Nursing + Nursing (4+2)

A group of students observing a simulation lab training on a monitor

Receive your BSN, MSN and DNP in Six Years with Simmons’ 4+2 Nursing Program

Simmons University’s accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice six-year degree program allows you to complete a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in nursing in less time so you can earn a terminal degree and make a greater impact on health care in your community. 

This program is available for current Simmons undergraduate nursing students. If you are a current nursing student you can apply for the 4+2 accelerated BSN, MSN, and DNP program during your sophomore year. If you are not a current Simmons student you should first apply to the BSN program.

Unsure of which Nursing program you should follow? Compare them all and discover which nursing program is right for you

Why pursue an accelerated nursing degree?

If you would like to earn a terminal nursing degree, gain advanced practice nursing knowledge and hone your leadership skills, the BSN, MSN, DNP 4+2 degree may be an ideal fit for you. 

The six-year degree structure will allow you to accelerate your path to receiving your prelicensure nursing education (BSN), advanced leadership skills (MSN Leadership) and specialize as a doctorally prepared nurse practitioner (DNP-FNP) or (DNP-PMHNP). 

Instructed by expert faculty members, you will learn advanced practice nursing knowledge and skills that will prepare you to deliver high quality, patient-centered care to individuals, families and the greater community. 

This combined bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate in nursing program develops nursing leaders who are well equipped to practice in today’s complex health care system. Join the legacy of Simmons nursing by earning your terminal degree through our 4+2 program!

Access to Boston’s Innovative Medical Network

As a Simmons nursing student you will benefit from the University’s close relationships with world-renowned teaching hospitals and research facilities across Boston, many of which surround our campus. These facilities include Brigham and Women's Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Children's Hospital, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Through this access to some of the most innovative medical centers, you will be able to expand your knowledge and skill set by completing clinical rotations and practicums, attending lectures and professional networking events and taking advantage of research opportunities.

BSN to DNP Program Outcomes

Simmons nursing students have a reputation for being the best and brightest in their field. With a terminal nursing degree, nurse practitioner credentials, and a leadership background your career opportunities are limitless and include:

  • Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
  • Family Nurse Practitioner
  • Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
  • Chief Nursing Ofice/Nurse Executive
  • Nursing Academia

Graduates of this program are prepared to take either the family nurse practitioner (FNP) certification exam or the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) certification exam.

BSN to DNP Degree Structure and Course Sequences

Once accepted into this program you will first complete an accelerated BS in nursing curriculum that prepares you for the registered nurse licensure (NCLEX) exam (after term 8). You must pass the NCLEX exam in order to continue in the MSN sequence of the program. 

The MSN sequence consists of core leadership courses and other foundational nursing courses that are essential to advanced nursing education. Leadership courses and clinical experiences are based on the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) Nurse Leader Core Competencies: Professionalism, Communication and Relationship Management, Knowledge of the Health Care Environment, and Business Skills and Principles. The MSN is conferred after term 12. 

During the DNP portion you will specialize in courses that prepare you to become a nurse practitioner and prepare you at the doctoral level. You will have the option to specialize as a FNP or PMHNP. You will complete courses on diagnosing and management, complete clinical hours caring for patients across the lifespan, and complete a DNP project in collaboration with a faculty chair, community mentor, and their organization. The DNP is conferred after term 16 at which point you are eligible to sit for your national FNP or PMHNP certification exam.

Term 3: Fall*
BSN Portion
Term 4: Spring**
BSN Portion
Nursing Theory & Evidence-Based Practice4Pharmacology 4
Fundamental Skills and Health Assessment 4Medical Surgical Nursing I4
Fundamental Skills and Health Assessment Lab Medical Surgical Nursing I Clinical  
  Health Promotion & Community Nutrition4
Total credits8Total credits12

*Plan of Study includes nursing courses only, students will need to take other courses to meet requirements for BSN degree conferral 
**Apply to 4+ sequence 

