University of Arizona Nursing Programs

University of Arizona offers nursing education pathways for students at different points in their careers, from those preparing for initial nursing licensure to registered nurses pursuing advanced practice, leadership, education, or doctoral study. The best option depends on the student’s current education, RN licensure status, desired role, preferred learning format, and state licensure requirements.

 

This profile reflects currently published nursing offerings at the Tucson and Gilbert program sites. Applicants should confirm current pathway availability, program location, delivery format, requirements, costs, approval, accreditation, clinical expectations, and state eligibility directly with the university before applying.

School Contact and Location

Official Social Media

The nursing-school website should be used to confirm active account destinations before publishing a production listing. Specific nursing-school account URLs were not sufficiently exposed in the reviewed official page content to verify direct profile links.

General institutional accounts

• Facebook: Official university website

• Instagram: Official university website

• LinkedIn: Official university website

• YouTube: Official university website

• X: Official university website

• TikTok: Official university website

Nursing school accounts

• Not publicly confirmed on the reviewed nursing-program pages

Campus and Program Images

No verified, reusable university image was identified for this listing.

Use only official campus, nursing-facility, simulation-laboratory, classroom, or logo images obtained through a documented university media-license, brand-permission, or directory-asset workflow. Do not assume that an image displayed on an official webpage is automatically licensed for third-party directory republication.

Nursing Programs at a Glance

The nursing school currently publishes accelerated entry-level BSN and master’s-entry options, DNP specialty pathways, PhD tracks, and graduate certificates. It operates BSN and MEPN routes in Tucson and Gilbert, while DNP and PhD delivery can include hybrid or online components with required intensives or clinical learning depending on the track.

Choosing the Right Nursing Path

• Choose an entry-level pathway if you are not yet an RN and want to pursue initial RN licensure.

• Consider the Tucson BSN or Gilbert BSN-IH based on your eligibility, program location, preferred learning structure, costs, required travel, and direct-admission status.

• Consider MEPN if you already have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree and want a full-time, master’s-entry route to initial nursing preparation.

• Consider an ADN or BSN based on your goals, financial plan, time commitment, transfer plans, and eventual graduate-study interests. An ADN program was not identified among the college’s currently published offerings.

• Consider an accelerated BSN if you already have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree and meet the nursing school’s requirements. A separately named accelerated or second-degree BSN was not identified; MEPN is the currently published accelerated entry route for degree holders.

• Consider RN-to-BSN if you are already an RN with an associate degree or diploma. An RN-to-BSN pathway was not identified among currently published nursing offerings.

• Consider DNP, PhD, or graduate-certificate study only after confirming the exact specialty, prior degree, RN/APRN licensure, clinical experience, certification route, clinical commitments, residency or intensive requirements, and state eligibility.

Entry-Level Nursing Pathways

Bachelor of Science in Nursing-Tucson

Credential: Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Who it is for: Students who are not already RNs and have completed the required pre-nursing coursework and admissions process.

Format and length: The nursing school describes the BSN as a year-round hybrid program combining online and in-person learning. Its published admissions page states that students attend classes year-round and may graduate in 15–16 months.

Location: Tucson. The school’s cost page identifies the BSN Tucson pathway as four semesters, typically completed in approximately 24 months. Because published timelines differ across pages, applicants should obtain a current curriculum plan from the admissions office before enrolling.

Clinical learning: Clinical requirements are integral to a pre-licensure BSN. Specific clinical-site locations, schedules, travel expectations, simulation access, and placement procedures should be confirmed directly with the program.

Licensure relationship: The BSN is a pre-licensure pathway that prepares eligible graduates to seek initial RN licensure. The Arizona State Board of Nursing maintains approved-program lists, which are updated after Board meetings.

Best fit for:

• Students seeking a Tucson-based BSN pathway

• Applicants prepared for year-round, accelerated program pacing

• Students who can participate in both online and in-person coursework

• Applicants who will verify current prerequisites, clinical expectations, and program timeline

Official links: BSN overview · BSN admissions · Costs and financial aid

BSN Integrative Health—Gilbert

Credential: Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Integrative Health pathway.

Who it is for: Students admitted through the college’s direct-admit BSN process and interested in the published Integrative Health pathway in Gilbert.

