
Accelerated Second Degree Nursing
- 122 Credits
- School of Health and Natural Sciences
- Bronx

Accelerated Second Degree Nursing Overview
Explore our Accelerated Second Degree Nursing B.S. See how you can redirect your career and make a difference.
You've studied hard and earned a degree, but are thinking about making a change in your career path.
The Accelerated Second Degree in Nursing is designed for students who already have a baccalaureate degree in a non-nursing field of study and will help you earn a Nursing degree quickly.
The Accelerated Second Degree in Nursing (ASDBS) is a pre-licensure nursing program for college graduates who want to become registered nurses (RN). Upon successful completion of the program, students will be eligible to take the NCLEX-RN licensure examination. All prerequisites must be completed before applications are reviewed for this program.

Career Opportunities
Job growth for registered nurses is increasing faster than average, and evolving health care demands in the US promise continued growth. Students are prepared for work as nurses in community and hospital settings.
The Mercy Advantage
- Relationship with leading hospitals
- On Campus Speech and Hearing Clinic
- State-of-the-art simulation labs
- Participate in medical missions
Just listen and watch as students in our nursing program describe their education: personal, cutting edge, and preparing them for success!

Interprofessional Education in Simulation Labs
Students from various health professions work with a simulated patient (a student actor from the college) in one of the simulation labs. These interprofessional experiences help students learn about other professions’ roles and responsibilities, values and ethics, and teamwork. These simulated experiences prepare them for their real-world clinical experiences.
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Explore our Accelerated Second Degree Nursing B.S. (ASDBS) Weekend Program
The weekend ASDBS program is an intensive weekend program. It is a pre-licensure program for students who already have a baccalaureate degree in a non-nursing field of study. The program consists of 5 semesters that you will complete over 18 months. Coursework and clinical will be completed on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The first cohort will begin in the Fall of 2021.
Frequently Asked Questions
Students are able to apply with the Mercy College Undergrad Application or Common App (https://www.commonapp.org/school/mercy-college).
Students are not required to meet with anyone from admissions.
The ASDBS Program is intended for students pursing a second bachelor’s degree. Therefore, many of the federal and state need-based financial aid programs, such as Pell, are not available for ASDBS students. Mercy College does not offer merit scholarship for this program. Students may have the option to utilize federal student loans to help fund their education. Mercy has a much lower tuition rate than most private colleges so many students can self-fund by utilizing our payment plan or through support from their employer. We encourage you to meet with a Financial Aid Counselor to discuss your funding options.
External funded scholarship opportunities:
- Tylenol Scholarships (http://www.tylenol.com/news/scholarship)
- AACN-RN AACN Members Scholarship (https://www.aacnnursing.org/Students/Financial-Aid)
- National Black Nurses Association (http://www.nbna.org/content.asp?contentid=82)
- National Hispanic Nurses Association (https://nahnnet.org/about/awards)
- Minority Nurse (https://minoritynurse.com/scholarships/)
Contact Paul Reid at preid9@mercy.edu or (718) 678-8790.
Program Details & Curriculum
General Education Requirements: 51 Credits
Nursing Prerequisites: 13 Credits
(in transfer)
A&P with Lab/BIOL 131/131A
Chemistry or Genetics
Human Development or Developmental Psychology
Microbiology/ BIOL 265
Lower Division Nursing* 43 Credits
Major Concentration
Upper Division Nursing 15 Credits
Total 122 Credits
For a full curriculum listing visit our catalog
Program Outcome I - Technology
- Student will demonstrate proficiency with patient care technologies and information management systems to gather and manage data to communicate effectively with patients, families, health care professionals, and policy decision makers. [I, II, IV, V, VIII, IX]
- Student will demonstrate skills in using patient care technologies, information systems, and communication skills, based on a foundation of the arts, sciences and humanities, that support patient outcomes and nursing practice. [IV, VII, IX]
Program Outcome II - Research
- Student will demonstrate a basic understanding of how evidence is developed including the research process, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences as applied to practice. [III, IV, VI, VII]
Program Outcome III - Leadership
- Student will apply leadership concepts, skills, and decision making to the provision of nursing care and nursing practice in collaboration with organizations and communities. [II, VII, VIII, IX]
- Student will demonstrate leadership and communication skills to participate in quality improvement initiatives with health care teams. [II, VI, VII]
Program Outcome IV - Quality
- Student will appraise principles of quality improvement, health care policy, and cost effectiveness to assist in the achievement of safe and quality outcomes of care for diverse populations. [II, V, VII, VIII]
- B.A. or B.S. degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum GPA of 3.0 from an accredited institution
- Anatomy & physiology II with lab (4 credits)
- Microbiology (3 credits)
- Psychology or human development (3 credits)
- Genetics or chemistry (3 credits)
- Personal Statement
- 1 professional reference
To be eligible, the above prerequisites must be completed with C or better before the semester application deadline.
Applicants with international education are required to have their earned credits evaluated by NACES to be comparable to United States standards.
Application Deadline
Spring | Summer | Fall | Fall Weekend |
---|---|---|---|
October 15 | February 15 | April 15 | April 15 |
Enrollment Deposit Cost
Spring | Summer | Fall | Fall Weekend |
---|---|---|---|
$250 | $250 | $250 | $250 |
Enrollment Deposit Submission Deadline
Spring | Summer | Fall | Fall Weekend |
---|---|---|---|
November 5 | March 5 | May 5 | May 5 |
Refund Deadline
Spring | Summer | Fall | Fall Weekend |
---|---|---|---|
November 5 | March 5 | May 5 | May 5 |
Current tuition and registration fees equal $10,367 per term. There is an additional Nursing Program Fee of $1,500 per term, bringing the total per-term cost to $$11,867. As this is a five-term program, the current average cost for the entire program would be approximately $59,335. Tuition and fees may increase prior to the start of any summer term.
The Department of Nursing is committed to meeting its mission as it relates to serving our students, potential students, staff, faculty, adjunct faculty, clinical faculty and the public consumer of physical therapy. To that end, we are committed to ensuring that exceptional complaints for which there is no established College, School or program policy or procedure are considered and resolved in a timely, fair, consistent and equitable manner. Additional information may be found in the College undergraduate catalog.
Procedure: Complaints should be addressed to the Program Director through the online form. If the program director is the subject of the complaint, the complaint should be addressed to the Dean, School of Health and Natural Science.
Download a copy of the Accelerated Second Degree Nursing Handbook.
Download a copy of the sequence map for:
- 2022-2023 Accelerated Second Degree Nursing
- 2022-2023 Accelerate Second Degree Nursing - Weekend Program
ARCHIVE
Full-Time Faculty