Term 5: Fall**
BSN Portion / start integration of graduate courses
Term 6: Spring
BSN Portion / integration of graduate courses
Term 7: Summer***
BSN Portion
Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing 4NURS 334: Pediatric Nursing 3NUR XXX: Community and Population Health3
Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Clinical  Pediatric Nursing Clinical1Community and Population Health Clinical 1
Medical Surgical Nursing II 4Maternal, Newborn, & Women’s Health Nursing3Complex Care3
Medical Surgical Nursing II Clinical  Maternal, Newborn, & Women’s Health Nursing Clinical 1Complex Care Clinical 1
Evidence Based Practice: Informatics

Graduate level course taken during BSN portion
2Health Care System: Interdisciplinary Perspectives

Graduate level course taken during BSN portion
3Introductory Statistics****4
Total credits10Total credits11Total credits12

*Plan of Study includes nursing courses only, students will need to take other courses to meet requirements for BSN degree conferral 
**Start integration of graduate courses
***Break from traditional BSN sequence 
****Can take in terms 5-7; must be taken before term 8

Term 8: Fall*
BSN Portion / integration of graduate courses
Term 9: Spring**
MSN Portion
Term 10: Summer***
MSN Portion
Synthesis and Role Transition3Advanced Health Assessment3Introduction to Nursing Leadership 3
Leadership & Advocacy in Health Care3Advanced Health Assessment Lab1Leadership Clinical Course I3
Clinical Practicum 2Advanced Pharmacology3Epidemiology3
Research Methods

Graduate level course taken during BSN portion
3Quality Improvement in Health Care3Family Theory: Health & Illness2
Advanced Pathophysiology

Graduate level course taken during BSN portion
3Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse1  
Total credits14Total credits11Total credits11

*Confer BSN after Term 8; eligible to sit for NCLEX 
**Start Post-licensure in Term 9
***Eligible to transfer online in Term 10

Term 11: Fall
MSN Portion
Term 12: Spring*
MSN Portion
Term 13: Summer
DNP Portion
Nursing Leadership and Management 3Advanced Nursing Leadership Concepts 3FNP I: Adult/Gerontology I2
Leadership Clinical Course II3Advanced Leadership Clinical Course III3FNP II: Women’s Health in Primary Care 2
Health Care Finance & Economics3Biostatistics3FNP III: Pediatrics in Primary Care 2
    Scholarly Writing2
    Immersion and Clinical Qualification Course1
Total credits9Total credits9Total credits9

*Confer MSN Leadership after Term 12
40 credits post-BSN 

Term 14: Fall
DNP Portion
Term 15: Spring
DNP Portion
Term 16: Summer*
DNP Portion
FNP IV: Adult/Gerontology II2DNP Project Seminar II2DNP Project Seminar III2
FNP V: Behavioral Health in Primary Care 2FNP Clinical Decision Making II5FNP Clinical Decision Making III5
DNP Project Seminar I2  DNP Symposium - FNP2
FNP Clinical-Decision Making I 2    
Total credits8Total credits7Total credits9

*Confer DNP after Term 16; eligible to sit for FNP certification exam
33 credits post-MSN

Term 3: Fall*
BSN Portion
Term 4: Spring**
BSN Portion
Nursing Theory & Evidence-Based Practice4Pharmacology 4
Fundamental Skills and Health Assessment 4Medical Surgical Nursing I4
Fundamental Skills and Health Assessment Lab Medical Surgical Nursing Clinical 4
  Health Promotion & Community Nutrition4
Total credits8Total credits12

*Plan of Study includes nursing courses only, students will need to take other courses to meet requirements for BSN degree conferral 
**Apply to 4+ sequence 

Term 5: Fall**
BSN portion / start integration of graduate courses
Term 6: Spring
BSN portion  / integration of graduate courses
Term 7: Summer***
BSN portion 
Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing 4Pediatric Nursing 3Community and Population Health3
Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Clinical  Pediatric Nursing Clinical1Community and Population Health Clinical 1
Medical Surgical Nursing II 4Maternal, Newborn, & Women’s Health Nursing3Complex Care3
Medical Surgical Nursing II Clinical  Maternal, Newborn, & Women’s Health Nursing Clinical  1Complex Care Clinical1
Evidence Based Practice: Informatics

Graduate level course taken during BSN portion
2Health Care System: Interdisciplinary Perspectives

Graduate level course taken during BSN portion
3Introductory Statistics****4
Total credits10Total credits11Total credits12