Location: Downtown Gilbert, Arizona. The college’s Gilbert information identifies the College of Nursing office as Room 112. nursing.arizona

Format and length: The direct-admit page identifies the Integrative Health pathway as four semesters over 15–16 months. nursing.arizona

Program focus: The college describes the pathway as blending conventional medicine with complementary approaches related to mind, body, spirit, and well-being. nursing.arizona

Licensure relationship: This is a pre-licensure BSN pathway that prepares eligible graduates to seek initial RN licensure after meeting educational and regulatory requirements.

Best fit for:

• First-year applicants seeking a direct-admit BSN route

• Students who prefer the Gilbert location

• Applicants comfortable with an accelerated four-semester plan

• Students interested in the school’s stated integrative-health focus

Official links: BSN Direct Admit · BSN Integrative Health · BSN-IH program guide

Master of Science – Entry to the Profession of Nursing

Credential: Master of Science—Entry to the Profession of Nursing (MEPN).

Who it is for: Students with a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing who want entry-level nursing education at the master’s level.

Locations: Tucson and Gilbert.

Format and length: Full-time, in-person, year-round program. The school describes a 15–16-month timeline, though its 2026–27 cost page describes four semesters typically completed in 15–18 months. Students should confirm the plan for their specific location and cohort.

Published admissions expectations: The MEPN FAQ identifies a minimum 3.0 GPA in prerequisite courses and a minimum 75% cumulative HESI A2 score across Biology, Math, Vocabulary, Grammar, Reading Comprehension, and Critical Thinking. Verify the current prerequisite list, exam policy, deadline, degree documentation, and admissions materials with the college. nursing.arizona

Clinical learning: The program is designed as an in-person entry-to-nursing curriculum. Ask the program for its current clinical, simulation, compliance, travel, and licensure-preparation requirements.

Licensure relationship: MEPN is an entry-level pathway for non-nurses that prepares eligible graduates to seek initial RN licensure. State boards, not the university, make licensure decisions.

Best fit for:

• Non-nurses with a completed bachelor’s degree

• Students able to attend a full-time, year-round program in Tucson or Gilbert

• Applicants prepared to complete the published prerequisites and HESI A2 requirement

• Students seeking a master’s-entry nursing pathway

Official links: MEPN overview · MEPN admissions · MEPN FAQs

Other Entry-Level Pathways

• ADN/ASN/AAS nursing: Not identified among the university’s currently published nursing offerings. Confirm available pathways directly with the nursing school.

• Practical nursing/LPN certificate or diploma: Not identified among the university’s currently published nursing offerings. Confirm available pathways directly with the nursing school.

• Nursing assistant certificate: Not identified among the university’s currently published nursing offerings. The Arizona State Board of Nursing maintains separate nursing-assistant-program information. azbn

• Accelerated or second-degree BSN: Not identified as a separately named pathway. Degree holders who are not RNs may instead review the published MEPN. nursing.arizona

• RN-to-BSN: Not identified among the university’s currently published nursing offerings. Confirm available pathways directly with the nursing school.

RN Completion and Degree-Advancement Options

No RN-to-BSN, RN-to-MSN, or separately labeled RN-to-DNP bridge was identified among the current nursing-program pages reviewed for this profile.

The college does publish graduate pathways for BSN- and MSN-prepared nurses, plus post-master’s specialty and DNP options. These are graduate admissions routes, not RN-completion programs.

Post-Master’s APRN-to-DNP

Credential: Doctor of Nursing Practice.

Who it is for: Master’s-prepared advanced-practice registered nurses seeking doctoral nursing-practice education. nursing.arizona

Prior degree and licensure: The DNP admissions page states that the post-master’s DNP and specialty-certificate programs require an MSN with an advanced-practice specialty. nursing.arizona

Format: The broader DNP program is described as hybrid. Applicants should verify current coursework, credit requirements, clinical or practice-project expectations, residency/intensive requirements, and state eligibility for the intended specialty.

Official links: Post-Master’s APRN-to-DNP · DNP admissions

Graduate Nursing Programs

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Credential: Doctor of Nursing Practice.

