Bellarmine Nursing Programs: Every Degree Compared

Bellarmine University’s Donna and Allan Lansing School of Nursing and Clinical Sciences lists 14 nursing programs and certificates. They run from an accelerated bachelor’s degree for people who already hold a degree, through the MSN and post-master’s certificates, to four doctoral options. Most graduate programs are online, and the nurse anesthesia program is the exception, with its first two semesters online and the rest on campus.

This page lists every nursing program the school publishes, with length, listed cost, format and the admission points that matter most. It does not rank the programs. Where the school’s pages disagree, the page says so.

Every Program at a Glance

The MSN row covers five tracks. See the Bellarmine MSN overview for each track’s credits, clinical requirements and format.

Undergraduate Programs

Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN)

The ABSN is for people who already hold a bachelor’s degree in any field. It takes 12 months, and the school says students are strongly advised not to work during the program.

• Length and format: 12 months on campus, with classes and clinicals two to three days a week each. The tuition page describes three semesters.
• Listed tuition: $905 per credit for 58 credits, or $52,490, which includes books. Estimated course fees add $5,000.
• Prerequisites: anatomy and physiology I and II, and microbiology. Prerequisite GPA of 3.00, and a grade of B- or better in natural science and nutrition prerequisites.
• Deposit: a $200 non-refundable tuition deposit is due after admission.
• Funding: the Norton Scholars Program lists up to $45,000 in tuition assistance with a work commitment. The Bellarmine Healthcare Partners Scholarship adds up to $7,500 toward the final semester for students in the Norton or Baptist programs, with cohort deadlines of May 1 and January 2.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

The BSN is on campus. Students are admitted to the university first, then apply to the nursing program after completing the freshman-year courses. Clinicals begin in the first semester of sophomore year.

• Length: the school lists 120 hours for the degree.
• Settings: medical, surgical, community, pediatric, psychiatric, maternal-child and critical care clinicals, plus a leadership clinical with a nurse leader in a hospital.
• NCLEX pass rate: the school reports a 91.4 percent first-time pass rate averaged over five years, using Kentucky Board of Nursing data. This is the same figure the ABSN page reports.
• Tuition: the undergraduate tuition page lists full-time tuition of $50,660 a year for 2026 to 2027, a $1,600 annual fee, and a $400 matriculation fee. The page does not list a separate nursing rate, so confirm the figure for your start term.

Master’s Programs

The school offers five MSN tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Nursing Administration and Nursing Education. Three prepare nurse practitioners. Each track has its own page or section.

• Bellarmine MSN overview: all five tracks compared on the same facts.
• AG-ACNP track: the program page with its curriculum and admission details.

Post-Master’s Certificates

The school lists three post-master’s certificates for nurses who already hold an MSN. Each is priced at $835 per credit on the tuition page.

• Family NP: 27 credits, $22,545.
• Adult Gerontology Acute Care NP: 28 credits, $23,380. The certificate page describes 20 credit hours, so confirm the count.
• Psychiatric Mental Health NP: 21 credits, $17,535.

Doctoral Programs

BSN to DNP: Nurse Anesthesia

This program prepares nurses to become certified registered nurse anesthetists. It runs 36 months, in nine consecutive semesters. The first two semesters are online, and the remaining seven are on campus, with simulation and clinical education. The program page lists 100 credit hours; the tuition table lists 101.

• Listed cost: $900 tuition per credit plus $200 fees per credit, plus $4,305 in other fees, for a total of $115,405 on the tuition table.
• Time commitment: the catalog says students average 55 to 64 hours a week, including class, clinical and study time, and it is difficult to work part time.
• Admission highlights: a BSN from a CCNE or ACEN program; a 3.0 undergraduate GPA and 3.5 for graduate coursework; three professional references; a goal statement; a resume; an unrestricted license; at least one year of recent full-time critical care nursing; a CCRN certification at application; current BLS, ACLS and PALS; shadowing with a CRNA or anesthesiologist; and an interview. Enrollment is limited.
• Certification: graduates are eligible to sit for the National Certification Exam through the NBCRNA.

BSN to DNP: Leadership

This track prepares nurses for organizational leadership, with coursework in financial and economic aspects of health care, human and resource management, and organizational leadership.

• Listed cost: $915 per credit for 62 to 68 credits, or $56,730 to $62,220 on the tuition table.
• Admission highlights: a BSN from a CCNE or ACEN program; a 3.0 undergraduate GPA and 3.5 for graduate work; two references from holders of a master’s or doctoral degree; a goal statement; a CV or resume; an unrestricted license; and possibly an interview. The GRE is required only if the program requests it.

Post-Master’s DNP: Advanced Nursing Practice and Executive Leadership

Two post-master’s options are listed for nurses who already hold an MSN. Advanced Nursing Practice is for advanced practice nurses and focuses on individual patient care. Executive Leadership is for leadership at the organizational or system level.

• Advanced Nursing Practice: 35 credits at $915, or $32,025.
• Executive Leadership: 35 to 44 credits at $915, or $32,025 to $40,260.

Both options use the same admission criteria, per their catalog entries:

• An MSN from a CCNE or ACEN accredited program, and a 3.5 cumulative graduate GPA.
• Two professional references from holders of a master’s or doctoral degree, a goal statement, a CV, and an unrestricted license.
• A completed verification of post-baccalaureate clinical and practice hours.
• A graduate-level statistics course within five years of the start date. Applicants who do not meet this may take it during the program.
• Evidence of the NEA-BC certification, if held, which waives one course.
• An interview may be requested, and meeting the minimum requirements may not assure admission.

Paying for Nursing School

The school lists funding for undergraduate nursing students, including the Norton and Baptist scholarship programs, the federal Nurse Corps and VA scholarships, ROTC, the Kentucky Board of Nursing incentive fund, and a UofL Health program of up to $24,000 for students who commit to direct-care work. Federal loans are available through the FAFSA. Graduate students can apply for federal loans and the same federal scholarship programs.

The school’s partner discount of 15 to 19 percent applies to employees of partner organizations, but it excludes the nurse anesthesia and ABSN programs.

Accreditation and Approvals

• CCNE: the baccalaureate, master’s and DNP programs in nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, per the school’s nursing page.
• Kentucky Board of Nursing: the BSN is approved by the Kentucky Board of Nursing.
• SACSCOC: the university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.

The nurse anesthesia page also refers to review by the COA. Check that program’s accreditation status on the accreditor’s site before you apply.

Questions to Ask Before You Enroll

The school’s pages leave some numbers unresolved. Ask these questions before you commit to a program:

1. Which credit count and total cost apply to the program I am starting?
2. Does the undergraduate rate apply to the BSN, and which fees apply to it?
3. For nurse anesthesia, when must the CCRN, the critical care experience and the shadowing hours be complete?
4. Which scholarships require a work commitment, and what happens if I leave the program early?
5. Which clinical hours apply to my track, and how is placement arranged in my state?

Frequently Asked Questions

Key Takeaway