UCLA School of Nursing: Programs, Requirements, and Rankings

As the largest group of health care professionals in the United States, nurses are essential to providing high-quality patient care. The UCLA School of Nursing, located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, is one of the top-rated schools of nursing in the country, preparing the next generation of nurses, scholars, and researchers to advance public health, increase access to compassionate care, and solve the most pressing health issues facing our state and nation. Powered by an accomplished faculty, rigorous instruction, and innovative research, its graduates are not only prepared to serve but prepared to lead. This article delves into the various aspects of the UCLA School of Nursing, including its programs, admission requirements, curriculum, and rankings.

Overview of UC Nursing Schools

UC Schools of Nursing offer you rigorous preparation to improve the delivery of health care for patients through education, direct clinical care, and research. UC Schools of Nursing graduate nurses who are grounded in patient care that is informed by research and combined with a focus on community improvement. UC-trained nurses remain in California in high numbers.

The UC Davis School of Nursing advances health, informs health policy, and improves the quality of care and health outcomes. Research projects include a focus on family caregiving across the illness trajectory, healthy aging, using technology to support health, reducing health disparities, new models of care for serious illness, and interventions to improve health.

The UCI School of Nursing has received over $17 million in research funding. Research done both locally and nationally spans the areas of oncology, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, mental health, caregiving and dementia, women’s health, and nursing education. Our faculty and students spend more than 10,000 hours each year providing care to vulnerable populations, including people who are homeless, older adults, recent immigrants, and people who have mental health disorders.

The UCSF School of Nursing consistently ranks among the nation's best nursing schools in academic excellence and research innovation. Through education, research, and public service, the school advances human health and health equity. In 2021, the school ranked #1 among public recipients of National Institutes of Health funding and #3 overall nationwide.

More than 70 percent of UC nursing graduates typically choose to practice nursing in California. Our graduates are equipped to work in a variety of settings: acute care hospitals, ambulatory care, skilled nursing, extended care and rehabilitation centers, home health and disease management. Research is an integral component of how we continually move nursing and patient care forward. Across our nursing schools, we offer both PhD and DNP programs to allow you to choose your nursing and research focus. Research is also part of the lifeblood of the UCH system.

History and Accreditation

Nursing education at UCLA dates back to 1929. In 1932, a group of public health nurses advocated for a Department of Nursing Education to be established in the College of Letters and Science. The 1940s was a time of reorganization and growth for the program. The Bachelor of Science degree was established within a new College of Applied Arts. Professor Lulu K. Wolf (later Hassenplug) from Vanderbilt University was recruited to develop a nursing school at UCLA. In 1949, the University of California Regents (UC Regents) authorized the School of Nursing as one of the professional schools of the UCLA Centers for the Health Sciences, and Wolf was appointed the school's first dean.

This action paved the way in 1950 for the opening of an undergraduate traditional program in nursing leading to the Bachelor of Science (BS) degree and the establishment of a graduate program leading to the Master of Science (MS) degree in nursing the following year. In 1966, the Master of Nursing (MN) degree was established as an alternate option to the MS degree. The Regents approved the Doctor of Nursing Science (DNSc) degree program in 1986, and in 1987 the first doctoral students were admitted. In 1993, admissions to the bachelor's program was suspended, and the last class graduated in 1997.

The UCLA School of Nursing is approved by the Undergraduate and Graduate Councils of the Academic Senate of the University of California at Los Angeles. In addition, the prelicensure (BS and MECN) and advanced practice master's programs are approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing. In 2011, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredited the existing bachelor's and master's degree programs for a term of 10 years, the highest that can be granted.

Degree Programs Offered

The UCLA School of Nursing offers five degree programs:

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Bachelor of Science (BS): A pre-licensure program for undergraduate study.
MSN - Master's Entry Clinical Nurse (MECN): For those with a baccalaureate degree in another discipline who desire a career in nursing.
Master of Science in Nursing - Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN): For nurses with a bachelor's degree in nursing.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD): For individuals who wish to pursue a research trajectory.
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP): To ensure UCLA’s role in meeting the healthcare needs of tomorrow as well as to align with the AACN New Essentials, the school is currently transitioning out of the APRN program after launching a its new Post BSN-DNP program. This new program will replace UCLA’s existing Doctor of Nursing Practice program.

Education is provided in both classroom and clinical settings. In addition to degree programs, the school offers summer research programs and accepts applications from all qualified nursing students with junior status from any undergraduate institution in the United States. The eight-week program is designed for students who plan to pursue a PhD degree and enter academic careers in nursing. UCLA School of Nursing scholars represent a wide range of disciplines including nursing, medicine, public health, statistics, epidemiology, physiological sciences, and the basic sciences. All are committed to scholarship in the service of improving health, wellness, and quality of life throughout the lifespan.

