University of California, Los Angeles

The UCLA School of Nursing in Los Angeles, California, is part of a public, four-year research university. It offers a traditional four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a two-year Master’s Entry Clinical Nurse program for students with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, advanced practice master’s study, a Doctor of Nursing Practice, a PhD, and post-master’s options. Programs are centered on the Westwood campus, with clinical training at UCLA Health and other partner sites across greater Los Angeles; some graduate coursework may include hybrid or online elements.

Students build skills in patient-centered care, clinical judgment, evidence-based practice, health assessment, leadership, population health, and interprofessional teamwork. Prelicensure pathways combine classroom instruction, simulation, lab work, and supervised clinical experiences, and they prepare graduates for the NCLEX-RN. UCLA’s nursing programs are well known for strong ties to a major academic medical center and a research-rich learning environment. Compared with many nearby nursing schools, UCLA is often more selective and more academically research-focused, with broad exposure to specialty and high-acuity care settings.