University of South Alabama

The USA College of Nursing operates out of the Health Simulation Building in Mobile, with an additional campus in Baldwin County (Fairhope) to serve its accelerated cohorts. The traditional BSN follows a 2+2 model: students spend two years completing 60+ credits of general education and science prerequisites (including Anatomy & Physiology, Microbiology, and Chemistry) before applying for the competitive two-year "Professional Component." For those who already hold a non-nursing degree, the Accelerated BSN provides a fast-track, 12-month immersion. Graduate students have access to one of the largest online nursing portfolios in the South, including 15 MSN and DNP specialties such as Neonatal NP, Women’s Health NP, and Nurse Anesthesia.

Clinical training at USA is deeply integrated with USA Health, the region’s only academic health system. Students rotate through University Hospital (a Level 1 Trauma and Burn Center) and Children’s & Women’s Hospital, which houses one of the largest neonatal intensive care units in the area. Before entering these high-stakes environments, students spend hundreds of hours in the USA Simulation Program facilities. These labs feature high-fidelity manikins (including the SimMan 3G and Lucina birthing simulator) and a 12-room Standardized Patient Lab that replicates a clinic setting. This hands-on preparation is effective; the Class of 2024 achieved a near-perfect 98.36% NCLEX-RN pass rate, significantly higher than both state and national averages.

Compared to other public programs in Alabama, USA stands out for its Early Admission Program (EAP), which guarantees a spot in the professional sequence for high school seniors with a 3.5 GPA and a 25 ACT. It is also one of the few programs to offer specialized "RN-to-MSN" pathways for nurses with non-nursing bachelor's degrees. The program remains highly selective, requiring a 3.0 minimum GPA in prerequisites for the traditional track and a 3.0 BSN GPA for graduate admission.