The associate's degree in nursing is the most basic degree offered in the nursing field. Associate degree programs are usually offered at community colleges, whose admission requirements are generally less stringent than other colleges and universities. Admission usually requires the completion of a high school diploma and completion of the ACT exam. Most associate nursing degree programs are geared towards preparing students to take the NCLEX-RN, a national licensing exam. Curriculum requirements vary, but most associate programs require 65-75 credit hours for completion. Most also require students to complete prerequisite courses in anatomy and physiology, microbiology and chemistry. Typical required nursing courses include those in areas such as nursing fundamentals, nursing pharmacology, nursing care of medical and surgical patients and nursing care of mothers and children.
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) is the standard degree for professional nurses who either move beyond the associate's degree or enter a bachelor's degree program as their first nursing degree. Admission to a bachelor's program in nursing first requires admission to the college or university. Students must then usually complete undergraduate prerequisites in anatomy and physiology, chemistry and other science courses, or complete an aptitude exam that allows the admissions committee to gauge their readiness for the nursing program. Most of the bachelor's degree programs in California require 130 or more credit hours. For instance, the program at UCLA requires 180 credit hours. Students must generally complete courses in chemistry and organic chemistry, life sciences, microbiology and psychology. Courses specific to many nursing degree majors include fundamentals of professional nursing, biostatistics, public health nursing, human growth and development, and nursing pharmacology.
Admission to a master's degree or doctoral program in nursing in the state of California is similar to admissions requirements of schools in most other states. Because many schools offer "bridge" programs, students can enter a master's degree program with either a bachelor's degree or an associate's degree. Bridge programs, like the one offered at California State University in Fullerton, allow students to go from the associate's degree directly into the master's degree program while obtaining the bachelor's degree along the way.
Students must usually meet prerequisite course requirements, have letters of recommendation from undergraduate faculty who have taught or advised them and a minimum grade point average (as determined by the school or nursing program). Students entering a doctoral program usually need to have already completed a bachelor's or master's degree and must also take an exam like the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and have a high GPA (UCLA requires a 3.5). Required coursework varies greatly because of the many areas of emphasis within the graduate programs. In general, a master's degree usually requires 30-40 credit hours for completion and a PhD or Doctor of Nursing Practice requires 45 credit hours or more.