Admission Requirements for MSN/Master's Entry Clinical Nurse (MECN) Program

MSN/Master's Entry Clinical Nurse applicants must provide evidence of the following:

Academic Requirements:
- Graduation from a recognized college or university having an accredited baccalaureate program satisfactory to the School of Nursing and the UCLA Graduate Division with an overall scholastic average of B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or better, or graduation with a baccalaureate degree from an international institution with a program satisfactory to the School of Nursing and the UCLA Graduate Division.
- Completion of approved prerequisite courses or equivalent with a minimum grade of C or better in the subjects listed below. All applicants to the MECN program must complete all approved prerequisite courses (other than Epidemiology) by the end of December 2025 for the Fall 2026 entry. AP course credit with a score of 4 or higher will only be accepted for one prerequisite course.
Prerequisite Courses:
- Chemistry (Inorganic, Organic, and Biochemistry)
- Epidemiology (can be completed at UCLA during Summer Session A, if admitted)
- Human Anatomy (Nursing 13 online course offered in the Summer session)
- Human Physiology (Nursing 3 online course offered in the Summer session) (five-year time limit to entry date)
- Microbiology
- Nutrition (five-year time limit to entry date)
- Introductory Psychology
- Lifespan Development Psychology (five-year time limit to entry date)
- Statistics
- English Composition or Writing (2 courses)
- Group and/or Verbal Communication
Letters of Recommendation:
- Personal and academic competence attested through three letters of recommendation.
English Language Proficiency:
- Since written and verbal communication skills are basic to the practice of nursing, it is essential that applicants read, write, and speak English well. International applicants from a country in which English is not the first language and medium of instruction are required to pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a score of at least 87 on the internet-based test, 220 on the computer-based test or 560 paper-based test or complete International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic examination with an overall band score of 7.0 or higher. Scores must be submitted prior to consideration for admission.
Applicants with Military Experience

UCLA School of Nursing will accept qualified student applicants who have completed relevant military education and experiences, have met the University admission requirements, and who present documented equivalency courses. Once admitted, such individuals are eligible for credit by challenge examination.

Approved Prerequisite Courses Details

All applicants to the MECN program must complete the following approved prerequisite courses (other than Epidemiology), and earn a minimum grade of C or better in the subjects listed below by the end of December 2025 for the Fall 2026 entry: Chemistry (combined inorganic, organic and biochemistry), Epidemiology, Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, Microbiology, General Psychology, Growth & Development Lifespan Psychology, Nutrition, Statistics, and Written and Oral Communication/Interpersonal or Group Communication. Please see the links below for a list of courses that have already been approved. Nursing 50, Fundamentals of Epidemiology, may be offered during the summer at UCLA for students who have not already completed an acceptable course.

Chemistry: An approved undergraduate-level chemistry course with approved content in inorganic, organic, and biochemistry.
English Reading & Composition: Two college-level writing courses usually completed during the first two years of a baccalaureate program. Students who receive a waiver of this requirement in their baccalaureate program due to successful completion of an Advanced Placement Examination must submit proof of the Advanced Placement Examination score. If an applicant has completed a writing intensive course in a department other than English or Writing, he or she must provide documentation that the course included a significant writing component. A thesis is not acceptable.
Epidemiology: An introduction to epidemiology, including factors governing health and disease in populations. (4 quarter units or equivalent of Epidemiology 100A; or Nursing 50 at UCLA).
Group or Oral Communication: A Communication Studies or Speech course that covers the principles of oral communication or interpersonal communication.
Human Anatomy: A human anatomy course that includes: Structural survey of the human body, including skeletomuscular, nervous, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, and genitourinary systems. Laboratory includes an examination of human cadaver specimens. (4 quarter units or the equivalent of Physiological Science 13 or Nursing 13 at UCLA).
Human Physiology: A human physiology course that includes human systems physiology through cell physiology with emphasis on membrane properties (4 quarter units or the equivalent of Physiological Science 3 or Nursing 3 at UCLA). This course must have been completed within the last five years of the program start date. Pathophysiology is not acceptable.
Microbiology: A microbiology course that covers an introduction to the biology of microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, protozoa, algae, fungi), their significance as model systems for understanding fundamental cellular processes, and their role in human affairs. (4 quarter units or equivalent; Microbiology 6 or 101 at UCLA).
Nutrition: Examination of primary prevention strategies involving nutrition using population-based and clinical approaches of diverse populations. Investigation of nutrition in relation to the prevention of disease and recovery from disease. Covers biological, public health, and clinical aspects of major macro-and micronutrients, obesity, malnutrition, dietary assessment, nutritional therapies, and exercise using candidate disease approach. This course must have been completed within the last five years to the program start date. (4 quarter units or equivalent; COMHLT 130 or NURS 152B at UCLA)
Psychology (Intro/General): An introductory or general psychology course that includes topics in cognitive, experimental, personality, developmental, social, and clinical psychology. (4 quarter units or equivalent; Psychology 10 at UCLA)
Psychology (Lifespan/Developmental): Elaboration of developmental aspects of physical, mental, social, and emotional growth from birth to adolescence. This course must have been completed within the last five years to the program start date. (4 quarter units or equivalent; Psychology 130 at UCLA)
Statistics: An upper-division introductory or equivalent biostatistics course that covers the following topics: distributions, sampling, tests of hypotheses, estimation, types of error, significance and confidence intervals, and sample sizes (4 quarter units or equivalent; Biostatistics 100A at UCLA).