*Plan of Study includes nursing courses only, students will need to take other courses to meet requirements for BSN degree conferral 
**Start integration of graduate courses
***Break from traditional BSN sequence 
****Can take in terms 5-7; must be taken before term 8

Term 8: Fall*
BSN portion / integration of graduate courses
Term 9: Spring**
MSN portion
Term 10: Summer***
MSN portion
Synthesis and Role Transition3Advanced Health Assessment3Introduction to Nursing Leadership3
Leadership & Advocacy in Health Care3Advanced Health Assessment Lab1Leadership Clinical Course I3
Clinical Practicum 2Advanced Pharmacology3Epidemiology3
Research Methods

Graduate level course taken during BSN portion
3Quality Improvement in Health Care3Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse1
Advanced Pathophysiology

Graduate level course taken during BSN portion
3    
Total credits14Total credits10Total credits10

*Confer BSN after Term 8; eligible to sit for NCLEX
**Start Post-licensure in Term 9 
***Transfer online in Term 10 

Term 11: Fall
MSN Portion
Term 12: Spring*
MSN Portion
Term 13: Summer
DNP Portion
Nursing Leadership and Management3Advanced Concepts in Nursing Leadership 3Clinical Psychopharmacology 3
Leadership Clinical Course II3Advanced Leadership Clinical Course III3Neurobiology & Differential Diagnosis of Mental Disorders2
Health Care Finance & Economics3Biostatistics3PMHNP I: Psychotherapy Across the Lifespan2
    Scholarly Writing2
    Immersion and Clinical Qualification Course 1
Total credits9Total credits9Total credits10

*Confer MSN Leadership after Term 12
38 credits post-BSN 

Term 14: Fall
DNP Portion
Term 15: Spring
DNP Portion
Term 16: Summer*
DNP Portion
PMHNP II: Diagnosis and Management2DNP Project Seminar II2DNP Project Seminar III2
PMHNP III: Diagnosis and Management3PMHNP Clinical Decision Making II5PMHNP Clinical Decision Making III5
PMHNP IV: SMI & Addictions 2  DNP Symposium - PMHNP 2
DNP Project Seminar I2    
PMHNP Clinical Decision Making I: Psychotherapy2    
Total credits11Total credits7Total credits9

*Confer DNP after Term 16; eligible to sit for PMHNP certification exam
37 credits post-MSN 

CCNE (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education) Seal

Nursing Program Accreditation

Simmons University’s baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree program in nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice program are all accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education located at 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001 and 202-887-6791.

Application Requirements

If you are a current Simmons nursing student you are eligible to apply for the 4+1 accelerated BSN and MSN program during your sophomore year. If you are not a current Simmons student you should first apply to the BSN program.

Excited to get started? Request more information or apply to Simmons today!

Spotlight on Nursing + Nursing (4+1) Students and Alums

Boston Children's Hospital Main Entrance

School of Nursing Students Train to Work with Children with Developmental Disorders

Simmons School of Nursing students Rachel Takes ’24MSN and Elizabeth Strager ’19 ’21MSN, FNP- C, ’25DNP were recruited into the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities Program (LEND Boston) at Boston Children's Hospital’s Institute for Community Inclusion.


Stacey Pazar Huth

Dr. Stacey Pazar Huth ’87 Shares Family’s Multigenerational History with Simmons

Chemist and biomedical product developer Stacey Pazar Huth ’87 is a leading woman in medical diagnostics and research and development. Her connection to Simmons also involves her father, who helped build the campus, and her daughter, a current nursing major. We spoke with Huth about her Simmons journey, the gender bias in STEM, and her understanding of legacy.


Jessica Reeves, graduate of the family nurse practitioner program

Tips from the World's Most Productive Nurse Practitioner

Jessica Reeves '17MSN is a Nurse Practitioner who is as interested in the well-being of her fellow providers as that of her patients. So she decided to share her expertise in her book, Secrets From The World's Most Productive Nurse Practitioner.


Headshot of Ann Bradley

Lifelong and Ever-evolving: Ann Bradley ’59 Reflects on a Transformative Nursing Career

Even after retiring in 2014, Ann Bradley ’59 hasn't stopped contributing to the medical field. We caught up with Bradley about her ever-evolving nursing career in the fields of public health, school health, and community health.