UAB’s BSN Pathway, ranked No. 1 in Alabama by U.S. News & World Report, will be the first in the state to admit BSN students year-round, with most graduates accepting positions and practicing in Alabama.The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing is expanding its Bachelor of Science in Nursing Pathway to launch a summer cohort in summer 2026. Adding this cohort will make the UAB School of Nursing the first in the state to admit BSN students year-round, with most graduates accepting positions and practicing in Alabama.
“This new summer cohort enables us to respond to rising demand for nurses in Alabama and beyond while upholding the standards of excellence that define our BSN Pathway and all of our nursing education programs,” said Katie Parris, DNP, associate professor and associate dean for Undergraduate and Prelicensure Education. “Historically, most BSN students begin the program in the fall semester of their junior year. This additional cohort gives interested students the opportunity to start their coursework earlier, allowing them to graduate and enter the workforce a semester sooner.”
The new cohort is projected to admit between 30 and 50 students and follow the same five-semester curriculum as the fall and spring BSN cohorts. Students will have access to the school’s support and learning programs, including Student Success Champions, Nursing Honors Program and the Student Nurse Internship Program. They will receive hands-on clinical training experiences offered by on-campus partners in trauma, critical care, and pediatric and adult health, and indulge in other experiences at UAB’s world-class academic health science campus.
“As Alabama’s top-ranked nursing program that educates more nurses than any other in the state, we are proud to be driving growth in nursing education, expanding our number of graduates, and equipping them with the skills and readiness they need to thrive in today’s workforce,” said Maria R. Shirey, Ph.D., dean of the School of Nursing and Fay B. Ireland Endowed Chair.
The school’s long-standing partnership with UAB Medicine is key to the expansion as they will continue providing students with valuable clinical experiences in a high-tech, leading-edge health system.
“Workforce challenges will remain for years to come, but opportunities for nurses will continue to expand,” said Terri Poe, DNP, chief nursing officer of UAB Hospital and associate professor and assistant dean of Nursing Clinical Practice and Partnerships. “At UAB, we invest in students because nurses are critical at the bedside and as educators, leaders and collaborators. We are excited the school is expanding its number of BSN graduates to fill workforce needs now and in the future.”
Applications for the summer cohort open Nov. 17, 2025, and close Feb. 2, 2026. Prospective students can learn more here or register to attend an interest session here.