose the 16-month track because it aligned with my education needs. I am currently
at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh in their Cardiac ICU. I couldn't be more
excited about this opportunity! I know that I am very fortunate to have made the connections
that I did while at Duquesne that helped make this career possible.
Clinicals have been really impactful to me. We learn about the medication administration
in our classes and our labs but to really have our own patient and be able to assist
them in real life is very different. It gives you a better glimpse into what you'll
be doing as a nurse in 12 or 16 months.
Sometimes in nursing you do great things that go unnoticed—make sure that you
always remember to celebrate your own victories.'
I was looking to find a school that offered a rigorous nursing program and the
opportunity to continue my athletic career as a cheerleader. A friend of mine graduated
from the 12 month track, and she had the most positive remarks about the nursing program.
When I noticed the high NCLEX pass rate for Duquesne nurses, I knew I would be set
up for success.
My favorite part of Duquesne University's nursing program to date has been how
quickly they get you into those and have you doing direct patient care. As you start
to go through your clinicals, you're exposed more and more and you're trusted more
and more to provide certain skills you get delegated.
With programs like the Conway Scholars Program, Duquesne was much more affordable
than many of the other private schools that I looked at. Also, the exceptionally high
first-time NCLEX pass rate assured me that the education I received here would prepare
me well to not only pass the NCLEX, but also enable me to be a safe and competent
nurse.
96.43% NCLEX-RN Pass Rate
Student and Alumni Perspectives
More about BSN Second Degree
Application Resources
Submit Your Deposit
Please log in to your Duquesne Applicant Portal and complete your Enrollment Response Form.
Prerequisite Coursework
Your acceptance letter will inform you if you have outstanding prerequisites. Please
be sure to review your application portal to determine what courses need completed.
The official transcripts for these are due on August 17, 2026.
No exceptions will be made.
Financial Aid
Visit the Office of Financial Aid web site for detailed information on applying for financial aid. They can be contacted by -
Phone: (412) 396-6607, or
Email: faofficeFREEDUQUESNE
How Credits are Calculated
Transfer credits from your previous degree - 36 credits
Prerequisites* taken for the Second Degree Program - 25 credits
Credits taken at Duquesne University School of Nursing in the Second Degree Program
- 67 credits
Total Credits for the Second Degree Program - 128 credits
*Prerequisites may be completed at any accredited college or university, and online coursework is acceptable. For example, we do accept credit from Portage Learning, which offers all prerequisite courses required for the Second Degree program.
Viewbooks, Catalogs, and Handbooks
Information for International Students
Second Degree BSN admissions process and requirements for international students
Access the Duquesne Immigration Portal
The Center for Global Engagement's accepted students site, DuqGlobal, for complete
information on submitting the necessary forms, applying for your visa and international
student orientation.
Course Registration
Your academic advisor will contact you towards the beginning of summer to ensure your course registration. For more information on course registration, visit the Office of the University Registrar.
Curriculum
Fall Semester - 22 credits
- UPNS 119 Contemporary Professional Nursing and Technology (3 credits)
- UPNS 218/L Health Assessment and Lab (4 credits - 3 theory/1 clinical lab)
- UPNS 200 Fundamentals of Nursing and Clinical Ethics (6 credits - 4 theory/2 clinical lab)
- UPNS 326 Pathophysiology for Nursing Practice (3 credits)
- UPNS 339 Genetics in Nursing and Health (3 credits)
- UPNS 324 Cultural Applications in Clinical Practice (3 credits)
Spring Semester - 24 credits
- UPNS 309 Pharmacology for Nursing Practice (3 credits)
- UPNS 232 Adult Health and Illness I (6 credits - 4 theory/2 clinical)
- UPNS 344 Nursing for Children’s Health (3 credits - 2 theory/1 clinical)
- UPNS 348 Nursing for Maternal-Newborn Health (3 credits - 2 theory/1 clinical)
- UPNS 355 Behavioral Health (3 credits - 2 theory/1 clinical)
- UPNS 357 Population Health (3 credits - 2 theory/1 clinical)
- UPNS 411W Nursing Ethics Across the Lifespan (3 credits)
Summer Semester - 21 credits
- UPNS 400 Critically Ill Adult (6 credits - 4 theory/2 clinical)
- UPNS 424 Leadership and Management in Clinical Environments (3 credits)
- UPNS 453 Transition to Professional Practice (3 credits)
- UPNS 349 Adult Health and Illness II: Care of the Geriatric Adult (6 credits - 4 theory/2 clinical)
- UPNS 431 Enhancing Quality and Safety through EBP and Technology (3 credits)
W = Writing Intensive
Revisions to curricula are ongoing.
