Academics – Master’s Entry Program in Nursing (MSN Degree)
Welcome to the Master’s Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis
The Master's Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) prepares new nurses as leaders in quality and safety, advocates for diverse patient populations and agents of change for healthier communities. Graduates are qualified to take the national licensing examination (NCLEX) for registered nurses, eligible for certification as a Public Health Nurse and earn a Master of Science in Nursing Degree.
Fast Facts
- Type (full vs. part-time): full-time
- Duration: 18 months
- Format: In person
- Objective: to earn a Master of Science in Nursing
- Outcomes: graduates will be prepared as leaders in the nursing field, qualified to take the national licensing examination (NCLEX) for registered nursing and eligible for certification as a Public Health Nurse
- Application period: Mid-August – November 1
Preparing nurses
Also known as an accelerated program, this master’s-degree program offers the quickest route to registered nursing licensure for adults who already completed an undergraduate degree in another discipline and also completed prerequisite courses to transition into the nursing profession.
Thinking of applying? Watch these how-to videos on getting ready to apply
What do graduates have to say about the accelerated nursing program?
Read and watch what 2019 alumna Ju-A Son says about her UC Davis experience
The MEPN is led by the Nursing Science and Health-Care Leadership Graduate Group, an interprofessional team of more than 55 faculty from disciplines including nursing, medicine, health informatics, nutrition, biostatistics, pharmacy, sociology and public health.
Guided by the school’s core values of leadership development, interprofessional and interdisciplinary education, transformative research, cultural inclusiveness and innovative technology, MEPN takes 18 months (six consecutive quarters including summers) to complete.
Programs at the School of Nursing prepare nurses with both the knowledge and skills needed to meet the needs of a constantly changing health care system. Rooted in a growing body of research and nurtured by visionary faculty who seek to transform health care, the curricula embrace integrative case-based learning, technology and systems-wide perspectives.
Core courses are offered summer, fall, winter and spring quarters on the UC Davis Sacramento campus. Students typically attend class Monday through Friday and should expect that some quarters they must complete courses and clinical experiences during evenings and weekends. See an example course listing.
The Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing MEPN uniquely prepares graduates for emerging nursing roles in today's health care systems.
A mandatory orientation is provided for incoming students their first quarter. This full-time, three-day experience runs the week prior to the first summer quarter. Throughout this time together, students interact with School of Nursing leadership, participate in team building and develop one-on-one faculty relationships. The week serves as the foundation for the Nursing Science and Health-Care Leadership Graduate program curriculum.
- International graduate requirements
- Full-time enrollment (13-16 units per quarter) is required
- A final capstone portfolio project and a comprehensive final exam are required; no thesis is required
- MEPN students are expected to complete the program in six quarters
- MEPN students are required to follow the standard curriculum for a total of 87 units. Required courses include 16 units of graduate core courses plus 30 units of clinical and 41 units of theory courses that provide content meeting the requirements of the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) for prelicensure nursing education and public health nursing certificate requirements. There are no electives in the requirements. Students must enroll full-time for the required number of units per quarter for six consecutive quarters including academic, clinical, lab and seminar units. All core courses must be completed for a letter grade.
- Master of Science in Nursing degree requirements
- Essential abilities and technical standards for students