Curriculum Domains

The UCLA School of Nursing curriculum is designed around eight key domains:

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Domain #1: Knowledge for Nursing Practice: Integrate established and evolving disciplinary nursing knowledge, the liberal arts, and natural and social sciences to develop clinical judgement in nursing practice.
Domain #2: Person-Centered Care: Deliver holistic high-quality care that is person-centered, developmentally appropriate, compassionate, equitable, and evidence-based using the nursing process while collaborating with other healthcare team members to engage additional expertise when necessary.
Domain #3: Population Health: Analyze policies that impact population health, implement supporting evidence, address system gaps, and develop interventions by collaborating with traditional and non-traditional partnerships from communities, public health, industry, academia, health care, local government entities and community partners to promote equitable health outcomes.
Domain #4: Scholarship for Nursing Practice: Critically evaluate, synthesize, and develop processes based on nursing knowledge to apply evidence-based interventions that target practice problems, health inequities, policy gaps, and system inefficiencies, with the goal of enhancing patient safety, care quality, and equitable health outcomes, while also advocating for ethical conduct in scholarly activities.
Domain #5: Quality and Safety: Apply scholarly processes to analyze quality care issues, applying standardized quality improvement processes based on emerging principles of safety and improvement science to enhance quality and minimize risk of harm to patients and providers through both individual performance and system effectiveness.
Domain #6: Interprofessional Partnerships: Collaborate through interprofessional partnerships to enhance the healthcare experience, promote cost effectiveness, optimize care delivery in all settings, and improve quality and safety outcomes for diverse patients, families, and communities.
Domain #7: Systems-Based Practice: Analyze system processes within complex systems to effectively and sustainably coordinate resources and design processes to provide safe, quality, and equitable health care to diverse populations through the use of innovation and evidence-based practice.
Domain #8: Informatics and HC Technologies: Use Informatics and healthcare technologies to collect and analyze data that informs evidence-based decision-making; supports safe, ethical, high-quality and efficient person-centered care; and facilitates effective communication.

Rankings

The UCLA School of Nursing consistently receives high rankings from U.S. News & World Report. The #9 ranking places UCLA Nursing’s MSN program alongside the school’s bachelor’s program - both now ranked as Top 10 programs nationally. In 2021-22, U.S. News & World Report's Top Nursing Schools list, ranked the master's program 16th and the baccalaureate program among the top 10.

Competitiveness and Support

UCLA School of Nursing is extremely competitive. For Fall 2021, there were 139,490 freshman applicants. More specifically, the UCLA School of Nursing had 5,429 applicants in Fall 2021. 50 students were admitted and 46 enrolled. The number of transfer students accepted was also incredibly low. In Fall 2021, there were 404 applicants and only 10 were accepted.

UCLA offers an immense amount of support to undergraduate and graduate students. The Louise Darling Biomedical Library houses over 530,000 volumes and 6,000 periodicals with over 6.5 million books available to students.

Cost and Financial Aid

Despite being a state school, UCLA is quite expensive. Even though UCLA is expensive, there are many financial aid options available to students including a plethora of scholarships. There are also a variety of grants available to incoming and current students. These need-based grants demonstrate UCLA’s commitment to affordability.

Value of a UCLA Nursing Degree

Many students want to know if the cost of the UCLA School of Nursing is worth the expected salary. UCLA is a top-ranked nursing program and one of the more affordable public schools in the country. Not only is the cost of tuition worth it, but also graduating from UCLA will connect you with a vast network of alumni throughout the country. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nurses earn a median annual salary of $77,600 per hour or $37.31 per hour.

Transfer Information

UCLA accepts roughly ten transfer students every year into the traditional four-year undergraduate program. Unfortunately, UCLA does not accept current students to transfer into the nursing program. There may be additional lower-division requirements that students can complete at their current institutions or at UCLA.

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