Applicable only to students admitted during the 2025-2026 academic year.

Nursing

The Post-B.S. to D.N.P. program is intended for RNs with baccalaureate degrees and/or Master’s Entry Clinical Nursing (MECN) degrees who wish to assume advanced practice nursing roles as Nurse Practitioners at the doctoral level.

School of Nursing

Graduate Degrees

The School of Nursing offers the Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) degree, the Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) degree, the Master of Science (M.S.) degree, and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Nursing.

Admissions Requirements

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Upon admission and in the first year of the program, students are assigned to an academic advisor who has the responsibility to aid students in developing an academic plan. Students are required to meet with the academic advisor at least once per quarter. At the end of the first year, the student will be assigned a D.N.P. Scholarly Project Committee chair who will serve as advisor. The Post-B.S. to D.N.P. Scholarly Project chair will meet with the student on a routine basis to review and document the student’s progress. The Post-B.S. to D.N.P. Scholarly Project chair will meet with the student on a routine basis to review and document the student’s progress.

Areas of Study

The School of Nursing will offer graduate studies and preparation in the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Practitioner (APRN) role. Practice is divided into four distinct population foci: Adult Gerontology Primary Care, Adult Gerontology Acute Care, Family/Individual Across the Lifespan, and Pediatrics Dual Primary and Acute Care. Adult Gerontology Primary Care students and Family Nurse Practitioner students may select an additional area of concentration in Occupational and Environmental Health. Based on healthcare market needs, specialty areas may be identified and developed in the future.

Applicants are advised to obtain counseling prior to admission in order to select the population, specialty, and role most appropriate to career goals, as well as to meet requirements for acceptance into the particular area of study. All graduates are prepared to sit for advanced practice certification in the appropriate specialty area by agencies providing national certification.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Students in the Post-B.S. to D.N.P. Program will integrate competencies for advanced practice nursing roles in clinical practice, leadership, health policy, and education as well as further develop their capacity for clinical scholarship. Areas of clinical practice and organizational focus will vary depending on the career trajectory of the student. Students will be mentored in clinical/organizational roles through residencies with nursing clinical and/or senior medical leaders as well as individuals in senior healthcare management positions. The Post-B.S. to D.N.P. Program faculty will provide mentorship and facilitate the residency processes throughout the student’s program. All graduates will receive the D.N.P. degree.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

All D.N.P students must complete 49 quarter units (17 courses) of core courses that satisfy American Association of Colleges of Nursing requirements. The core curriculum includes both didactic and clinical practicum hours. A minimum of 1,000 clinical practicum hours are required. The clinical practicum hours requirement is satisfied through completion of different courses. Core courses for the Post-B.S. to D.N.P. program include the following:

• Two Nursing theory courses:
  • Nursing 401: Scientific Underpinnings for D.N.P. Practice ( 3 units)
  • Nursing 402: Clinical Scholarship for Evidence-Based Practice (3 units)
• Four Nursing research and clinical practicum courses:
  • Nursing 470A: D.N.P. Scholarly Project Course I – DNP Project Conceptualization & Planning (2 units)
  • Nursing 470B: N.P. Scholarly Project Course II – Project Proposal (4 units)
  • Nursing 470C: D.N.P. Scholarly Project Course III – Project Implementation (4 units)
  • Nursing 470D: N.P. Scholarly Project Course IV – Project Evaluation (4 units)
• One Analytics Course:
  • Nursing 404: Analytical Methods for Evidence-Based Practice ( 3 units)
• One Informatics/Data Management Course:
  • Nursing 411: Informatics for D.N.P. Practice (2 units)
• Two Professional Development courses:
  • Nursing 410: Dissemination & Translation of Clinical Scholarship (2 units)
  • Nursing 496: Education Strategies and Evaluation in D.N.P. Practice (3 total units)
• Four Nursing Policy and Leadership courses:
  • Nursing 409: Healthcare Policy for Advocacy in Health Care (3 units)
  • Nursing 403: Organizational Systems Leadership for Quality Improvement (3 units)
  • Nursing 405: Communication and Ethics (2 units)
  • Nursing 407: Financial Management and Cost Analysis of Health Care (3 units)
• Two Healthcare Safety courses:
  • Nursing 406: Clinical Prevention and Population Health (3 units)
  • Nursing 408: Interprofessional Collaboration for Improving Patient and Population Health Outcomes (3 units)
• Nursing 597: Individual Study for Comprehensive Examination (2 units)

In addition to the core curriculum above, each student must complete requirements for one of the four specialty area listed below.

