Nursing MEPN
PROGRAM PAUSED
As a leading academic institution, the UCSF School of Nursing continuously evaluates how well our educational programs are meeting the contemporary needs of our students and our ability to address the demands of the ever-evolving health care environment. To meet these goals and advance our educational mission, the school is excited to expand our doctoral education opportunities in 2023 to prepare more nurses to lead innovations in health care.
The school will also pause the Master’s Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) while our evaluation of our academic offerings continues. The decision to pause MEPN will be reassessed in fall 2025.
(Updated Sept. 6, 2023)
The Master’s Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) is a three-year program leading to the Master of Science in Nursing degree; however, the MEPN program is intended for students who have no previous nursing preparation and who hold a bachelor’s degree in another field. Graduates of this program go on to practice nursing at the same advanced practice level as other Nursing MS graduates. The 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 the opportunity to critique and apply nursing theory and research as a scientific basis for nursing practice.
The UCSF MEPN program offers a broader range of specialty offerings than similar programs at other institutions, and has a relatively short list of requirements, easing the burden on adult students coming from backgrounds outside of the health sciences.
The UCSF School of Nursing takes pride in both the graduate and professional programs it administers. These programs 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 among the top recipients of research funding from the National Institutes of Health. The School's graduate students have ample 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 MEPN program offers 10 areas of specialization and nine minors. See the MS program website for details.
Career Outcomes
Nursing MS and MEPN graduates typically find work in California as nurse practitioners or clinical nurse specialists. Others assume research, policy or leadership positions in the state and around the country.
The Nursing MEPN program is based at the Parnassus campus. Visit the program website for more information.
The Nursing MEPN 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.