Who it is for: BSN- and MSN-prepared nurses, depending on specialty. The school states that some specialties are only available to master’s-prepared applicants. nursing.arizona

Format: The school describes the DNP as a hybrid program. It reports that full-time completion may be possible in as little as 2.5 years, depending on the selected specialty and starting credential. nursing.arizona

Published general DNP requirements: Applicants need a degree from a regionally accredited institution. Accepted degree backgrounds listed by the school include BSN, post-baccalaureate BSN, MEPN, MSN, and—in the post-master’s DNP or specialty-certificate context—an MSN with an advanced-practice specialty. The DNP admissions page includes a minimum GPA requirement, but the exact threshold should be verified on the current application page before applying. nursing.arizona

Current specialty areas identified in official program materials:

Advanced-practice considerations: For any NP, midwifery, nurse-anesthesia, or other APRN option, confirm the population focus, program plan, clinical requirements, certification pathway, state eligibility, clinical-site expectations, and whether the exact track is open for your intended term.

Official links: DNP overview · DNP admissions · DNP specialty guides

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP DNP

Credential: DNP, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner specialty.

Intended applicant: Post-BSN applicants or post-graduate NPs adding the specialty. nursing.arizona

Format: Hybrid: online didactic learning, on-campus intensives, and on-ground clinical practica. Full-time and part-time options are available. nursing.arizona

Credits and clinical hours: The current specialty page identifies 70 credit hours and 810 clinical hours. Applicants should confirm the applicable plan because a prior program guide showed different clinical-hour totals.

Population focus: Adults ages 18 years and older with acute, serious, or complex illnesses and injuries. nursing.arizona

Certification relationship: The school states that graduates are eligible to seek AGACNP certification through the American Nurses Credentialing Center or the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. Certification eligibility and requirements can change and should be confirmed directly with the relevant certifying body. nursing.arizona

Official link: AGACNP DNP

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing

Credential: Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing.

Who it is for: Nurses seeking research-focused doctoral education. The program publishes BSN-to-PhD, MS-to-PhD, DNP/PhD dual-degree, and post-DNP PhD options.

Delivery format: Online learning with an annual in-person Resident Intensive Summer Experience (RISE) week. nursing.arizona

Published BSN-to-PhD curriculum: Full-time, four-year, 79-credit plan. The dual PhD-DNP track is listed as full-time only. nursing.arizona

Admissions: The school’s admissions page identifies a BSN degree and a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA among prerequisites for the BSN-to-PhD pathway. Confirm RN-license status, track-specific prior-degree requirements, scholarly materials, deadlines, and residency expectations directly with the PhD program. nursing.arizona

Official links: PhD overview · PhD admissions · PhD curriculum and tracks

Advanced Practice Certificates

Credential: Graduate advanced-practice certificate.

Who it is for: Advanced-practice nurses adding a specialty. The school’s certificate page includes specialty pathways such as Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP, Family NP, Nurse Midwifery, Pediatric NP, and Psychiatric Mental Health NP; prospective applicants should use the current page to verify every available option. nursing.arizona

Published AGACNP certificate expectations: The page describes an advanced-practice nursing degree and acute-care experience as admission requirements, with 720 supervised clinical hours. It also says graduates may be eligible to take an AGACNP national certification examination. nursing.arizona

Format and timing: Not publicly confirmed in full detail on the reviewed pages; contact the nursing school for current format, course sequence, clinical-placement process, certification alignment, and state eligibility.

Official link: Advanced Practice Certificates

AI in Nursing and Health Care Certificate

Credential: Certificate.

Who it is for: Nurses and health-care professionals interested in AI-related nursing and health-care education. nursing.arizona

Format, credits, requirements, and cost: Not publicly confirmed on the reviewed official program page extracts; prospective students should contact the nursing school directly for current details.

Official link: Graduate Certificates

Admissions Requirements

Entry-Level and Pre-Licensure Admissions

BSN—Tucson: The nursing school publishes a separate admissions process. The reviewed page confirms year-round hybrid delivery and a 15–16-month timeframe but does not expose the full prerequisite list in the available official excerpt. Prospective students should review the current BSN admissions page and contact an admissions advisor. nursing.arizona

BSN Direct Admit and BSN-IH: The direct-admit pathway is four semesters over 15–16 months; the published priority deadline is November 1, 2026. Direct-admit admission requirements are available in the school’s official BSN-IH guide and should be verified for the intended term.

