Nursing MS

New admissions to the Master of Science program are closed.

The UCSF School of Nursing is expanding its doctoral programming to meet the growing demand for doctorally prepared nurses who will lead innovative change in an increasingly complex health care environment. The school is launching a new BSN Entry to the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) — Advanced Nursing Focus pathway, pending approval of the curriculum by the California Board of Registered Nursing. Applications are now open for admission in 2024.

(Updated Sept. 8, 2023)

The Nursing Master of Science program prepares leaders in the advanced practice roles of clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, nurse-midwife, administrator, faculty, and consultant. Courses from nursing and other disciplines provide advanced theoretical knowledge, assessment skills, leadership development, advanced clinical practice in a selected specialization and opportunity to critique and apply nursing theory and research as a scientific base for nursing practice. (Students who have no previous nursing preparation and who hold a bachelor's degree in another field should apply instead to the Nursing MEPN program, which leads into the Nursing MS program.)

The UCSF School of Nursing takes pride in its graduate programs, which represent a century of pioneering leadership that has produced many of the country’s — and the world’s — nursing leaders. Among schools of nursing nationwide, the UCSF School of Nursing is one of the top recipients of research funding from the National Institutes of Health. The School's graduate students have many opportunities to capitalize on the symbiotic relationship between the Nursing PhD, MS, and MEPN programs, and the other basic, clinical, and social and populational science programs offered by the Graduate Division.

Faculty

There are over 100 faculty members in the four School of Nursing departments. Twelve members of the Nursing faculty are dedicated to the MS and MEPN programs specifically. See a list of Nursing faculty research areas.

Sub-disciplines

The Nursing MS program offers 16 areas of specialization and nine minors. See the MS program website for details.

Career Outcomes

Nursing MS graduates typically find work in California as nurse practitioners or clinical nurse specialists. Others assume research, policy or leadership positions. Nursing PhD graduates more often obtain academic positions in schools of nursing throughout the state and the nation.

The Nursing graduate programs are based at the Parnassus campus. Visit the program website for more information.

The Nursing MS program is offered by the UCSF Graduate Division, administered by the UCSF School of Nursing, and delivered by faculty members in the UCSF School of Nursing