If you’re searching for accredited nursing degree programs in California, then you’ve come to the right place! Situated on the West Coast along the sparkling Pacific Ocean, California is hands-down the most populous state in America with a total of over 38.8 million people. Not only does this statistic predict steady job prospects for nurses in diverse healthcare arenas, but it also indicates that California has extensive educational opportunities available for healthcare professionals. California is well-known for having numerous notable public and private universities within its borders ranking in the top tier of higher education. To see more accredited nursing degree programs in California, visit Nursing Degree Programs in California (A-B), Nursing Degree Programs in California (C), and Nursing Degree Programs in California (D-P).
Samuel Merritt University
School of Nursing
Initially established in 1909, Samuel Merritt University is an accredited independent higher learning institution devoted to health sciences on its one-acre urban campus in Oakland. Considered one of the largest sources of newly registered nurses in California, Samuel Merritt educates over 1,400 students in programs for nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, podiatric medicine, and physician assistant. With a commitment to improving our diverse society’s healthcare, the School of Nursing is proudly honored with having the 127th best nursing degree programs in America by the U.S. News and World Report.
Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN)
At the main Oakland campus, Sacramento Learning Center, and San Francisco Peninsula Learning Center, the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program is offered as an intensive, 12-month degree for students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field. Students who are interested in entering the program as freshmen must apply to the university’s partnering schools for pre-nursing, including Holy Names University, Mills College, and Notre Dame de Namur University before transferring. Samuel Merritt has a strong reputation for delivering upper-division nursing coursework in state-of-the-art learning facilities for preparing highly qualified healthcare professionals ready for the NCLEX-RN exam.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Western Association of Colleges and Schools (WASC)
Contact
3100 Summit Street 3rd Floor
Oakland, CA 94609
(510) 869-6511 ext. 3765
gmecum@samuelmerritt.edu
http://www.samuelmerritt.edu/nursing/bs_nursing
San Diego State University
School of Nursing
Boasting an enrollment of over 35,000 students, San Diego State University is a major comprehensive public research institution located on a 283-acre urban campus within miles from the Pacific Ocean and an hour from the Mexican border. Well-known for ranking 21st in the country for students traveling abroad, SDSU is currently named the 149th best university and 78th top public school in America by the U.S. News and World Report. Also home to the nation’s 127th best nursing programs, the School of Nursing has the mission of developing innovative practitioners for leading and transforming nursing care in diverse medical settings.
B.S. in Nursing
Established in 1953, the B.S. in Nursing program has a long history of blending the art and science of nursing to build a strong foundation in the biophysical and behavioral sciences for preparing SDSU students with the essential nursing practice skills. Available to incoming freshman, transfer students, and second baccalaureate students, the program places an emphasis on training nurses with the critical thinking skills and professional decision-making abilities needed for eventual advancement. As part of the 120-credit program, all nursing students are required to participate in an international experience approved by the dean to increase their awareness of cross-cultural health issues and global health challenges.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Western Association of Colleges and Schools (WASC)
Contact
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182
(619) 594-2540
nursing@mail.sdsu.edu
http://nursing.sdsu.edu/programs/bs-in-nursing/overview/
San Francisco State University
School of Nursing
Nestled on a 142-acre urban campus in the vibrant San Francisco Bay Area, San Francisco State University is a large comprehensive public research institution serving over 26,000 students in 114 academic programs of study. Named one of the “Colleges with a Conscience” by the prestigious Princeton Review, SFSU is currently ranked as the 58th best university and 16th top public school in the country within the U.S. News and World Report survey. Also acclaimed for having the 166th best nursing degree programs in America, the School of Nursing has 50 years of experience in producing skilled clinicians in specialized nursing practice.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Designed as a two-year pre-licensure program for junior and senior students, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree prepares individuals for entry-level nursing positions in hospitals, clinics, community centers, long-term rehabilitation facilities, home health services, mental health agencies, and more. Admissions is open to California residents who are not registered nurses and who have maintained a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. In addition to qualifying graduates for public health nursing certification, the program provides a basis for graduate nursing education. Students can also choose to complete the baccalaureate program through a partnership between SFSU and Cañada College to gain experience specifically at Sequoia Hospital.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Western Association of Colleges and Schools (WASC)
Contact
1600 Holloway Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94132
(415) 338-1802
nursing@sfsu.edu
https://sites7.sfsu.edu/nursing/content/bsn-admission
San Jose State University
The Valley Foundation School of Nursing
Founded in 1857 as the first higher education institute on the West Coast, San Jose State University is a major comprehensive public four-year research institution located on a 154-acre urban campus on the beautiful Monterey Coast in the heart of the Silicon Valley. As a national leader in graduating minority students from its population of over 32,00, SJSU is currently ranked as the 38th best university and 8th top public school in the country by the U.S. News and World Report. Within the College of Humanities and the Arts, the Valley Foundation School of Nursing is also distinguished for offering the nation’s 193rd best nursing degree programs.