Prof. Salil Akhtar, RN, MA, EdM, EdD(c)
- BX 4120
- sakhtar@mercy.edu
- (718) 678-8971



Dr. Miriam Ford, PhD, FNP-BC
- MH 265A
- MFord@mercy.edu
- (914) 674-7860

Prof. Shevonba M. Graham, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, RN-BC, PCCN, CNE
- BX 4290
- sgraham22@mercy.edu
- (914) 826-9242


Susanna Killourhy, MSN-Ed, BSN, RNC
- BX 4290
- skillourhy@mercy.edu
Susan Moscou
- MH 275
- smoscou@mercy.edu
- (914) 674-7866
Sonia Pervaiz
- BX 4120
- spervaiz@mercy.edu
- (914) 826-9236

Dr. Linda Shand, BSN MA PhD Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse CHPN Certified Nurse Educator CNE
- MH 270
- lshand@mercy.edu

Dr. Sharon Shockness

Dr. Patricia Sutton, EdD , MS, RN
- MH 265B
- psutton@mercy.edu
- (914) 674-7636


Susan Wilson
Part-Time Faculty

Tanya Bartley
- BX 4125
- tbartley5@mercy.edu
- (914) 826-9222
Margaret Courtney-Tierney
- BX 4141, MH 270
- mcourtneytierney@mercy.edu
Karen Koziol
- MH 266
- kkoziol@mercy.edu
- (914) 674-3074
Melanie Lavelle
- BX 4141, MH 270
- mlavelle@mercy.edu
- (718) 678-8967
Jennifer Lewis-Muschette
- BX 4141, MH 270
- jlewismuschette@mercy.edu
Stephanie Schleuderer
Marlene Thompson-Craddock
- BX 4141, MH 270
- mthompsoncraddock@mercy.edu
Donnette Williamson-Smith
- BX 4141, MH 270
- dwilliamsonsmith@mercy.edu