UC San Francisco Master's Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN)
MEPN, a three-year program leading to a Master of Science in Nursing degree, is for persons without previous nursing preparation but who hold a baccalaureate (bachelor's) degree in another field. Graduates of this program are prepared as advanced practice nurses.
The term "advanced practice nurse" refers to a registered nurse with graduate academic preparation and advanced clinical skills that qualify her/him as an expert in a defined area of knowledge and practice. The advanced practice nurse's role incorporates the functions of clinician, educator, consultant, and/or researcher. Clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, nursing and health systems leader, and health policy specialist titles are all within the broad category of advanced practice nursing. Additional certification examinations may be required in some sub-specialty areas.
(MEPN 2012 Class,
click to see an
enlarged view.)
The difference between the MEPN path and the traditional Master of Science path to advanced practice nursing is that MEPN students begin their program with four quarters of generalist foundation training in nursing. Upon successful completion of the MEPN first year, students are eligible to take (in the summer after completing their first year) the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX)-RN as approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN).
By contrast, traditional MS students in the two-year program (those who already have a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing degree) immediately begin their studies within MS specialty coursework.
Specialized Bachelor's Degrees
Graduates with BS or BA degrees in fields other than nursing are considered for admission to the MEPN program. Most non-nursing bachelor's degrees ("baccalaureates") qualify for consideration, but please note the following exception. Caution: graduates holding only certain specialized bachelor's degrees having minimal breadth requirements (e.g., Bachelor of Fine Arts--B.F.A.) will not meet UCSF's MEPN admissions requirements (more information).
MEPN Requirements and Prerequisites
MEPN prerequisite courses, which much be completed prior to the application deadline and verified by transcripts, are in the following subject areas: statistics, psychology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, and nutrition. For further details, see the following web page.
Following a competitive screening process, selected applicants who meet prerequisites and other requirements are admitted to MEPN each year, to classes beginning in late June. MEPN enrollments are limited due to faculty and training site availability.
MEPN Applications
MEPN Application screens become available each year in July and must be finalized by the September 1st deadline. (In some years the regular September 1st deadline will fall on a Saturday, Sunday, or a holiday; in those years the actual deadline will be enforced on the following regular working day.) From October through June, MEPN application packets are not available.
More Information
- Statement Explaining Necessary Capacities and Abilities for UCSF MEPN applicants and accepted students: Capacities-and-Abilities.pdf
- How Do I Apply to UCSF School of Nursing?
- What are the Application Deadlines and Screening Schedule for MEPN?
- About Our Students: Student Statistics
Program of Study
The first year of study in MEPN includes all the didactic and clinical nursing study usually distributed over two years. It entails 30-37 clock hours of class and clinical work per week in addition to study time. Consequently, it is not advisable and students are discouraged from engaging in paid employment or taking additional coursework during their first year in MEPN. The final two years of the program are more individually paced and, therefore, it may be feasible for students to work part time.
All of the information in the website section "Master of Science in Nursing Program," and the website section listing Master's Specialties is relevant to the last two years of study of this (MEPN) program.
Clinical Sites
Clinical teaching sites are located at major medical centers throughout the greater San Francisco Bay Area, within an approximate 50-mile radius of the School of Nursing. By lottery system each student is assigned rotations at three or more different sites, affording broad exposure to renowned centers of patient care and research.
Students are expected to provide their own transportation to all clinical site locations. It is strongly recommended that students must have access to a vehicle or personal transportation, as most clinical sites are not accessible by public transportation.
MEPN Fees and Other Expenses
Approximate fees (subject to change) for the first twelve months of this program are $55,000.00. After this first year, fees are set at the standard University rates for students in the regular Master of Science program.
Additional student fee information is available from the UCSF Registrar at http://registrar.ucsf.edu/registration/fees/nursing (website). Note that MEPN fees for Year One are shown at the end of the web page linked above. Fees do not include housing, meals, transportation, supplies, or other living expenses.
All listed fees are subject to change without notice.
Financial Aid, MEPN
Students admitted to this program can apply for financial aid. Federal and private loans are also available. Aid information is available at the http://finaid.ucsf.edu website or the UCSF Financial Aid Office; be sure to specify you are seeking admission to the “Nursing MEPN” program.
MEPN First Year Sample Curriculum
| Session/Course | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| Summer Session | Theory | Clinical |
| N141 Pharmacology and Nursing Care | 3 | - |
| N142 Intro to Professional Nursing | 3 | 8 |
| N145 Pathophysiology | 5 | - |
| Fall Quarter | ||
| N143 Effective Communication | 3 | - |
| N144 Adult Med.-Surg./Geriatric Nrsg. | 4 | 9.5 |
| Winter Quarter | ||
| N146 Parent-Child Nursing | 4 | 3.5 |
| N148 Socio-Cultural Issues in Health, Illness | 2 | - |
| N149 Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing | 3 | 3 |
| Spring Quarter | ||
| N147 Childbearing Families | 4 | 3.5 |
| N150 Community Health Nursing | 3 | 5.5 |
| N151 Issues in Nursing | 3 | - |
| Total | 37 | 33 |
Notes:
This listing of courses is subject to change. Students must successfully complete each quarter to progress to the next quarter. After completing their first year (pre-licensure year), MEPN students must take and pass the required examination for their nursing license ("R.N."). After obtaining California licensure, students continue into the regular Master of Science program (specialty area curriculum) for their second and third years.
LVN Non-Degree Option
California legislation requires that pre-licensure programs offer a 45-quarter unit option. This program is offered on a space-available basis to licensed vocational nurses to assist in preparation for the RN licensure exam. This would be done through the 45-quarter unit LVN Non-Degree Option Program (see "Post-Masters/Special Studies") at the same cost as the first twelve months of MEPN.
Non-Discrimination Policy Statement
Please see http://registrar.ucsf.edu/student-records/nondisc (website).
On-Line Application System
The MEPN application system is open/available each year during
the months of July and August.
Once you are ready to begin your on-line application process,
please visit the following web site: https://gdapply.ucsf.edu