Program Overview

Introduction to the Nursing MEPN Program

The Master’s Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) is a three-year program leading to the Master of Science in Nursing degree. This 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.

Program Description

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.

Specialty Offerings

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.

Faculty and Research

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. 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 Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Scholars.

Areas of Specialization and Minors

The Nursing MEPN program offers 10 areas of specialization and nine minors.

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.

Program Administration

The Nursing MEPN program is offered by the UCSF Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Scholars, administered by the UCSF School of Nursing, and delivered by faculty members in the UCSF School of Nursing.

Program Status

The Master’s Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) is currently paused. The school has paused the MEPN program while evaluating its academic offerings. Due to the pause of MEPN, the program option for licensed vocational nurses to study to become an RN is also paused. The school began the process of reassessing the decision to pause MEPN in fall 2025, and the program remains paused during this reassessment.

Update

The program status was last updated on November 19, 2025.

Related Programs

The Master’s Degree is part of the broader offerings of the UCSF Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Scholars, which includes:

• The Doctor of Philosophy Degree
• The Master’s Degree
  • Artificial Intelligence and Computational Drug Discovery and Development MS
  • Biomedical Imaging MS
  • Clinical and Epidemiological Research MS
  • Genetic Counseling MS
  • Global Health Sciences MS
  • Health Data Science MS
  • Healthcare Administration and Interprofessional Leadership MS
  • History of Health Sciences MA
  • Nursing MEPN
  • Oral and Craniofacial Sciences MS
  • Translational Medicine MTM
• Certificate Programs
• Professional Doctorates
• Summer Research Program