B.S. in Nursing
Formed as the final step towards nursing certification for students attending the Valley Foundation’s network of fine community colleges, the B.S. in Nursing program is structured to complete nursing students’ studies with advanced specialized nursing courses and real-world practice in state-of-the-art facilities. In the two year program, students are prepared for professional nursing practice in a variety of acute care and community settings or for continuing education in graduate school. SJSU has recently achieved its highest pass rate for the NCLEX-RN exam with 98.3% of graduates receiving their registered nursing credentials the first time.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Western Association of Colleges and Schools (WASC)
Contact
One Washington Square
San Jose, CA 95192
(408) 924-3131
nursing@sjsu.edu
http://www.valley.org/org.html
University of California – Irvine
Nursing Science Program
On a sunny 1,474-acre suburban campus within five miles from the Pacific Ocean in the center of bustling Orange County, the University of California – Irvine is an elite public research institution offering highly personalized education to more than 29,000 students. Named the #1 university in the nation in Times Higher Education (THE) magazine, UCI is currently ranked as America’s 42nd best university, 11th top public school, and 39th best value college by the U.S. News and World Report. Offering state-of-the-art learning at one of the country’s top 50 hospitals, the Nursing Science Program prepares graduates for basic and advanced clinical practice roles across nursing science subspecialties.
B.S. in Nursing Science
With the goal of producing competent nurses to provide quality care to a diverse group of patients through evidence-based practice, the B.S. in Nursing Science program at UCI offers the opportunity for students to enter the healthcare environment with a solid foundation built on the theory and practices of nursing. As a selective undergraduate major, the program contains two years of basic sciences before commencing the upper-level nursing science coursework in the junior year. To prepare students as generalist clinicians, the 120-credit curriculum combines the biological, social, medical, pharmaceutical, biomedical, and behavioral sciences with an emphasis on human caring.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Western Association of Colleges and Schools (WASC)
Contact
252 Berk Hall
Irvine, CA 92697
(949) 824-1514
aholman@uci.edu
http://www.nursing.uci.edu/programs/bs/
University of California – Los Angeles
School of Nursing
Standing proudly as a major comprehensive public research institution with virtually unlimited opportunities for discovery, the University of California – Los Angeles is home for over 42,100 students on a beautiful 419-acre urban campus in the Westwood neighborhood of California’s largest city. With more than 50 academic programs ranked among the top 20 in their field, UCLA is currently honored as the 23rd best university and 2nd top public school in the United States by the U.S. News and World Report. In addition to having the #1 hospital system west of the Mississippi River for 23 consecutive years, the School of Nursing is credited with the 21st best nursing degree programs in the nation.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Structured as a four-year program beginning in the freshman year, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program takes undergraduate students on a pre-licensure journey to receive the credentials needed to manage both individual healthcare within acute care hospitals and medical centers. Highly focused on the principles of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention, the program takes on a population-based approach to preparing graduates for meeting the demands of present-day high acuity patient populations. Within the 180-unit program, students holding junior status may be eligible to complete a Summer Research Project with nursing faculty mentors to conduct studies related to biobehavioral sciences, biological sciences, health disparities, and health services.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Western Association of Colleges and Schools (WASC)
Contact
700 Tiverton Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90095
(310) 825-3109
sonsaff@sonnet.ucla.edu
http://nursing.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=70
University of San Francisco
School of Nursing and Health Professions