Requirements for Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Population

74 units (17 unique courses) are required to complete the Advanced Practice Nursing (APRN) Program with a specialty in Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Population. The focus for the Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner is to provide primary care to individuals across the adult age spectrum from late adolescence through older adulthood. In addition, these students are prepared to provide comprehensive end of life care to adults. Because the health care needs of adults range from wellness to complex illness care, the settings in which the Adult/Gerontology Primary Care NP delivers care are diverse. In many cases, Adult/Gerontology Primary NPs follow their patients across care settings to maintain quality and safety during care transitions.

Interdisciplinary collaboration and care management are emphasized. Required theory courses are Nursing 200, 211, 231, 232, 234A, 234B, 239A, 239B, 239C, 269 and 291. Required laboratory/clinical courses are Nursing 439A, 439B, 439C, 439D,  439E, and 440.

Applicants selecting the Adult/Gerontology Primary Care or Family/Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner focus may also select an additional area of concentration: Occupational and Environmental Health. Students must meet all requirements of the Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Population or the Family/Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner Population. Additional coursework integrates principles of occupational and environmental health assessment and care with primary ambulatory care of adults. Practitioners evaluate the individual as seen within the work setting as well as within the family and community group. Primary focus and emphasis are on health status assessment, health promotion, illness/accident prevention, hazard control, screening, surveillance, and rehabilitation of adult workers. Requirements are met through a combination of courses and experiences specific to the delivery of occupational and environmental health care services. In addition to the course requirements for the Adult/Gerontology Primary Care and Family/Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner specialties, students seeking the subspecialty in Occupational and Environmental Health also complete additional coursework in Occupational and Environmental Nursing.

Requirements for Adult/Gerontology Acute Care Population

65 units (16 unique courses) are required to complete the Advanced Practice Nursing (APRN) Program with a specialty in Adult/Gerontology Acute Care population. The Adult/Gerontology Acute Care population focus covers individuals from adolescence through adulthood and older age who are identified as ill and who have high intensity nursing and medical needs. These patients may receive care in a wide variety of settings, from intensive care units to specialty clinics, doctor’s offices, or the home. A minimum of two years of prior experience in acute care is highly recommended. Graduates are expected to engage in research-based practice as acute care nurse practitioners, educators, consultants, and to become leaders in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

The required theory courses are Nursing 200, 216A, 216B, 216C, 231, 234A, 234B, 269 and 291. The required laboratory/clinical courses are Nursing 440, 416A, 416B, 416C, 416D, 416E, and 444.

Requirements for Family Population

74 units (18 courses) are required to complete the Advanced Practice Nursing (APRN) Program with a specialty in Family Population. The family population (FNP) covers primary health care for individuals throughout the life span. The focus is on collaborative, interdisciplinary practice to assure comprehensive quality health care and health maintenance in outpatient, work site, home health, nursing home, and other ambulatory settings. Emphasis is on the assessment, treatment, and evaluation of the client’s responses to actual or potential health problems, which may be chronic or acute and include primary prevention and health promotion. The required theory courses are Nursing 200, 211, 212, 231, 234A, 234B, 236, 239A, 239B, 239C, 269 and 291. The required laboratory/clinical courses are Nursing 429A, 429B, 429C, 429D, 429E, and 440.

In addition to the courses above, FNP students wishing to pick up the Occupational and Environmental Health subspecialty also complete additional coursework in Occupational and Environmental Nursing.

Requirements for Pediatrics Population

The pediatric population focus covers the primary health care of children from birth to adolescence. The acute care NP role covers children from birth to adolescence who are identified as ill and who have high intensity nursing and medical needs. Emphasis is on the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of children’s actual or potential health problems. Content stresses care for acute and chronic illnesses as well as primary prevention.

87 units (20 courses) are required to complete the Advanced Practice Nursing (APRN) Program with a dual specialty in Pediatric Dual Primary and Acute Care Nurse Practitioner. The required theory courses are Nursing 200, 212, 223, 231, 234A, 234B, 237A, 237B, 238A, 238B, 269, and 291. The required laboratory/clinical courses are Nursing  437A, 437B, 437C, 438A, 438B, 438C, 440, and 441.

Academic Standing

A student is considered in good academic standing when enrolled in at least 8 units each quarter and maintains an overall cumulative GPA of a 3.00 and above. A student is considered to have passed a theory class when a grade of C (74.0%) or higher is earned. A grade of B (84.0%) or higher is required in a clinical course.

Theory courses are: Nursing 200, 211, 212, 216A, 216B, 216C, 223, 231, 232, 234A, 234B, 236, 237A, 237B, 238A, 238B, 239A, 239B, 239C, 269, 291, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 410, 411, and 496.

Clinical courses are: Nursing 416A, 416B, 416C, 416D, 416E, 429A, 429B, 429C, 429D, 429E, 437A, 437B, 437C, 438A, 438B, 438C, 439A, 439B, 439C, 439D, 439E, 440, 441, and 444.

