The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) College of Nursing is
the largest and most prestigious source of nursing leadership for
Illinois and beyond. As a college, we are dedicated to advancing
nursing leadership by pursuing excellence in research, education
and practice.
At UIC, a student can earn a baccalaureate, master's or doctoral
degree in nursing science. We also offer a BSN-to-PhD option, a
BSN-to-DNP option and a RN mobility from an AD/Diploma to a BSN
degree and higher. Our Graduate Entry Program is designed for students who have a baccalaureate in another field and wish to
pursue educational preparation in the foundations of nursing as
well as a Master's in Nursing. Upon successful completion of this
program, students are eligible to take the National Council
Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).
Instruction is provided in Chicago, Peoria, Quad-Cities, Rockford
and Urbana-Champaign. The UIC College of Nursing houses the first
World Health Organization (WHO) U.S. Collaborating Center for
Nursing and Midwifery. Through our UIC Nursing Institute, we
provide leadership in lifelong education, academic nursing
practice and health care policy.
Our faculty are accomplished teachers, researchers and clinicians.
Concentrated into three departments, we conduct research and impart this knowledge to our undergraduate and graduate students. High expectations and modeling of applied research supports the development of
life-long learning and leadership skills in our students. Many
faculty members are active in clinical practice and provide
access to clinical sites. We are closely partnered with UIC
Medical Center, Advocate Healthcare System, Provena-Covenant
Medical Center, MacNeal Hospital, Northwestern (University)
Memorial Hospital, Children's Memorial Hospital, the University
of Chicago Medical Center, St. James Hospitals and Health
Center, and Thresholds among others.
Today's nurses practice in a variety of health care settings,
such as hospitals and community-based settings like clinics,
nursing centers, outpatient facilities, parishes and homes. A
degree from UIC provides an excellent foundation for
a broad spectrum of nursing leadership opportunities. It can
serve as a stepping-stone for a fulfilling, lifetime career as a
nursing leader. UIC offers an excellent education with the
nation's best nursing leaders as teachers. You will be surrounded
by energetic and supportive peers, receive personal and
professional guidance, as well as receive outstanding clinical
experiences.
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is an entry-level or
enhanced generalist practice degree, which will qualify the
successful graduate to write the N-CLEX examinations necessary
for obtaining a license as a registered nurse (RN) (if you do not
hold licensure already). At entry-level, it is an upper division
professional practice program built on a liberal arts and
sciences foundation. At an enhanced level, it builds on the
technical expertise of RNs with a community college degree or
hospital-based nursing school diploma.
If you are seeking admission to the UIC College of Nursing, you
may transfer in Fall term to the upper division program in either
Chicago or Urbana-Champaign if you have completed the liberal
arts and sciences pre-requisites. Or, as an incoming freshman,
you might seek admission to UIC College of Liberal Arts and
Sciences, designating an undeclared major. After completing
12 semester-hours (usually one semester) and achieving a GPA of
at least 3.5 (A = 5.0), you are permitted to enter the Liberal Arts and
Sciences
pre-nursing curriculum. A special guaranteed professional program
admission status is available with ACT scores greater than
or equal to 28 and SAT-I scores greater than or equal to 1240
(without the writing score) and ranked in the top 15% of high
school class.
RN-to-BSN
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If you hold an RN license but do not have a BSN, you can apply
for admission in our RN-to-BSN program. This program is completed
entirely online, can be finished in as little as 16 months, and
will lead to a BSN from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Graduate Entry Program
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The master's program for non-nursing graduates is designed for
those individuals who wish to become a RN and who
hold a baccalaureate degree in a field other than nursing. The
Graduate Entry Program option begins with a 15-month highly
intensive program (4 consecutive semesters), which will provide
students with the foundation for nursing practice and preparation
them to take the National Council Licensing Examination -
Registered Nurse (NCELX-RN). This program begins in January of
each year. The pre-NCLEX portion of the program is only available
on a full-time basis. It is highly recommended that students not
hold employment position while enrolled in the first 15 months of
the program. The Pre-NCLEX portion is also only available in
Chicago.
After successful completion of the NCLEX-RN exam, the student
begins the advanced–practice specialty courses in one of
the master's program offered at UIC College of Nursing. To gain
professional clinical experience, most students seek part-time
work as a RN at this point in their education.
Master of Science in Nursing
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The Master of Science (MS) in Nursing is an advanced practice
degree with the mission of preparing nurse practitioners,
clinical nurse specialists and nurse leaders. The program
consists of core content in health problems management, clinical
nursing therapeutics, pharmacotherapeutics, research for
evidence-based practice and health systems science and policy as
well as clinical practice learning in special concentrations.
Concentrations include the following:
Department of Maternal Child Nursing
- Nurse Midwifery (Certified Nurse Midwife)
- Women's Health Care or Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (NP)
- Pediatric or Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
Department of Medical Surgical Nursing
- Acute Care, Adult/Geriatric, Adult or Geriatric Nurse
Practitioner (NP)
- Acute Care or Geriatric CNS
Department of Public Health, Mental Health and Administrative
Nursing
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
- Occupational Health Nursing (may be combined with FNP)
- School Nursing Practitioner or Specialist
- Administrative Nursing (may be combined with MBA or Health
Informatics)
- Advanced Community Health Nursing (may be combined with MPH)
- Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist or Nurse Practitioner
Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science
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Focusing on the development of independent nurse researchers and
educators, the program leading to a PhD in Nursing Science
emphasizes teaching, empirical research and theory development.
Students are admitted to the PhD program by virtue of their
academic background and research interests.
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
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Doctoral nursing practice encompasses advanced clinical practice
that influences health care outcomes for individuals, families
and populations. This includes the direct care of individual
patients, management of care for individuals and populations,
administration of nursing and health care organizations, and the
development and implementation of health policy.
Graduates of DNP programs are prepared for direct care roles
(e.g. nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse
midwives) and indirect care or systems-focused roles (e.g.
administrative, public health, and policy roles) or a blend of
these roles. The goal of this program is to develop advanced
practitioners of nursing into evidenced-based, intradisciplinary
providers who meet the needs of a rapidly expanding health care
field. The DNP program prepares nurse leaders to practice in
complex health care systems, manage diverse populations and
reduce disparities in health care outcomes.
BSN to PhD – Research and Teaching Express Track
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BSN to DNP – Advance Clinical Practitioner Express Track
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These two curricula give the student with a bachelor's degree the
option of bypassing the master's degree and moving directly
through the program to obtain the DNP or PhD degree.
If you know that being a researcher, teacher of nursing or
advanced practitioner is in your future, UIC has an express track
for you to move expediently from you bachelor's degree in nursing
through either a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science or a
Doctor of Nursing Practice. Throughout your studies, you will
work side-by-side with faculty, who are nationally known nursing
scientists, thereby experiencing mentoring relationships that
will extend through your doctoral studies and beyond. This
experience will help you become established as a leader in
science for nursing practice and provide you a strong foundation
on which to build your future.
Diversity at University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) College of
Nursing
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UIC's College of Nursing Urban Health Program is designed to
promote recruitment and retention of underrepresented students
(African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos and Native Americans) in
the health professions. The expected outcomes are graduation,
nursing licensure and realization of professional goals. Once
enrolled, students receive a variety of academic and psychosocial
support that enhances students' potentials of being successful in
nursing. Examples of support are counseling, guidance,
networking, referrals to varied resources (inside and outside of
the university), academic advisement, mentoring, tutoring,
college survival skills workshops and involvement in professional
development activities.
Learn More 