Fall Semester - 19 credits
- UPNS 119 Contemporary Professional Nursing and Technology (3 credits)
- UPNS 218/L Health Assessment and Lab (4 credits - 3 theory/1 clinical lab)
- UPNS 200 Fundamentals of Nursing and Clinical Ethics (6 credits - 4 theory/2 clinical lab)
- UPNS 326 Pathophysiology for Nursing Practice (3 credits)
- UPNS 324 Cultural Applications in Clinical Practice (3 credits)
Spring Semester - 18 credits
- UPNS 309 Pharmacology for Nursing Practice (3 credits)
- UPNS 232 Adult Health and Illness I (6 credits - 4 theory/2 clinical)
- UPNS 344*** Nursing for Children’s Health (3 credits - 2 theory/1 clinical)
- UPNS 348*** Nursing for Maternal-Newborn Health (3 credits - 2 theory/1 clinical)
- UPNS 339 Genetics in Nursing and Health (3 credits)
Summer Semester - 12 credits
- UPNS 431 Enhancing Quality and Safety through EBP and Technology (3 credits)
- UPNS 424 Leadership and Management in Clinical Environments (3 credits)
- UPNS 349 Adult Health and Illness II: Care of the Geriatric Adult (6 credits - 4 theory/2 clinical)
Fall Semester - 18 credits
- UPNS 355*** Behavioral Health (3 credits - 2 theory/1 clinical)
- UPNS 357*** Population Health (3 credits - 2 theory/1 clinical)
- UPNS 400 Critically Ill Adult (6 credits - 4 theory/2 clinical)
- UPNS 411W Nursing Ethics Across the Lifespan (3 credits)
- UPNS 453 Transition to Professional Practice (3 credits)
W = Writing Intensive
Revisions to curricula are ongoing.
*** These four Specialty Courses are taken in the spring and fall semesters. Half of the 16-month students will take Nursing for Children’s Health and Nursing for Maternal-Newborn Health in the spring, and Behavioral Health and Population Health in the fall. The other half will take the reverse sequence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Commonly asked questions about the BSN Second Degree program
The NCLEX-RN Exam is the National Certification Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses. All nursing students are required by law to take the NCLEX-RN in order to become licensed registered nurses. The NCLEX-RN is taken after graduation from an accredited nursing program.
NCLEX preparation begins in the first semester of the Second Degree Program. Students use particular software programs to promote success in their courses as well as on the NCLEX. Faculty are committed to active learning strategies that enhance critical thinking and test taking skills. Nursing exams are constructed similarly to the NCLEX and NCLEX questions are used during class time as a teaching strategy.
Students take a specific nursing course in the final semester that focuses on the NCLEX-RN exam. Students will have the opportunity to take standardized clinical specialty exams and a comprehensive exam to prepare them for the NCLEX-RN exam. Duquesne employs the Health Education Systems Incorporated (HESI), a United States company that provides exams and other educational material designed to prepare student nurses for professional licensure and predict their likely success in tests such as the NCLEX-RN. Duquesne requires a score of 900 on the Exit HESI Exam in the student's final course, Role Preparation II.
Ask a Question
Do you have questions about the Second Degree program?
Maddy Gormley
The Second Degree BSN program at Duquesne University School of Nursing is accredited
by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
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