MEPN: The current published FAQ identifies a 3.0 minimum GPA in prerequisites and a 75% minimum cumulative HESI A2 score across Biology, Math, Vocabulary, Grammar, Reading Comprehension, and Critical Thinking. The school also publishes term-specific completion deadlines for proof of bachelor’s-degree completion.

RN Completion Admissions

A separately named RN-to-BSN pathway was not identified among the university’s currently published nursing offerings. Prospective students should contact the nursing school to confirm whether any new or alternative bridge options are available.

Graduate Nursing Admissions

DNP: The DNP accepts applicants with a BSN or MSN in nursing, depending on specialty. The nursing school states that some specialties are reserved for master’s-prepared applicants. nursing.arizona

Post-Master’s DNP and certificates: An MSN with an advanced-practice specialty is listed as the qualifying educational background for post-master’s DNP and specialty-certificate options. nursing.arizona

PhD: The school identifies a BSN and cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above for the BSN-to-PhD route. Other tracks have different degree requirements. nursing.arizona

Academic and clinical compliance: Immunization, background check, drug screening, CPR, health insurance, fingerprinting, physical-exam, and clinical-site compliance requirements were not publicly confirmed in detailed form on the reviewed nursing-program pages. Applicants should ask the college for the current compliance list for their exact program and clinical location.

 

Admissions requirements and clinical-compliance standards can change. Confirm all current requirements and deadlines directly with the university.

Accreditation, Approval, and Licensure Considerations

Institutional Accreditation

Institutional accreditation was not independently confirmed in the reviewed official source set for this profile. Prospective students should verify the university’s current accreditation through official institutional disclosures and the Higher Learning Commission’s directory before enrolling.

Programmatic Nursing Accreditation

The nursing school states that its nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The DNP page specifically identifies CCNE accreditation for the Doctor of Nursing Practice program.

The school also states that the Nurse Anesthesiology program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs. nursing.arizona

 

Prospective students should confirm current accreditation status, accredited program levels, dates, campus coverage, and specialty-specific accreditation through the CCNE accredited-program directory and, for nurse anesthesiology, the Council on Accreditation’s official resources.

State Approval

The nursing school states that its programs are certified by the Arizona State Board of Nursing and that the college is approved by the Board. The Arizona State Board of Nursing maintains education-program lists and states that its approved-program lists are updated after each Board meeting.

 

Verify the current approval status of the exact pre-licensure program and location through the Arizona State Board of Nursing education-program lists before enrolling.

Licensure and Distance Learning

Nursing licensure is regulated by states. Students considering online, hybrid, clinical, DNP, PhD, certificate, or APRN programs should verify:

• Whether the school can enroll students who live in the applicant’s state.

• Whether the curriculum meets educational requirements for the intended license or certification.

• Where required clinical, practicum, simulation, immersion, or residency components occur.

• Whether professional RN or APRN licensure must be held in a specific state before clinical enrollment.

• Whether the program’s certification path aligns with the applicant’s intended practice setting and state.

Program approval and national accreditation are related but distinct considerations. Approval addresses regulatory authority and, for pre-licensure programs, the education needed to seek initial licensure. Programmatic accreditation evaluates nursing education against national quality standards.

Tuition, Financial Aid, and Costs

The nursing school publishes estimated total tuition and fees by program, campus, and residency status. These estimates are calculated as of January 1 and are explicitly subject to change. nursing.arizona

DNP and graduate-certificate pricing varies by specialty. Use the college’s current cost page and request an individualized estimate that includes tuition, mandatory fees, professional fees, clinical costs, health-compliance costs, technology, travel, lodging, supplies, examinations, licensing, and certification expenses. nursing.arizona

• Nursing costs and financial aid

• University financial aid

• DNP program information

Clinical Learning and Student Support

The nursing school describes clinical instruction, hybrid learning, simulation resources, and academic support contacts, but applicants should verify current services for the exact location and program.

