Prerequisites
MECN (Masters Entry Clinical Nurse)
All applicants to the MECN program must complete the following approved prerequisite courses (other than Epidemiology) by the end of December 2025 for the Fall 2026 entry. Please see the links below for a list of courses that have already been approved.
Chemistry: An approved undergraduate level chemistry course with content with approved content in inorganic, organic and biochemistry.
English Reading & Composition: Two college level writing courses usually completed during the first two years of a baccalaureate program. Students who receive a waiver of this requirement in their baccalaureate program due to successful completion of an Advanced Placement Examination must submit proof of the Advanced Placement Examination score. If an applicant has completed a writing intensive course in a department other than English or Writing, he or she must provide documentation that the course included a significant writing component. A thesis is not acceptable.
Epidemiology: An introduction to epidemiology, including factors governing health and disease in populations. (4 quarter units or equivalent of Epidemiology 100A; or Nursing 50 at UCLA School of Nursing). Nursing 50, Fundamentals of Epidemiology may be offered during the summer at UCLA for students who have not already completed an acceptable course.
Group or Oral Communication: A Communication Studies or Speech course that covers the principles of oral communication or interpersonal communication.
Human Anatomy: A human anatomy course that includes: Structural survey of the human body, including skeletomuscular, nervous, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, and genitourinary systems. Laboratory includes an examination of human cadaver specimens. (4 quarter units or the equivalent of Physiological Science 13 or Nursing 13 at UCLA). Take this course online this summer!
Human Physiology: A human physiology course that includes human systems physiology through cell physiology with emphasis on membrane properties (4 quarter units or the equivalent of Physiological Science 3 or Nursing 3 at UCLA). This course must have been completed within the last five years of the program start date. Pathophysiology is not acceptable. Take this course online this summer!
Microbiology: A microbiology course that covers an introduction to the biology of microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, protozoa, algae, fungi), their significance as model systems for understanding fundamental cellular processes, and their role in human affairs. (4 quarter units or equivalent; Microbiology 6 or 101 at UCLA).
Nutrition: Examination of primary prevention strategies involving nutrition using population-based and clinical approaches of diverse populations. Investigation of nutrition in relation to the prevention of disease and recovery from disease. Covers biological, public health, and clinical aspects of major macro-and micronutrients, obesity, malnutrition, dietary assessment, nutritional therapies, and exercise using candidate disease approach. This course must have been completed within the last five years to the program start date. (4 quarter units or equivalent; COMHLT 130 or NURS 152B at UCLA)
Psychology (Intro/General): An introductory or general psychology course that includes topics in cognitive, experimental, personality, developmental, social, and clinical psychology. (4 quarter units or equivalent; Psychology 10 at UCLA)
Psychology (Lifespan/Developmental): Elaboration of developmental aspects of physical, mental, social, and emotional growth from birth to adolescence. This course must have been completed within the last five years to the program start date. (4 quarter units or equivalent; Psychology 130 at UCLA)
Statistics: An upper-division introductory or equivalent biostatistics course that covers the following topics: distributions, sampling, tests of hypotheses, estimation, types of error, significance and confidence intervals, and sample sizes (4 quarter units or equivalent; Biostatistics 100A at UCLA). Taken within the last five years is recommended, but is not required.
Students are expected to have basic computer skills prior to admission.