Four courses include both theory and clinical components related to the Post-B.S. to D.N.P. Scholarly Project: Nursing 470A, 470B, 470C, and 470D. A grade of B (84.0%) or higher is required for these four courses.

Students in the nursing program acquire knowledge and skills that build upon one another from quarter to quarter. Therefore, nursing courses follow a defined sequence and are typically offered once annually. Students must pass each required course in order progress in the program. If a student does not pass a required course, the student will be delayed in their degree completion. Such a student will meet with the academic faculty adviser and the Program Director to create a plan for degree completion. Please note: a student who does not pass a theory or clinical course may be recommended for academic disqualification. A student who fails to maintain an overall cumulative GPA of a 3.00 and above will be placed on academic notice by the UCLA Division of Graduate Education.

Field Experience

Not required.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass university written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to university requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

All committee nominations and reconstitutions professional (non-Ph.D.) doctoral programs must adhere to the Professional (Non-Ph.D.) Doctoral Committee Policy

Written Qualifying Examination: The Written Qualifying Examination tests the ability to use knowledge in the areas of basic concepts of nursing science, nursing theory development, statistics, bioethics and the student’s selected area of study. The purpose of this exam is to assess the student’s ability to synthesize knowledge as demonstrated by the selection and integration of knowledge. The exam is required of all doctoral students upon successful completion of all the core didactic courses of the first eight quarters of study (including summer terms) with passing grades and a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.

The exam is in the form of the student’s Post-B.S. to D.N.P. Scholarly Project Proposal. The exam is graded on a pass/not pass basis and is read by the D.N.P. Scholarly Project Committee Chair and independently by additional Ph.D. or D.N.P. faculty readers for a total of up to 3 readers. This may include the D.N.P. Scholarly Project Committee members. Readers are assigned by the D.N.P. Program Director in association with the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. Two readers must assign passing scores for the student to advance to the Oral Qualifying Examination. If two readers assign a “not pass” grade, the student must repeat the exam.

The exam may be repeated one time. If one score is passing and the other is failing, the exam will be scored by a third reader. The candidate must achieve two passing scores. In the interest of providing students with feedback on their writing, all students who attempt the exam will receive feedback on their exam from their advisor.

Those students who do not pass the exam the first time are permitted to re-take the exam one time. In this case, students will meet with their faculty advisor and develop a remediation plan that may include coursework, tutoring, and experiential learning and resubmit their revised examination before the end of the Fall Quarter-Year 3. Students failing the exam a second time are referred to the School of Nursing Student Affairs Committee and Division of Graduate Education for possible academic disqualification from the program.

Oral Qualifying Examination.

The University Oral Qualifying Examination, taken after completing the course requirements and successfully passing the written qualifying examination, evaluates the student’s Post-B.S. to D.N.P. Scholarly Project proposal. The D.N.P. Scholarly Project Committee will evaluate the student’s performance on the oral exam and will determine whether the student passed or did not pass. The student will pass with no more than one “not passed” vote. If the student is unable to take the examination on the specified date because of illness or other emergency, he/she/they must notify the D.N.P. Scholarly Project Chair as soon as possible, for approval to reschedule examination.

With approval by majority of the voting members of the D.N.P. Scholarly Project Committee, the Oral Qualifying Examination may be repeated once. The same D.N.P. Scholarly Project Committee evaluates a re-take of the Oral Qualifying Examination.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

Post-Bachelor of Science to Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Project

A Post-B.S. to D.N.P. Scholarly Project is required for this professional degree program. Students will complete a D.N.P. Scholarly Proposal and implementation of this project will take place at the appropriate institution. The Post-B.S. to D.N.P. Scholarly Project will require students to demonstrate a synthesis of evidence-based practice in a practice area specific to the student’s specialty.

The Post-B.S. to D.N.P. Scholarly Project requires a synthesis of leadership, policy, quality, management, and clinical learning experience. Each student will collaborate with an agency (a clinical setting) to address the translation of research and science to improve patient or population outcomes. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the Post-B.S. to D.N.P. Scholarly Project takes place in the final quarter of study. A final oral defense is not required unless deemed by the committee chair (see below).

Final Oral Defense (Post-B.S. to D.N.P. Scholarly Project Presentation)

A final oral defense of the project is not required of all students in the Post-B.S. to D.N.P. program. The decision as to whether a defense is required is made by the committee chair. If deemed to be carried out, the final oral defense will follow the guidelines as stated in the Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Time-to-degree

The normative time from matriculation to degree is eleven quarters (33 months) for the D.N.P. degree. From admission to advancement to candidacy (successful completion of the Oral Qualifying Examination), the normative time is nine quarters. The maximum time for degree completion is 20 quarters, or five (5) years.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
D.N.P.	9	11	20

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Special Departmental or Program Policy

In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be specifically recommended for academic disqualification for failure of a second attempt of the written or oral qualifying examinations.