Established in 1855 as a comprehensive private Jesuit Catholic liberal arts institution, the University of San Francisco is nestled on historic Lone Mountain on a 55-acre urban campus in California’s Bay Area to educate more than 10,100 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students for social responsibility. Named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for seven straight years, USF is ranked as the 106th best university in the nation by the U.S. News and World Report. With the 50th best nursing degree programs, the School of Nursing and Health Professions is dedicated to developing pragmatic problem solvers to lead transformation in today’s evolving healthcare systems.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Rooted in the values of the university’s Jesuit faith, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program builds upon a strong liberal arts foundation to prepare students for entry-level careers in nursing and continued academic achievement in graduate school. From a hands-on approach to nursing education, the program offers students the opportunity to strengthen clinical practice abilities with real-world tools in the Learning Resource Center and Simulation Lab. Available as a four-year program of at least 120 credits in San Francisco or Sacramento, the curriculum is customized to meet student needs and professional career interests before taking the NCLEX-RN exam for licensure.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Western Association of Colleges and Schools (WASC)
Contact
2130 Fulton Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 422-6681
nursing@usfca.edu
http://www.usfca.edu/nursing/bsn/
Vanguard University of Southern California
Nursing Division
Headquartered on a main 40-acre suburban campus in Costa Mesa within just 50 miles south of Los Angeles, Vanguard University of Southern California is a private co-educational Pentecostal institution affiliated with the Assemblies of God to deepen the faith of over 1,900 students. Along with being named to the Princeton Review’s “Best in the West” colleges, Vanguard is currently ranked as the 12th best regional college and 5th top university for veterans in the West by the U.S. News and World Report. Within the Nursing Division, undergraduate and graduate students are trained with the theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and real-life experiences needed to advance within their clinical healthcare profession.
RN to BSN Program
Accredited by the CCNE, the RN to BSN program leads to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree for continuing education students who have already completed a diploma or associate degree in nursing to receive registered nursing credentials. With a focus in integrating the values of truth and virtue into healthcare service, the Christian nursing program offers a dynamic learning community to prepare graduates for leading with integrity in increasingly complex healthcare environments. For completion, students will need a grand total of 124 units of coursework designed to equip students for spirit-empowered leadership in today’s multi-faceted nursing care field.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Western Association of Colleges and Schools (WASC)
Contact
55 Fair Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 556-3610
mary.wickman@vanguard.edu
http://www.vanguard.edu/nursing/
West Coast University
Undergraduate Division
Since being founded by David Pyle in 1979 as the first school focused in optical dispensing, West Coast University has grown to become a private for-profit health sciences institution located in Los Angeles with satellite locations in Irvine, Anaheim, and Ontario in California as well as Dallas, Texas. Fully accredited by the WASC, West Coast embraces student-centric learning to prepare professionals in nursing, dental hygiene, nursing education, occupational therapy, and health administration. In the Undergraduate Division, students start a four-year education in market-responsive programs to develop the competencies and confidence required in today’s changing healthcare world.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Through an integration of essential critical thinking, decision making, leadership, and clinical management skills, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is focused on providing students with the professional nursing abilities necessary for assisting patients toward achieving optimal levels of health. With hands-on learning experiences in acute, long-term, and community care settings, the program’s 120-credit curriculum can be completed in as little as 39 months. After learning basic therapeutic nursing interventions in evidence-based practice across diverse specialties, WCU graduates are well-equipped for entering graduate school to specialize in pediatrics, medical-surgical nursing, gerontology, psychiatric care, community health, nursing administration, home healthcare nursing, and more.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Western Association of Colleges and Schools (WASC)
Contact
12215 Victory Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91606
(818) 299-5500
http://westcoastuniversity.edu/programs/bachelor-science-nursing.html
Whether you’re a recent high school graduate or have already completed an associate’s degree in nursing from an accredited community college, earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing can take your healthcare career to the next level. Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs are highly advised for students seeking lifelong nursing careers to realize higher compensation, better job stability, opportunities for promotion, and employment flexibility. If you’re planning to study in the “Golden State,” consider attending one of these accredited nursing degree programs in California approved by the CCNE for receiving RN licensure.