• BSN hybrid structure: The Tucson BSN combines online and in-person learning. nursing.arizona

• MEPN site resources: The Gilbert MEPN page describes a simulation laboratory and a full-time, in-person, year-round format. nursing.arizona

• DNP clinical requirements: The school explicitly states that clinical placement is required for AGACNP, FNP, Nurse Anesthesiology, Nurse Midwifery, Pediatric NP, and PMHNP specialties. This does not guarantee a particular clinical site, preceptor, schedule, or geographic location.

• AGACNP clinical education: The current specialty page identifies 810 clinical hours; applicants should confirm the applicable program plan and current hour requirement. nursing.arizona

• PhD residency: The PhD includes an annual in-person RISE week despite its online-learning structure. nursing.arizona

• Student and academic support: The Office of Student and Academic Affairs offers listed contact options for prospective and current nursing students.

• Tutoring, NCLEX preparation, career services, disability services, and student organizations: Not publicly confirmed in detail on the reviewed nursing-program pages; prospective students should contact the school directly.

Questions to Ask Before Applying

• Is this exact program approved or authorized for students living in my state?

• Does it meet education requirements for my intended RN, APRN, nurse-midwifery, nurse-anesthesiology, or other professional license or certification?

• Which pathway matches my background: BSN, BSN-IH, MEPN, DNP, post-master’s DNP, PhD, or certificate?

• Is the program available at the Tucson location, Gilbert location, online, or through a hybrid plan?

• What prerequisite courses, GPA, entrance exams, RN licenses, or clinical-experience requirements apply?

• What is the full cost, including tuition, fees, clinical, laboratory, simulation, compliance, travel, technology, and testing expenses?

• Where and when will clinicals, on-campus intensives, practica, simulations, or RISE activities occur?

• Does the program arrange clinical experiences, and what travel or relocation flexibility should I expect?

• Can I work while enrolled given the program’s year-round, full-time, clinical, and in-person requirements?

• How will transfer credits be reviewed?

• Which CCNE, nurse-anesthesia, and Arizona Board of Nursing approvals apply to my specific location and specialty?

• What support is available for academic success, clinical preparation, accessibility accommodations, and career planning?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which nursing programs are currently offered?

The reviewed official sources identify BSN pathways in Tucson and Gilbert, MEPN in Tucson and Gilbert, DNP specialties, a post-master’s APRN-to-DNP, a PhD in Nursing, advanced-practice certificates, and an AI-in-nursing-and-health-care certificate.

Which pathway is available for someone who is not yet an RN?

The published pre-licensure options are the BSN, BSN Integrative Health/Direct Admit route, and the master’s-entry MEPN for students who already hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree.

Is an ADN, LPN, or nursing-assistant program available?

An ADN/ASN/AAS, practical-nursing/LPN certificate, and nursing-assistant certificate were not identified among the college’s currently published nursing offerings. Confirm available pathways directly with the nursing school.

Does the college offer an accelerated BSN?

A separately named accelerated or second-degree BSN was not identified among reviewed current offerings. For applicants with a bachelor’s degree outside nursing, the college publishes an accelerated master’s-entry MEPN route.

Is there an RN-to-BSN program?

An RN-to-BSN program was not identified among the nursing school’s currently published offerings. Registered nurses should contact the college directly to confirm whether an alternative or newly introduced completion pathway is available.

Are DNP programs available?

Yes. The college publishes DNP specialties in advanced practice, leadership, and education, as well as a post-master’s APRN-to-DNP pathway.

Which advanced-practice specialties are confirmed?

The reviewed current official pages identify adult-gerontology acute care NP, family NP, nurse anesthesiology, nurse midwifery, pediatric NP, psychiatric mental health NP, executive health systems leadership, and nursing education leadership.

Are DNP programs online or campus-based?

The school describes its DNP program as hybrid. AGACNP specifically uses online coursework, on-campus intensives, and on-ground clinical practica. Other specialty formats should be verified directly with the school.

Is a PhD in Nursing offered?

Yes. The school publishes BSN-to-PhD, MS-to-PhD, DNP/PhD dual-degree, and post-DNP PhD tracks. It describes online learning with an annual in-person RISE week.

How can I verify accreditation and Arizona approval?

Review the college’s accreditation page, the CCNE directory, the nurse-anesthesia accreditor’s official directory if applicable, and the Arizona State Board of Nursing approved-program lists. Confirm the status for your exact degree, specialty, site, and admission term directly with the nursing school.

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